Mar 13, 2026  
2026-2027 Undergraduate Academic Catalog 
    
2026-2027 Undergraduate Academic Catalog

Cybersecurity Systems, B.S.


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Program Director

Dr. Walter Schilling
Office: DH-438
Phone: (414) 277-7370
Email: schilling@msoe.edu

Overview

In the digital world, it has never been more critical that information online be protected and that deployed systems are both robust and secure. Cyber threats loom large, both domestically and internationally, challenging individual privacy and national security interests. The need for cyber security experts becomes critical to protect users and keep personal information out of the hands of hackers and cyber criminals.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the computer security field is rapidly growing. Private and public employers are expected to add nearly 300,000 new computer security jobs over the next ten years.

The BS in Cybersecurity Systems integrates pertinent science and mathematics courses with computer science, software engineering, political science, and ethics courses to train a computing professional capable of developing and deploying computing systems that routinely operate with confidentiality, integrity and availability. Through engaging lectures and hands-on lab experiences, students will understand the security fundamentals, technical topics including cryptography, penetration testing, and secure software develop, and learn how to construct and defend computer systems and networks in production environments.

Students graduating from the program will be qualified to work in NICE Framework roles including but not limited to Cybersecurity Architecture, Enterprise Architecture, Secure Software Development, Secure Systems Development, Software Security Assessment, Systems Requirements Planning, Threat Analysis, Vulnerability Analysis, Defensive Cybersecurity, and Digital Forensics.

Program Educational Objectives

The Cybersecurity Systems program is preparing graduates, within a few years of graduation, to:

  • Demonstrate professional ethics and personal values in daily and personal life that exercise informed literacy and aesthetic judgements by leveraging the knowledge of diverse cultures and societies
  • Demonstrate teamwork and leadership qualities to work effectively in a global work environment with other technical and non-technical professionals
  • Demonstrate a passion for lifelong learning and technical engagement, resulting in peer recognized expertise in computer security principles and practices
  • Demonstrate technical competency in the application of cybersecurity principles and practices to successfully develop cybersecure systems for a global society
  • Contribute to economic development and society through the prevention and detection of cyber threats in the computer-based information systems for business, government, and other organizations

Student Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the cybersecure product development program, graduates will be able to:

  1. Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions
  2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline
  3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts
  4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles
  5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline
  6. Apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats

View Annual Student Enrollment and Graduation Data

Cybersecurity Systems, B.S.


Version S1

Year One


Fall


14 lecture hours - 4 lab hours - 16 credits

Year Two


Spring


12 lecture hours - 8 lab hours - 16 credits

Year Three


Fall


13 lecture hours - 4 lab hours - 15 credits

Spring


13 lecture hours - 6 lab hours - 16 credits

Year Four


Fall


12 lecture hours - 4 lab hours - 16 credits

Spring


9 lecture hours - 2 lab hours - 12 credits

Program total: 101 lecture hours - 36 lab hours - 122 credits


Notes:


* Courses with an asterisk are used to calculate major GPA. If a course offered by either the DSAC or ECBE departments is chosen for the free elective, it will count toward the student’s major GPA.

See The Raider Core page for details on the general education program and Common Learning Outcomes (CLOs). These courses must be selected to complete the Common Learning Outcomes Embrace DiversityDemonstrate Ethical Understanding, and Exhibit Curiosity. See the entire list of CLOs for the Cybersecurity Systems program.

1CHM 1310 is the default course for starting students. For students with transfer or other credit, see the list of Approved Lab Science Electives.

2 A student who receives credit for MTH 1110  but not MTH 1080 must take an additional 3 credits of free elective coursework,9 but will graduate with a total of 121 credit hours instead of 122.

3 Students may satisfy this requirement with credit for MTH 1410 , MTH 2450 , or other approved probability and statistics course. 

4The student can choose to take either PHL 3101  or PHL 3102 , or HUM 0103  is acceptable for approved transfer courses.

5The course prefix must include AHT, ANT, FNA, GER, HST, HUM, LIT, PHL, PSC, PSY, SOC, SPN, or SSC and address the Embrace Diversity  or Exhibit Curiosity  CLO (3 credits of each required). The noted CLO is a placeholder. They can be taken in any order as long as are both covered. With some exceptions, the courses must be taught out of the Humanities, Social Science, and Communication; Mathematics, or Physics and Chemistry Departments.

6A free elective can be any course taken at MSOE for 3 credits or more, not on the Free Elective Exclusion List which is not required by the major but does not fundamentally duplicate material taught in in major courses. If a course offered by either the DSAC or ECBE departments is chosen for the free elective, it will count toward the student’s major GPA. Students with transfer credit may use CYB 1980  for this purpose. ROTC students may use multiple ROTC courses totaling 3 credits to fulfill this requirement.

7The course prefix must include AHT, ANT, BIO, CHM, FNA, GER, HST, HON, HUM, LIT, MTH, PHL, PHY, PSC, PSY, SCI, SOC, SPN, or SSC and address at least one of the following CLOs: Collaborate SuccessfullyDemonstrate Ethical Understanding, Embrace Diversity, Exhibit Curiosity, or Think CriticallyARM 1800 (Army ROTC students only), BUS 2221BUS 2222, and ARE 3821 are also accepted for the fulfillment of the Raider Core Elective. 

Approved Lab Science Electives


CHM 1310 is the default course for starting students. For students with transfer or other credit, the following classes may fulfill this requirement:

Approved Program Lower-level Electives


Any 3 or more credit hour course offered by either the DSAC or ECBE departments that has a course number of 2000 or higher.

Approved Program Upper-level Electives


Any 3 or more credit hour course offered by either the DSAC or ECBE departments that has a course number of 3000 or higher.

Approved Business Electives


The student must choose one of the following business courses as an elective:

Free Elective Exclusion List


A free elective is any 3 or more credit course not found in the free elective exclusion list. The following courses may not be used for a free elective.

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