The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering introduces a new certificate program: Cybersecurity in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Providing security to cyber systems and their communication links with the users, including physical systems being observed, monitored, or supervised, is one of the primary tasks of the U.S. national economy and industry, U.S. health system, and people’s safety. There is an enormous need to develop and employ corresponding software and devices for numerous entities that are either part of or connected to the U.S. cyber system. Cybersecurity education is the first step towards that end.
In the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Program several classes relevant to cybersecurity are regularly taught with an emphasis on internet security, personal and main frame computers security, security of communication devices and systems, and security of cyber-physical systems.
Admission requirements
Matriculated students: Graduate students (MS or PhD) from ECE Department or related departments, such as Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, do not need to apply separately. Interested students should contact the ECE Graduate Director and Graduate Admin and submit a copy of their transcript and a letter of recommendation. The certificate will be administered by ECE. Documents indicating the completion of the certificate are handled by the Senior Administrator for Degree Certification at SGS (the School of Graduate Studies).
Non-matriculated students: Applicants should complete the usual application process in the Graduate School application. Applicants need to upload the necessary documents, including transcripts and one letter of recommendation. Applicants should have completed a bachelor’s degree in ECE, CS, or a closely related field.
Curriculum
The following courses relevant to the Cybersecurity in Electrical and Computer Engineering Certificate are the regular (SGS approved) courses, in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Program:
332:501 System Analysis
332:507 Security Engineering
332:543 Communication Networks I
332:544 Communication Networks II
332:548 Error Control Coding
332:561 Machine Vision
Several additional Electrical and Computer Engineering courses are also relevant to cybersecurity. The complete list of such courses can be found in the SGS catalogue and the ECE Graduate Student Handbook.
332:519 Information and Network Security 332:579 Hardware and System Security
332:579 Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering
332:579 Computing Principles of Mobile Embedded Systems
332:579 Foundations of Cyber-Physical Systems
Required credits: The certificate will be awarded to all non-degree and degree ECE M.S. or Ph.D. graduate students who complete four courses (12 credits) in the area certificate program encompassing with a GPA of at least 3.0. Learning outcome: The students enrolled in this certificate program will learn about techniques, software development, and devices used to secure the cyber system, including how to secure information processed and communicated by the cyber system, and in general how to secure communication links in the cyber-physical system. These techniques will be enhanced from the point of views of communication networks and wireless communications, courses regularly taught in the ECE Graduate Program. Relation to a degree programs: All courses taken within this certificate program are courses regularly taught in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Program. On-line versions of the regularly taught in class-courses will also be developed.
Mode of Delivery (Classroom Instruction/Hybrid/Distance Education): The primary mode of instruction will be long-distance learning. The online courses will be offered in Canvas. The online courses are designed with an instructional designer either from TLT or an in-house resource. The students may also take regularly offered in-class ECE graduate courses to satisfy the certificate requirement. The students will be given an option to take any four courses from a fore mentioned list of 10 courses, relevant to cybersecurity in electrical and computer engineering, with at least six courses being offered online. The non-degree students enrolled in this certificate have an option to complete this certificate fully on-line. In-class courses will also be available to non- degree students. The regular M.S. and Ph.D. students may satisfy the certificate requirement by taking all in-class courses. On-line courses will be permitted for regular M.S. and Ph. D. students.