Website
http://www.nps.edu/Academics/GSOIS
Dean
Peter Purdue, Ph.D.
Naval Postgraduate School
Code 06, Glasgow Hall, Room 220
1411 Cunningham Road
Monterey, CA 93943
(831) 656-2663, DSN 756-2663, FAX (831) 656-3828
Associate Dean
Robert Burks, COL, USA
Naval Postgraduate School
Code 06, Glasgow Hall, Room 220A
1411 Cunningham Road
Monterey, CA 93943
(831) 656-3116, DSN 756-3116, FAX (831) 656-3828
The Graduate School of Operational and Information Sciences consists of the following departments:
Computer Science |
CS |
Defense Analysis |
DA |
Information Sciences |
IS |
Operations Research |
OR |
Overview
The Graduate School of Operational and Information Sciences includes Graduate Resident Programs consisting of 15 technical curricula and awards Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees across four academic departments. The faculty number approximately 100 and educate approximately 600 military and DoD students annually.
In the domains of education and ideas, staying current in these dynamic times is basic to the Graduate School of Operational and Information Sciences. Unlike a civilian university, at GSOIS we know we are educating our students for military related careers. First we teach them scientific principles and mathematical methods, and then we teach them how to apply them to military objectives when they return to service.
Another university could not tailor a curriculum, adapt to change, or transform its courses as swiftly as do the GSOIS faculty. For example, pedagogically, we have embraced the shift to distance learning, especially in the past five years, as Web-based instruction has become an efficient delivery mode, and we supplement it with Video TeleEducation so that students will benefit in widely dispersed locations, sometimes in ships at sea.
Mission Statement
To deliver graduate-level education and conduct cutting-edge research in four nontraditional knowledge domains in response to the needs of naval and DoD customers. Our four knowledge domains are:
Chairman
Peter J. Denning, Ph.D.
Code CS, Glasgow East, Room 317
(831) 656-3603, DSN 756-3603, FAX (831) 545-2814
Associate Chairman
Geoff Xie, Ph.D.
Code CS/Gx, Glasgow East, Room 125
(831) 656-2693, DSN 756-2693, FAX (831) 656-2814
Associate Chairman, Academic Affairs
Thomas W. Otani, Ph.D.
Code CS/To, Glasgow East, Room 307
(831) 656-3391, DSN 756-3391, FAX (831) 656-2814
Associate Chairman, Research
George W. Dinolt, Ph.D.
Code CS/Gd, Glasgow East, Room 224
(831) 656-2462, DSN 756-2462, FAX (831) 656-2814
Associate Chairman, Administration
Loren E. Peitso
Code CS/Lp, Glasgow East, Room 340
(831) 656-3009, DSN 756-3009, FAX (831) 656-2814
Academic Associate of Computer Science Curriculum
Thomas W. Otani, Ph.D.
Code CS/To, Glasgow East, Room 307
(831) 656-3391, DSN 756-3391, FAX (831) 656-2814
Academic Associate of MOVES Curriculum
Mathias N. Kölsch, Ph.D.
Code MOVES/Mk, Watkins Hall, Room 279
(831) 656-3402, DSN 756-3402, FAX (831) 656-7599
Academic Associate of Software Engineering Curriculum
Bret Michael, Ph.D.
Code CS/Mi, Glasgow East, Room 335
(831) 656-2655, DSN 756-2655, FAX (831) 656-2814
Distance Program Coordinator Software Engineering Curriculum
Man-Tak Shing, Ph.D.
Code CS/Sh, Glasgow East, Room 334
(831) 656-2634, DSN 756-2634, FAX (831) 656-2814
Academic Associate of Computing Technology Curriculum
Loren E. Peitso
Code CS/Lp, Glasgow East, Room 340
(831) 656-3009, DSN 756-3009, FAX (831) 656-2814
* The year of joining the Naval Postgraduate School faculty is indicated in parentheses.
Bruce Allen, Research Associate (2008); B.S., California State University at Sacramento, 1989.
Mikhail Auguston, Associate Professor (2003); Ph.D., Glushkov Cybernetics Institute, 1983.
Eric R. Bachmann, Research Assistant Professor, (1997); Ph.D., Naval Postgraduate School, 2000.
Valdis Berzins, Professor (1986); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1979.
Robert Beverly, Assistant Professor (2009); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008.
Karen Burke, Research Associate Professor (2003); M.S., Southern Illinois University, 1979.
Paul Clark, Research Associate (1999); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1999.
Richard S. Cote, Senior Lecturer (2001); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 2000.
Chris Darken, Associate Professor (2001); Ph.D., Yale University, 1993.
Rudy Darken, Professor (1996); DS.c., George Washington University, 1995.
Arijit Das, Research Associate (2003); M.S., University of Nevada, 1989.
Peter J. Denning, Chairman, Department of Computer Sciences, Director of the Cebrowski Institute for Innovation and Information Superiority, and Distinguished Professor (2002); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1968.
George W. Dinolt, Associate Professor (2002); Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1971.
Doron Drusinsky, Associate Professor (2002); Ph.D., Weizmann Institute of Science, 1988.
Chris Eagle, Senior Lecturer (1997); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1995.
John Falby, Senior Lecturer (1991); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1986.
John D. (JD) Fulp, Senior Lecturer (2001); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1996.
Simson L. Garfinkel, Associate Professor (2006); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005.
John H. Gibson, Research Associate (2001); B.S., University of California at Santa Barbara, 1969.
Mark Gondree, Research Associate (2009); Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 2009.
John Hiles, Research Professor (1999); B.S., University of California at Santa Barbara, 1969.
Ted Huffmire, Assistant Professor (2007); Ph.D., University of California at Santa Barbara, 2007.
Cynthia E. Irvine, Professor and Director, Center for Information Systems Security Studies and Research (1994); Ph.D., Case Western University, 1975.
Mathias N. Kölsch, Assistant Professor (2005); Ph.D., University of California at Santa Barbara, 2004.
Timothy E. Levin, Research Associate Professor (2001); B.S., University of California at Santa Cruz, 1991.
Theodore G. Lewis, Professor (1993); Ph.D., Washington State University, 1971.
G.M. Lundy, Associate Professor (1988); Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1988.
Luqi, Professor (1986); Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1986.
Craig Martell, Associate Professor, (2003); Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2004.
Bret Michael, Professor (1998); Ph.D., George Mason University, 1993.
Thuy D. Nguyen, Research Associate (2002); B.A., University of California at San Diego, 1982.
Thomas W. Otani, Associate Professor (1985); Ph.D., University of California at San Diego, 1983.
Loren E. Peitso, Senior Lecturer (2004); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 2002.
Charles Prince, Research Associate (2006); B.S., Oregon State University, 1993.
Richard Riehle, Visiting Professor (2000); Ph.D., Naval Postgraduate School, 2009.
Neil C. Rowe, Professor (1983); Ph.D., Stanford University, 1983.
Andrew Shein, Research Associate Professor (2009): Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2009.
David Shifflett, Research Associate (2000); B.S., California State University at Northridge, 1985.
Man-Tak Shing, Associate Professor (1988); Ph.D., University of California at San Diego, 1981.
Gurminder Singh, Professor and Director, Center for the Study of Mobile Devices and Communications (2002); Ph.D., University of Alberta, 1989.
Kevin M. Squire, Assistant Professor (2005); Ph.D., University of Illinois, 2004.
Joe A. Sullivan, CDR, USN, Military Lecturer and MOVES Institute Acting Director (2001); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1998.
Dennis M. Volpano, Associate Professor (1991); Ph.D., Oregon Graduate Institute, 1986.
Daniel F. Warren, Senior Lecturer (1996); M.S., University of California at Santa Cruz, 1986.
Duminda Wijesekera, Associate Professor (2006); Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1997.
Geoffrey Xie, Professor (1996); Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 1996.
Emeritus Professors
Robert B. McGhee, Professor Emeritus (1986); Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1963.
Degrees
The Department of Computer Science provides graduate training and education in major areas of computer science; thus, both basic and advanced graduate courses are offered. Course work and research lead to either the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree. The requirements to complete either program are rigorous and are comparable to those of other major universities.
Master of Science in Computer Science
Master of Computing Technology
Master of Science in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
Master of Science in Software Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
Doctor of Philosophy in Software Engineering
Laboratories
There are currently 14 laboratories:
Computer Science Learning Resource Center
This laboratory provides a general purpose, networked, PC desktop environment for a variety of programming languages and software packages. It is used both as a teaching lab for a number of courses and as an open lab for NPS-wide coursework.
Introductory Computer Security Laboratory
This lab is primarily used by the Center for Information Systems Security Studies and Research (CISR). It is an "air-gapped" lab dedicated to studies of network vulnerabilities, intrusion detection, secure system management, and computer forensics; where tools used by administrators and hackers can be freely researched and studied. It is also used in certifying students with NSTISSI 4000 series certifications in Security Professionalism by the Committee of National Security Systems (CNSS), via the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Computer Information Security Research (CISR) Laboratory
This teaching and research computer lab is primarily used by the Center for Information Systems Security Studies and Research (CISR) and is dedicated to studies of information assurance, computer security, high assurance system architecture, and authentication. This lab facility introduces students to studies in high assurance systems, steganography, public key infrastructure, mandatory access control, viruses, covert channels, and the reference monitor concept.
Public Key Infrastructure Laboratory
This teaching and research computer lab is primarily used by the Center for Information Systems Security Studies and Research (CISR) and is dedicated to studies of network security; secure computer systems; and security policies, modeling, and formal methods. In addition, through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN), it is utilized for the Inter-Service Academy Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX). This annual exercise involves NPS, AFIT, and all four U.S. Service Academies acting as network defenders (Blue teams) against network attackers (Red teams) from NSA and DoD information warfare agencies. This lab also directly supports DoD-funded research on DoD Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Network Research and Experimentation Laboratories
Introductory PC Network Laboratory
Intermediate Local Area Network Laboratory
These two labs support the Networks Track and provide students the opportunity to apply network theory in concrete applications. The Introductory PC Network Laboratory enables students to install network hardware and software, learning firsthand the advantages, limitations, and intricacies of various components and operating systems. The Intermediate Local Area Network Laboratory allows students to participate in ongoing Next Generation INTERNET research, advanced protocol development, future high-speed digital switching systems experimentation, network management, and control design and analysis. These labs also directly support DoD-funded research for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Wireless and Mobile Computing Laboratory
The Wireless and Mobile Computing Lab provides the majority of academic computing needs to support the wireless and mobile computing track within the Department of Computer Science. This lab provides students with the opportunity to program and examine security aspects of mobile computing devices ranging from personal digital assistants (PDAs) through cellular phones.
Autonomous Robotics Coordination Laboratory
This teaching and research computer lab supports graduate students and faculty work on sponsored classes/research projects regarding the coordination between multiple autonomous robots to achieve a coordinated result. The lab is equipped with several types of programmable robots and a wide range of intelligent software tools, including programming languages, planners, language processors, image processors, and neural-computing.
Software Engineering Laboratory
This laboratory provides a state-of-the-art engineering systems environment to support graduate students and faculty work on sponsored classes and projects in software automation. The laboratory provides a test bed for DoD software-intensive systems and software for embedded/safety-critical systems can be precisely tested in the lab. Evaluation and assessment on network-based system integration and interoperability, and the risk assessment on systems of systems can be conducted effectively in the lab. The lab also provides support for requirements analysis, prototyping, specification, and computer-aided system architecture design.
Forensics Exploitation Lab
This laboratory provides a state-of-the-art forensics exploitation environment to support graduate students and faculty work on sponsored classes and projects in basic and applied forensics exploitation research projects. Primary work is done with new techniques for automatically processing data recovered from disk drives and other types of storage devices. Using forensic techniques, the data on a hard drive can reveal who used or broke into a computer system, what it was used for or what was done during a break-in, and the identities of those in question.
