Course Descriptions

A gentle introduction to basic computing concepts including programming in the Python Language. Topics in computer architecture, operating systems, networking, and software development will be explored. A thorough analysis of data representation, number systems and computer algorithms will be completed. Also a history of computers and computer languages will be discussed. During the introduction of these topics students will be instructed in the use of the python programming language. Python is a high-level, interpreted object oriented programming language with built in data structures. This course utilizes an electronic-classroom setting to introduce the beginner or curious programmer to Python and basic programming concepts through a series of practical hands-on exercises interlaced with the discussion material.

MTH 104 or MTH 152 with a grade of C or higher, or MCC level 8 mathematics placement.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Communicate effectively on general topics relating to computing including data manipulation, operating systems, or networking. .
2. Identify primary components of a computer system.
3. Convert values to and from the binary number system.
4. Design algorithms to solve mathematical problems.
5. Apply common built-in Python language functions and structures to solve problems.
6. Apply techniques of the software development life cycle to create Python modules or applications that adhere to required specifications.
7. Utilize the interactive Python environment to debug Python modules and applications.

Windows endpoint support is an ideal entry point into the IT career field. This course, based on Microsoft's Industry-accepted certifications, can help you open that door. Students in the IT support realm are often shocked when they look under the hood of the Windows Operating System to find a multitude of system and security tools that at first appear difficult to grasp. This course provides the background and hands-on experience to work with these tools for effective system administration and prepares you for Microsoft's and TestOut's certifications, that validates the ability to manage Windows endpoint environments.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Plan, develop, and implement Windows Operating System deployment, upgrade, and update strategies.
2. Identify the benefits and methods of co-management strategies.
3. Plan and implement device enrollment and configuration.
4. Deploy and manage windows store apps and mobile applications.
5. Configure, manage, and implement security policies for wireless networking and mobile applications.
6. Manage users and authentication using Azure Active Directory (AD) and AD Domain Services (DS).
7. Describe and implement security methods to protect devices and data.

This course is designed to develop and/or enhance practical problem solving skills and apply these skills to Robotics. Challenging exercises and robotics projects are designed to foster critical thinking that is particularly useful to students interested in the engineering, computational and networking disciplines. The course focuses on the analysis, design and implementation phases in developing a complete solution to a given problem. Major concepts discussed include algorithm development,number systems conversions, logic flow diagram development, and solution testing. Appropriate use of data types, conditional selection, repetitive, and iterative solutions are emphasized throughout the course. A data flow programming approach using LabView is utilized extensively throughout the course to implement and test concepts. Projects make use of the exciting and challenging Lego Mindstorms Robotics system to create real-life applications that build on the skills developed throughout the course.

Prerequisite(s): Math Level 8 (or higher) or MTH 104/152/165/higher with a C or higher.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. State a properly structured algorithm to a given problem.
2. Construct a logic flow diagram given an algorithm.
3. Construct a program given a logic flow diagram.
4. Describe how two asynchronous processes may be synchronized.
5. Test a programmed solution to a given problem both analytically and experimentally.
6. Describe the storage limitations of various signed and unsigned data types.
7. Design a complete solution to a given problem in Robotics.

This course corresponds to the first semester of the Cisco Networking Academy Exploration track. It introduces students to the architecture, structure, functions, components, and models of the Internet and other computer networks. It uses the OSI and TCP layered models to examine the nature and roles of protocols and services at the application, network, data link, and physical layers. The principles and structure of IP addressing and the fundamentals of Ethernet concepts, media, and operations are introduced to provide a foundation for further studies in computer networking. Hands-on labs for this course use a “model Internet” to allow students to analyze real data without affecting production networks. At the end of the course, students build simple LAN topologies by applying basic principles of cabling, performing basic configurations of network devices such as routers and switches, and implementing IP addressing schemes.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Explain how communication works in data networks or the Internet.
2. Utilize network protocol models to explain the layers of communications in data networks.
3. Explain the role of protocols in data networks.
4. Describe the importance of addressing or naming schemes at various layers of data networks.
5. Describe the protocols provided by the application layer in the OSI (Open Systems Interconnections) or TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) models.
6. Describe how the application layer in the OSI or TCP/IP models operate.
7. Analyze the features of transport layer protocols or services.
8. Analyze the features of network layer protocols or services.
9. Explain the fundamental concepts of routing.
10. Describe the operation of protocols at the OSI data link layer.
11. Explain how protocols at the OSI data link layer support communications.
12. Explain the role of physical layer protocols or services in supporting communications across data networks.
13. Build a simple Ethernet network using routers and switches.
14. Use effective group problem solving skills on team projects or activities.

