As it advances its new strategic plan, The University of Tulsa is building on its long history of excellence in computer science and cyber security by establishing a School of Cyber Studies to house undergraduate and graduate programs in this rapidly evolving field. The School of Cyber Studies is housed in TU’s College of Engineering and Natural Sciences.
“I am honored to serve as the inaugural chair of the new School of Cyber Studies that will engage faculty from across the university to prepare the next generation of cyber professionals at all degree levels,” said Tyler Moore, Tandy Professor of Cyber Security. “The School of Cyber Studies is unique in that it will be primarily composed of faculty from multiple disciplines jointly appointed to the school.”
The school administers the undergraduate minor in cyber security, as well as a master’s in cyber security. The school also offers two new degrees: a bachelor’s in cyber security and doctorate in cyber studies.
Courses in the new bachelor’s program are designed to be hands-on and project-based, emphasizing experiential learning and partnerships with employers. In addition to computer science, the program draws on faculty expertise from engineering, business, law and the social sciences to cultivate broader perspectives that match how cyber pervades modern life. As such, the curriculum emphasizes both technical and non-technical skills required for today’s cyber workforce.
“The School of Cyber Studies comprises the best of what TU has to offer: remarkable faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, novel research and campus-wide collaboration. It will support our students and alumni as they seek to provide creative and sustainable solutions to cyber challenges facing governments, industries and organizations around the globe,” said TU President Brad Carson.
TU’s cyber program is certified by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Excellence in Information Assurance Education, Research and Cyber Operations.
The university will seek accreditation for the B.S. in cyber security from ABET, the accreditor who certifies TU’s bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science. The B.S. in cyber security also aligns with NIST’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, which articulates cyber workforce competencies.
What encompasses cyber studies? The word cyber has its origins in the word cybernetics, a term used to describe the study of control systems and communications between humans and machines. We now use the word cyber as an adjective associated with activities that involve computers and computer networks. In that sense, “cyber studies” refers to the broader study of the internet and its impact on society in many different fields: health care, science, engineering, business, law, public policy, technology, privacy, computer security, cyber-physical systems and many others.
The interdisciplinary Ph.D. in cyber studies will draw on faculty expertise across TU to conduct cutting-edge research at the interface between cyber and many disciplines. “With the new doctoral program, the School of Cyber Studies will advance and mature the existing research strengths of the university, significantly contributing to the goals of the cyber initiative in the university’s strategic plan,” said Rose Gamble, senior associate dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences and the Tandy Professor of Computer Science and Engineering.
For more information on the new school or degree options, please email tyler-moore@utulsa.edu.