Biometrics Research Lab
This new laboratory is intended to provide a state-of-the-art biometrics identity management systems environment to support graduate students and faculty work on sponsored classes and projects in identity management. The lab will conduct both basic and applied research in identity management techniques, hardware, and software.
SCIF Security Lab
This laboratory provides a state-of-the-art engineering systems environment to support graduate students and faculty work on sponsored classes and projects in security areas that are required to be conducted in high-security, compartmented classifications and dedicated air-gapped hardware/networks.
Virtual Environments Lab
The Virtual Environments Lab provides the equipment necessary to experience and study virtual and augmented environments. Head-worn displays and associated tracking hardware display the visual content of artificially created environments. The immersive nature of these environments cannot be studied on other hardware such as computer monitors. Virtual and augmented environments are integral to the MOVES Institute's mission goals. They are of instrumental importance to many DoD training applications as well as military operations. Cross disciplinary classes and even student research projects can be performed with this equipment as well, for departments including Computer Science, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Operations Research.
Vision Lab
The NPS Vision Lab is a research and education lab in the MOVES Institute and the Computer Science Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Our expertise is at the crossroads of computer vision, computer graphics and human-computer interaction. We collaborate with NPS-wide efforts on training systems, robotics and autonomous systems, sensor networks and embedded systems. We strive to accomplish projects with educational goals while incorporating and advancing current research into prototype systems.
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CSR100 Refresher for Beginning Programming (2-2) Winter/Summer
(No credit) An introduction to computer algorithms, programs, and hardware. Using structured programming and stepwise refinement techniques, students receive classroom instruction plus design and test programs in the laboratory. Computer projects of increasing difficulty are assigned. This course is not graded. Prerequisite: None.
CSR101 Refresher for Laboratory Systems (2-1) As Required
Intended for Computer Science majors, to provide an introduction to computer science and computing laboratory facilities. Both Unix and the MS-DOS operating systems are introduced from a user perspective, as well as operation of corresponding workstation and personal computer hardware. Each system's user interface, text processing, programming environment, network and communication facilities are surveyed. Students are exposed to basic principles and procedures for productive software and document development through both lecture and hands-on tutorials. Should be taken concurrently with CSO100. Not graded. No credit. Prerequisite: None.
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CS0001 Colloquium (0-1) As Required
(No credit) Departmental lecture series. Attendance is required by students in their fourth quarter. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: None.
CS0810 Thesis Research (0-8) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Every student conducting thesis research will enroll in this course. Prerequisite: None.
CS0820 Integrated Project (0-1) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
The Naval Postgraduate School provides many opportunities for students to participate in campus-wide interdisciplinary projects. These projects encourage students to conceptualize systems which respond to current and future operational requirements. An integral part of the project involves working with other groups to understand and resolve issues involved with system integration. This course is available to Computer Science students who are participating in a campus-wide integrated project. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: None.
CS2011 Computing Systems Principles (4-0) Fall/Spring
Designed to provide computer science majors with a basic understanding of computer systems hardware. The course includes the following topics: basic computer concepts, number systems and data representation, digital logic and Boolean algebra, storage devices and organization, basic computer organization and control, and instruction formats, addressing modes and the assembler process. No previous background in computer hardware is assumed. Prerequisite: None.
CS2020 Introduction to Programming (4-2) Fall/Spring
This course teaches the fundamental programming concepts. Topics covered include data types, variables, expressions, parameter passing, control structures, objects, methods, visibility modifiers, strings, arrays, exception handling, software development, and testing techniques. Although Python and C/C++ are used, this course places focus on teaching programming concepts and not on teaching specific language features of Python and C/C++. Prerequisite: None.
CS2071 Fundamental Object-Oriented Programming in C++ (4-2) Fall/Spring
This course is an introductory course in program development techniques and the structured and object-oriented programming paradigms using C++. The topics covered include: problem-solving, documentation, C++ Integrated Programming Environment (IDE), control flow, native types and statements, operators, structures, functions, pointers, arrays, object-oriented programming, encapsulation (class and objects), and I/O. Weekly programming or written assignments will be assigned. Prerequisite: None.
CS2073 Fundamental Object-Oriented Programming in Java (4-2) As Required
This course is an introductory course in program development techniques and the structured and object-oriented programming paradigms using Java. The topics covered include: problem-solving, documentation, Java Integrated Programming Environment (IDE), control flow, native types and statements, operators, structures, functions, pointers, arrays, object-oriented programming, encapsulation (class and objects), and I/O. Weekly programming or written assignments will be assigned. Prerequisite: None.
CS2170 ADA as a Second Language (4-2) As Required
A first course in ADA for students experienced in another programming language. Students learn to implement problem solutions using the procedural and object-oriented language features of ADA. The procedural programming topics include: data types, operators, input/output, control structures, repetition structures, functions, arrays, and pointers. The object-oriented topics include: data abstraction and encapsulation, packages, inheritance, polymorphism, and generics. Weekly programming projects will be assigned. Prerequisite: Recent completion of the complete series in another programming language course, or programming experience in another programming language.
CS2171 C++ as a Second Language (4-2) As Required
A first course in C++ for students experienced in another programming language. Students learn to implement problem solutions using the procedural and object-oriented language features of C++. The procedural programming topics include: data types, operators, input/output, control structures, repetition structures, functions, arrays, and pointers. The object-oriented topics include: data abstraction and encapsulation, classes, objects, operator overloading, inheritance, polymorphism, templates, and reusable class libraries. Weekly programming projects provide students the opportunity to implement techniques covered in class. Prerequisite: Recent completion of the complete series in another programming language course, or programming experience in another programming language.
CS2173 Java as a Second Language (4-2) Winter/Summer
A first course in Java for students experienced in another programming language. Students learn to implement problem solutions using the procedural and object-oriented language features of Java. Topics include: program structures and environment, arrays, exceptions, constructors and finalizers, class extension, visibility and casting, overriding versus overloading, abstract classes and interfaces, files and streams, class loaders, threads, and sockets. Programming projects provide students the opportunity to implement techniques covered in class. Prerequisite: Recent completion of the complete series in another programming language course, or programming experience in another programming language.
CS3000 Great Principles of Computing Technology (4-1) Fall/Spring
An introduction to computing technology that underlies all of information technology (IT). Offers a holistic view of the computing field and its connections with other fields in science, business, and philosophy. Covers deep principles of information technology in the areas of computation, communication, coordination, storage, and automation. Emphasizes the historical development of these principles, why they have stood the tests of time, how they relate to one another, and how they relate to issues in other fields. Prepares students for graduate study in computing-related fields. Prerequisite: None.
CS3004 Human-Computer Interaction (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course studies the principles of human-computer interaction (HCI) and computing system usability. The design of an interactive system is much different than that of a conventional, noninteractive one. A successful software application depends on how well the designer understands the users of the system and how best to design for their needs and capabilities. In addition, an understanding of system design constraints and operational implementation issues are equally important. The primary focus of the course is to build the knowledge and skills needed to develop an effective and usable human interactive system. All students will participate on a design project that will take them through an entire interactive design process, from problem statement and requirements definition through prototyping and implementation, test, and evaluation. The course material will survey the field of HCI including interaction techniques and styles, design methodologies, evaluation techniques, software development, and input/output devices. The student will learn how to approach design problems from the user's point of view, how to study usability issues, and how to consider the strengths and limitations of the user during the design process. Prerequisite: None.
CS3021 Introduction to Data Structures and Intermediate Programming (4-2) Winter/Summer
This is the second course in the programming practice sequence. One of the main goals of this course is the teaching of data structures so the students will be able develop intermediate-level programs. Another goal is the teaching of modern programming techniques such as threads, and advanced-level, object-oriented, programming concepts such as inheritance and polymorphism. Topics covered include recursion, file input and output, sorting and searching, threads, stacks and queues, lists, binary search trees, balanced binary search trees, and hashing. Prerequisite: CS2020.
CS3022 Programming Paradigms (4-2) Winter/Summer
This is the third course in the programming practice sequence. Based on the knowledge of Java, this course introduces students to other programming paradigms. Many concepts are illustrated using C++ and ADA Functional programming using Lisp and Haskell and logic programming using Prolog are also introduced in the course. Prerequisite: CS3021.
CS3030 Computer Architecture and Operating Systems (4-0) Winter/Summer
(For non-CS students.) This course provides an overview of basic computer hardware concepts and operating systems software. The following topics are covered: basic computer concepts; data representation; elements of computer architecture and operation; processor and process management; multiprogramming; memory management; and file management. Future trends in computer hardware and operating systems will be discussed. Prerequisites: CS2020 and CS2971, or consent of the instructor.
CS3060 Database Systems (3-1) Winter/Summer
This course presents an up-to-date introduction to database systems including database system architectures, physical file organizations, data models, query languages, and design of databases. Prerequisite: CS2020 or consent of the instructor.
CS3070 Operating Systems (3-2) Fall/Spring
A theoretical and practical treatment of operating concepts. Major course topics include concurrency, Ada tasking, virtual memory including demand paging and segmentation, dynamic linking and loading, file structures, and information security. The laboratory portion of the class will give students the opportunity to write and test components of a modern operating system. Prerequisites: CS2020 and CS3021 and CS2011.
CS3071 Advanced Object-Oriented Programming in C++ (4-2) As Required
This is a course in advanced object-oriented programming using C++ for students having an intermediate-level experience with C++. Students will learn guidelines for using C++ effectively through general design strategies and language specific features to make C++ programs and object-oriented designs more efficient, robust, maintainable and portable. Topics include: Memory management; Constructor and Assignment Operator Issues; Classes and Functions; Inheritance and Object-Oriented Design; Standard Template Library; Exceptions; Efficiency. Prerequisite: CS2971 or CS2171 or consent of the instructor.
CS3101 Theory of Formal Languages and Automata (4-0) Winter/Summer
This course will cover the Chomsky hierarchy of Formal Languages (regular sets, context-free languages, context-sensitive languages, and recursively enumerable languages) and the types of grammars and automata associated with each class in the hierarchy. Emphasis is placed on the major results of the theory as they apply to language and compiler design. In addition, the major results involving the concept of in decidability are covered. Prerequisite: MA3025.
CS3111 Principles of Programming Languages (4-0) As Required
This course is an introduction to the design, evaluation, and implementation of programming languages. Imperative, functional, logic, and concurrent programming methodologies are investigated, with an emphasis on practical issues. Tradeoffs in choosing different programming languages for a given task are discussed and principles on which an objective assessment of programming language design can be made are presented. Prerequisite: CS2020 or consent of the instructor.
CS3113 Compilers and Translation (3-2) Winter/Summer
This course is intended to explore the basics of modern compiler design and construction techniques. The fundamentals of scanning, parsing, and compiler semantics are developed in the framework of modern compiler-compiler and translator-writing systems technology. The laboratory periods will be used to develop a small model compiler/assembler. Prerequisite: CS3022 and CS3101 or consent of instructor.
CS3130 Software Design for Mobile Computers (3-2) As Required
This course introduces the student to rapid application development environments, programming languages, and operating systems used by commercial off-the-shelf handheld computers running operating systems such as Newton Intelligence, Magic Cap, GEOS, and PalmOS. The course includes a survey of devices, architectures, operating systems, and programming languages. Laboratory programming exercises will be required for at least one PDA-class operating system platform. Prerequisite: CS3021.
CS3150 Design and Analysis of Algorithms (4-0) Fall/Spring
This course focuses on the design and analysis of efficient algorithms. Techniques for analyzing algorithms in order to measure their efficiency are presented. Control structure abstractions, such as divide and conquer, greedy, dynamic programming, backtrack (branch and bound), and local search methods are studied. The theory of NP-completeness is presented, along with current approaches to NP-hard problems. Prerequisites: CS3021 and MA3025.
