Cyber Security Engineering Orientation Advising Dr. Peggy Brouse Director, Cyber Security Engineering Dr. Paulo Costa Associate Professor, CYSE 1
Follow Up With Your Advisor Dr. Peggy Brouse 703-993-1502 pbrouse@gmu.edu Dr. Paulo Costa 703-993-9989 pcosta@gmu.edu (This information is also on the back of your sample schedule.) 2
Declaring the Major Start date is January 2015 Criteria to declare: 2.75 overall GPA B or better in MATH 113 and MATH 114 or equivalent transfer courses See Dr. Brouse in January 3
Advising Plan to meet with your advisor every semester. Come prepared! Bring plan of study, notes from previous meetings, etc. Your advisor will help you choose courses to meet your goals. 4
Planning Your Course Load A credit is roughly 1 hour/week of class time. Each course will require several hours per week outside of class. Rules of thumb: 3 hours/week per credit for technical classes 2 hours/week per credit for nontechnical classes Full time: Minimum 12 credits (maximum 18) 120 credits is an average of 15 credits per semester. If you plan to hold a job, adjust work or school hours as needed. 5
Guidelines for Course Selection In general, take 100 level courses before 200 level, 200 before 300, 300 before 400. Always check prerequisites! Don t take a course without a C or better in the prerequisite, even if the system lets you register. For this semester, have backup plans in case courses are full. Try to find something similar on your major sheet (Gen Ed, technical course, etc.) but check prerequisites For future semesters, register as early as possible. 6
Math Placement Test You must take the Math Placement Test unless you already have credit for the first math class for your major. You may attempt the Math Placement Test twice in one year. Need MATH 113 and scored 6 instead of 7? Consider MATH 123-124 (3,3). Full year equivalent to MATH 113 (contact Math dept. to register) 7
Recommended Course Priorities 1. MATH. First course: MATH 113 Analytic Geometry & Calculus I (4) Didn t place into 113? Take 105 or 123-124 if score allows. Didn t place into 105? Consider self-paced math review online. Transfer credit? Take next math class needed in this list: MATH 113 à MATH 114 à MATH 213 à MATH 214 Most transfer students start with MATH 213. Math class full? Add to waitlist. No waitlist? Email instructor with cc to dwalnut@gmu.edu 8
Recommended Course Priorities 2. Other major requirements PHYS 160-1 (MATH 114 is coreq) Transfer credit? Go into PHYS 260-1 (MATH 213 is coreq) ENGR 107 STAT 344 (MATH 114 is prereq) MATH 203 (MATH 114 is prereq) CS 112 (or CS 222 if transfer credit) ECON 103 Contemporary Economic Principles (3) (unless you have transfer credit) 9
Recommended Course Priorities 3. Mason Core / humanities and social sciences Check Degree Evaluation for areas needed All students need ENGH 302 unless transfer credit received Natural Sciences/Technology section All CYSE majors need 24 credits of Humanities and/or Social Sciences regardless of Mason Core (general education) requirements 10
Repeating Courses You may retake a course to improve your grade. Only the newest grade counts in your GPA. Previous attempts still appear on your transcript. For any course taught by VSE: You may retake the course once (total of two attempts). A second retake (total of three attempts) requires permission. You cannot go beyond three attempts. For required VSE, science, and math courses: If you do not earn the needed grade in three attempts, you will be terminated from your major. For most courses, the required grade is a C, but check with your advisor. 11
Transfer Courses Make sure you deal with any missing courses as soon as possible If you were admitted under GAA, make sure Mason Core waiver is applied Most transfer credit is finalized after 1 year 12
Prerequisite structure for CYSE MATH 113 ENGR 107 CS 112 ENGH 101 ECON 103 Year 1/16 + 17 credits MATH 114 CYSE 101 PHYS 160 PHYS 161 CS 222 COMM 100 MATH 203 MATH 213 CYSE 205 PHYS 260 PHYS 261 Literature MATH 214 CYSE 220 CYSE 230 STAT 344 CYSE 211 Year 2/16 + 15 credits CYSE 425 CYSE 325 CYSE 301 CYSE 330 Fine Arts CYSE 421 CYSE 411 CYSE 430 CYSE 470 ENGH 302 Year 3/15 + 15 credits CYSE 445 CYSE 450 CYSE 465 CYSE 491 CYSE 492 Tech. Elect. Global Underst. CYSE 475 CYSE 493 Tech. Elect. Tech. Elect. Prerequisite Corequisite HIST 100/125 Year 4/17 + 15 credits Total credits: 126 credits 13
