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The 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.

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

• 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).

• 2 elective courses (6 credits) selected from the list of Elective Track Courses (See Section 4); at least 1 of these courses must be a 6000-level CS course.

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

• Must have 6 credits at the 6000-level, at least 3 of these 6000-level credits must be selected from the list of Elective Track Courses (See Section 4).
  

2. Core Requirements

For the 12-credit core requirement, students take 4 courses from the following 6. Candidates must complete the core courses COMS W4118 and COMS W4156 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.

COMS W4115 Programming Languages & Translators
COMS W4118 Operating Systems
COMS W4156 Advanced Software Engineering
CSOR W4231 Analysis of Algorithms
COMS W4701 Artificial Intelligence
CSEE W4824 Computer Architecture

3. Required Track Courses

Candidates are required to complete the following three 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.

5. General Electives

Candidates are required to complete at least 1 Computer Science graduate-level course. Students may take up to 3 credits of non-tech course approved by the advisor. Please complete a non-tech approval form, and once it is signed, forward it to Janine Maslov or Remi Moss.

6. Track Planning

Please visit the Directory of Classes to get the updated course listings. If you would like to see how often the courses are offered, please visit the course page on the CS Department website.  

Not all courses are offered every semester, or even every year; a few courses are offered only once every two or three years or even less frequently. Among the core courses, 4115, 4118, 4701, and 4231 are normally offered every semester (fall and spring) but 4156 and 4824 are normally offered only one semester per year and which semester (fall vs. spring) may vary. Among the 4000-level track electives, only 4111 is normally offered every semester; none of the 6000-level track courses are offered every semester and some are not even offered every year. There are, however, typically one or more relevant 4995 and/or 6998 offerings each semester, and its generally possible to find a suitable 6901 project any semester. For more information, please see the SEAS Bulletin CS course-offering schedule (Please note that the course-offering schedule can change due to unforeseeable circumstances; thus, it should only be used as a reference).

7. Contact

Please direct all questions concerning the Computer Security Track to Prof. .

8. 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 7/23/2012.