Designed for students with no security experience or background, this course will cover basic terminology and concepts. Included will be the basics of computers and networking such as Internet Protocol, routing, Domain Name Service, and network devices. This course will introduce students to the basics of cryptography, security management, wireless networking, and organizational policy. Topics will include: an overview of the information security framework, network infrastructure security, security and cryptography, information security policy, and defense in depth. Other topics covered in this course include: basic security terminology and professional terms, network basics, tracert, nslookup, ipconfig, ping, DNS, DoS attacks, overview of malware, rules for avoiding viruses and vulnerabilities.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Classify the structures of various security frameworks.
2. Describe the role of computers and networks in a security framework.
3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of basic network software tools.
4. Identify computer system threats and evaluate their impact.
5. Discuss the effectiveness of various cryptographic techniques and their impact on security .
6. Describe the role of wireless communication in a secure environment.
7. Develop basic organizational security policies.
8. Describe how defense in depth can be used to implement security.

This course focuses on the design and implementation of network physical security policies and mechanisms. Physical security is the protection of personnel, hardware, programs, networks, and data from physical circumstances and events that could cause serious losses or damage to an enterprise, agency, or institution. This includes protection from fire, natural disasters, burglary, theft, vandalism, and terrorism.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Develop and implement access control mechanisms.
2. Demonstrate how obstacles can be placed in the way of potential attackers.
3. Explain how sites can be hardened against accidents and environmental disasters.
4. Develop strategies for surveillance and notification systems.
5. Develop physical security methods that can be used to apprehend attackers.
6. Develop strategies to recover quickly from accidents, fires, or natural disasters.

This course is designed for students with no prior experience in the support and maintenance of computers. Students will learn the skills necessary for building, testing, repairing, and maintaining computer systems and components. In addition, students will also learn to install and configure required software in various systems. Emphasis is placed on skills necessary to troubleshoot hardware/software issues and effectively communicate findings to others. The role of a computer system technician will be examined, with an additional focus on
debugging, technical support, and professionalism.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Identify, select, and install hardware components used in a variety of computing systems.
2. Install, configure, and manage software according to specification.
3. Test, diagnose, and repair internal electronics in a safe and effective manner.
4. Apply problem-solving skills in the troubleshooting and diagnosis of common hardware/software issues.
5. Demonstrate effective and professional communication skills in all aspects of computer support and maintenance.

Explain network security concepts in connection with various types of network devices. Understand underlying technologies and methodologies of network security, including data security, across platforms. Students will have an opportunity to practice implementing measures to resolve identified network security issues.

Prerequisite(s): CPT 115 with a grade of C or higher

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Examine network security concepts and key issues.
2. Differentiate network security controls (Administrative, Physical, and Technical)
3. Explain fundamentals of virtualization and cloud computing
4. Examine data security concepts including encryption and cryptography
5. Identify security measures for mobile, IoT, and wireless networks.
6. Investigate suspicious network traffic

Fundamental multitasking/multi-user operating system concepts, as applicable to modern day computer systems, are studied. Major topics include priority boosting, priority and round robin scheduling, virtual memory management, paging, mapping, swapping, and process management. Applications that interface to the outside world via the PC's external I/O ports are examined in the laboratory. Emphasis is placed on developing simple "device drivers" using a combination of low and high level language tools.

Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in CIS 200, CSC 101 or CPT 101.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Describe the function of the primary components of a state-of-the-art multiprogramming or multitasking operating system environment.
2. Utilize diagnostic software to test and trouble-shoot hardware interfaces.
3. Utilize diagnostic software to test and trouble-shoot communication between a peripheral device and the host computer system.
4. Design and implement a well-documented peripheral device driver or host application utilizing a common programming language.
5. Use effective group problem solving skills on team projects or activities.