Electives Prerequisites CYSE 424 - Embedded & Real Time Systems CYSE 301 CYSE 460 - Power Systems & Smart Grid None CYSE 461 - Power Grid Security CYSE 460 CYSE 462 - Mobile Devices and Networks Security CYSE 467 - GPS Systems CYSE 425 CYSE 476 Cryptography and Computer Network Security CYSE 477 - Intrusion Detection CYSE 101, CYSE 330 CYSE 478 Cyber Security Audit and Compliance CYSE 421 CYSE 479 Methods of User Authenication CYSE 211, CYSE 301, CYSE 330 CYSE 490 Malicious Software and CYSE 211, CYSE 301 Hardware 14
Answers to Common Questions 1/3 Q. This sheet says the program starts January 2015; can I start now, and can I say I'm a CYSE major? A. Yes to both. The program is official on January 2015, but all of the necessary courses are now in place and you can start Fall 2014. Q. Will the course schedule and requirements change? A. Course schedule might change slightly, but classes listed on the sample schedule should be offered at least when listed (more often for many of them). Requirements won't change once approved by SCHEV - you get to graduate under the catalog (and requirements) you entered under. Q. How do I work a minor into my schedule? A. Details depend on the minor, but minors generally require an additional 16-21 credit hours, and a minimum of 8 hours must be dedicated to the minor. You could add 1-2 semesters and/or summers and do minor courses somewhat separate from your major courses, or (preferred) weave the minor courses into your Fall/Spring/(Summer) plan. Q. How can I do a minor and still graduate in 4 years? A. Weave the minor courses into your Fall/Spring plan, take 18 instead of 15 hours during semesters 4, 5, 6, and 8, and push Mason Core classes to Summers. The amount of extra load and summer depends on the minor, which may only require 8 additional hours. Q. Would a minor in EE, Computer Eng, or CS make sense? A. Yes re: CS minor, but no minors available in EE or Computer Engineering (as of July 2014). 15
Answers to Common Questions 2/3 Q. What should I do with my summers? A. Play. Take courses if you need/want to, do internships if at all possible. I suggested that one plan would be to take courses the first summer (if needed), do an internship or travel the second summer, and if at all possible do an internship the third summer - this last one is critical as it may well lead to a job. Q. Can I take classes elsewhere (CC, etc.) and transfer the credits in? A. In theory, yes. However, it involves a process that includes approvals from the Dean and your Department. Q. What happens if I don't place into MATH 113 (i.e., if I need to take a pre-req like MATH 104 or 105 first)? A. The MATH and PHYS classes slide to the right; recommend catching up the first summer, i.e., MATH 114 and PHYS 161/161. Q. Will the classes I need be full at registration? A. Additional sections are usually available for entering freshman, but you should have a couple of options, especially for Mason Core classes Q. How is CYSE different from CS with concentration in Cyber Security (GMU and generally)? A. Difference generally is that CS is focused on computers and the programs that run on them, and CYSE is focused on cyber-physical systems. Also, CYSE is an engineering degree, CS is not. Loosely speaking, CS writes programs to make computers do stuff, and CYSE designs and builds secure systems which have a cyber component. GMU CS Cyber Security program is an accelerated masters (ISA); undergrad CS does not have a cyber security concentration. 16
Answers to Common Questions 3/3 Q. Does CYSE have an accelerated masters? A. Not yet - might in the future. Q. What are relevant GMU master's programs? A. CS (ISA concentration), Systems Engineering, and CFRS (generally and proposed Computer Offensive Operations certificate) Q. How is the Writing Intensive requirement satisfied? A. CYSE 491 Q. What is CYSE 491? A. Engineering Senior Seminar (2 credits); expect guest speakers and regular writing assignments based on the speakers and/or directed readings. Q. Do any courses lead to certifications? A. No. While some of the courses are good preparation for certifications, none are specifically geared to that. While certifications can be useful, especially to keep your resume in the active pile, work experience is more important to a potential employer (see third summer internship note above). 17
Follow Up With Your Advisor Dr. Peggy Brouse 703-993-1502 pbrouse@gmu.edu Dr. Paulo Costa 703-993-9989 pcosta@gmu.edu (This information is also on the back of your sample schedule.) 18