Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, offered by he Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS), is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to protect computer systems and networks from cyber threats. This program addresses the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals by providing students with both strong technical foundations and hands-on experience.

The curriculum consists of a set of foundation courses that provide a broad base in computing, required security courses that focus on particular cybersecurity skills, security breadth courses, and a wide variety of electives so that students can develop further specialization and tailor their education to match their interests.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: ST-CYBR-BS

Distinction in Major

To graduate with distinction in this major, as student must satisfy the following criteria:

• have a minimum 3.50 major GPA and
• have a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA.

Undergraduate Contact Information

Jamie Payton, Chair
Science, Education and Research Center, Room 304
215-204-8450

Gene Kwatny, Vice Chair
Science, Education and Research Center, Room 304
215-204-8450

John Fiore, Faculty Advisor
Science, Education and Research Center, Room 321
215-204-3357
john.fiore@temple.edu

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Bachelor of Science Requirements

Summary of Requirements for the Degree

1. University Requirements (123 total s.h.)
   • Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below.
   • All undergraduate students must complete at least two writing-intensive courses for a total of at least six credits at Temple as part of their major. The specific writing-intensive course options for this major are:

     Course List

     Code	Title	Credit Hours
     SCTC 2396	Writing for Science and Technology	3
     CIS 4X9X		3

   • Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements.
     • See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for the GenEd curriculum.
     • Students who complete CST majors receive a waiver for 2 Science & Technology (GS) and 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd courses.
   • Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements.
2. College Requirements
   • A minimum of 90 total credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and/or the College of Engineering (ENG).
     • A minimum of 45 of these credits must be upper-level (courses numbered 2000 and above).
   • Complete a one-credit first-year or transfer seminar.
     • SCTC 1001 CST First Year Seminar for every entering first-year CST student.
     • SCTC 2001 CST Transfer Seminar for every entering transfer CST student.
3. Major Requirements for Bachelor of Science (75-76 s.h.)
   At least 9 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple. At least 8 CIS courses must be completed at Temple.