An introduction to the design and implementation of mobile applications using the Android computing platform. Students will utilize standard software development techniques, including the use of an integrated development environment and software development kits, to build mobile applications. The applications will include capture and processing of data from the integrated sensors found in a typical mobile device.

Prerequisite(s): CSC 101 or CPT 101 or CIS 101

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Distinguish between various versions of mobile computing platforms.
2. Apply techniques and strategies pertaining to the software development life cycle.
3. Develop specifications for mobile applications utilizing platform-specific functionality.
4. Devise methods to capture and process data from physical sensors.
5. Experiment with user interface designs to represent sensor data as meaningful information.
6. Produce fully functional mobile applications.

This course introduces the student to concepts employed in the wireless acquisition of data from remote sensors found on airborne devices such as aircraft, spacecrafts, and satellites as well as from sensors integrated into common commercially available medical devices, tablets and smartphones. The use of remote sensors involves the acquisition of information on an object, phenomenon or an environment with minimum physical contact. In practice this is achieved by acquiring information from sensors that are responsive to environmental elements, which may be atmospheric (air pressure, vibration, humidity) or electromagnetic radiation that may be in the form of invisible (heat) or visible radiation. Students will explore various applications of sensors in a laboratory setting, apply their knowledge of digital electronics, networking and programming and gain experience integrating commercially available electro-optical, magnetic and environmental sensors into a practical wireless application.

Prerequisite(s): MTH 165, ENR 157, CSC 202 all with a grade of C or better.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Contrast the various wireless communication devices and protocols available to researchers for remote data acquisition.
2. Summarize the considerations employed to interface an analog device to a wireless digital transceiver.
3. Explain the interrelationship between aperture size, resolution, and signal to noise.
4. Use basic formulas and transforms to scale and respectively calibrate data acquired from various sensors.
5. Synthesize component data sheets, product specifications and performance parameters to arrive at a calculated result for a given integrated application.
6. Use commercially available software tools to program, control, communicate with and acquire data from sensors deployed on a remote device.
7. Use an application to analyze and characterize the quality of digital data in terms of signal resolution, noise content, and dynamic range.
8. Describe techniques that may be employed to reduce noise and increase the dynamic range of various sensors.

Students will work in teams to solve an application and/or design problem selected from an intercollegiate design challenge or a student proposal approved by the instructor. The students will design and build a working prototype, create a design report, and make an oral presentation. Each student will be required to maintain a weekly ledger in the form of a lab book that details work performed and progress that is periodically reviewed and graded by the instructor.

Prerequisite: CSC 202

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Apply knowledge learned in previous computer courses to propose a design solution to a given set of requirements.
2. Construct a working application prototype.
3. Evaluate the prototype’s design performance and document revisions as determined to be necessary.
4. Produce a detailed report that specifically highlights each team member’s contribution.
5. Compose an oral presentation of the design.

This course corresponds to the second semester of the Cisco Networking Academy Exploration track. It describes the architecture, components, and operation of routers, and explains the principles of routing and routing protocols. Students analyze, configure, verify, and troubleshoot the primary routing protocols RIPv1, RIPv2, EIGRP, and OSPF. By the end of this course, students will be able to recognize and correct common routing issues and problems.

Prerequisites: CPT 115 with a grade of C or better.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Characterize various networking technologies with respect to established layered network models.
2. Utilize tools such as time domain plots, frequency domain plots, and constellation diagrams to describe and distinguish between signaling systems.
3. Correlate networks' data link features with practical applications of flow control, error control, and shared access to media.
4. Participate in the design and configuration of internetworks by interpreting problems and subsequently experimenting with and evaluating solutions.

CCNAv7: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation (ENSA) describes the architecture, components, operations, and security to scale for large, complex networks, including wide area network (WAN) technologies. The course emphasizes network security concepts and introduces network virtualization and automation. Students learn how to configure, troubleshoot, and secure enterprise network devices and understand how application programming interfaces (API) and configuration management tools enable network automation.

