BS in Computer Science – Cybersecurity Career Path
Prepare for One of the Fastest-Growing Careers
in the U.S.
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand career fields in the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 29% job growth rate for Information Security Analysts through 2034 which is nearly ten times the national average (bls.gov). In addition, NIST’s CyberSeek data reveals a shortage of more than 265,000 cybersecurity professionals nationwide (nist.gov).
The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Cybersecurity & Defense program at The College of Westchester helps prepare you to step directly into this fast-growing career path.
- Sep 29th, 2025Computer Science in Cybersecurity & Defense (BS): Evening Classes The College of Westchester - White Plains, NY Campus 325 Central Avenue White Plains New York United States 10606 The BS in Information Technology degree enhances your understanding of data science and cloud computing. This program focuses on big data, systems architecture, information infrastructure, and cyber security.https://www.cw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/web-development.jpgThe College of Westchester
- Sep 29th, 2025Computer Science in Cybersecurity & Defense (BS): Online Classes The College of Westchester - White Plains, NY Campus 325 Central Avenue White Plains New York United States 10606 The BS in Information Technology degree enhances your understanding of data science and cloud computing. This program focuses on big data, systems architecture, information infrastructure, and cyber security.https://www.cw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/web-development.jpgThe College of Westchester
- Dec 8th, 2025Computer Science in Cybersecurity & Defense (BS): Evening Classes The College of Westchester - White Plains, NY Campus 325 Central Avenue White Plains New York United States 10606 The BS in Information Technology degree enhances your understanding of data science and cloud computing. This program focuses on big data, systems architecture, information infrastructure, and cyber security.https://www.cw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/web-development.jpgThe College of Westchester
Becoming a Qualified Cybersecurity & Defense Professional
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science in Cybersecurity & Defense program helps you advance your knowledge in problem analysis and design, implementation, and software solution testing for the effective security of critical systems and information. You will assess the security needs of computer and network systems, recommend safeguard solutions to prevent unwanted security breaches, and manage the implementation of security devices, systems and procedures.
The Cybersecurity & Defense degree from The College of Westchester helps graduates become equipped for careers in high-demand industries such as healthcare, finance, government, and technology—fields urgently seeking qualified cybersecurity professionals. With CW’s career-focused education, small class sizes, and supportive faculty, you’ll be prepared to thrive in one of today’s most impactful and rewarding professions.
Program Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of your Cybersecurity & Defense courses, you should be able to:
- Apply knowledge of cybersecurity concepts, tools, and technologies to prevent, detect, react, and recover from cyber-attacks.
- Develop cyber defense strategies to countermeasure threats, attacks, and risks.
- Design secure systems to meet organizational needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, and ethical expectations.
Is Cybersecurity Career Right for You? Take the CW “Cybersecurity College and Career Readiness Quiz”
This fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for. Get Your Online College and Career Readiness Score Now >>
Cybersecurity Courses
| Course No. | Course Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NET108 | Computer Forensics » | 3 |
| The expansion of the Internet and the increased use of computers have amplified the risk of technology being used to commit crimes and/or crimes being recorded on electronic devices. Because of this, a skilled computer forensics expert is needed to investigate criminal and civil cases. This course is an introduction to computer forensics. Digital media, past and current operating systems, and computer hardware will be examined. Forensics software tools will be used to identify, collect, examine and preserve evidence/information which is magnetically stored or encoded on computer devices.
Number: NET108 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET125 | Cisco Networking Basics » | 3 |
| This course provides students with a basic understanding of the way networks operate. Students will learn about network components and their functions, as well as how a network is structured, and the architectures used to create networks, including the internet. Students will be able to build local area networks (LANs), configure basic settings on routers and switches, and implement internet protocol (IP). This is the first course of a three course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: CIS106 or permission of Chair Number: NET125 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET145 | Linux Administration » | 3 |
| This course presents an overview of various Linux operating systems used by information technology (IT) professionals. Students will install, configure, and troubleshoot the Linux operating system, both on-premises and cloud-based server environments. Security best practices, scripting, containerization, and automation will also be covered. This course aligns to the CompTIA Linux+ certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 or permission to waive Number: NET145 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET151 | Windows Server Administration » | 3 |
| This course presents an overview of the Windows operating system used as a server in on-premises and cloud environments. Students will install, configure, and manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment; manage virtual machines and containers; implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure; and manage storage and file services. This course aligns to first of two Microsoft certification exams for the Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification.