CS3200 Computer Architecture (3-2) As Required
This course examines the organization of computer and processor architectures. Instruction set design alternatives, processor implementation, memory system hierarchy, and I/O systems are the main topics of study. A quantitative approach is taken in which different design alternatives are evaluated and compared through analysis and/or experimentation. The course is accompanied by a set of labs which reinforce and extend the lecture subject matter. Prerequisites: CS2011 and either CS2020 or consent of the instructor.
CS3310 Artificial Intelligence (4-1) Fall/Spring
Survey of topics and methods of Artificial Intelligence. Methods include rule-based systems, heuristic search and exploitation of natural constraints, means-ends analysis, semantic networks, and frames. Emphasis is placed on solving problems that seem to require intelligence rather than attempting to simulate or study natural intelligence. Projects to illustrate basic concepts are assigned. Prerequisites: CS2011 and one college-level course in programming.
CS3502 Computer Communications and Networks (4-2) Fall/Spring
This course covers basic computer networking concepts and technology through the study of protocols at each layer of the Internet architecture. Materials taught in class are reinforced through laboratory projects. Prerequisites: CS2011 and CS3030 and a solid background in Computer Architecture, Algorithm and Data Structures; and programming experience with C/C++ or Java are important for success in this class.
CS3505 The Internet and the Information Highway (3-2) Winter/Summer
In this class, the Internet and related technologies are explored. Major objectives are to (1) learn what the Internet and the "information highways" are; (2) learn how to use the Internet for business, academic, and personal uses; and (3) learn what the current and especially future direction the Internet is going. Students will gain experience in exploring the World Wide Web and in creating their own home pages using the language HTML. They will also learn how to use the "big three" Internet tools, which are FTP, E-mail, and Telnet. Some background on how these protocols were developed is also presented. Lectures also discuss the origins of the Internet, and the various physical and software layers which make up the Internet. The class requires a series of laboratory assignments, through which the students become familiar with the concepts in a "hands on" way. The class is intended for all graduate students interested in learning about and using the Internet, so the only prerequisite is graduate standing. Prerequisite: None.
CS3600 Information Assurance: Introduction to Computer Security (4-2) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the terminology, concepts, issues, policies, and technologies associated with the fields of Information and Software Assurance. It covers the notions of threats, vulnerabilities, risks, and safeguards as they pertain to the desired information security properties of confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and availability for all information that is processed, stored, or transmitted in/by information systems. This is the entry point prerequisite for all other Computer Security Track courses. Prerequisites: CS2011 or CS3030.
CS3606 An Introduction to Information System Security (4-0) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Due to the rapid development and ubiquitous deployment of computer and information systems, and the very nature of insecurities they may hold, professionals involved with the design, development, deployment, and management of these systems now require a familiarity with information assurance (IA) and security. This course will introduce topics relevant to IA and computer security necessary to create a foundation of knowledge for the information management professional. The domains of knowledge to be introduced during the course include: access control systems and methodology; telecommunications and network security; security management practices; application and systems development security; cryptography; security architecture and models; operations security; business continuity and disaster recovery planning; laws, investigations, and ethics; and physical security. This course is meant to introduce the topics and will lay the foundations for further studies in any of the domains listed. Prerequisite: None.
CS3610 Information Ethics, Crime, and Law (4-0) Fall
This class examines the major controversies affecting today's Internet resulting from the interplay of policy, law, technology and human nature. Topics include computer crime; intellectual property; privacy; encryption; free speech; identity; data mining and additional DoD specific issues. Readings include laws, judicial opinions, popular articles, and academic computer science articles. Assignments include written exercises, a midterm quiz analyzing a public policy problem, and term paper. Prerequisite: None.
CS3636 Data Fusion with Online Information Systems (3-0) Spring
Explores data fusion as applied to personal information in both the online and offline world. Topics include credit and criminal databases, Information Surveillance, GSP, Satellite imagery, online search, text mining, anonymization, reidentification, and privacy policy. Familiarity with statistics useful but not mandatory.
CS3640 Analysis of DoD Critical Infrastructure Protection (3-1) Fall/Spring
The DoD relies on the correct functioning of an extensive information and control infrastructure to accomplish its mission. To assist in ensuring the survivability of assets that comprise this infrastructure, the DoD has formulated a CIP lifecycle, which includes: Analysis and Assessment, Remediation, Indicators and Warnings, Mitigation, Incident Response, and Reconstitution. This course introduces students to this lifecycle, and how the criticality and survivability of mission-critical infrastructures within the DoD are assessed. Prerequisite: CS3600.
CS3651 Computability Theory and Complexity (3-1) As Required
This course covers the concepts needed to argue the decidability and computational complexity of problems. Topics include recursive enumerability, undecidability, diagonalization, computational complexity classes, intractability, Turing reduction, and many-one reducibility. Basic techniques are presented for proving undecidability and for establishing a lower bound on the computational complexity of a problem. Prerequisites: CS3101 and CS3150.
CS3660 Critical Infrastructure Protection (4-0) Spring
This course examines the critical infrastructure of the USA. Eight sectors of the critical infrastructure are examined: Banking/Finance; Health Care/Health Affairs; Space/ISR; Power/Energy; Logistics/Postal System; Transportation; Telecommunications and Satellites; and Internet/IA. Each sector and its components are characterized in terms of its vulnerabilities, especially its interdependencies and couplings with other sectors. Finally, the course identifies potential countermeasures that mitigate sector and system vulnerabilities and assesses their costs and benefits. Prerequisite: NS3180.
CS3670 Information Assurance: Secure Management of Systems (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course provides students with a security manager's view of the diverse management concerns associated with administering and operating an automated information system facility with minimized risk. Students will examine both the technical and nontechnical security issues associated with managing a computer facility, with emphasis on DoD systems and policies. Students have the opportunity to earn the following CNSS (formerly NSTISSI) certifications: INFOSEC Professional, System Administration in Information Systems Security, and ISSO. Prerequisite: CS3600.
CS3686 Identity Management Infrastructure (3-0)
This course covers a broad range of topics related to the standards, protocols, technology, and management infrastructure necessary to field an enterprise-level identity management (IdM) solution. Lecture and reading assignments span the gamut of IdM issues: from low-level authentication protocol mechanics, to high-level identity federal initiatives. This course is one of several that will collectively compose the requirements for Identity Management specialization tracks in the Information Science and Computer Science degree programs. Completion of four courses: CS3686, CS3699, IS3710, and IS3720, will meet the requirements for earning the Federal/DoD Identity Management Certificate offered by NPS. Prerequisites: None.
CS3690 Network Security (4-2) Winter/Summer
This course covers the concepts and technologies used to achieve confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity for information processed across networks. Topics include: fundamentals of TCP/IP-based networking, core network security principles, traffic filtering types and methodology, packet-level traffic analysis, employment of cryptography, tunneling/encapsulation, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), remote authentication protocols, and virtual private networks based on the IPSec, L2TP, and SSL protocols. Prerequisites: CS3600 and CS3502 and IS3502.
CS3695 Network Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Mitigation (3-2) Winter/Summer
This course provides a basis for understanding the potential vulnerabilities and their mitigation in networked systems by studying methods to: (1) obtain information about a remote network, (2) to possibly exploit or subvert systems residing on that network and (3) techniques to mitigate risks to networked systems. Labs provide practical experience with current network attack and vulnerability assessment tools, as well as tools and methodologies for a systematic approach to reducing vulnerabilities. A final project that demonstrates skill and knowledge is required. Prerequisite: One of the following: CS3502 or IS3502 or CS3690 or permission of the instructor.
CS3699 Biometrics (3-0) As Required
This course reviews the technical details of biometric identification and verification. The major biometric approaches (fingerprints, irises, etc.) are covered in detail with respect to acquisition of biometric data, matching techniques, anti-spooking techniques, and current standards. The uses and limitations of biometrics are covered, as well as some of the legal, ethical, and privacy concerns of maintaining and using biometric data. This course is one of several that will collectively comprise the requirements for Identity Management specialization tracks in both the Information Science and Computer Science degree programs. Completion of four courses, CS3686, CS3699, IS3710, and IS3720, will meet the requirements for earning the Federal DoD Identity Management Certificate offered by NPS. Prerequisites: None.
CS3800 Directed Study in Computer Sciences (0-V) As Required
(Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8.) Individual research and study by the student under the supervision of a faculty member. The course is intended primarily to permit interested students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
CS3920 Topics in Computer Science (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will either be drawn from areas not covered by core courses or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
CS4112 Distributed Systems (3-2) Winter
An advanced treatment of operating systems concepts. Major course topics include distributed operating systems, distributed operating system architectures and concurrent programming. Other topics including secure operating systems and real-time operating systems, as time permits. Prerequisite: CS3070 or equivalent.
CS4113 Advanced Language Topics (4-0) As Required
This course is designed to explore concepts considered essential to the study of programming languages. These concepts include the lambda calculus, the Church-Rosser Theorem, reduction strategies, continuations, semantics, and recursion. Prerequisites: CS3111 and CS3070.
CS4182 Capstones in Computer Science (4-0) Winter/Summer
This is the capstone course for the CS curriculum. It surveys the transforming effects of seminal papers on ten subject areas within computer science. Each paper illustrates how the introduction of an organizing framework, a suitable form of analysis, or a set of supporting principles was able to change the way problems within the subject area were approached; a change that led to integrated and lasting solutions. Students will be responsible for reading and evaluating key papers that have helped to shape modern computer science. Prerequisite: CS3000.
CS4310 Sensory Artificial Intelligence (4-1) As Required
A study of methods of computational simulation in natural-language processing, computer vision, and sensor networks. Issues in natural-language processing include modeling of syntax, semantics, morphology, discourse, phonetics, and stochastic phenomena. Issues in computer vision include low-level processing, segmentation, shape inference, and object identification. Issues in sensor networks include deployment, local inference, and communications. Prerequisite: CS3310.
CS4312 Advanced Database Systems (3-1) As Required
This course is a sequel to CS3060, Database Systems. The course will provide an in-depth coverage of relational database theory, distributed database systems, semantic data models, query processing and optimization, transaction management, recovery, security, and other advanced topics. Topics will be illustrated using both commercial and prototype database systems. Prerequisite: CS3060 or consent of the instructor.
CS4313 Advanced Robotic Systems (3-2) As Required
AI methods for robots and unmanned vehicles. He first part of the course will discuss generic sensing and control mechanisms, including reactive and hierarchical control. The second part of the course will focus on specialized areas of robotics, swarm robotics and unmanned autonomous vehicles. Prerequisite: CS3310.
CS4315 Learning Systems and Data Mining (3-1) Winter
A survey of methods by which software and hardware can improve their performance over time. Methods include case-based reasoning, concept learning, neural networks, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms. Students will do projects with software tools. Prerequisites: CS3000 and one college-level course in programming.
CS4317 Language Systems (3-1) As Required
This course introduces the computational aspects of processing language. Topics include lexicography, morphology, grammars, parsing, semantics, stochastic grammars. Hidden Markov models, speech understanding, language generation and language translation systems. Prerequisites: CS3310, CS3150, CS3101.
CS4322 Internet Information Systems Technology (3-2) Summer
A course exploring the implementation of recent Internet tools for supporting databases, intelligent systems, and information retrieval. Topics include browsers and server technology including servlets, XML, data mining, and data warehousing. Students will do programming to build their own tools. Prerequisites: CS2900 and either CS3310 or CS3060, or consent of the instructor.
CS4330 Introduction to Computer Vision (3-2) Fall
This course introduces students to the main concepts that allow computers to "see" and understand visual information. It teaches methods and skills in image processing, pattern recognition, statistical analysis, classification, and learning. These are exemplified on applications such as military intelligence, surveillance, object tracking, robotic navigation, human-computer interfaces, and visual effects. Students complete a small class project that demonstrates the use of computer vision for an application of their interest. In laboratory activities, students get hands-on experience with the most important tools for building practical vision systems. Experiments and projects are tightly coupled with the material covered in class. Students must be familiar with a programming language such as C, C++, or Java (CS2900, CS2171, CS2173, etc.). Prerequisites: Helpful, but not necessary, is knowledge of basic linear algebra, probability or game theory, and Matlab (EC1010), or consent of the instructor.
