Cybersecurity
The J. Warren McClure School offers students the opportunity to acquire foundational skills in several areas of cybersecurity.
Any undergraduate student at Ohio University, independently of their major, who is interested in pursuing careers in cybersecurity can select either or both of the options below.
- Undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity management, offered in collaboration with the College of Business - Management of Information Systems program (MIS).
- Cybersecurity curriculum, composed of a series of Information and Telecommunication Systems (ITS) courses.
Certificate in Business Cybersecurity Management
The undergraduate certificate focuses on building skills in cybersecurity for business information systems. The Management of Information Systems (MIS) business courses for this certificate include topics such as business database security, security in the systems analysis and process, and business risk management & security policies.
The classes in the certificate in Information and Telecommunications Systems(ITS) are electives focused on computing-network cybersecurity, and they cover topics such as data communication, compliance, data privacy, network security, and data encryption.
This blend of two areas will give students a mix of business analysis and hands-on networking focused skills. This will allow them to help manage the growing cybersecurity needs in any business area. Typically, the certificate will require between two to four semesters to complete.
The certificate requires the following three MIS classes:
- MIS 2200, Systems Analysis and Design
- MIS 2800, Business Intelligence and Information Management
- MIS 3800, Cybersecurity for Business Information Systems
Additionally, students need to complete two of the following ITS cybersecurity classes:
- ITS 2300, Data Networking (Starting Fall 2023 offered in fall and spring)
- ITS 4310, Privacy in the Internet Age (requires Junior or Senior standing, offered only in fall)
- ITS 4330, IT Compliance and Planning (requires ITS 2300, offered only in the spring)
- ITS 4510, Cybersecurity for Network and Information Systems (requires ITS 2300, offered only every other fall)
- ITS 4530, Encrypted Communications (requires ITS 2300, offered only every other fall)
How to add the certificate
Future students: you'll add certificates, minors, and additional majors once you're enrolled at OHIO.
Current students: To add the certificate (code CTCSMU) to your degree, please contact the administrative staff from your college or use this form(opens in a new window).
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Full cybersecurity curriculum
A sequence of cybersecurity related courses is also offered to any student at Ohio University, independently of their major. The sequence covers not only the technical aspects of this field, but provides solid knowledge on the operations of cybersecurity from a compliance and data privacy perspectives.. Typically four to five semesters will be required to take all the courses in the area.
Note: McClure School students in our ITS program, may take these classes as part of their required ITS Electives.
Today's cybersecurity industry, requires professionals with solid problem solving skills and the ability to understand the business implications of implementing, managing and planning secure solutions for data and information networks. The McClure School Cybersecurity sequence provides the foundations through both theory and hands-on experience. Those students seeking to gain further insight in the field are strongly encouraged to pursue, as part of their Area of Concentration, information systems and business data analysis classes or minors from the College of Business.
For students interested in joining the information networking or cybersecurity industry, the McClure School also offers a minor in Information and Telecommunication Systems (ITS).
The following list of courses are available as part of the McClure School's offering in cybersecurity.
Foundation
As part of the degree in Information and Telecommunication systems all students are required to take an introductory class in data networking.
ITS 2300 Data Networks (fall semester)
Applied Encryption
ITS 4530/5530 Encrypted Communication (spring semester). This course covers the fundamentals of the methods for secure data transmission over data networks. Prerequisite: ITS 2300.
Secure Networking
ITS 4510/5510 Network Security (fall semester). This course provides the foundations to understand the importance of risk when planning secure networks. It also visits in detail the needs, techniques and devices used to plan and implement secure information networks. Prerequisite: ITS 2300.
Compliance
ITS 4330/5330 IT Data Compliance and Planning (spring semester). This course visits the various federal, state, and international compliance requirements and IT's involvement in meeting these requirements. The various IT compliance frameworks are also studied. Prerequisite: ITS 2300.
Data privacy
ITS 4310/5310 Privacy in the Internet Age (fall semester). This course examines the impact of communication and information technologies on personal privacy. Theories of privacy, constitutional bases for privacy, and privacy laws are discussed as well. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.
Strategy
ITS 4020/5020 Strategic Decision Making in Information and Telecommunication Industries (fall semester). In this class students will analyze issues and challenges facing firms in information and telecommunication industries and the implications of cybersecurity as part of a sound strategy for making decisions.
Advanced Networking
ITS 4750/5750 Internet Engineering (fall semester) and ITS 4920 Practicum (fall semester). Both of these courses cover through advanced hands-on experiences diverse aspects of secure information networks. Prerequisite: ITS 3100 Internet Applications.
Insights into Cybersecurity with Alumni
Andrew Kahn, graduated from both our undergraduate and graduate degrees. He joined the information networking industry and today his expertise is in cybersecurity. He shares with us his experience and recommendations for students interested in the area.
Zach Miller graduated in 2013. He has had a successful career in cybersecurity that has taken him from Ohio University to Amazon.
Sam Fox, BSC ’14, discusses the path that led him to ITS and how he discovered his passion for cybersecurity.
Ron Minto, a 1998 graduate from the ITS program in 1998 and Chair of the McClure School Advisory Board, shares his extensive industry experience and his role in preventing ransomware attacks.
Interested in pursuing our cybersecurity sequence? Please contact us at mcclure@ohio.edu
Please visit Ohio University's catalog for more information on these classes.