Prerequisites: CIS106 or permission of Chair Number: NET151 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET163 | Cisco Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials » | 3 |
| This course is a continuation of the Cisco Academy Program.
This course advances one’s knowledge of the operation of routers and switches in small-to-medium business networks and includes wireless local area networks (WLANs) and security concepts. Students learn key switching and routing concepts. They can perform basic network configuration and troubleshooting, identify and mitigate LAN security threats, and configure and secure a basic WLAN. This is the second of a three course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 Number: NET163 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET265 | Cisco Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation » | 3 |
| This course describes the architectures and considerations related to designing, securing, operating, and troubleshooting enterprise networks. This course covers wide area network (WAN) technologies and quality of service (QoS) mechanisms used for secure remote access. ENSA also introduces software-defined networking, virtualization, and automation concepts that support the digitalization of networks. Students gain skills to configure and troubleshoot enterprise networks and learn to identify and protect against cybersecurity threats. They are introduced to network management tools and learn key concepts of software-defined networking, including controller-based architectures and how application programming interfaces (APIs) enable network automation. This is the third course of a three-course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET163 Number: NET265 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET283 | Network Security » | 3 |
| This course is designed to help students gain the skills and knowledge in general security concepts, communication security, infrastructure security, basics of cryptography and operational/organizational security. This course is aligned to the CompTIA “Security+” certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 or permission of Chair Number: NET283 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET310 | Ethical Hacking » | 3 |
| The openness of modern devices such as smartphones and technologies such as Bluetooth and the Internet has made hacking and stealing information easier. This course explores the theory and concepts needed to perform ethical hacking and apply penetration testing techniques to computerized systems. An understanding of network concepts and issues, computer hardware and operating systems, and applications is required.
Prerequisite: NET283 Number: NET310 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET345 | Network Infrastructure & Cloud Computing » | 3 |
| This course provides the fundamental networking skills required to deploy and support Windows Server in most organizations. It covers IP fundamentals, remote access technologies, and more advanced content including Software Defined Networking. In addition, this course provides a thorough guide of various models for cloud computing implementation and offers exam objectives for the CompTIA Cloud Essentials exam.
Prerequisites: NET151 Number: NET345 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET410 | Cyber Counterintelligence » | 3 |
| This course is a comprehensive review of the tasks, knowledge, skill, and ability (KSA) requirements of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) workforce framework and its relationship to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF). This course explores the principles and models needed to ensure a sound cybersecurity framework is established in the workforce.
In addition, the Cisco CyberOps Associate curriculum will be used in this course. This curriculum provides an introduction to the knowledge and skills needed for a Security Analyst working with a Security Operations Center team. It teaches core security skills needed for monitoring, detecting, investigating, and responding to security events, thus protecting systems and organizations from cybersecurity risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. Prerequisites: NET283 Number: NET410 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| *NET470 | Networking BS Internship » OR | |
|
THIS COURSE IS FOR DAY DIVISION STUDENTS ONLY.
The Internship is a capstone course involving the culmination project in the Information Technology program. It will provide students an opportunity to demonstrate they have achieved the goals for learning established within the program. The Internship course integrates coursework, knowledge, skills, and practical learning to enable the student to demonstrate a broad mastery of learning across the curriculum for future employability and further career advancement. Prerequisites: The internship course must be taken in the final two semesters of a student’s degree program. Number: NET470 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| CIS480 | Computer Information Systems Capstone » | 3 |
| The Computer Information Systems capstone course assesses students’ knowledge on the learning objectives of the Computer Information Systems program. All assignments in this course will build upon one another and provide students with different components for their Capstone Project. The emphasis will be IT project management, enterprise architecture, business requirement analysis, system modeling, acquisition, testing, deployment, and quality assurance.