CS4450 Advanced Computer Architecture (4-0) Summer
This course covers advanced topics in computer architecture and the application of concepts in computer architecture to the design and use of computers. The topics discussed include classes of computer architecture, application-oriented architecture, and high performance architecture. Prerequisites: CS2011, and CS3200 or equivalent.
CS4533 Wireless Mobile Computing (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course will focus on a new paradigm in computing: wireless mobile computing. Portable, handheld, computing devices are now being used for many applications previously accomplished by larger desktop computers or dedicated small devices. Some of these devices contain powerful RISC CPUs, user-accessible flash RAM storage, networking and peripheral connectivity, handwriting recognition, and built-in infrared networking capabilities. The goal of this course is to provide a fundamental understanding of the devices, communications, and design and implementation issues in building such mobile networked applications. Students will be required to research, design, and/or implement a project that integrates multiple technologies to solve a real-world problem requiring mobile computing. Prerequisites: CS3502 and CS3021.
CS4535 Mobile Devices (3-2) Spring
There are a large number of mobile devices, including cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), PDA/cellular phone combinations, pagers, badges, and other wearable devices, in use today in a variety of applications. The number and variety of such devices keeps growing at a fast pace, as new processing, display, and battery and wireless technologies are invented, and as new applications for these devices are envisioned. This is a practical, hands-on course that covers the architecture, usability, and applications of mobile devices. From an application perspective, this course will discuss mobile devices as tools to support homeland security applications, military applications for capability enhancement, and communications and computing needs of mobile professionals. The study of principles is combined with hands-on laboratory exercises to develop applications on mobile devices. The ultimate objective of the course is to show students how they can exploit the capabilities of mobile devices to implement innovative applications to enhance productivity and effectiveness in a variety of domains. Prerequisite: CS2020.
CS4537 Wireless Data Services (3-2) Summer
Tremendous progress has been made in mobile device and wireless networking technologies. Many different PDAs, cell phones, smartphones, and specialized devices have been introduced in the marketplace, and been enthusiastically adopted by millions of people around the world. Wireless networking technology development and adoption has moved even faster! The combination of mobile devices and wireless networking lends itself to data applications that can make a significant difference in a wide variety of application areas. The aim of this course is provide an understanding of the issues, technologies, and applications related to wireless data services. In addition to other topics, this course will cover wireless Internet, SMS, MMS, WAP, iMODE, J2ME, and BREW. Prerequisites: CS4533 and CS4535.
CS4538 Mobile Device and Wireless Security (3-1) Winter
The application of mobile and wireless devices has grown rapidly in military and commercial environments. The functionality and reliability of these devices has grown tremendously. The mobile and wireless nature of these devices raise new and important security challenges not usually present in static environments. This course will address these challenges including the security functionality, protocol, and assurance issues associated with this emerging technology. Prerequisites: CS3600 and CS3690 and CS4537.
CS4550 Computer Networks II (4-0) As Required
This course covers advanced and emerging topics in computer networking. Some topics taught in CS3502 will be reviewed and studied in more detail. Other course subjects may vary from instructor to instructor and they include: multimedia networking, wireless networks, multicasting, peer-to-peer networks, quality of service, network management, network architecture, and security. Prerequisite: CS3502.
CS4552 Network Design and Programming (3-3) Fall/Spring
The course is intended for CS and non-CS majors. Students will develop research and troubleshooting skills through experiments performed on real networks. The networking protocols covered in this course typically include: DNS, HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DHCP, TCP, UDP, RIP, OSPF, EIGRP. BGP, and VPN. Students will explore an emerging networking technology or issue and provide a technical report discussing the selected topic. Prerequisites: An advanced programming course, CS3502 and CS4550, or equivalent with consent of the instructor.
CS4554 Network Modeling and Analysis (4-0) Winter/Summer
The purpose of this class is to learn to formally specify and analyze network protocols, emphasizing wireless protocols, and in the process acquire a thorough understanding of these protocols. Formal protocol models, such as communicating finite state machines and systems of communicating machines, will be used as a tool for this purpose. Some protocols other than wireless protocols may also be covered. Several research papers from recent years will be assigned reading. Cellular networking, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and wireless local loop networks will be covered as well. The class will study these protocols in the context of the network architectures and physical environments they are intended to perform in. Students should acquire an increased knowledge of formal tools, experience in protocol and system analysis, and a better understanding of protocols and networks. At the discretion of the instructor, other advanced topics such as simulation and statistical analysis of networks and network protocols may be added and/or substituted for some of the topics above. The emphasis is on application of mathematical rigor to the analysis and description of networking protocols. Prerequisite: CS3502.
CS4556 Business Economics Network Technology (4-0) Fall/Spring
This class teaches a different side of the networking world—the business and economics areas, which necessarily include relevant laws and government policies. The course reviews the history of telecommunications, including the major inventions and the development of the business and resulting regulations. The importance of capital and investment is taught by studying actual decisions of telecom companies and their results in the ensuing years. In this way, the students learn how the telecom industry developed and how the current regulatory structure came about. All of the major telecom laws and court decisions are studied.
Basic business and economics principles are also studied, and numerous real-life examples are given. Students learn to write business plans and to analyze a telecom company or industry. The influence of the stock market on major companies is shown. The results of having either too much capital or too little are examined. The divestiture of AT&T in 1984, the resulting competition, the Telecom Act of 1996, and the telecom boom and bust of 1996-2003 are all examined in detail. Students in this class will gain a thorough understanding of the telecom industry, the major companies, and the effects of government regulation (too much or too little) and capital investment. Prerequisite: None.
CS4600 Secure System Principles (3-2) Fall/Spring
An advanced course that focuses on key principles of a constructive approach to secure systems. A brief review of operating systems and computer architecture is provided. Major topics include threat characterization and subversion; confinement; fundamental abstractions, principles, and mechanisms, such as reduced complexity, hierarchical relationships, least privilege, hardware protection, resource management and virtualization, software security, secure system composition, mutual suspicion, synchronization, covert and side-channel analysis, secure metadata, secure operational states, usability, and life cycle assurance. Current developments will include advances in security hardware, components, and systems. Prerequisites: CS3600, CS3450 and CS3502.
CS4603 Database Security (3-1) Spring
Course topics include: policies for information integrity and confidentiality of database (DB) systems, modeling of secure DB systems, security in statistical DBs, security approaches for object-oriented DBs, multitier architecture security issues, privacy, aggregation and inference, military applications of secure DBs, and other important implementation issues, such as atomicity, serialization, and view-based controls. Prerequisites: CS3600, CS3060 and CS3070.
CS4605 Security Policies, Models, and Formal Methods (3-1) Winter/Summer
This course covers the methods used to specify, model, and verify the access control mechanisms of computational systems. The identification of the security policy and its interpretation in terms of a technical policy is covered. Several security policy and access-control models are explored. Prerequisites: CS3150, CS3600 and CS3101.
CS4610 Information Ethics (3-0) Fall
Rapid and revolutionary advances in IT confront society with novel choices and opportunities. This course attempts to identify the kinds of ethical choices that may arise from its use. While a few may be clear choices, most will be between the greater of goods or the lesser of evils. These choices will be difficult because the values are difficult to identify, the right choices are more difficult than the wrong, and their consequences are neither certain nor easily predicted. Prerequisite: None.
CS4614 Advanced Topics in Computer Security (3-1) Winter/Summer
This course applies graduate-level knowledge and reasoning skills in written essays and verbal discussion of current topics in computer security. Students read academic papers regarding information assurance topics, and discuss issues that they derive from the readings. This pedagogical approach is constructivist in encouraging the students to develop their own viewpoints and conclusions. Prerequisites: CS3600 and CS4600 and CS4605, or consent of the instructor.
CS4615 Formal Analysis of Cryptographic Protocols (3-1) Spring
Cryptographic protocols (such as key-exchange and mutual-authentication protocols) are essential to the security of all distributed computer networks. Such protocols are often simple, but they also often fall to "structural" attacks (attacks that do not need to break the underlying cryptography). This course considers the "protocol analysis problem": finding structural attacks against a protocol (if they exist) or proving their absence (if they do not). We will examine several protocol-analysis techniques and compare their strengths and weaknesses. Advanced topics include (as time permits) protocol-design heuristics, trust-management and higher-level protocol goals, interactions between protocols, computational soundness, and decidability results. Prerequisites: CS3600 or permission of instructor.
CS4650 Fundamentals of Information Systems Security Engineering (3-1) Spring
This course presents the fundamental principles and processes of information systems security engineering (ISSE). The ISSE life cycle model consists of five stages: requirements definition, design, implementation, testing and deployment. The processes involved in these stages are explained in the context of a Defense-in-Depth protection strategy, with an emphasis on the role of security requirements engineering (SRE) in the construction of a secure system. This course covers the concepts and techniques needed to systematically elicit, derive and validate security requirements. It introduces how these techniques can be used in practice, and addresses the relationship between SRE and secure system design. Course work will be a combination of lectures, case studies and a team-based SRE project. Prerequisite: CS4600.
CS4652 Applied Information Systems Security Engineering (3-2) Fall, Spring
This course focuses on the key concepts and practices of information systems security engineering from a system life cycle perspective. Core topics include security architecture and design analysis, system implementation assessment, requirements/implementation traceability correspondence, security test and evaluation strategy, certification and accreditation (C&A) requirements analysis, and risk management. The Systems Thinking approach is introduced for assessing system security behaviors based on dependencies, interactions and emergent properties of its components in the context of functionality, scalability, interoperability and maintainability. Case studies and laboratory projects will demonstrate security engineering practices through the life cycle of a secure system. Prerequisite: CS4650.
CS4670 Quantum Computing (4-0) Spring
This interdisciplinary survey course explores the evolution and direction of quantum computing technology. Topics include quantum circuits, quantum algorithms (including factoring and search), and quantum key distribution. Jointly listed as PH4670. Prerequisites: familiarity with basic notions of computing, quantum theory, and linear algebra, consistent with the material covered in CS3000, PH2652, MA3042 or PH3991.
CS4675 Intrusion Detection and Response (3-1) Winter/Summer
This is an introduction to methods of intrusion detection in computer systems and networks and the possible methods of automatic responses to those events. It will cover types of intrusion detection, inference of suspicion, implementation, and management, and will examine at least one specific product. A special focus in response management will be the use of deliberate deception in defense of systems, including the psychology and ethics of deception in general. Prerequisite: CS3600.
CS4677 Computer Forensics (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course covers the fundamentals of computer forensics in the context of DoN/DoD information operations. Students examine how information is stored and how it may be deliberately hidden and/or subverted. Coverage includes: practical forensic examination and analysis, techniques of evidence recovery, legal preparation of evidence, common forensic tools, principle of original integrity, disk examination, and logging. Prerequisites: CS2011 and CS3600 and CS3670.
CS4678 Advanced Vulnerability Assessment (4-2) Winter/Summer
This course provides a basis for understanding the potential vulnerabilities in networked systems by applying a problem-solving approach to: (1) obtaining information about a remote network, (2) possibly exploiting or subverting systems residing on that network, (3) understanding the theory of operation of existing tools and libraries, along with how to measure the effectiveness of those tools, and (4) understanding tools and techniques available for vulnerability discovery and mitigation. Labs provide practical experience with current network attack and vulnerability assessment tools as well as development of new tools. Foot printing, scanning, numeration, and escalation are addressed from the attacker's perspective. A final project that demonstrates skill and knowledge is required. Prerequisites: CS3113 and CS3070 and CS3690, or consent of the instructor. Classification: UNCLASSIFIED FOUO, U.S. only.
