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Cyber Operations (BS)

As technology improves, so do risks for vulnerabilities. That’s why we need you.

DSU's Cyber Operations program shows you how to discover and investigate attacks like data breaches, malware infections, and software vulnerabilities. Go beyond the mind of hackers and analyze their mentality, motivations, and techniques.

Research and practice is vital. Our classes help you explore the fundamentals of programming, networking, and cyber security. Plus, our labs will let you, and others, analyze malware and exploit software safely; you won’t put your computer or information at risk.

This degree is also part of our 4+1 Program, which means you can complete your BS in Cyber Operations and your MS in Computer Science in just five years.

Student studying from home with online courses at DSU

In it to win it

Our campus provides plenty of opportunities to keep your brain churning after you leave the classroom. Test your skills in ACM Programming Contests or prove your expertise in the National Cyber League (NCL) and the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC).

DSU Cyber Corps scholarship program

As a cyber operations student, you may also be eligible to apply for the DSU Cyber Corps Scholarship. A full-ride scholarship program that also pays out a $25,000 stipend per year.

NSA did you say?

Yes, it’s true. The National Security Agency (NSA) has designated our cyber operations degree as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, one of 20 such programs in the nation. Rest assured, our program meets some of the highest cyber security standards in the nation.

In addition to the NSA, you’ll have the opportunity to take advantage of our relationships with government agencies and other industries, prior to graduation.

A student of excellence

Working with cyber security assistant professor Dr. Josh Stroschein and the MADRID Lab, Odin Bernstein is helping develop a new tool for the automation of malware analysis. “If corporations respond to an incident such as a breach of network intrusion, often they’ll need to analyze that malware,” Bernstein explained. This can be time-consuming, so there is a need in the field to develop tools that can automate the process.

His work on a grant with Dr. Bramwell Brizendine is helping to develop a curriculum related to malware analysis. This will provide training to veterans who may want to start a career in the field.

Student Spotlight

“I aspire to be a leader in the cybersecurity field and want to empower others to have an impact on the safety of our country's future.”
Annabelle Klosterman - '22

Hi-tech hacking labs

DSU has a one-of-a-kind "hacking lab." In it, you can learn how hackers think, what tools they use, and how software vulnerabilities are identified and exploited. And you won't put your computer - or your information - at risk. Most of our courses include hands-on experiences in programming, networking, and cyber security. For example, we have several labs where students are challenged to exploit commercial software applications in a life-like network environment. There are also labs dedicated to tearing apart malware to understand how it works and how it was created.

Organizations who hire our grads

With a degree in cyber operations, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.

Our grads are hired by the National Security Agency (NSA), The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL), NAVWAR (Naval Information Warfare Systems Command), Sandia National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, banks, hospitals, and security firms all over the nation.

Network security analyst
Cyber security analyst
Security engineer
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Information systems security manager

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the BS degree in Cyber Operations, students will be able to:

Interpret analysis results (dynamic and static) to identify potential security vulnerabilities informed by functional behaviors of a target.
Execute constructed attacks against computer systems to take advantage of discovered vulnerabilities.
Create functionally-sound software that operates well under normal conditions.