Note: Fulfills Capstone requirement for Online students and Adult students or with permission of Department Chairperson. Prerequisites: The Capstone course must be taken in the final two semesters of a Day student’s degree program or the final four terms of an Adult or Online student’s degree program. Number: CIS480 Credits: 3.00 Type: Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS106 | IT Essentials » | 3 |
| This course helps build the foundational technology skill set needed to confidently and safely engage in the digital world. Students will explore the beginnings of a diverse range of technology concepts and career paths, from building computers to computer programming, from secure Internet browsing to building databases. This course focuses on the essential technology skills and knowledge used daily by skilled technology users both in- and outside of the IT industry. This course can also help prepare students for the CompTIA Tech+ (FC0-U71) certification examination and for a solid foundation as a tech-fluent technology user.
Number: CIS106 Credits: 3.00 Type:Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS176 | Cybersecurity Essentials » | 3 |
| In this course, students will learn vital skills like threat intelligence, network security, and risk management to protect themselves and organizations from cyber-attacks. This Cybersecurity Essentials course helps prepare students for the entry-level Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification and entry-level cybersecurity positions such as Cybersecurity Technician, Junior Cybersecurity Analyst, or Tier 1 Help Desk Support roles.
Number: CIS176 Credits: 3.00 Type:Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS240 | Cyber Defense » | 3 |
| This course is designed to help students gain the skills and knowledge to become cybersecurity analysts. Students will apply behavioral analytics to networks and devices to prevent, detect, and combat cybersecurity threats through continuous security monitoring. This course aligns to the CompTIA CySA+ certification exam
Prerequisites: NET125 or permission of Chair Number: CIS240 Credits: 3.00 Type:Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS260 | Cyber Threat Management » | 3 |
| This course explores governance in cybersecurity and threat management. Students will learn to develop policies and ensure organizations comply with ethical standards and legal and regulatory frameworks. Students will also gain skills for managing threats, such as how to assess a network for vulnerabilities, manage risks, and respond to security incidents.
Prerequisites: CIS240 Number: CIS260 Credits: 3.00 Type:Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS325 | Python Programming » | 3 |
| This course introduces Python programming concepts and techniques. Students will learn how to write and test code, handle common errors, and develop interactive programs using the Python language.
Prerequisites: CIS110 or CIS106 Number: CIS325 Credits: 3.00 Type: Computer Information Systems |
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| CIS420 | Advanced Database SQL » | 3 |
| This course introduces the advanced features of the SQL language and how it can be used to query a database in order to answer business questions. Students will examine the following advanced features: querying with unions, advanced joins and sub queries, add, update and remove data, manipulate tables, views and various indexes, data integrity with transactions, and creation of databases.
Prerequisites: CIS233 or CIS106 Number: CIS420 Credits: 3.00 Type: Computer Information Systems |
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| Total Major-Related Credits | 51 | |
| * Evening Division students taking their Networking BS Internship (NET470) will take this over two terms. This course is broken into two courses as listed below: NET470A Preparation WorPreperation Workshop for Networking BS Internship » NET470B Networking BS Internship » |
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| Course No. | Course Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN105 | Transformative Learning » | 3 |
| This course will introduce students to the value of change, personal growth, and transformation. Students will engage in activities designed to stimulate reflective thinking, create a positive personal outlook, and foster “behaviors of success.”
Number: GEN105 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN108 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence » | 3 |
| This course provides an overview of the fundamental concepts in Artificial Intelligence (AI). It introduces students to the history of AI, its applications, and its future. The course will cover topics such as problem-solving, knowledge representation, planning, machine learning, and ethical considerations in AI. No prior knowledge of AI is required
Number: GEN108 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN125 | English Composition I » | 3 |
| In this course, students develop their reading comprehension and written communication skills. Different styles of writing are examined as students develop writing proficiency through practice in planning, outlining, drafting, revising and editing. In addition to regular class meeting times, Day Division students are required to participate in a ten-week Writing Lab component which counts as ten percent of the grade for English Composition. For the Day Division,
the Writing Lab is graded as Pass or Fail.
Note: Writing Lab is not required in the Evening division or for fully online programs. Prerequisite: Proficiency Examination and/or ACE108. Number: GEN125 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN127 | English Composition II » | 3 |
| This course builds on skills developed in English Composition I by presenting additional writing styles and helping students further refine their writing skills. Research skills and MLA documentation are also introduced. In addition to regular class meeting times, Day Division students are required to participate in a ten-week Writing Lab component which counts as ten percent of the grade for English Composition. For the Day Division, the Writing Lab is graded as Pass or Fail.