   Course List

   Code	Title	Credit Hours
   Computer and Information Science
   CIS 1001	Introduction to Academics in Computer Science	1
   Select one of the following:		4
   CIS 1051	Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming in Python
   or CIS 1951	Honors Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming in Python
   CIS 1057	Computer Programming in C
   CIS 1068	Program Design and Abstraction	4
   or CIS 1968	Honors Program Design and Abstraction
   CIS 1166	Mathematical Concepts in Computing I	4
   or CIS 1966	Honors Mathematical Concepts in Computing I
   CIS 2107	Computer Systems and Low-Level Programming	4
   or CIS 2229	Architecture, Operating Systems and Networking
   CIS 2109	Database Management Systems	4
   or CIS 4331	Principles of Database Systems
   CIS 2168	Data Structures	4
   CIS 3329	Network Architectures	4
   or CIS 4319	Computer Networks and Communications
   CIS 3441	Software Security	3
   CIS 3605	Introduction to Digital Forensics	3
   or CJ 3506	Cyber-Investigations, Digital Forensics, and the Law
   CIS 4378	Computer and Network Security	4
   CIS 4X9X		3
   Cybersecurity Breadth Requirement
   Select one of the following: 1		3-4
   CIS 3319	Wireless Networks and Security
   CIS 3374	Quality Assurance & Testing (F)
   CIS 4419	Securing the Internet of Things
   CIS 4625	Audit and Compliance for Security and Digital Forensics
   CJ 3007	Cybercrime
   Cybersecurity Electives
   Select a minimum of 12 credits from the following elective courses:		12
   CIS 3100	Special Topics in CIS
   CIS 3203	Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
   CIS 3207	Introduction to Systems Programming and Operating Systems
   CIS 3211	Automata, Computability, and Languages
   CIS 3217	Computer Architecture
   CIS 3223	Data Structures and Algorithms
   CIS 3281	Cooperative Education Experience in Information Science & Technology 2
   CIS 3296	Software Design
   CIS 3308	Web Application Programming
   CIS 3309	Component-Based Software Design
   CIS 3319	Wireless Networks and Security
   CIS 3342	Server-Side Web Application Development
   CIS 3344	Client-Side Scripting for the Web
   CIS 3374	Quality Assurance & Testing
   CIS 3381	Cooperative Education Experience in Computer Science 2
   CIS 3513	Introduction to iOS Application Development
   CIS 3515	Introduction to Mobile Application Development
   CIS 3603	User Experience Design
   CIS 3715	Principles of Data Science
   CIS 3755	Introduction to Information Visualization
   CIS 4282	Independent Study 2
   CIS 4307	Introduction to Distributed Systems and Networks
   CIS 4324	Compiler Design
   CIS 4330	Current Topics in Information Science & Technology
   CIS 4340	Seminar in Information Science & Technology (S)
   CIS 4344	Advanced Web Application Design & Scripting
   CIS 4345	Introduction to Cloud Computing
   CIS 4350	Seminar on Topics in Computer Science (F)
   CIS 4360	Seminar on Topics in Computer Science
   CIS 4382	Independent Study 2
   CIS 4419	Securing the Internet of Things
   CIS 4515	Advanced Mobile Application Development
   CIS 4517	Data-Intensive and Cloud Computing
   CIS 4523	Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining
   CIS 4524	Analysis and Modeling of Social and Information Networks
   CIS 4526	Foundations of Machine Learning
   CIS 4625	Audit and Compliance for Security and Digital Forensics
   CJ 3007	Cybercrime
   CJ 3401	White Collar Crime
   CJ 3403	Organized Crime
   CJ 3404	Urban Crime Patterns
   CJ 3405	Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Global Security
   POLS 2232	Cyberpolitics
   Other courses communicated to the students by the Cybersecurity faculty advisor.
   Mathematics
   Select one of the following: 3		4
   MATH 1031	Differential and Integral Calculus
   MATH 1041	Calculus I
   MATH 1941	Honors Calculus I
   MATH 2031	Probability and Statistics	3
   Laboratory Science courses
   Two (2) laboratory science courses 4		8
   Writing Intensive Course
   SCTC 2396	Writing for Science and Technology	3
   Total Credit Hours		75-76

   Course List

   Code	Title	Credit Hours
   (F) - Fall only course
   (S) - Spring only course

   ¹

   The courses not selected may be taken as a Cybersecurity elective. 

   ²

   A maximum of eight (8) credits from CIS 3281, CIS 3381, CIS 4282, and/or CIS 4382 may be used to fulfill Cybersecurity elective requirements. In addition, a maximum of four (4) credits may be taken from CIS 3281 and/or CIS 3381 to fulfill Cybersecurity elective requirements. 

   ³

   Cybersecurity majors are required to have completed MATH 1022. They can then choose either MATH 1031, MATH 1041 or MATH 1941.

   ⁴

   Must select within a Sequence for Laboratory Science A and Laboratory Science B. See the Sequenced Laboratory Science list below for the science options.

Sequenced Cybersecurity Laboratory Science Requirements

¹

Students can choose to mix-and-match the Chemistry Sequence A and B courses. However, they must take at least 1 course from Chemistry Sequence A and 1 from Chemistry Sequence B. Note: Chemistry courses consist of a three-credit lecture plus a one-credit lab.

²

For the EES Sequence, two of the three Lab Science B options require students to take CHEM 1031 as a prerequisite, but EES 2021 does not.

³

Students can choose to mix-and-match the Physics Sequence A and B courses. However, they must take at least 1 course from Physics Sequence A and 1 from Physics Sequence B.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

¹

Cybersecurity majors are required to have completed MATH 1022. They can then choose either MATH 1031, MATH 1041, or MATH 1941. 

²

CIS 4331 will require additional prerequisites. 

³

CIS 4319 will require additional prerequisites. 

⁴

Select from the Cybersecurity Electives list under Requirements. Some of these courses require additional prerequisites. 

⁵

Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits of Cybersecurity Electives. If the student has completed all 12 credits of the Cybersecurity Electives, this course can be additional free elective credits.