Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence and Cyber Operations

Description

With rapid and consistent advancements in global technology, the usage and protection of sensitive digital information has never been more important. The Bachelor of Arts in Intelligence and Cyber Operations is an interdisciplinary degree program that develops students’ technical cyber security skills within the foreign policy lens of international relations.

The Intelligence and Cyber Operations major consists of 51-54 interdisciplinary units within the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. By addressing cyber security warfare in a global affairs context, this program is ideal for students wishing to develop an acumen of cyber programming and foreign diplomacy to enter the field of cyber security or cyber intelligence.

Skills

Open-Source Intelligence Gathering (OSINT) Gathering and Analysis
Cyber Defense
Red-Team Penetration Testing
Incident Investigations

Careers

Cyber security consultant/analyst
Threat hunter
Digital Forensic Investigator
Incident responder
Intelligence Analyst

Admission

Prospective applicants can connect with USC Dornsife Admission for additional information by visiting https://dornsife.usc.edu/admission/.

Continuing USC students interested in declaring this program are encouraged to meet with the Intelligence and Cyber Operations major advisor, Karla Rivera. Advising appointments are available for booking at https://bit.ly/USCkrivera.

For questions and advisement regarding the B.A. in Intelligence and Cyber Operations, please contact Karla Rivera.

Requirements

A minimum of 128 units is necessary to graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Intelligence and Cyber Operations.

Core Programming and Cyber Security Requirements (10 units)

ITP 125L From Hackers to CEOs: Introduction to Information Security Units: 2
ITP 115 Programming in Python Units: 2 or ITP 165 Introduction to C++ Programming Units: 2
ITP 325 Ethical Hacking and Systems Defense Units: 4
ITP 375 Digital Forensics Units: 4

Cyber Law, Policy and Management (3-4 units)

Choose one:

INF 429 Security and Privacy Units: 4
ITP 370 Information Security Management Units: 4
ITP 479 Cyber Law and Privacy Units: 4

Technical Elective (6-8 units)

Choose two:

ITP 303 Full-Stack Web Development Units: 4
ITP 357 Enterprise Network Design Units: 4
ITP 365 Managing Data in C++ Units: 4
ITP 425 Web Application Security Units: 4
ITP 446 Cyber Breach Investigations Units: 4
ITP 457 Network Security Units: 4
ITP 475 Advanced Digital Forensics Units: 4

Core International Relations (16 units)

IR 210gw International Relations: Introductory Analysis Units: 4
IR 213 The Global Economy Units: 4 or ECON 203g Principles of Microeconomics Units: 4
IR 304 National Intelligence and the Shaping of Policy Units: 4
IR 320 Technology and International Relations Units: 4

Security and Violence (4 units)

Choose one:

IR 313 Religions and Political Violence Units: 4
IR 315 Ethnicity and Nationalism in World Politics Units: 4
IR 318 Violent Conflict Units: 4
IR 319 Human Security and Humanitarian Intervention Units: 4
IR 342 The Politics and Strategy of Weapons of Mass Destruction Units: 4
IR 381 Introduction to International Security Units: 4
IR 386 Terrorism and Counterterrorism Units: 4
IR 387 Strategic Studies Units: 4

International Finance (4 units)

Choose one:

ECON 452 International Finance Units: 4
(Prerequisite: ECON 305)
ECON 457 Financial Markets Units: 4
(Prerequisite: ECON 303)
IR 328 The Evolving Global Economic Architecture-Capital Mobility Units: 4
IR 329 The Global Finance and Monetary Regime Units: 4
IR 431 Commercial and Financial Globalization-Trends, Challenges Units: 4

Regional Electives (4 units)

Choose two courses, each from a different category:

The Middle East

HIST 384 Popular Culture in the Middle East Units: 4
IR 362 The International Relations of the Contemporary Middle East Units: 4
IR 463 Islam and Arab Nationalism Units: 4
MDES 340 The United States and the Middle East Units: 4
REL 402 Cultural Heritage, Religion, and Politics in the Middle East Units: 4

Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia

HIST 324g Islam in Russia, the USSR, and Independent States Units: 4
IR 345 Russian and Post-Soviet Foreign Policy Units: 4
IR 346 Communism and Post-Communism: Eastern Europe and the Balkans Units: 4
IR 438 Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict after Communism Units: 4
IR 439 Political Economy of Russia and Eurasia Units: 4

East Asia

HIST 366 The People's Republic of China Units: 4
IR 333 China in International Affairs Units: 4
IR 340 The Political Economy of China Units: 4
IR 360 International Relations of the Pacific Rim Units: 4
IR 384 Asian Security Issues Units: 4

The foreign language requirement applies to all students earning degrees granted by, or under the jurisdiction of, the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Fulfilling the Foreign Language Requirement

The foreign language requirement may be satisfied only by

earning a passing grade in language Level III of a foreign language sequence at USC or its equivalent elsewhere, or
scoring on the placement examination at a level considered by the language program as equivalent to the completion of Course III, or
scoring on a national or international examination (e.g., AP or International Baccalaureate Higher Level) at a level set by the department and approved by the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, or
passing a competency exam of language skills, administered at USC, subject to the availability of suitable academic examiners. The competency exam will test proficiency in listening, reading and writing skills.

For more information on the foreign language requirement, please visit https://dornsife.usc.edu/languages/foreign-language-requirement/

Published on June 26th, 2020

Last updated on August 25th, 2023