Cybersecurity and Cyber Forensics Education at Sam Houston State University

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Cybersecurity and Cyber Forensics Education at Sam Houston State University

ONLINE OR ON CAMPUS, PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME, NO GRE/GMAT REQUIRED

The continued escalation of malware, ransomware, and general cyber-attacks highlights the need for cybersecurity professionals in today's networked world. In addition, the escalating shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals in the industry fosters natural collaborations between industry and academia.

The Cyber Forensics Intelligence Center (CFIC), housed in the Department of Computer Science at Sam Houston State University (SHSU), in Huntsville, Texas, is dedicated to the advancement of cyber forensic and security research, practices, and education.

Top Reasons Why You Should Consider SHSU's Cybersecurity and Cyber Forensics Programs:

Four distinct research areas are associated with CFIC: Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Autonomous System & IoT, and Data Science. Faculty take an interdisciplinary approach to develop and employ techniques and software to secure, collect, analyze, and report data consistent with the best practices in computer forensics, tailorable to a multitude of environments and based on specific organizational needs.
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have designated SHSU as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) through the academic year 2025 for its Bachelor of Science Degree in Computing Science, concentration in Information Assurance (IA).
Additionally, the National Science Foundation has awarded SHSU $2.8 million through their CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program. Over the next five years, the CyberCorps grant will provide scholarships for 20 SHSU students to become leaders in the cybersecurity government workforce. The students will complete their degree in one of our cybersecurity programs and are expected to secure a position with government after graduation to defend the nation in cyberspace. SHSU is among an elite list of eight higher education institutions in Texas who run this program.

SHSU offers a range of degrees and graduate certifications for students and professionals at every stage of their career.

The Baccalaureate programs comprise an ABET accredited Computing Science program with concentrations in Computing Science, Information Systems, and Information Assurance, a program in Software Engineering, and a third in Cybersecurity. The Bachelor of Science in Computing Science with Information Assurance concentration is the first cyber-related degree launched by the Computer Science department back in 2006.

Post-graduate, the university offers master's programs in Computing and Data Science, Digital Forensics (DF), and Information Assurance and Cybersecurity (IAC). These programs continue to receive national praise and recognition. Our IAC program is ranked No. 1 by BestCollegeReviews.org, 3rd by CollegeChoice.net, and 12th by TheBestSchools.org, while the Master of Science program in Digital Forensics is ranked 15th by CollegeChoice.net. The College of Science and Engineering Technology, the College of Criminal Justice, and the College of Business Administration at SHSU are also developing an interdisciplinary Master of Science program involving business, cybersecurity, and resilience which is expected to launch in fall 2024. This unique cross department collaborative environment at SHSU will immerse students in key and emerging research domains addressing the various perspectives of cybersecurity challenges and will develop an interdisciplinary approach to educating and training the cybersecurity workforce.

At the doctoral level, the PhD in Digital and Cyber Forensics Science program has been in existence since 2018, and is now graduating its second cohort of students. Our graduates have secured faculty positions around the country in cybersecurity. These students are propitiously positioned to advance the field and, in providing tutelage to their students, will further contribute to the body of literature in this area. This serves to orient the field of cybersecurity from the realm of the practitioner to a research-oriented discipline.

The university also offers three Graduate Certificate Programs in Cybersecurity, Digital Investigation, and Data Assurance for those who want to add valuable credentials to their resume or need to meet ever-changing workforce requirements.