The New Computer Security Track

The Computer Security track is intended for students who wish to develop state-of-the-art knowledge of computer and network security technologies. Security considerations pervade personal, corporate, military, governmental, and national infrastructure systems and networks. This track will help you develop leading-edge knowledge in security.

1. Overall Requirements

Students must complete at least a total of 30 graduate credits.

  1. Fulfill the 12-credit core requirement; two core courses COM W4118 and COMS W4156 are prerequisites for this track.

  2. 3 required courses (9 credits): COMS W4180 (Network Security), COMS W4187 (Security Architecture and Engineering), and either COMS W4261 (Introduction to Cryptography) or COMS E6185 (Intrusion Detection).

  3. 2 elective courses (6 credits) selected from the list of section 4; at least 1 of these courses must be 6000-level CS course.

  4. 1 general elective graduate CS course (3 credits), at 4000 level or above

  5. Students using Special Considerations to credit previous courses in fulfilling core requirements may complete the 30 graduate credits by expanding their electives beyond the base track requirements above.

  6. Must have 6 credits at the 6000-level, at least 3 of these 6000-level credits must be selected from the list of section 4.

For the 12-credit core requirement, students take four courses from the following six:

COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators

COMS W4118 Operating Systems 1

COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering

CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms 1

COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence

CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

2. Pre-requisites

Candidates must complete the core courses COMS W4118 and COMS W4156 or equivalent courses, to develop a fundamental understanding of computer systems. Ideally, students should complete these courses prior to pursuing track courses, but they may be taken concurrently with track courses.

3. Required Track Courses

Candidates are required to complete the following three courses:

Course ID

Title

 Fall
2009**

Spring  
2010**

 Fall
2010**

COMS W4180

Network Security

 

 Offered 

 

COMS W4187

Security Architecture and Engineering

 Offered 

 

 Offered 

Either COMS W4261 or COMS E6185

Introduction to Cryptography or Intrusion Detection

Offered

 

Offered


Students who have completed equivalent courses with grades of at least 3.0/4.0 scale may apply these courses to satisfy these requirements and devote more credits to pursue elective courses.

4. Elective Track Courses

Candidates are required to complete two courses out of the following list*; at least one course must be 6000 level. Please note that courses with * are offered alternate years.

Course ID

Title

 Fall
2009**

Spring 
2010**

 Fall
2010**

COMS W4115

Programming Languages and Translators

 

 

 

COMS W4119

Computer Networks

 Offered 

 Offered 

 

COMS W4261

Introduction to Cryptography

Offered

 

Offered

COMS W4995 

VOIP Security 

 

 

 

COMS W4995

Introduction to Computer Security

 

 

 

COMS E6118

Operating Systems, II

 

 Offered 

 

COMS E6181

Advanced Internet Services

 Offered

 

 

COMS E6183* 

Security 

 

 

 Offered 

COMS E6184*
(Prev. E6998)

Privacy & Anonymity

 

 

 

COMS E6185

Intrusion and Anomaly Detection Systems

 Offered

 

 Offered 

COMS E6261*

Advanced Cryptography

 

 Offered 

 

COMS E6901

Projects in Computer Science

 Offered

 Offered 

 Offered 

COMS E6998

Advanced Topics in Security

 

 

 

COMS E6998 

Network Theory

 

 

 

COMS E6998

Virtual Machines

 

 

 

ELEN E4703

Wireless Communications

 

 

 

ELEN E6761

Computer Communication Networks

Offered

 

 

ELEN E6886 

Topics in Multimedia Security 


 

 

ELEN E6950

Wireless & Mobile Nets, I

Offered

 

 

ELEN E6951 

Wireless & Mobile Nets, II

 

 

 

5. General Electives

Candidates are required to complete at least one Columbia graduate course, approved by the Track Advisor.

6. Contact

Please direct all questions concerning the Computer Security Track to Prof. (Beginning Spring 10) and Prof. .

7. Graduation

Candidates preparing for graduation should submit a completed application for degree to the Registrar's Office and submit a track graduation form to C.S. Student Services (an example of a completed form is available here).

 

*The list of electives may be updated to reflect changes in the schedule of course offerings.

**Please note that these course offerings are listed on a provisional basis only and may change from what is listed here.

Last updated 7/23/09.