Find out what it's like to major in Cyber Policy and Ethics.
Come and meet our faculty and advisors to learn more about the major.
For more information, please email Dr. Austin Crane (undergraduate studies director), Dr. Garrett Pierman (faculty), or Alan Marsee (academic advisor).
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The Meaning of Cyber
Cyber is short for the word “cybernetics,” which Norbert Wiener defined in 1948 as the “theory or study of communication and control.” The birth of information and communication technologies (ICT) combined with the rise of microprocessors to give us new ways to connect. The word cyber has become a useful prefix as we rework every aspect of our lives through digital networks: cybereconomy, cyberspace, cybercafe, cyberbullying, cyberpunk, cyberart. And as we combine technology with our bodies, we become cyborgs.
At its root, however, cyber comes from a Greek word that means “to guide, steer, or govern.” This begs the question, are we in control of technology or does it control us?
In CYBR courses, students learn the full ecosystem of contemporary “cyber” life, including:
• The internet and digital platforms as social, political, and economic systems
• Cyber warfare, deterrence, and defense strategy
• Technology and criminal investigation
• Information integrity
• Artificial intelligence, algorithmic decision-making, and automation
• Autonomous technologies and distributed risk
• Surveillance, privacy, identity, and civil liberties
At its core, CYBR asks: How are digital technologies changing what it means to be human—and how do we respond as individuals, communities, and countries?
The Cyber Policy & Ethics degree has shown me the need for cyber diplomats and generalists who can bridge technical and leadership roles. My coursework has given me the skills to become a leader in this evolving field.
Technical Skills, Human Questions
CYBR deliberately links how to use technology with how technology reshapes societies.
Students gain hands-on experience with technologies such as:
• Programming and computational techniques
• Networking technology and cybersecurity
• Big Data analytics and text-as-data methods
• Digital mapping, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis
• Data-driven research and policy evaluation
At the same time, CYBR students examine topics such as:
• Psychological effects of digital environments on individuals
• Online identities and behaviors, community formation, and cybercultures
• Power, inequality, and access to digital systems
• Industrial competition over technological manufacturing
• How technology intersects governance, economics, law, and democracy
Graduates leave with principled understandings of how the latest technologies affect people and institutions, and the technical skills to use those technologies to improve their communities: this combination is uncommon among undergraduate programs.
Harnessing Technology in a World That Won’t Slow Down
Technology evolves faster than law, culture, and politics and crosses borders at the speed of light. CYBR trains students to work in those gaps with a global perspective.
The CYBR program is housed in the Walker Institute of International and Area Studies because digital networks and emerging technologies are the primary vehicles of global interactions. Since the advent of telecommunications, global networks have compressed time and distance, providing a degree of human connectivity unrivaled in world history. Those same technologies are also used by actors across borders who challenge the rule of law and social norms, problems that demand international cooperation. The production and use of these technologies have become drivers of economic growth, creating competition between countries and corporations over access to resources and control of innovations. Our digital age is redefining how countries compete or cooperate, a central concern of the Walker Institute.
Our CYBR degree emphasizes:
• Language skills and cultural competencies in demand by employers in both the private and public sectors
• How different societies and cultures decide how to use technology and what needs regulation
• Competing models of technology governance around the world
• Ethical decision-making under uncertainty
• Managing technological risk at individual, organizational, and societal levels
• Global perspectives on technology and power
This is not a program about reacting to technology—it’s about shaping its trajectory.
Careers at the Intersection of Technology and Decision-Making
CYBR graduates are prepared for careers where technical knowledge alone is not enough.
Possible paths include:
• Technology policy and governance in both private and public sectors
• Cyber and emerging-technology strategies
• Law enforcement and investigative analysis
• Intelligence, defense, and national security
• Consulting, risk analysis, and compliance
• Technology ethics, trust, and responsibility roles
• Graduate study in law, public policy, technology, or social science
Employers increasingly need people who can connect technical systems with human consequences. CYBR trains exactly that.
Why “Policy & Ethics”?
Because the defining challenges of the 21st century are not just technical—they are normative.
CYBR is about:
• How technology changes human relations to the self, each other, and institutions
• How power and influence operate in digital systems
• How societies draw ethical boundaries around technology
• How institutions adapt—or fail to adapt—to technological change
This is a degree for students who want to think seriously about technology, not just use it—and who want to help decide how it shapes our shared future.
Examples of courses in the Cyber Policy & Ethics degree
See the undergraduate bulletin for a full list of courses.
- Information Security Principles
- Applied Linear Algebra
- Discrete Structures
- Big Data Analytics
- Applied Multivariate Statistics/Data Mining
- Math Foundations of Machine Learning & Data Science
- Math Foundations of Network Science
- Introduction to Cryptography
- Ethics
- Politics and Ethics
- Behavioral and Mental Disorders
- Survey of Social Psychology
- Survey of Personality
- Psychology of cybersecurity
- International Relations
- National Security Policies of the United States
- Theories of War in International Relations
- International Law
- Law and Contemporary International Problems
- Economic Aspects of International Politics
- Globalization and Security
- Constitutional Law
- Constitutional Law
- Political Geography
- Interpretation of Aerial Photographs
- Geographic Information Systems
- Principles of Remote Sensing
- Advanced GIS
- Criminal Justice Intelligence
- Homeland Security and Terrorism
- Information-Based Management in Criminal Justice
- Law and Criminal Justice Policy
- Computer Applications in Criminal Justice
- Evolution of Warfare
- American Military Experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We encourage internship opportunities and can consider them for course credit towards your degree.
Yes. We encourage study abroad opportunities and will make sure you take courses that can count towards your degree.
Yes. Many students choose to double major. Your advisor will work closely with you to ensure you meet all requirements and proper courses are taken.
Yes. While it is your choice as to whether you choose to minor, double major or complete a cognate, there are some minors that fit nicely with this degree and enhance your academic experience. We recommend you consider the following:
- Information Technology
- A foreign language minor
We encourage you to look at Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese.
Yes. These courses typically fulfill many of the university requirements.
More jobs in cyber
Recent computer hacks have shut down a gas pipeline, slowed the meatpacking industry and exposed government secrets. According to CNN Business, the world has millions of job openings for cyber security professionals.
A degree in Cyber Policy & Ethics prepares you to bring a holistic approach to securing networks, data and people.
Some job options include:
- Security analyst
- Intelligence analyst
- Cyber consultant
- Cyber legal professional
- Military careers