Department website: https://lcsee.statler.wvu.edu/
Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
Students will be able to recognize the relevant issues in cybersecurity and have knowledge in the areas: data security, software security, system security, human security, organizational security and societal security. Students will be able to apply the ethical aspects and cyber laws in each cybersecurity area. The Statler College is currently seeking ABET accreditation for the cybersecurity program.
Curriculum in Cybersecurity
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
Students must meet the following criteria to qualify for a Bachelor of Science with a major in Cybersecurity degree:
- Complete a minimum of 126 credit hours
- Satisfy WVU's undergraduate degree requirements
- Satisfy Statler College's undergraduate degree requirements
- Complete all courses listed in the curriculum requirements with the required minimum grades
- Attain an overall grade point average of 2.25 or better
- Attain a WVU grade point average of 2.25 or better
- Attain a Statler grade point average of 2.25 or better
- A maximum of one math or science courses with a grade of D+, D, or D- may apply towards a Statler College degree
- Complete a survey regarding their academic and professional experiences at WVU, as well as post-graduation job placement or continuing education plans.
The Statler GPA is computed based on all work taken at WVU with a subject code within Statler College (BIOM, BMEG, CE, CHE, CPE, CS, CSEE, CYBE, EE, ENGR, IENG, IH&S, MAE, MINE, PDA, PNGE, SAFM, SENG) excluding ENGR 140, ENGR 150, and CS 101. The WVU GPA is computed based on all work taken at WVU. The Overall GPA is computed based on all work taken at WVU and transfer work.
Curriculum Requirements
| University Requirements | 16 | |
| Fundamentals of Engineering Requirements | 2 | |
| Math and Science Requirements | 26 | |
| Cybersecurity Program Requirements | 82 | |
| Total Hours | 126 | |
University Requirements
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 5, 6, and 7 | 15 | |
| ENGR 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 16 | |
Fundamentals of Engineering Requirements
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all Fundamentals of Engineering courses. | ||
| ENGR 101 | Engineering Problem Solving 1 | 2 |
| Total Hours | 2 | |
Math and Science Requirements
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all Math and Science courses. | ||
| Calculus I (GEF 3): | 4 | |
| Calculus 1 | ||
| Calculus 1a with Precalculus and Calculus 1b with Precalculus | ||
| MATH 156 | Calculus 2 (GEF 8) | 4 |
| MATH 373 | Introduction to Cryptography | 3 |
| STAT 215 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| Lab Science I (GEF 2B) & II (GEF 8): Select one of the following 8-hr sequences | 8 | |
| Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory and Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Chemistry 1 and Principles of Chemistry 1 - Laboratory and Principles of Chemistry 2 and Principles of Chemistry 2 - Laboratory | ||
| General Physics 1 and General Physics 1 Laboratory and General Physics 2 and General Physics 2 Laboratory | ||
| Planet Earth and Planet Earth Laboratory and Earth Through Time and Earth Through Time Laboratory | ||
| Lab Science III (GEF 8): Choose an additional 4-hr lab science from a second discipline | 4 | |
| Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Chemistry 1 and Principles of Chemistry 1 - Laboratory | ||
| Planet Earth and Planet Earth Laboratory | ||
| General Physics 1 and General Physics 1 Laboratory | ||
| Total Hours | 26 | |
Cybersecurity Program Requirements
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all CRIM, CPE, CS, CSEE, MATH, STAT, and MIST courses. | ||
| COMM 112 | Fundamentals of Group Communication (GEF 4) | 3 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| CPE 271 & CPE 272 | Introduction to Digital Logic Design and Digital Logic Laboratory | 4 |
| CPE 310 & CPE 311 | Microprocessor Systems and Microprocessor Laboratory | 4 |
| CPE 435 | Computer Incident Response | 3 |
| CS 110 | Introduction to Computer Science | 4 |
| CS 111 | Introduction to Data Structures | 4 |
| CS 210 | File and Data Structures | 4 |
| CS 220 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| CS 230 | Introduction to Software Engineering | 4 |
| CS 350 | Computer System Concepts | 3 |
| CS 450 | Operating Systems Structure | 4 |
| CS 453 | Data and Computer Communications | 3 |
| CS 465 | Cybersecurity Principles and Practice | 3 |
