Courses

The Cyber Threat Analytics and Prevention (CTAP) option within the 33-credit online Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security program may help students acquire a broad base of knowledge relevant to the current policies and programs of the homeland and cybersecurity administration. The courses in the option help students focus on preventing cyberattacks and understanding cyber laws, as well as addressing network vulnerabilities, system threats, and cyber terrorism.

Use the Course List below to find course information, including course descriptions and prerequisites.

Course List - Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security - Cyber Threat Analytics and Prevention Option

All students are required to complete the HLS Orientation (non-credit) as part of the HLS core curriculum before the end of their first semester. This orientation provides an overview of the HLS program and the field of homeland security.

Required Curriculum (9 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Homeland Security Administration: Policies and Programs	HLS 801	Foundation for understanding homeland security history, the development of homeland security policies and organizations, and current management approaches.	3 credits
Homeland Security: Social and Ethical Issues	HLS 803	This course will examine the social, political, legal, and ethical issues that arise in the context of homeland security.	3 credits
Violence, Threats, Terror, and Insurgency	HLS 805	Provides an overview of the domestic and global issues related to homeland security.	3 credits

Prescribed Courses (12 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Data Mining	SWENG 545	Practical benefits of data mining will be presented; data warehousing, data cubes, and underlying algorithms used by data mining software.	3 credits
Web Security and Privacy	IN SC 561	A web-centric look at the latest techniques and practices in computer security as they apply to the Internet.	3 credits
Network and Predictive Analytics for Socio-Technical Systems	IN SC 846	This course will study the interrelatedness of cyber-social and cyber-technical aspects of an organization or society as a whole.	3 credits
Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management	IST 564	This course examines the fundamental elements of crisis, disaster, risk, and emergency management.	3 credits

Electives (9 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Data Collection and Cleaning	DAAN 822	This course focuses on the tools and techniques required for collecting data and preparing them for further analysis. Prerequisites: STAT 500 and IN SC 521 or Program Permission	3 credits
Large-Scale Database and Warehouse	DAAN 825	Examination of large-scale data storage technologies, including NoSQL database systems for looser structured data, and data warehouses for dimensional data. Prerequisites: IN SC 521 or Program Permission	3 credits
Data Visualization	DAAN 871	This course provides a foundation in the principles, concepts, techniques, and tools for visualizing large data sets.	3 credits
Intelligence Analysis, Cultural Geography, and Homeland Security	GEOG 571	The application of cultural geography in the intelligence analysis and synthesis process by identifying prominent threats to civil security.	3 credits
U.S. Homeland Security Law	HLS 875	Analysis of Constitutional provisions, legislative enactments, executive directives, and judicial decisions relating to homeland security.	3 credits
Computer and Cyber Forensics	IST 454	Fundamental issues and concepts of computer forensics; aspects of computer and cyber crime; methods to uncover, protect, exploit, and document digital evidence; tools, techniques, and procedures to perform computer and cyber crime investigation.	3 credits
Network Management and Security	IST 554	Essential skills and knowledge for effectively utilizing networks and Internet technologies to facilitate, manage, and secure data communications and applications.	3 credits
Cybersecurity Analytics	IST 820	This course provides theoretical and applied foundations of fundamentals of network security, data sources, data collection techniques and tools, cybersecurity analytics infrastructure, machine learning and data mining, network forensics, anomaly and malware detection, security data visualization, and security dashboard design and implementation.	3 credits
The Politics of Terrorism	PL SC 439	Analysis of political terrorism as a violent alternative for peaceful change and traditional warfare in the nuclear age.	3 credits
Root Causes of Terrorism	PL SC 836	Investigates the role economic, political, and social factors play in determining patterns of international and domestic terrorism and terrorist activity.	3 credits

Capstone Experience (3 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Research Project	IN SC 594	Master Research Paper/Project - Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis. For example, application of homeland security studies in the form of a graduate-level project relating to emerging cyber threat, analytical tools and methods, and security prevention and protection.	3 credits

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.