CS4680 Introduction to Certification and Accreditation (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course provides an in-depth instruction on the DoD/DoN security certification process. It provides an introduction to the Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process as applied to procurement and lifecycle management of DoD and federal government information systems, with a focus on the role of the Certifier. Topics include the principal C&A roles, functional components, and output documents of the C&A process. Also included is a comparison of the Government C&A process specifications currently in use (DITSCAP/NIACAP, FIPS, DCID 6/3) and the emerging effort aimed at producing a unified specification. In the laboratory portion of the course, students will do 2 or 3 case studies of information systems that have been evaluated under the current DoD criteria in preparation for accrediting to carry sensitive information. The students will study each system from concept through final system certification and accreditation. They will look at and evaluate such things as the security policies, system architecture, the system security architecture, design, implementation, deployment, management, evolution, assurances, etc. through available documentation and other evidence, to determine whether the systems were secure enough to handle the classified information at the appropriate levels of assurance. The case studies will be based on the information available about deployed systems. Prerequisites: CS3600, CS3670 and CS3690.
CS4800 Directed Study in Advanced Computer Science (0-V) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Advanced group studies in computer science on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. Intended primarily to permit students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
CS4900 Technology and Transformation I (2-0) Winter/Summer
This is a two-quarter course that supports students in the selection of thesis topics with potential for transformation. The thesis process is a microcosm of transformation processes. Topics include: meaning of transformation and innovation, innovation process, skills of innovation, selection of thesis topic, design of an effective thesis document, and organizing an effective writing process. Frequent faculty guest speakers will discuss different research areas and current problems under study. The emphasis in the first quarter is on the range of possible research, and in the second quarter on the transformation process as it applies to theses. Includes weekly readings and exercises. Prerequisite: None.
CS4901 Technology and Transformation II (2-0) Fall/Spring
This is a two-quarter course that supports students in the selection of thesis topics with potential for transformation. The thesis process is a microcosm of transformation processes. Topics include: meaning of transformation and innovation, innovation process, skills of innovation, selection of a thesis topic, design of an effective thesis document, and organizing an effective writing process. Frequent faculty guest speakers will discuss different research areas and current problems under study. The emphasis in the first quarter is on the range of possible research, and in the second quarter on the transformation process as it applies to theses. Includes weekly readings and exercises. Prerequisite: None.
CS4902 Practices of Transformation (0-2) As Required
This course will examine the current and planned research of Computer Science faculty in multiple fields of study. The course is designed to support Computer Science students in their third quarter of study in the selection of an emphasis track and an area for thesis research. Completion of this course requires submission of an approved thesis proposal during finals week. Prerequisite: Computer Science students in third quarter or consent of the department chairman.
CS4910 Advanced Readings in Computer Science (0-V) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
(Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8.) Directed readings in computer science on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. The course allows in-depth study of advanced topics not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
CS4920 Advanced Topics in Computer Science (3-2) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
CS4921 Advanced Topics in Computer Science I (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
CS4922 Advanced Topics in Computer Science II ( V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
CS4923 Advanced Topics in Computer Science III (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
CS5810 Dissertation Research (0-8) As Required
Dissertation research for doctoral studies. Required in the quarter following advancement to candidacy and then continuously each quarter until dissertation is approved by the Academic Council.
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MV0810 Thesis Research (0-8) As Required
MOVES Thesis Research. Prerequisite: None.
MV0820 Integrated Project (0-12) As Required
The Naval Postgraduate School provides many opportunities for students to participate in campus-wide interdisciplinary projects. These projects encourage students to conceptualize systems which respond to current and future operational requirements. An integral part of the project involves working with other groups to understand and resolve issues involved with system integration and to lend MOVES-specific expertise to these projects. This course is available to Modeling, Virtual Environment and Simulation Students who are participating in a campus-wide integrated project. Course is grade on a Pass/Fail basis. Prerequisite: None.
MV1000 Becoming a Master Learner (3-2) As Required
This course teaches fundamental skills associated with success in higher education, with a focus on improving learning strategies and self-management skills to help students better organize, prepare, and perform effectively in an academic or work environment. The course teaches students to improve study habits, develop critical thinking skills, use time management principles, hone communication skills, and develop their own individual success strategies. The course helps students understand their own cognitive processes, and what strategies work for best for them in order to improve their learning and lead them to successes academically, personally, and in their careers. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: None.
MV2920 Introductory Topics in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) This course is designed to support introductory subject matter of special interest and is dependent on faculty availability. Topics will typically augment those offered in the basic core courses. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, or self-paced, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: None.
MV2921 Introduction to Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (2-0) Fall/Spring
This course is an introduction to the Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation discipline. Topics include Combat Modeling, Networked Visual Simulation, Web-Based Simulation, Agents and Cognitive Modeling, Training Systems, Human Factors, Physically Based Modeling, and Optimization. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: None.
MV3101 Introduction to Department of Defense Modeling and Simulation (4-0) Fall/Spring
This course serves as an important overview course for all students enrolled in the MOVES curricula, in addition to other curricula at NPS. It covers the origin, evolution, breadth and importance of DoD modeling and simulation (M&S), and the utilization of M&S in DoD system acquisition life cycle. The course focuses on the functional areas of DoD M&S, which are: Training, Analysis, Acquisition, Planning, Test, and Evaluation. This course also is offered as SE3101. Prerequisite: None.
MV3202 Introduction to Computer Graphics (3-2) Winter/Summer
This course introduces you to computer graphics — its powerful capabilities, a history of its technologies as well as up-to-date developments, to its far-reaching potentials across the consumer, industrial, and military domains, and how to achieve these potentials. You will learn about the principles of hardware and software used to create computer-generated images, about basic rendering and raytracing, 3D graphics programming in OpenGL, lighting and shading, textures, and scene graph architectures. MV3202 prepares you to design and implement 3D graphics simulations and to understand the theory of modern graphics rendering. The course is intended for students who have taken a basic course in, or have recent programming experience in, a programming language such as C++ or Java. Prerequisite: None.
MV3203 Graphical Simulation (3-2) Fall/Spring
Teaches the theory and techniques relevant to rapid construction of small to medium sized graphical simulations using existing simulation platforms, such as Delta3D, VBS2, Unreal, etcetera, including web browsers with plug-ins for Flash or X3D: For use as a stimulus for human performance experiments; as partial task trainers; as visualizations to support analysis; as testbeds for new hardware or software technology. Prerequisite: MV3202.
MV3204 Computer Graphics Modeling Using X3D/VRML (4-0) Winter/Summer
This course provides an introduction to the principles of hardware and software used for computer-generated 3-D graphics via the World Wide Web. The focus of the course is authoring interactive 3-D scenes and a major design project. The course is intended for MOVES and Computer Science students working in visual simulation, or students in other majors interested in the basics of 3-D modeling and rendering. Prerequisites: CS2971 and CS2073, or equivalent.
MV3250 Introduction to Extensible Markup Language (XML) (4-0) Fall/Spring
XML and related technologies provide platform independent representation, description, and validation of data. This is necessary for the data communication among different networks, computers, and applications that is essential for contemporary military and civilian applications. The course will present the benefits of XML and how to use software tools to construct and process XML documents using XML editors, XML parsers, XML Schema for validation, XSLT to transform documents, and DOM, SAX, and JDOM to access and manipulate XML documents within a computer program. Much of the programming code in contemporary computer applications that is used to construct data files, access databases and spreadsheets, check and validate data values, and output data can be replaced by these more general software tools. Prerequisite: None.
MV3472 Graphical Simulation of Physical Systems in Virtual Worlds (3-2) Winter
Design and construction of reusable software modules for real-time computer simulation of physical systems in graphical virtual worlds. Rigid body kinematics and dynamics, perspective transformations, and wire-frame graphical models. Time domain and transform domain analysis of linearized dynamic systems. Laboratory is concerned with development and testing of software. Prerequisites: CS2020 or CS2971 or CS2973 or equivalent; MA3042 or consent of the instructor.
MV3500 Internetwork Communications and Simulation (3-2) As Required
An introduction to network communications in simulation applications. Topics include an introduction to the TCP/IP protocol stack; TCP/IP socket communications, including TCP, UDP, and multicast; and protocol design issues, with emphasis on Distributed Interactive Simulation and High Level Architecture. The emphasis will be on Windows and Web-browser applications. Prerequisites: CS2971 and CS2173.
MV3800 Directed Study in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-V) As Required
Individual research and study by the student under the supervision of a member of the faculty. The course is intended primarily to permit interested students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work. Graded on Pass/Fail basis only. Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
MV3920 Topics in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support s subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will either be drawn from areas not covered by core courses or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
MV3922 Introduction to Virtual Environmental Technology (2-0) Winter/Summer
This course is an introduction to the technology used in virtual environments and discusses applications that use virtual environments. It is intended to give the students an introduction to the items they are likely to use throughout the master's degree program in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES). Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: MV2921.
MV3923 Introduction to Research and Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-2) Fall/Spring
This course will examine the current and planned research of Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES) faculty in multiple fields of study. The course is designed to support MOVES students in the selection of emphasis blocks and an area for thesis research. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: MV3922.
MV4000 Hamming: Learning to Learn (3-2) Winter
Richard W. Hamming's original capstone course, EC4000, "Learning to Learn: Future of Science and Engineering" has been fully digitized and placed online. This course presents the distilled career insights of a preeminent thinker. In 1968, Dr. Hamming was the recipient of the Turing Award, the highest honor in computer science, for his work on numerical methods, automatic coding systems, and error-detecting and error-correcting codes. This course is intended to instill a "style of thinking" that will enhance one's ability to function as a problem solver of complex technical issues. With respect, students sometimes called the course "Hamming on Hamming" because he relates many research collaborations, discoveries, inventions, and achievements of his own. This collection of stories and carefully distilled insights relates how those discoveries came about. Most importantly, these presentations provide objective analysis of the thought processes and reasoning that took place as Dr. Hamming, his associates, and other major thinkers in computer science and electronics progressed through the grand challenges of science and engineering in the twentieth century. Prerequisite: None.
MV4001 Human Factors of Virtual Environments (4-1) Winter
This course focuses on human factors issues in virtual environments (VEs). While the similarities of VEs to the real world can often make VE interfaces intuitive and easy to use, the differences between VEs and the real world can often be the cause of serious performance problems and physical inability to effectively use a system. The design of effective VE systems depends on an understanding of humans and their interaction with their environment. Only then can a VE system hope to achieve reasonable performance levels and acceptability. This course will survey the VE literature on issues of human performance, perception, cognition, multimodal interfaces, locomotion, wayfinding, object selection and manipulation, visualization, simulator sickness, and performance differences between individuals. Prerequisite: None.
MV4002 Simulation and Training (4-1) Summer/Winter
This course focuses on training issues in virtual environments (VEs). VEs have often been considered to be general purpose trainers. However, systems are often built without an understanding of how to build a trainer that can verify that it improves subsequent performance without forming bad habits or other reverse training artifacts. This course will first investigate VE training systems from a theoretical perspective, focusing on learning, memory, and cognition. From this framework, actual training systems will be studied with the focus being on an actual study of training transfer of a real training system. Prerequisite: None.
