Mapping the Known Unknowns of Cybersecurity Education: A Review of Syllabi on Cyber Conflict and Security

Abstract

Colleges and universities continue to expand their curricula to include cybersecurity as an explicit course of study in political science. But what is taught in a course on cybersecurity? Are syllabi deep dives into technology, broad romps through contemporary policy debates, or do they reflect a more varied disposition? Studying the syllabi of an area of study, especially one as immature at cybersecurity, can reveal a great deal about the assumptions and practices of scholars. This paper reviews two dozen syllabi to identify key literature in the field, generate an overview of best practices on teaching cyber conflict across academic institutions, help identify potential gaps in current course offerings, and assist faculty in identifying core concepts and readings. We found that few courses use the same literature, such that there is tremendous intellectual and disciplinary diversity in course content. Of the top 13 readings across the surveyed syllabi, all but two were published in the last seven years. The state of play in cybersecurity education is to emphasize recent scholarship, largely found outside the top-tier journals in political science and related disciplines. Highlighting these findings, this paper explores some additional materials and resources which can complement a still sparse canon of cybersecurity literature.