B.S., Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations
Cyberattacks pose an increasing threat to individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide.
They threaten financial stability, create national security risks, and erode public trust. The B.S., Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations program positions you to leverage the cyber technical and risk management skills needed to evaluate risk and defend against these attacks. By understanding how adversaries think and deploying cutting-edge cyber defense techniques, you'll protect information systems, discover vulnerabilities, manage network security devices, analyze data, and communicate the risks and impacts of cyberattacks to stakeholders.
Is Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations Right for Me?
Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations combines technology with math, law and policy, programming, psychology, criminology and business to protect critical systems. This program could be a great fit if you want to
- protect digital information, data stores, and computer networks from threats
- learn how we can keep sensitive information out of the hands of hackers, cybercriminals, and terrorist organizations
- work on a team to solve technical problems for organizations
What You'll Study
Gain foundational knowledge and state-of-the-art skills needed to anticipate and defend against computer attacks by exploring topics like these.
- Incident Handling and Response
- Cyber Forensics
- Cyber Technologies Studio
- Malware Analytics
- Network Security
- Risk Management
- Information Security Management
- Decision Theory and Analysis
Application Focus Areas
Pick an application focus area or work with an adviser to create your own to gain context for where you will do your work.
- Application development
- Economics
- Enterprise technology
- Entrepreneurship and Business of Technology
- Geopolitics
- Health care
- Law and policy
- Custom Application Focus
Earn a B.S. and M.S. at the Same Time
You can pursue a B.S. in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations and a master's degree at the same time through the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) degree program. IUGs make it possible to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in five years!
The Power of Internships
Every Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations student must complete at least one internship before graduating—most complete more than one, and 84% receive a job offer from an internship provider. With hundreds of organizations recruiting and a dedicated Career Solutions team to support you, you'll have the tools and opportunities to launch your career.
View Past Internships
“The most important thing I’ve learned at Penn State is the value of the people you surround yourself with. The Competitive Cyber Security Orgnization allowed me to learn from so many talented individuals — both older and younger — and I credit those relationships to the success I’ve found outside the classroom and as I start my career. They also sparked a passion to continue sharing what I’ve learned to give others an avenue to find themselves in such a large field.”
Jenna Fox '25 , Advisory Red Consultant, Security Risk Advisors
Discover Your Career
Technology is ever-changing, and so are the careers that create, use, and study it. As you work toward your degree, you’ll identify and refine your career interests through courses, student organizations, and experiential opportunities. With guidance and resources from our dedicated Career Solutions team—from your first job to the executive suite—you'll gain the technical expertise, business savvy, and communication skills to lead in business, health care, defense, technology, and countless other industries.
Cyberthreat Advisor
Analyzes the threat landscape and recommends security measures to help companies understand and prepare for cyber risks.
Federal Cyber Risk Analyst/Consultant
Assists clients in identifying unauthorized activities and intrusions in their networks in real-time.
Technical Risk Advisor
Scopes and monitors technology risks, performs assessments, oversees control testing, supports remediation, and provides technical guidance to improve and implement effective technology controls.
Network Defense Analyst
Analyzes data from cyber defense tools (e.g., IDS alerts, firewalls, network logs) to identify and mitigate threats within the environment.
Cybersecurity Engineer
Focuses on designing systems resilient to disruptions, from natural disasters to malicious acts, ensuring solutions meet functional requirements while preventing misuse through security policies.
Security Analyst
Determines effective methods to protect computers, networks, and data, conducting vulnerability testing, risk analyses, and security assessments, while designing secure architectures and delivering technical reports.
Cyber Consultant/Penetration Tester
Conducts manual and automated penetration tests on networks, applications, and technologies, analyzes results, mitigates false positives, and provides recommendations to improve security measures.
Computer Programmer/Analyst
Writes and tests code to ensure applications and software function properly, converting program designs into executable instructions for computers.
Application Security Specialist
Conducts security assessments, improves application security practices, and educates development teams to ensure delivery of secure, reliable software.
Competitive Cyber Security Organization
Through mentored research, experiential learning opportunities, and student organizations like the Competitive Cyber Security Organization, you can extend learning far beyond the classroom. CCSO helps you build cyber skills by participating in a variety of workshops, competitions, and real-world challenges against university teams from around the world.
Learn about CCSO