Prerequisite(s): CPT 215

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Configure single-area OSPFv2 in both point-to-point and multiaccess networks.
2. Explain how to mitigate threats and enhance network security using access control lists and security best practices.
3. Implement standard IPv4 ACLs to filter traffic and secure administrative access.
4. Configure NAT services on the edge router to provide IPv4 address scalability.
5. Explain techniques to provide address scalability and secure remote access for WANs.
6. Explain how to optimize, monitor, and troubleshoot scalable network architectures.
7. Explain how networking devices implement QoS.
8. Implement protocols to manage the network.
9. Explain how technologies such as virtualization, software defined networking, and automation affect evolving networks.

This course would provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to secure organizational resources. Topics covered include: a review of networking protocols, IOS and router filters, physical security, information assurance, computer security policies, contingency planning, business impact analysis, password management, information warfare, intrusion detection, honey pots, attack vectors, firewalls and perimeters, risk assessment and auditing, cryptography and steganography, PGP, wireless, operational security, permissions and user rights, service patches, securing network services, security baseline analyzers, Linux, and virtual machines.

Prerequisite: CPT 120 or permission of instructor.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate how to physically secure a computer network.
2. Apply data packet filters to secure network edge devices.
3. Develop and implement security policies for risk management, password management, and user rights and permissions.
4. Appraise the impact of malware attack vectors on network security.
5. Create countermeasures to mitigate network attacks.
6. Apply security protocols to secure network services.
7. Demonstrate the use of cryptography and steganography to ensure secure data transmission.

This course focuses on the design and implementation of network perimeter security. Topics include: threat vectors, encapsulation at OSI layers 2, 3, 4, and 5, packet decoding, static filters, stateful filters, stateful inspection, intrusion detection and prevention, Network Address Translation (NAT), Access Control Lists (ACLs), Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), proxies, border routers, firewall rule bases, web application and database firewalls, securing the OS and services, firewall assessment, vulnerability assessment, baseline audits, forensics, logging, encryption, authentication, VPNs, wireless, network access control, and security tools.

Prerequisite: CPT 120

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Describe how stateful firewalls, proxy firewalls, security policies, and routers are used to implement network security.
2. Configure Virtual Private Networks.
3. Describe how intrusion detection can be used for network defense.
4. Configure network components to implement host hardening and host defense.
5. Describe how intrusion prevention systems can be used for network defense.
6. Implement and appraise various security perimeter designs.
7. Employ subnets and security zones to secure a network.
8. Implement wireless network security.
9. Analyze network security logs.
10. Explain the importance of defense in depth for network security.

This course is the capstone course for all students in the Networking and Security Administration (NASA) program. Students work in groups to Pentest and/or defend a network identified for a small to medium size fictitious business. Upon the completion of the activities, students will come up an executive summary to report defense strategy recommendations and best practices to prevent future attacks.

Prerequisite(s): A minimum of 45 credits hours earned towards the Networking and Security Administration (IN01) AAS degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, and permission of instructor.

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Integrate knowledge and skills across core program courses
2. Analyze business needs and consider them during the selection, integration, and
administration of a secured information system.
3. Identify virtual or cloud computing platform for an information system for a small to medium size business.
4. Perform risk assessment of network operation and security data transaction.
5. Pentest the network for resilience.
6. Defend or monitor and analyze ethical hacking activities.
7. Evaluate defense strategies and create an executive summary.
8. Collaborate with classmates to produce deliverables.

This course provides the student with a capstone experience to prepare for employment within the computer systems field. Students are required to attend a weekly one-hour seminar and complete a 45-hour internship experience with a cooperating employer. The seminar will assist students with job-seeking skills and examine situations and problems related to the workplace.

Prerequisite(s): CP01 students only and D or better in CSC 202 and CSC 206

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Assess interests and abilities in technology-related fields of study
2. Demonstrate the professional skills necessary for job acquisition
3. Identify and analyze current issues found in the workplace
4. Exhibit appropriate workplace behaviors

See the Department Chairperson.

Check if course is offered:
Intersession 2025
Spring Semester 2025