MV4015 Agent-Based Autonomous Behavior for Simulations (4-2) Winter
Covers the concepts and skills required to apply agent-based programming to models and simulations of complex adaptive systems (CAS). Concepts covered will include: complex systems—especially their properties of path dependence, sensitivity to initial conditions, emergence of self-organized structure, adaptation to a changing environment, and criteria for evaluation model or simulation fidelity; distinctions between agent-based methods and other kinds of programming; goal-directed behavior and decision making; situational reasoning and the elements of rational behavior. The course will survey specific works and key contributors to this subject: John Holland, Complexity Science at the Santa Fe Institute, Artificial Life, Brian Arthur (the El Farol Problem and Bounded Rationality), SWARM, Sugarscape, ISAAC, Daniel Dennett (Intentionality), and Richard Dawkins. Within this conceptual and historical framework, the course will emphasize design, specification, and programming skills that will equip the student to know when and how to apply agent-based methods to models and simulations. The programming skills will involve genetic algorithms, classifier systems, applications of game theory and reinforcement learning, and the treatment of collaboration and defection in groups. Finally, the course will discuss agent-based simulations in the context of distributed, virtual environments. Prerequisite: None.
MV4025 Cognitive Behavioral Modeling for Simulations (3-2) Summer
This course focuses on the primary technologies used to model cognition and behavior in order to create agents that represent human beings in simulations. Topics include the dominant technologies in use, the tools used to support them, and their application to the various capabilities required of an agent. The modeling technologies covered include the production-system approaches common in artificial intelligence/cognitive science/psychology, as well as the finite-state, automata-inspired approaches that are part of engineering practice in computer-generated force simulations and the computer entertainment industry. The full scope of the modeling problem will be addressed, from sensation and perception through situation awareness and action selection, to action execution. Approaches to modeling communication and behavior moderators (e.g., experience, emotion, fatigue) will also be discussed. Prerequisite: CS3310.
MV4030 Modeling and Simulation in Ocean Environments (3-2) Spring
This course focuses on modeling and simulation (M&S) issues in ocean environments. While virtual environments (VEs) serve as M&S tools, the design of effective VE systems needs realistic physical environments. This course will cover the basic physics of ocean environments, visualization of the ocean from satellites, visualization of the ocean from Navy METOC model output, METOC information flow in M&S, the impact of the environment on human behavior, and physically-based modeling. Prerequisite: None.
MV4100 Cognitive Engineering (4-1) Winter
This course is about a cognitive approach to engineering systems. It is partly about artificial intelligence and agent-based technologies, and partly about human-computer interaction. The objective is to build intelligent interactive systems where we maximize the performance and capabilities of the combined human-machine system. Prerequisite: None.
MV4205 Advanced 3-D Modeling with X3D/VRML (4-0) Fall/Spring
This course teaches advanced principles and practice of web-based 3D computer graphics using X3D (formerly the Virtual Reality Modeling Language, VRML). Examples and class projects are typically oriented to problems of military or scientific interest. Topics include event scripting, optimized geometry representations, prototype extensibility, X3D Earth geospatial models, humanoid animation and IEEE Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) networking. Prerequisite: MV3204 or approval of the instructor.
MV4250 Advanced Extensible Markup Language (XML) Authoring and Design (4-0) Winter/Summer
MV4250 presents advanced principles and practices for Web-based document design and authoring using XML data structures, XML applications, and XML-based languages. Examples and class projects are typically oriented to problems of broad Navy, military, or scientific interest. Because this new course deals with principles of all Web-based languages, and since XML authoring tools are becoming more intuitive and accessible, MV4250 will be of interest to many other departments and curricula. Prerequisites: OA3250 and MV3250, or sufficient background knowledge of XML.
MV4302 Advanced Discrete Event Simulation Modeling (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course is an in-depth study of modern methods of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) modeling. The focus will be on learning advanced methods for designing and implementing DES models using the most current methodologies, including component-based simulation modeling, listener design patterns, XML and Web-based models. Students will implement a nontrivial DES model of military relevance as a final project. Prerequisite: OA3302.
MV4460 Management of Modeling and Simulation Development (4-0) Summer
The purpose of this course is to prepare MOVES students to manage large-scale modeling and simulation projects. The course traces the development life cycle of modeling and simulation systems, including, but not limited to, project management, measurement, life cycle models, requirements, implementation, testing, verification, and deployment of large-scale systems typical of DoD acquisition. Prerequisite: None.
MV4470 Image Synthesis (3-2) Spring
This course covers advanced topics in computer image generation. The focus of the course is quality and realism in computer image synthesis. Topics include illumination, shading, transparency, antialiasing, shadows, raytracing, radiosity, texture mapping, and parametric surfaces. Labs are directed towards providing students with experience working with scene graph architecture. Prerequisites: CS2173 and MV3202, or consent of the instructor.
MV4471 Computer Animation (3-2) Winter
This course covers advanced topics in state-of-the-art, animated, 3-D, computer models. Computational techniques for real-time animation, motion control, interactive key-frame systems, kinematic methods for figure animation, dynamics for figure animation, soft object animation, procedural animation and other high-level approaches will be examined. Labs utilize state-of-the-art animation software and equipment. Prerequisite: MV3202 or MV3204 or consent of the instructor.
MV4472 Physics for Game Developers and Virtual Environments (3-2) Spring
This course enables you to produce convincing graphical virtual reality representations of the motion of vehicles and human actors or avatars. Basic linear algebra and vector-matrix calculus are explained, and the ANSI Common Lisp programming language is used, in the context of examples. This is a hands-on, project-oriented course. After studying basic topics, each student will focus on developing and presenting an individual project during the second part of the course. Prerequisite: MV3472 or equivalent.
MV5810 Dissertation Research (0-8) As Required
Dissertation research for doctoral studies. Required in the quarter following advancement to candidacy and then continuously each quarter until dissertation is approved by the Academic Council.
MV4474 Virtual Environment Network and Software Architecture (3-2) Spring
This course covers the design and implementation of network and software architectures for real-time, interactive 3-D virtual environments (VEs). Network architecture topics include a taxonomy for networked virtual environments, distributed interactive simulation protocols (DIS and HLA), virtual reality modeling language (VRML), agent-based network protocols (Java/Telescript), proposed solutions for large-scale networked virtual environments (area of interest managers and object brokers), multicast backbone tools and developments, and virtual reality transfer protocol proposals. Software architecture topics include representative software architectures for VEs (NPSNET, DIVE, MASSIVE, etc.), commercial toolkits for VE development (WorldToolKit, Division's dvs, Performer, etc.), lag in multiprocessor virtual environments, and the HCI implications on VE network and software architectures. Prerequisite: MV3500 or consent of the instructor.
MV4655 Introduction to Joint Combat Modeling (4-0) As Required
This course covers the basic tools and concepts of joint combat modeling. Both the science and the art are emphasized. Topics include: the role of combat modeling in analyses, taxonomies of models, an introduction to some important models and organizations, measures of effectiveness, approaches to effectively using models to assist decision making, object-oriented approaches to designing entities to simulate, firing theory, one-on-one and few-on-few engagements, introduction to aggregated force-on-force modeling (including the basic Lanchester model and some of its derivatives), sensing algorithms, simulation entity decision making, simulating C4ISR processes, terrain and movement algorithms, verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A), stochastic versus deterministic representations, hierarchies of models, and variable resolution modeling. The primary course objective is for you to understand the enduring fundamentals of how combat models are built and used to support decision making. This will be done, in part, through several small projects that will require students to design, implement, and analyze models. Prerequisites: Probability and Statistics (through third course in the sequence), familiarity with a programming language (Java recommended), Stochastic Models (OA3301), Calculus, and concurrent instruction in computer simulation (e.g., OA3302).
MV4657 Modeling and Simulation for Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations (3-2) Fall/Spring
The purpose of this course is to explore the challenges of modeling non-traditional combat for today's war fighters. This course investigates issues, challenges, and opportunities for application of modeling and simulation (M&S) to military support for Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) operations. The course considers application of M&S for SSTR from the perspectives of analysis, training, acquisition, and mission planning/rehearsal. Students are given hands-on experience with current and emerging SSTR M&S simulations and computational tools. Meet prerequisites or consent of the instructor. Prerequisite: MV4655.
MV4800 Directed Studies in Advanced Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-V) As Required
Advanced group studies in modeling, virtual environments, and simulation on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. The primary intent of this course is to permit students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. This course may be repeated for credit with a different topic. Graded on Pass/Fail basis only. The variable credit hours are 0-2 to 0-8. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
MV4900 Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-2) As Required
A seminar series designed to give a broad-brush introduction to MOVES. Presentations include the major areas of MOVES and are presented by subject matter experts within MOVES. Also covered are ongoing research projects within MOVES at NPS and around the world. All first and second quarter MOVES students are required to take this course. Prerequisite: None.
MV4910 Advanced Readings in Advanced Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-V) As Required
(Variable credit hours 0-2 to 0-8.) This course is centered on directed readings in modeling, virtual environments, and simulation on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. The course allows in-depth study of advanced topics not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. This course may be repeated for credit with a different topic. The course can be taken either Pass/Fail or graded. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
MV4920 Advanced Topics in Advanced Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (V-V) As Required
(Variable credit hours 2-4 to 4-1.) This course is designed to support the advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
MV4924 Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
The course is designed to provide breadth in MOVES not normally provided by classroom material, as well as focus in major areas of MOVES. Faculty and research staff attend class sessions, providing the opportunity to interact with a broad group once a week, and with a focused group of the student's choosing once a week. Course is expected to be repeated and is required of all MOVES students every quarter starting with their fourth quarter in the curriculum. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: MV3923.
MV4925 Advanced Rendering Techniques for Visual Simulation (2-3) Summer
Currently, the number of transistors on a certain consumer-level graphics processing units exceeds the number of transistors on a Pentium IV processor. Until recently, however, programming these powerful units has been done using a limited assembly-like instruction set targeted for a specific vendor's hardware. This has made cinematic effects difficult to program, update, and transport. Recent developments such as High Level Shading Language (HLSL), Nvidia's C for Graphics (CG), and the OpenGL 2.0 specification could revolutionize the process of programming GPUs. This class will provide an overview of current technology and will explore in-depth its application to DoD. Prerequisite: MV4470 or consent of the instructor.
MV4930 Advanced Topics in Advanced Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (0-2) As Required
This course is part of the seminar series in advanced research topics in MOVES. Topics are drawn from current student thesis research, funded research projects, proposed research projects, and other research directions within the MOVES Institute. This course is required by all MOVES students in their second quarter and beyond, as well as all CS Graphics Track students. Presentations are made by M.S. and Ph.D. students, as well as by MOVES faculty and researchers. This course may be repeated multiple times. Prerequisite: None.
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SW0810 Thesis Research (0-8) As Required
Every student conducting thesis research will enroll in this course.
SW2920 Introductory Topics in Software Engineering (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support introductory subject matters of special interest in software engineering, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will typically augment those offered in the basic core courses. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, or self-paced, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW3460 Software Methodology (3-1) Winter/Summer
The course is designed to teach students the basic concepts of software engineering and methods for requirements definition, design, and testing of software. Specific topics include introduction to the software life cycle, basic concepts and principles of software engineering, object-oriented methods for requirements analysis, software design, and development. Prerequisite: OO programming experience (CS2020) or consent of instructor.
