A Multi-Tier Approach to Cyber Security Education, Training, and Awareness in the Undergraduate Curriculum (CSETA)

The demand for cyber security experts in both the public and private sectors is far outpacing the development of the talent pool, making for a hyper-competitive labor market. Against ever evolving cyber-threats the need to graduate students skilled in the concepts and technologies of cyber security is becoming a critical responsibility of academic institutions in order to help preserve the sovereignty of the US and her allies. It is crucial that more undergraduate majors receive education and training that deepens their conceptual and practical understanding of issues in cyber security. In addition to educating computer professionals, undergraduate students of all disciplines should have the opportunity to be exposed to issues regarding computer security. As a result, we should all recognize the importance of cyber security in the undergraduate curriculum. Our graduates must have security skills in addition to communication, critical thinking and analytical skills. This additional skill will offer our majors the opportunity to extend the security focus beyond the department, to raise awareness outside of the computer science community, and provide a path for further studies and employment in cyber security. The objective of this paper is to discuss these activities.