Integrating Cybersecurity with Undergraduate IT Programs

由于经济对互联网和网络基础设施的依赖，网络安全已经成为国家和全球的重要问题。通过网络教育和培训发展劳动力是保护不断增长的网络空间和网络基础设施的关键。然而，美国大学在IT领域几乎没有培养出足够的劳动力，更不用说网络安全了。STEM和IT领域的学术课程在满足这一需求方面具有独特的地位。调整这些领域的课程，将网络教育纳入其中，可以弥合训练有素的劳动力的需求和供应之间的现有差距。现有的证书课程没有为本科课程提供数据分析角度以及软件安全和网络安全角度。此外，现有的证书没有与现有的课程无缝结合，走向学士学位？S学位。该项目旨在填补这一空白。该项目的主要目标是通过创建、交付和评估一个新的网络安全本科证书课程来提高网络安全劳动力的能力。这将包括开发基于教学文献的本科生网络教育示范课程和材料。此外，该项目将利用高级网络安全课程和初级信息系统课程之间的同行指导，设计和制定干预战略。这将提供一个框架，通过同伴指导、早期干预策略、小组参与、通过顶峰项目进行批判性思维，以及通过与教师一对一的互动对网络安全中更深层次的问题进行个性化学习。将设计一项证书计划，以增加人们对网络教育的兴趣，并增加本科生对该课程的保留和完成。该项目还将包括对证书计划有效性的定性和定量评估。证书计划将(A)培养技术、分析、软件安全和批判性思维的技能，(B)允许学生将获得的知识应用于模拟现实生活问题的项目，(C)培养和支持创新思维，以解决网络世界面临的一些关键挑战，(D)让学生接触到网络行业的各种职业机会，并将他们与相关专业团体联系起来，以及(E)提高网络安全工作人员的能力，以支持这一在社会中日益重要的无处不在的领域。该证书计划将产生的产品和结果可以作为其他计算机本科课程采用的模式。

Cybersecurity has become a matter of national and global importance because of the economy's dependence on the Internet, and on cyber-infrastructure. Workforce development through cyber education and training are key towards protecting the ever-growing cyberspace and cyberinfrastructure. However, US universities are not graduating nearly sufficient workforce in the IT areas, let alone cybersecurity. Academic programs in STEM and IT fields are uniquely positioned to address this need. Tailoring curricula in these areas to include cyber education can bridge the gap existing between the demand and supply of trained workforce. Existing certificate programs do not offer a data analytics perspective along with a software security and network security perspective for undergraduate curricula. In addition, the existing certificates are not seamlessly integrated with the existing curriculum towards a bachelor?s degree. This project is motivated to fill this gap.The key objective of this project is to increase the capacity in the cybersecurity workforce by creating, delivering and assessing a new undergraduate certificate program in cybersecurity. This will include developing a model curriculum and material for undergraduate cyber education grounded on the pedagogical literature. In addition, this project will design and develop intervention strategies using peer mentoring between advanced cybersecurity courses and an entry level Information Systems course. This will provide a framework for learning and retention through peer mentoring, early intervention strategies, group engagement, critical thinking through capstone projects, and individualized learning of deeper issues in cybersecurity through one-on-one interactions with faculty. A certificate program will be designed to increase interest in cyber education as well as increase retention and completion of the program by undergraduate students. The project will also include qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the effectiveness of the certificate program. The certificate program will (a) Develop skills in technical, analytical, software security, and critical thinking, (b) Allow students to apply the knowledge gained to projects that simulate real-life problems, (c) Nurture and support innovative thinking in solving some of the key challenges facing the cyber world, (d) Expose students to various career opportunities in the cyber industry and connect them with relevant professional groups, and (e) Increase the cybersecurity workforce capacity to support this pervasive area with a growing importance in society. The certificate program will result in products and outcomes that can be used as a model for adoption in other undergraduate curricula in computing.