SW3800 Directed Study in Software Engineering (0-V) As Required
(Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8.) Individual research and study by the student under the supervision of a member of the faculty. The course is intended primarily to permit interested students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work. Graded on Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW3920 Topics in Software Engineering (V-V) As Required
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support subject matters of special interest in software engineering, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will either be drawn from areas not covered by core courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW4150 Programming Tools and Environments (4-0) As Required
This course covers the design and implementation of tools to aid software development, including syntax-directed editors, version-control systems, language-oriented debuggers, symbolic execution vehicles, programming databases, type checkers, and automatic programming tools. These topics are discussed in the context of an integrated, language-oriented, programming environment. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4500 Introduction to Formal Methods in Software Engineering (3-1) Fall
This course covers formal methods for specification and analysis of software systems. The course introduces application of mathematical logic to software design, program verification, and formal specification languages. The laboratory sessions will cover special topics and case studies. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4510 Computer-Aided Prototyping (3-0) As Required
This course covers the concept and application of computer-aided prototyping to the development and acquisition of DoD software systems. Specific topics include the prototyping software life cycle, system models, design methods, automatic code generation, prototyping languages and tools, and their unique systematic system for increasing productivity, reliability, and portability of software development in comparison with other development methods. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4520 Advanced Software Engineering (3-0) As Required
This course covers methods for specifying, designing, and analyzing software systems, with emphasis on automatable techniques and their mathematical basis. The techniques are applied to construct and check programs using a formal specification language. The course concludes with a summary of current research areas in software engineering. Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4530 Software Engineering Research and Development in DoD (3-1) Summer
This course builds on the material covered in SW4500. Fundamental principles of computer system/network security and distributed computing are covered, along with advanced methods, techniques, and standards aimed at improving the development and acquisition of DoD software systems. Specific topics include: the application of software engineering principles for designing large, secure, embedded real-time computer systems; the application of software engineering principles for the design of distributed systems; automated tools for the specification, design, and generation of code for applications; and existing and emerging standards for software development, security, and acquisition. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4540 Software Testing (3-1) Spring
This course covers the theory and practice of testing computer software with the intent of preventing, finding, and eliminating bugs in software. Planning and executing software tests are covered, including requirements-based testing, functional testing, static analysis, code reading, symbolic testing, structural testing, and advanced testing techniques. These topics are discussed in the context of a realistic development environment, illustrated using a variety of software testing tools. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4555 Engineering Network Centric Systems (3-1) As Required
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools for engineering the development of network centric systems. Specific topics include the evolution of client/server models to distributed objects, an introduction to and comparison of CORBA/OpenDoc and OLE/COM, intelligent software agents, application development in distributed environments, security issues in network centric computing, and DoD software system development. Prerequisite: SW4500.
SW4560 Software Evolution (3-0) Fall
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools for supporting the evolution and maintenance of software systems. Specific topics include the use of formal specifications to support software evolution, design databases, configuration management, software change merging, and software re-engineering. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4570 Software Reuse (3-0) Spring
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools for systematic reuse of software components and systems. Specific topics include design and re-engineering for reuse, mechanisms for enhancing reuse, domain specific reuse and software architectures, reuse of requirements models, specifications and designs, tools for reuse, software library organization, and methods for component search. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4580 Design of Embedded Real-Time Systems (3-0) Summer
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools for supporting the design of embedded real-time systems. Specific topics include real-time systems and concurrency models, object-oriented methods for real-time system design, real-time scheduling, and programming language support for concurrent and real-time systems. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4581 Software Reliability (3-1) Fall
This course covers the concepts, methods, and techniques for evaluating and improving the engineering of software reliability. Specific topics include system-level dependability and reliability modeling concepts; software reliability prediction and estimation models and metrics; and techniques for model evaluation, fault/failure forecasting, fault removal, fault prevention, and fault tolerance. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4582 Weapon System Software Safety (3-1) Fall
This course provides an introduction to software system safety. The course covers the principles and processes of system safety engineering, including the basics of hazard analysis and risk assessment. Emphasis is placed in this course on both planning and managing acquisition programs involving safety-critical software. Concepts and principles are applied to the acquisition of weapon systems. An advanced course in system safety is offered as SW4920. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4583 Principles of Software Design (3-1) Winter
The course is designed to teach students the role of design in software engineering. Specific topics include the software system design process, design qualities, principles and strategies, design models, design methods, and the use of patterns in the design of object-oriented software systems. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4590 Software Architecture (3-1) Winter
This course covers both high- and low-level software architectures, including software patterns and pattern-oriented architectures, from the module level through the enterprise level. Where appropriate, we examine formalisms, and actual software architecture practice. Special attention is given to interoperability of architectural components. Case studies of existing DoD systems are used throughout the course. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4591 Requirements Engineering (3-1) Spring
This is an in-depth treatment of requirements engineering concepts, methods, and tools. The role of requirements engineering within software engineering is explored, as well as consistency, cost-benefit analysis, resolving multiple viewpoints, dependency tracing, and automated decision support. Topics are reinforced with examples from DoD applications. Prototyping is introduced as a means of assessing requirements early in the design process. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4592 Software Risk Assessment in DoD (3-1) Summer
This course introduces concepts, techniques, and tools for software risk management. The course examines various risks of software practice and evaluates them in terms of mathematical models (e.g., probability theory). Students learn techniques for mitigating, avoiding, and handling risks throughout the software life cycle. The course depends on software metrics; we also look at reliability theory and its application to software risk management. Prerequisite: SW3460 or consent of the instructor.
SW4593 Advanced Logic and Algebra for Software R&D in DoD (3-1) As Required
The aim of this course is to present fundamentals of advanced logic and algebra for software R&D. Specific topics include equational specifications, algebra, characterization of equation classes, the equation calculus, term rewriting, first and second order logic, temporal logic, model theory, and generalized induction. Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4594 Formal Models for Software Automation (3-1) As Required
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools for designing and developing systems. Specific topics include the use of knowledge-based tools for software evolution and techniques for specification, methods for program derivation and generation, domain-specific program synthesis techniques, and cognitive and planning approaches to software design. Prerequisite: SW4500.
SW4595 Lightweight Inference Techniques (3-1) As Required
This course covers the fundamental principles and technologies for automated decision support and automated software evolution with an emphasis on techniques for lightweight inference. Specific topics include: decision support systems, software evolution systems, gaps in existing technology that prevent automation, models and methods for lightweight inference, and state of the art theory and practice. Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4596 Algorithm Design and Analysis in Software Engineering (3-1) As Required
This course covers algorithm design and analysis in software engineering. Specific topics include advanced data structures (such as Binomial Heaps and Fibonacci Heaps), graph algorithms (such as minimum spanning trees, maximum flow, all-pairs shortest paths, and single-source shortest paths), and advanced design and analysis techniques (such as dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, linear programming, and amortized analysis). Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4597 Robust Generation of Control Software (3-1) As Required
This course covers the concepts, methods, techniques, and tools needed to methodically generate robust software for system control. Specific topics include specification and analysis of control requirements, hard and soft real-time constraints, embedded software control, code generation, software reliability through software reuse and redundancy, and DoD requirements for control systems. A survey of computer-aided tools that support the generation of robust systems is provided. Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4598 Software Merging and Slicing Techniques (3-1) As Required
The fundamental concepts, methods, and tools for software merging and slicing are covered in this course, with applications to software evolution, configuration management, and testing. This is followed by advanced topics including recent advancements in this field. Prerequisite: None.
SW4599 Automated Software/Hardware Integration in DoD (3-1) As Required
Automated software/hardware integration is a key problem for current software development in DoD. This course covers some important aspects of this field, including software prototyping, interface integration, data integration, and control integration. Automatable decision support methods for software/hardware integration are also discussed. Prerequisite: SW4500 or consent of the instructor.
SW4600 Automata, Formal Specification, and Run-Time Verification (3-1) Fall
This course focuses on run-time monitoring and verification, a practical software verification technique based on automata and formal specifications. The automata section consists of finite automata (deterministic and nondeterministic), languages, and regular expressions. The formal specification section consists of temporal logics, real-time and time-series constraint specification, statecharts, and TLCharts. The run-time verification section will cover the practical application of formal specifications to monitoring and verification of safety critical systems. The course combines theory, examples, and practical, student-driven projects. After taking this course, students will know how to apply formal specifications and run-time verification to improve the dependability of defense systems. Prerequisites: CS3150 and MA2025.
SW4800 Directed Study in Advanced Software Engineering (0-V) As Required
(Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8.) Advanced group studies in software engineering on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. Intended primarily to permit students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW4900 Research Seminar in Advanced Software Engineering (0-2) As Required
This course will examine the current and planned research of software engineering faculty. The course is designed to support software engineering students in the selection of an area for thesis research. Completion of this course requires submission of an approved thesis proposal during finals week. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: None.
SW4910 Advanced Readings in Software Engineering (0-V) As Required
(Variable hours 0-2 to 0-8.) Directed readings in software engineering on a subject of mutual interest to students and faculty member. The course allows in-depth study of advanced topics not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Can be taken Pass/Fail or graded. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW4920 Advanced Topics in Software Engineering (V-V) Winter
(Variable hours 2-4 to 4-1.) Designed to support advanced group study of a subject matter of special interest in software engineering, dependent on faculty availability. Topics will be drawn from areas not covered by other advanced courses, or be focused treatments of subjects of limited scope. This course may be lecture- or lab-oriented, with prerequisites determined by the instructor. Students may repeat this course for credit with a different topic.
SW4934 Application of Advanced Concepts in Software Engineering (3-2) Spring
An advanced seminar designed to assist Ph.D. students to prepare for their written qualifying examination through a combination of lectures and problem-solving sessions. Intended for Software Engineering Ph.D. students. Students may repeat this course for credit. Graded on Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SW4935 Software Engineering Dissertation Proposal Preparation (3-0) As Required
A seminar designed to introduce Ph.D. students to the open problems in software engineering and teach students the skills to identify research topics; find, read and analyze relevant parts of the research literature; and present their findings in the form of research proposals. Intended for Software Engineering Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: SW4934.
SW4936 Seminar on Solving Software Engineering Research Problems (3-0) Summer
A seminar designed to assist Ph.D. students in preparing for their oral qualifying examination through a combination of lectures, assigned readings, student presentations, and problem-solving sessions. Intended for Software Engineering Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: SW4934.
SW4937 Software Engineering Dissertation Research (4-0) As Required
A seminar designed to provide a forum for Ph.D. students to present work in progress and critique each other's results. Intended for Software Engineering Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: None.
SW4938 Communicating Research Results in Software Engineering (4-0) As Required
A seminar designed to provide a forum for Ph.D. students to present their dissertations and critique each other's work. Intended for Software Engineering Ph.D. students. Prerequisite: None.
SW5810 Dissertation Research (0-8) As Required
Dissertation research for doctoral studies. Required in the quarter following advancement to candidacy and then continuously each quarter until dissertation is approved by the Academic Council.
Program Manager and Academic Associate
Loren E. Peitso
Code CS/Lp, Glasgow East, Room 340
(831) 656-3009, DSN 756-3009, FAX (831) 656-3238
Brief Overview
The MCT degree offers its graduates the knowledge and skills necessary to specify, evaluate, and manage computer system development, as well as the ability to provide technical guidance in the analysis, design, and application of software and firmware used in the Navy. The MCT program consists of 16 courses selected to provide breadth and depth in the latest computing technologies. Four courses provide a foundation in computer science for those without a CS background. Core courses then develop student expertise in a broad range of topics in the computing field. And a four-course sequence in a specialization area completes the degree.
The MCT degree provides a graduate education for those in unique circumstances. State-of-the-art distance learning (DL) technology is used to bring the MCT program straight to the student on duty. With fully Web-based courses, there is no required "class time"-no need to get off the flight schedule, miss any watches, or adjust a duty schedule. MCT offers a seamless transition from duty station to duty station; when you move the program goes with the student, even on the road.
The MCT degree is fully accredited and taught by the same faculty that teaches NPS resident courses. All 16 courses are web-based conversions of existing NPS courses. These fully-online versions are taught by faculty that teach the courses in residence and have also completed the Interactive Distributed Learning faculty development course offered by the NPS Center for Educational Design, Development, and Distribution (CED3).
MCT is an excellent fit for those officers and government service (GS) personnel whose career track would not otherwise lend itself to receiving a resident technical graduate education. Available anywhere in the world, at home, on detachment, and at sea.
Requirements for Entry
A baccalaureate degree, or the equivalent, with above average grades in mathematics, (including differential and integral calculus) resulting in an academic profile code (APC) of at least 325 is required. Undergraduate degrees in applied science or engineering are highly desirable. Students lacking these prerequisites may be acceptable for the program, providing their undergraduate records and/or other indicators of success, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), indicate an ability to work in quantitative subjects. While previous academic or practical experience in computer science is certainly helpful and can enhance the applicant's potential for admission, such experience is not a prerequisite. Active/Active Duty Reserve U.S. military and GS personnel are eligible.
