About the Cybersecurity Undergraduate Degree Program
The National Security Agency's (NSA) National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) program supports the President's “National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE): Building a Digital Nation” and furthers the goal of broadening the pool of skilled workers capable of supporting a cyber-secure nation. The University of Nebraska at Omaha Cybersecurity undergraduate degree program is one of the few NSA-certified CAE-CO universities in the nation and the only one in the state of Nebraska. As a result, UNO’s College of Information Science & Technology is able to offer undergraduate students majoring in Cybersecurity the option to pursue a specialized Cyber Operations (CO) track and complete the requirements set out by the NSA’s CAE-CO program. Successfully completing the CO track opens up a variety of new opportunities that are only available to students with this specialization.
Students who successfully complete the Cyber Operations track will have the designation recorded on their transcript in addition to receiving their regular Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity diploma.
The CAE-CO program is intended to be a highly technical, interdisciplinary, higher education program firmly grounded in computer science (CS), computer engineering (CE), and technical cybersecurity, with extensive opportunities for hands-on applications via labs/exercises. The track provides a particular emphasis on technologies and techniques related to specialized cyber operations (e.g. collection, exploitation, and response) to enhance the national security posture of our nation. These technologies and techniques are critical to intelligence, military, and law enforcement organizations authorized to perform these specialized operations.
Each student in the Cyber Operations track must complete 10 required knowledge units (KUs) and four out of 10 additional elective KUs that UNO offers. Some graduate-level courses (marked with * on the table below) are required for successful completion of the Cyber Operations track.
| Required Knowledge Units (KU) | UNO courses that cover all the required KUs | UPDATED 2022: UNO courses that cover all the required KUs |
|---|---|---|
|
Low-Level Programming Languages |
CYBR 2250 – Low-Level Programming CYBR 4450 – Host-Based Vulnerability Discovery |
|
|
Software Reverse Engineering |
CYBR 4450 – Host-Based Vulnerability Discovery |
|
|
Operating System Theory |
CSCI 4500 – Operating Systems |
|
|
Networking |
CSCI 3550 – Communications Networks CYBR 4460 – Network-Based Vulnerability Discovery CYBR 8410 – Distributed Systems and Network Security * |
|
|
Cellular and Mobile Technologies |
CSCI 8620 – Mobile Computing and Wireless Networking * CYBR 8480 – Secure Mobile and Internet of Things (IOT) Development * |
|
|
Discrete Math and Algorithms |
CSCI 2030 – Mathematical Foundations of CS CSCI 3320 – Data Structures CSCI 3660 – Theory of Computation |
|
|
Overview of Cyber Defense |
CYBR 4460 – Network-Based Vulnerability Discovery CYBR 4360 – Foundations of Information Assurance CYBR 3570 – Cryptography |
|
|
Security Fundamental Principles (i.e. “First Principles”) |
CYBR 4360 – Foundations of Information Assurance CYBR 8420 – Software Assurance * |
|
|
Vulnerabilities |
CYBR 4360 – Foundations of Information Assurance CYBR 4450 – Host-Based Vulnerability Discovery CYBR 4460 – Network-Based Vulnerability Discovery |
CYBR 4450 – Host-Based Vulnerability Discovery |
|
Legal and Ethics |
PSCI 4250 – Intelligence and National Security PSCI 4260 – International Law |
CIST 3110 – Information Technology Ethics |
|
Programmable Logic |
CYBR 8460 – Security of Embedded Systems |
|
|
Risk Management of Information Systems |
CYBR 3600 – Info Security, Policy, and Awareness |
No additional courses required |
|
Computer Architecture (includes Logic Design) |
CSCI 3710 – Intro to Digital Design and Computer Organization CSCI 4350 – Computer Architecture |
|
|
Microcontroller Design |
CYBR 8460 – Security of Embedded Systems |
|
|
Software Security Analysis |
No additional courses required |
No additional courses required |
|
Secure Software Development (Building Secure Software) |
No additional courses required |
No additional courses required |
|
Embedded Systems |
CYBR 8460 – Security of Embedded Systems |
|
|
Digital Forensics |
CYBR 4380 – Computer and Network Forensics
|
|
|
Applied Cryptography |
CYBR 8450 – Applied Cryptography |
|
|
Industrial Control System (ICS) |
CYBR 4440 – Industrial Control System Security |
|
|
Offensive Cyber Operations |
No additional courses required |
Not Applicable |
| Elective Knowledge Units (KU) (Must choose any 4 out of 11) | Courses that must be taken to fulfill corresponding elective knowledge units | UPDATED 2022: Courses to fulfill corresponding elective knowledge units |
|---|
National Security Agency (NSA) Summer Internship Program
Students who are eligible for security clearances (usually US Citizens) enrolled in the Cyber Operations track must apply to NSA summer intern program specially designed for Cyber Operations students. You may or may not end up doing but you must apply.
If you are selected and join, NSA pays interns a bi-weekly salary for the 12-week intern. Housing will be paid by you out of your salary. However, the agency does arrange for reduced price 3-4 bedroom apartments for interns which you may wish to use.
Contact Information
Farida Majid
Director/Academic Advisor
Email: fmajid@unomaha.edu
Office: 176E PKI
Phone: 402.554.3819
Dr. William Mahoney
Professor of Cybersecurity
Email:wmahoney@unomaha.edu
Office: 281E PKI