| CSEE 380 | Engineering Professionalism Seminar | 1 |
| CSEE 480 | Capstone Project - Design | 2 |
| or CS 480 | Capstone Project - Design | |
| CSEE 481 | Capstone Project - Implementation | 3 |
| or CS 481 | Capstone Project - Implementation | |
| CYBE 266 | Foundations of Cybersecurity | 3 |
| CYBE 366 | Secure Software Development | 3 |
| CYBE 466 | Host Based Cyber Defense | 3 |
| CYBE 467 | Practicing Cybersecurity: Attacks & Countermeasures | 3 |
| MIST 357 | Information Ethics | 3 |
| CRIM 431 | Cybercrime | 3 |
| Technical Electives (Select three of the following): | 9 | |
| Automata Theory | ||
| Advanced Software Engineering | ||
| Database Design and Theory | ||
| Introduction to Computer Graphics | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Real-Time Systems Development | ||
| Introduction to Big Data Engineering | ||
| Total Hours | 82 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CS 110 | 4 | CS 111 | 4 |
| COMM 112 (GEF 4) | 3 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| ENGR 101 | 2 | MATH 156 (GEF 8) | 4 |
| ENGR 191 | 1 | Lab Science II (GEF 8) | 4 |
| MATH 155 (GEF 3) | 4 | ||
| Lab Science I (GEF 2) | 4 | ||
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CPE 271 | 3 | CS 350 | 3 |
| CPE 272 | 1 | MATH 373 | 3 |
| CS 210 | 4 | SOC 101 | 3 |
| CS 220 | 3 | STAT 215 | 3 |
| CYBE 266 | 3 | Lab Science III (GEF 8) | 4 |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | ||
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CPE 310 | 3 | CS 450 | 4 |
| CPE 311 | 1 | CS 465 | 3 |
| CS 230 | 4 | CYBE 366 | 3 |
| CS 453 | 3 | MIST 357 | 3 |
| CRIM 431 | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| CSEE 380 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CSEE 480 | 2 | CSEE 481 | 3 |
| CPE 435 | 3 | CYBE 467 | 3 |
| CYBE 466 | 3 | Technical Elective | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | Technical Elective | 3 |
| GEF 7 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 126 | |||
Program Educational Objectives
The objective of the bachelor’s degree program in Cybersecurity (CYBE) at West Virginia University is to produce graduates who have the attitudes that will ensure success in professional positions in business, industry, research, governmental service, or graduate study or professional school.
Student Outcomes
- Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
- Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
- Apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.
CYBE 266. Foundations of Cybersecurity. 3 Hours.
PR: CS 111 or CS 122 with a minimum grade of C-. An overview of the foundational areas of cybersecurity: data, software, system, human, and organizational security.
CYBE 366. Secure Software Development. 3 Hours.
PR: (CS 230 and CS 350) or (CS 222 with a minimum grade of C- and CS 355). Covers the design, implementation, and testing of secure software. The topics include the role of security in the software development lifecycle, designing secure software, best security programming practices, and verification and validation of software applications’ security.
CYBE 466. Host Based Cyber Defense. 3 Hours.
PR: (CYBE 366 and CS 453) or (CS 222 and CS 321 with a minimum grade of C- in each). An in depth study of the strategies available to defends hosts (clients, IoT devices, servers) against cyber attacks.
CYBE 467. Practicing Cybersecurity: Attacks & Countermeasures. 3 Hours.
PR: (CYBE 366 and CS 453) or (CYBE 366 and CS 321 with a minimum grade of C-). Cybersecurity knowledge and practices on security risk management. Current security trends and industrial practices on cybersecurity. Experiments on ethical hacking and practice of cyber defense.
CYBE 480. Capstone Project - Design. 2 Hours.
PR: ENGL 102 or ENGL 103 and consent. Penultimate semester. Group senior design projects with individual design assignments appropriate to student's discipline. Complete system-level designs of the subsequent semester's project presented in written proposals and oral presentations. (Equivalent to BIOM 480, CPE 480, CS 480, and EE 480.) (2 hr. lec., 1 hr. conf.).
CYBE 481. Capstone Project - Implementation. 3 Hours.
PR: CYBE 480. Continuation of CYBE 480. Detailed design and implementation of the system including choice of components, algorithm development, interfacing, troubleshooting, working in groups, and project management. Also covers professional topics, including ethics, liability, safety, socio-legal issues, risks and employment agreements. (1 hr. lec., 1 hr. conf., 2 hr. lab.).