Note: Writing Lab is not required in the Evening division or for fully online programs. Prerequisite: GEN125 or permission to waive Number: GEN127 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN129 | Essentials of Public Speaking » | 3 |
| Communication skills require good speech habits. Therefore, this course covers organization of thoughts, voice control, diction and presentation of ideas to a variety of audiences. The art of listening is also studied. Emphasis will be placed on a series of oral presentations in order to acquire and reinforce these skills.
Number: GEN129 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN151 | College Algebra » | 3 |
| Topics include the fundamentals of algebra: the rules of numbers, equations, negative numbers and integers, fractions and rational numbers, exponents, inequalities, graphs, and linear equations. Emphasis will be placed on word problems and business applications.
Prerequisite: Proficiency exam and/or ACE106 or permission to waive Number: GEN151 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN157 | Statistics » | 3 |
| This course offers an introduction to basic statistical theory and application. Topics to be discussed in detail include: sampling procedures; finding mean, median and mode; finding the variance and standard deviation; graphing histograms and bell curves. This course also illustrates how statistics are used in the business world as well as in the media and the benefits and drawbacks of statistical information.
Prerequisite: Proficiency exam and/or ACE106 or permission to waive. Number: GEN157 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN250 | Ethics and Professionalism » | 3 |
| This course will introduce the student to the moral principles and standards that guide behavior in today’s complex society and business. The definition and application of moral philosophies are used to explore ethical decision-making using a case study approach. Economic, legal, and social dimensions are explored along with interpersonal relationships and the development of morality within individual thinking.
Number: GEN250 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN305 | Data Analytics and Statistical Applications » | 3 |
| This course dives deeper into data analysis and the skills necessary for informed decision making while developing a nuanced understanding of the role and impact of data-driven insights. Building upon GEN157 Statistics, this course illustrates how statistics drive decisions in business and media, while understanding their advantages and limitations. Topics include correlation, regression, sampling distributions, central limit theorem, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing.
Number: GEN305 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN315 | Discrete Mathematics » | 3 |
| This course studies the unique mathematical structures of computer science and programming known as discrete mathematics. A wide range of topics such as permutations, properties of sets, formal logic notation, methods of performing proofs, recurrences, and discrete probability.
Prerequisite: Proficiency exam and/or GEN151 Number: GEN315 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN330 | Personal & Professional Development » | 3 |
| This course focuses on the adult years as a complex and extraordinarily variable process, rather than as an orderly sequence of predictable stages. Through experiential, interactive processes, this course will explore various theories and philosophies of adult physical, cognitive, and personality development. Attention will also be given to the larger social contexts and the adult’s experience as worker and learner.
Prerequisite: GEN305 Number: GEN330 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN363 | Conflict, Communication and Resolution » | 3 |
| This course will examine how communication can be used to effectively resolve conflicts between people, organizations, and cultures. Conflicts resulting from differences in gender and ethnicity in the contexts of work and personal relationships will also be emphasized. The course will have an interdisciplinary emphasis through the use of cases from history, psychology, sociology, and current events.
Prerequisite: Junior Level Status or Permission of Chair. Number: GEN363 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN380 | Applied Artificial Intelligence » | 3 |
| Delve into the practical applications of artificial intelligence in the Applied Artificial Intelligence course. Explore how AI technologies like machine learning and neural networks are implemented to solve real-world problems across industries such as business, healthcare, finance, and more. Gain hands-on experience and insights into leveraging AI for enhanced decision-making and innovation.
Prerequisite: Junior Level Status or Permission of Chair Number: GEN380 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN421 | Business Communication and Research Methods » | 3 |
| This course will emphasize the necessary written, oral, and visual communication needed for today’s global business environment. The course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the importance of professionalism in the workplace, especially in the competitive business environment. Both interpersonal skills as well as research skills will be developed throughout the course. Throughout the semester, students will learn how utilizing creative skills and being flexible will be valuable in many career scenarios.
Prerequisite: Junior Level Status, or Permission of Chair. Number: GEN421 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| Total General Education Credits | 42 | |
| Electives | ||
| General Education Electives (6) | 18 | |
| Electives (3) | 9 | |
| Total Elective Credits | 27 | |
120 CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
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