Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED 2015-16 
    
Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED 2015-16 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Cyber Security, DSc


Program Description

The Doctor of Science (DSc) in Cyber Security is intended to be a technical program firmly grounded in computer science and will emphasize applied research in cyber security. Students enrolled in the program will become a vital resource for DSU researchers, as well as for regional and national employers. The proposed program is intended to produce graduates with a commanding knowledge of cyber security, of the applications and research in cyber security, and of supporting technology in computer science.

The program will provide a particular emphasis on technologies and techniques related to specialized cyber operations activities, including data collection, software exploitation, analysis of malicious code, and reverse engineering. These technologies and techniques are critical to intelligence, military and law enforcement organizations, as well as to employers in data-intensive industries.

Program Delivery

Courses in the DSc in Cyber Security program may be offered using the instructional delivery method below:

  1. At a distance via Internet, using a combination of both live and/or encoded streaming videos of classes, interactive course web boards, course web sites, and e-mail. All courses are web-enhanced.

There is a residency requirement with this program, please read section on Residency Requirements.

Instruction includes lectures, seminars, computer lab work, and guided research. This doctoral program uses a combination of distance delivery methods.

Residency Requirements

Students will be required to complete three on-site research seminars (CSC 890 , one credit each, taken three separate times) in a face-to-face setting at the Madison, SD campus. These research seminars will be held annually and take place over multiple days. 

Program Completion

The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, with classes offered in three academic terms: fall, spring, and summer. Full-time students with a master’s degree in computer science should be able to complete this program in 3 years. The program must be completed within 7 years of the semester of the students admission.

Admission Requirements Specific to the DSc in Cyber Security

Dakota State University seeks highly motivated individuals with education and professional credentials that will enable them to be successful doctoral students. Students must have a bachelors or master’s degree in computer science to apply.

DSc Admission Requirements

  1. Baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education with full regional accreditation for that degree. International students must have an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree that is the equivalent to a four-year undergraduate degree in the U.S. Students must have a bachelors or master’s degree in computer science.
  2. Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on an alternative grading system).

Program Faculty:

Tom Halverson, Stephen Krebsbach, Josh Pauli, Wayne Pauli, Ashley Podhradsky, Surendra Sarnikar, Kevin Streff, Yong Wang

Courses Supporting the DSc in Cyber Security Program


The doctoral curriculum assumes that a student enters the program with a master’s degree in computer science. Students who enter the program without a master’s degree in computer science will be required to complete up to 27 credits at the master’s degree level: 27 credits in computer science/cyber operations core courses.

On-Site Research Seminars (3 Credits)


Students will be required to complete three on-sight research seminars (CSC 890, 1 credit each, taken 3 separate times) in a face-to-face setting at the Madison, SD campus. These research seminars will be held annually and take place over multiple days. The research seminars are intended to acquaint students with contemporary cyber security research issues, allow students to report, present, and discuss articles pertinent to cyber security research and provide students an opportunity to meet faculty, identify a dissertation advisor, present their dissertation proposal defense, as well as completing the final dissertation defense and oral comprehensive exam.

Dissertation (25 Credits)


D.Sc. in Cyber Security Rotation


Masters Level Core Courses (27 cr. hrs.)


Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 705 Design & Analysis of Computer Algorithms     X     X     X  
CSC 710 Structure & Design Programming Language     X     X     X  
CSC 714 Database Systems X     X     X     X
CSC 718 Operating Systems & Parallel Programming X     X     X     X
CSC 720 Theory of Computation   X     X     X    
INFA 723 Cryptography   X     X     X    
INFA 725 Advanced Network Hacking                    
INFA 729 Advanced Web Hacking X                  
INFA 751 Wireless Security X     X     X     X

Cyber Security Core Courses (24 cr. hrs.)


Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 840 Full Scope Security Testing   X     X     X    
CSC 842 Security Tool Development X     X     X     X
CSC 844 Advanced Reverse Engineering     X     X     X  
CSC 846 Advanced Malware Analysis   X     X     X    
CSC 848 Advanced Software Exploitation X     X     X     X
Choose 9 credits of electives from the electives list.

Cyber Security Research Core Courses (9 cr. hrs.)


Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 803 An Introduction to Cyber Security Research X     X     X     X
CSC 807 Cyber Security Research   X     X     X    
INFS 805 Design Research Methods X     X     X     X

Cyber Security Research Seminars (3 cr. hrs.)


Students complete three on-site research seminar courses at one credit each, three separate times during their studies. The research seminars will take place on the DSU campus in Madison, SD and will take place over a duration of multiple days during the visit.

Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 890 Seminar   X     X     X    

Cyber Security Dissertation (25 cr. hrs.)


Students complete a three credit course of dissertation preparation and complete 22 credits of dissertation coursework.

Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 809 Dissertation Preparation   X     X     X    
CSC 898D Dissertation     X   X   X X   X

Cyber Security Electives (9 cr. hrs.)


Course # Course Title FA
15
SP
16
SU
16
FA
16
SP
17
SU
17
FA
17
SP
18
SU
18
FA
18
CSC 705 Design & Analysis of Computer Algorithms     X     X     X  
CSC 710 Structure & Design Programming Language     X     X     X  
CSC 712 Data Structures                    
CSC 714 Database Systems X     X     X     X
CSC 716 Secure Software Engineering   X     X     X    
CSC 718 Operating Systems & Parallel Programming X     X     X     X
CSC 720 Theory of Computation   X     X     X    
CSC 791 Independent Study                    
INFA 719 Software Security                    
INFA 723 Cryptography   X     X     X    
INFA 725 Advanced Network Hacking                    
INFA 729 Advanced Web Hacking X                  
INFA 739

Software Quality Assurance

                   
INFA 751 Wireless Security X     X     X     X