Cyber Systems Program Objectives

The Department’s vision is empowering difference makers to solve cyber challenges through personalized, innovative learning and research opportunities.

Cyber Systems Mission Statement

The Mission of the Department of Cyber Systems in accordance with the role, mission and objectives of the University of Nebraska at Kearney as approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and in accordance with the statewide plan of the Coordinating Commission for Post-secondary Education is to creates value by engaging with stakeholders to make a difference.

We do this through:

Promoting the innovative and appropriate use of technology in the university and beyond
Developing fundamental skills and professional knowledge needed for lifelong success
Student-led experiential learning [that is] integrated throughout the curriculum
Inspiring faculty in the pursuit and delivery of progressive scholarship, teaching and meaningful service activities
Supporting and encouraging technology initiatives contributing to educational and economic advances
Producing graduates who can analyze complex computing problems; apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions; design, implement and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements; communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts; recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles; and function effectively as a member or leader of a team.

The Department meets its mission by providing our students with up-to-date curricula and pedagogy in the computer science, cyber security operations, information networking and telecommunications, information technology, and management information systems disciplines; ensuring that they have a solid foundation in the core concepts, equipping them with problem solving and decision-making skills; and preparing them for lifelong learning in the discipline. The department provides for and encourages collegial, intellectual, and academic growth of its faculty. The department supports and encourages local and regional technology initiatives contributing to educational and economic advances.

The Cyber Systems Department emphasizes quality in all of its activities in accordance with current trends in postsecondary education quality assurance. While the Department's primary focus is on undergraduate teaching, faculty scholarship and service are encouraged in accordance with the Regents' and Coordinating Commission's plans and the Boyer-Rice model for such faculty activities.

The Department complies with accreditation standards for its major programs, as follows:

Computer Science Comprehensive (CSC):
- ACM curricular standard for computer science programs
Management Information Systems (MIS):
- AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accredited since 2006.
Information Networking & Telecommunications (INT):
- ATMAE (Association of Technology, Management & Applied Engineering) accredited since 2006
- NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations with a specialization in Network Security Administration (planned for future.)
Cyber Security Operations (CSO):
- NSA CAE in Cyber operations (U.S. National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations) (The UNK CSO program is designed to meet these standards. UNK will submit an application in the near future.)
Applied Computer Science (ACS):
- ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) curricular standard for computer science programs
Information Technology (IT):
- ACM curricular standard for IT programs

Cyber System Program Educational Objectives

The UNK Cyber Systems Department seeks to produce well-prepared cyber systems graduates who in their careers:

Apply computing and cyber systems knowledge to real-world problems,
Keep current in their fields of expertise,
Communicate effectively with colleagues and other stakeholders,
Exhibit high standards of responsibility and ethics, and
Accumulate experiences in collaborating effectively as a team member.

A. All UNK Cyber System graduates from the CS Comprehensive, Applied CS, IT, and CSOprograms will have the ability to:

Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline

A program specific student outcomes for CS students is that graduates of the CS Comprehensive and Applied CS programs will be able to:

Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

A program specific student outcomes for IT students is that graduates of the IT Program will be able to:

Identify and analyze user needs and to take them into account in the selection, creation, integration, evaluation, and administration of computing based systems.

A program specific student outcomes for CSO students is that graduates of the CSO Program will be able to:

Apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.

B. All UNK Cyber System graduates from the Information Networking and Telecommunications (INT) students will have abilities in Critical Thinking, Technology, Management & Leadership, Communication & Professionalism, as defined below.

9. INT Outcome 1 Information Technology (K) (Critical Thinking, Technology): The INT graduate will be able to demonstrate a current knowledge of information technology to support continuously evolving business applications or processes.

10. INT Outcome 2 Technical Design and Application (K, A) (Critical Thinking & Technology): The INT graduate will be able to design, install, configure, secure and maintain information networks.

11. INT Outcome 3 Writing, Presenting and Participating (K, A, S) (Communication & Professionalism): The INT graduate will be able to write, present and act as professionals in their discipline through the most appropriate form.

12. INT Outcome 4 Business & Technology Integration (A, S) (Critical Thinking, Management & Leadership): The INT graduate will be able to assess and apply leadership fundamentals and business management practices as they apply to the networking and telecommunications industry.

13. INT Outcome 5 Assessment of Policy, Issues and Regulatory Impact (S) (Critical Thinking, Technology, Management & Leadership, Communication & Professionalism): The INT graduate will be able to articulate the impact of the regulatory environment as well as policy and other issues upon the networking and telecommunications enterprise.

C. All UNK Cyber Systems graduates from the Management Information Systems program will have the ability to:

14. AACSB Outcome 1: Demonstrate effective critical thinking skills.

15. AACSB Outcome 2: Demonstrate knowledge of basic business disciplines and concepts.

16. AACSB Outcome 3: Demonstrate ethical decision making.

17. AACSB Outcome 4: Demonstrate competencies in current technology.

18. AACSB Outcome 5: Demonstrate professionalism.

19. AACSB Outcome 6: Work effectively with others in team settings.

20. AACSB Outcome 7: Demonstrate basic systems development life cycle knowledge and vocabulary and can use appropriate software development tools.

The mission of the Cyber Systems assessment process is to assess how well the department fulfills the mission stated above. The intent is to assess how well the department prepares graduates for careers or for graduate study in several computing areas. In addition, the assessment process is designed to measure the degree to which our graduates fulfill the department’s mission of producing graduates who can analyze complex computing problems; apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions; design, implement and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements; communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts; recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles; and function effectively as a member or leader of a team.

The UNK Cyber Systems Assessment Plan details this process and includes the assessment rubrics.

Cyber Systems Program Objectives

Cyber System Program Educational Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

Enrollment and Graduation Data

Cyber Systems Assessment