Security Assurance Studies Major
The Security Assurance Studies major is designed to develop security professionals capable of making sound decisions, lifelong learning, and the ability to deal with the global, national, and local issues which are a dynamic function of many different components of civilization. Security is an area which can take on many forms. Traditionally, the idea of security referred specifically to areas of law enforcement or government service in the protection of secrets and personnel. Today, security transcends all these areas to encompass many disciplines as well as to provide many avenues to career success. This major allows students to focus on the area of study which interests them most.
The major’s mission is two-fold:
i. To prepare students for a career in security, where the preparation is sufficiently broad to allow choices and opportunities as to which direction the study may take.
ii. To prepare students for specialized work through focus in a particular area of security with advanced coursework.
This major is interdisciplinary in nature. In this program, students will complete an inter-disciplinary study of security and a 4-course focus in an approved area of security assurance (e.g. Foreign Languages, Computer Science, etc). Students will study a variety of disciplines to provide a broad exposure to the many different areas of security assurance: business, justice studies, ethics, logic, political science, psychology, communications, and technology.
Degree Requirements
In addition to satisfying the University Core Curriculum requirements (WTNG 210 or 220 is specified as the second required Writing course), security assurance studies majors must complete the mathematics requirement, a set of major courses, and five focus study courses (including an internship):
Mathematics Requirement
Successful completion of two courses in Mathematics is required of all majors.
Students may select from one of the following sequences:
MATH 120/121 and one additional MATH course approved by advisor
MATH 131 and MATH 207
or
MATH 135 and MATH 137
or
MATH 213 and MATH 214.
Major Courses
COMM 210 Introduction to Speech Communication
PHIL 103 Logic
PHIL 200 Ethics
SEC 499 Capstone Seminar
Political Science
POLSC 110 The United States in World Affairs
POLSC 210 International Relations
Business/CIS
BUSN 305 Legal Environment of Business I
CIS 100 Introduction to Personal Computer Hardware
CIS 320 Introduction to Computer Security Techniques
CIS 420 Introduction to Computer Forensics and Electronic Discovery
ECON 101 Principles of Macroeconomics
or
ECON 102 Principles of Microeconomics
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
CJS 105 Introduction to Criminal Justice
or
PLS 100 Introduction to Law and Legal Studies
CJS 201 Substantive Criminal Law
CJS 210 Law of Evidence
CJS 320 Civil and Criminal Procedures in U.S. Courts
CJS 424 Securing the Homeland
Psychology
PSYCH 100 Introduction to Psychology
PSYCH 240 Quantitative Analysis
PSYCH 250 Introduction to Theories of Personality
PSYCH 302 Forensic Psychology
PSYCH 340 Research Methods
or
CJS 254 Survey of Methods in Criminal Justice
Students will also complete the following:
- a Focus Study consisting of four classes that will be proposed to an advisor for approval. This set of four courses is arranged between the advisor and student. Students are required to complete at least 3 upper division courses (2 at the 400 level, if offered) and 1 additional course in a discipline or as an interdisciplinary course of study;
- an internship in security which complements the Focus Study area