Entry Date
The MCT is a 16-quarter (one course per quarter), fully-online curriculum with entry dates in January/July. If further information is needed, contact the Program Officer or the Academic Associate for this curriculum.
Degree
Master of Computing Technology
The Master of Computing Technology program is awarded after the satisfactory completion of a program, approved by the Chairman, Computer Science Department, which satisfies, as a minimum, the following degree requirements:
Subspecialty
None currently assigned. DL students desiring a computer science subspecialty code (6203P) may be able to arrange a resident assignment at NPS with their sponsor/community detailer to add a research element to their degree program and complete the ESR requirements for a computer science subspecialty code. Six months of resident study will be required.
If a transition to a MS in Computer Science (MSCS) degree is also desired, the research element must be arranged before the MCT curriculum is finished. A MSCS (in lieu of the MCT degree) will be granted after completion of the research element and thesis. The MSCS cannot be granted if the MCT has been awarded for the same coursework.
Typical Course of Study
1st Year Computer Science Foundations
(4-2) |
Introduction to Objects and Programming |
|
(4-0) |
Computing Systems Principles |
|
(3-2) |
Operating Systems |
|
(4-1) |
Logic and Discrete Mathematics I |
2nd Year Computing Technology I
(4-2) |
Introduction to Data Structures and Intermediate Programming |
|
(3-2) |
Computer Graphics Modeling Using X3D/VRML |
|
(4-0) |
Information Assurance: Introduction to Computer Security |
|
(3-1) |
Software Methodology |
3rd Year Computing Technology II
(3-1) |
Database Systems |
|
(4-2) |
Computer Communications and Networks |
|
(4-1) |
Great Principles of Computing Technology |
|
(4-1) |
Artificial Intelligence |
4th Year Specializations
Four-course elective sequence, 12 credits at the 4000 level, in one of the three following areas:
Specialization Options
Computer Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection
The Computer Security specialization is designed to provide knowledge in all areas of Information Security (INFOSEC) and to develop the necessary skills for those who will be involved in the development, evolution, or implementation of secure computer systems.
Networks
The Computer Networks specialization is designed to provide knowledge of computer architecture, networks, and system software for real-time and multicomputer systems.
Software Engineering
The Software Engineering specialization is designed to provide knowledge of all aspects of software development and to develop the skills needed to efficiently and reliably implement military systems and application software using the best available tools and techniques.
Program Officer
Duane T. Davis
Code CS, Glasgow East, Room 309
(831) 656-7980, DSN 756-7980
FAX: (831) 656-3681
Academic Associate
Thomas W. Otani, Ph.D.
Code CS/To, Glasgow East, Room 307
(831) 656-3391, DSN 756-3391
FAX (831) 656-2814
Program Manager for CS Degree Program via Distance Learning
Loren E. Peitso
Code CS/Lp, Glasgow East, Room 340
(831) 656-3009, DSN 756-3009
FAX (831) 656-3238
Brief Overview
The Computer Science curriculum is designed to provide the officer with the technical knowledge and skills necessary to specify, evaluate, and manage computer system design; to provide technical guidance in applications ranging from data processing to tactical embedded systems; to educate the officer in the analysis and design methodologies appropriate for hardware, software, and firmware; and provide practical experience in applying modern computer equipment and research techniques to solve military problems.
Ours is the first curriculum in the United States to be organized around the great principles of computing. The principles have two layers: computing mechanics deals with the workings of computations, communications, computers, and memories; design deals with the ways of organizing software systems for simplicity, reliability, performance, security, and value. Our curriculum begins with a unique course in the great principles of computing technology.
Our curriculum also provides for concrete experience in computing practices—the skills and ways of thinking that mark a computing professional. These include programming, engineering of systems, modeling, and innovating. We offer a unique course called Technology, Innovation, and Leadership that teaches the practices and discipline of innovation.
The two dimensions—great principles and practices—define the space in which the core technologies of computing exist and serve application domains: algorithms, architecture, artificial intelligence, database, networking, operating systems, security, and more.
Requirements for Entry
A baccalaureate degree, or the equivalent, with above average grades in mathematics, (including differential and integral calculus) resulting in an APC of at least 325 is required for direct entry. Undergraduate degrees in applied science or engineering are highly desirable. Students lacking these prerequisites may be acceptable for the program, through a 12-week refresher, provided that their undergraduate records and/or other indicators of success, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), indicate an ability to work in quantitative subjects. While previous academic or practical experience in computer science is certainly helpful and can enhance the applicant's potential for admission, such experience is not a prerequisite.
Entry Date
Computer Science is an eight-quarter course of study with entry dates in March and September. Those requiring the 12-week refresher will begin study prior to those entry dates. If further information is needed, contact the Academic Associate or Program Officer for this curriculum.
Degree
Master of Science in Computer Science
The degree of Master of Science in Computer Science is awarded after the satisfactory completion of a program, approved by the Chairman, Computer Science Department, which satisfies, as a minimum, the following degree requirements:
Requirements for the Master of Science in Computer Science degree are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements established by the sponsor for the curricular program.
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science
http://www.nps.edu/Academics/Schools/GSOIS/Departments/CS/docs/PhD-Handbook6_2008.pdf
Subspecialty
Completion of this curriculum qualifies an officer as a Computer Science Subspecialist with a subspecialty code of 6203P.
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
Computer Science Instructor, U.S. Naval Academy
Preoperational Test and Evaluation, SPAWAR, Washington, D.C.
Computer Systems Analyst, COMNAVSECGRU, Washington, D.C.
ADP Systems Director, Naval Security Group, Pensacola, FL
Chief SEID, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
Operational Test and Evaluation, COMOPTEVFOR
ADP System Security, NSA/CSS, Ft. Meade, MD
Typical Course of Study
Quarter 1
(4-2) |
Introduction to Objects |
|
(4-0) |
Computing Systems Principles |
|
(4-1) |
Logic and Discrete Mathematics II |
|
(4-1) |
Great Principles of Computing Technology |
Quarter 2
(4-2) |
Introduction to Data Structures and Intermediate Programming |
|
(3-2) |
Information Assurance: Introduction to Computer Security |
|
(4-1) |
Modeling Practices for Computing |
|
(4-0) |
Theory of Formal Languages and Automata |
|
(2-0) |
Technology and Transformation I |
Quarter 3
(4-2) |
Computer Communications |
|
(4-0) |
Design and Analysis of Algorithms |
|
(3-2) |
Operating Systems |
|
(4-1) |
Artificial Intelligence |
|
(0-2) |
Technology and Transformation II |
Quarter 4
(3-2) |
Introduction to Compiler Writing |
|
(4-2) |
Programming Paradigms |
|
(3-1) |
Database Systems |
|
(3-1) |
Software Methodology |
Quarter 5
(3-2) |
Human-Computer Interface |
|
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Core Requirement* |
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Core Requirement* |
(4-2) |
Strategy & Policy: |
Quarter 6
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Core Requirement* |
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Specialization Requirement* |
XXXX |
(4-0) |
Service Required Course or Elective |
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
Quarter 7
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Core Requirement* |
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Specialization Requirement* |
XXXX |
(4-0) |
Service Required Course or Elective |
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
Quarter 8
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Specialization Requirement* |
CSXX |
(4-0) |
Track Specialization Requirement* |
XXXX |
(4-0) |
Service Required Course or Elective |
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
* Note: Track Core Requirement courses will be determined by the selection of one of the following specialization track options.
Specialization Track Options
Educational Skill Requirements (ESR)
Computer Science - Curriculum 368
Subspecialty Code: 6203P
All officers with graduate education in computer science must be competent in computer science core subjects including advanced expertise in a specific computer science functional area. These competencies will enable graduates to serve in positions that design, acquire, operate, or secure military networks and systems and/or deny potential adversaries the effective use of their own. The skills and competencies are detailed below.
Program Officer
Duane T. Davis
Code CS, Glasgow East, Room 309
(831) 656-7980, DSN 756-7980
FAX: (831) 656-3681
Academic Associate
Bret Michael, Ph.D.
Code CS/Mi, Glasgow East, Room 335
(831) 656-2655, DSN 756-2655
FAX (831) 656-2814
Brief Overview
The defense community, through a NATO-sponsored workshop in 1968, strongly recommended making the developing and maintenance of software-intensive systems a true engineering endeavor. The participants at that workshop coined the term "software crisis" to describe the poor track record the defense community had at that time: Systems were being delivered behind schedule or not at all, the system development and maintenance efforts were usually over budget, and those systems that were delivered typically were missing functionality or even had unwanted or incorrect functionality. Since that time, software development and maintenance has slowly emerged from an ad hoc practice to an engineering discipline that is based on scientific knowledge from computer science. While computer science provides good models and theories to analyze problems and synthesize solutions, it fails to package the results for operational use, leading to the criticism sometimes made by software producers that computer science is irrelevant to practical software.
The software engineering curriculum is designed to address the seemingly never-ending "software crisis" within the defense community. It builds on the student's knowledge of both computer science and engineering sciences, in addition to leveraging the student's real-world, problem-solving experience working with software-intensive systems. The curriculum introduces students to a set of engineering practices that enable acquisition professionals to procure highly dependable, trustworthy software-intensive systems on schedule, within budget, and with the correct functionality. The curriculum introduces the students to the theory, principles, and practices of software engineering.
The program offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Software Engineering. The Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE) program comes with a one-year, full-time option and a two-year, part-time distance learning option. Students not enrolled in the MSSE degree program may also enroll in individual courses and receive NPS credit after successful course completion.
Requirements for Entry
An accredited bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or related field, with above average grades in mathematics, resulting in an APC of at least 325, and at least two years of software development or maintenance experience are required for entry.
Entry Date
The MSSE is a four-quarter curriculum with preferred entry dates of January and July. Students with adequate software development experience may also start in October and April. If further information is needed, contact the Program Officer or the Academic Associate for this curriculum.
Requirements for the MSSE degree are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements of the curricular program.
Degree
Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSSE)
The MSSE program is intended for DoD software practitioners with a bachelor's degree in computer science/engineering (or equivalent) and at least two years of software development experience. Students enrolled in the program typically complete the program in two years on a part-time basis, completing a total of 12 graduate-level Software Engineering courses, which are taught at NPS and televised to the distant site, and an acceptable thesis, in addition to the required course work.
Doctor of Philosophy in Software Engineering
The Ph.D. program in Software Engineering is designed for DoD software practitioners who want to acquire the skill and knowledge to perform state-of-the-art research on issues related to the development and evolution of large, complex, software systems, and to intelligently manage the research of other software practitioners. It offers the software professionals a unique program of study and advances software engineering principles and technology vital to DoD researchers and program managers. Students typically take three years to complete the doctoral program.
See http://www.nps.edu/Academics/GSOIS/CS/docs/SwEPhD-handbook-12May2009.pdf for details.
Ph.D. Program Point of Contact
Mikhail Auguston, Ph.D.
Chairman, Software Engineering Ph.D. Program Committee
Code CS/Sh, Glasgow East, Room 330
(831) 656-2607, DSN 756-2607
FAX (831) 656-2814
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
Students who graduate from the M.S./Ph.D. Software Engineering programs typically hold senior technical and acquisition positions, such as chief system engineer, technical director, and program/project manager.
Typical Course of Study
(Full-Time MSSE Program)
Quarter 1
(3-1) |
Software Methodology |
|
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
Quarter 2
(3-1) |
Software Risk Assessment in DoD |
|
(3-2) |
Software Engineering and Project Management |
|
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
Quarter 3
(3-1) |
Requirements Engineering |
|
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
|
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
|
Quarter 4
(3-1) |
Introduction to Formal Methods in Software Engineering |
|
Elective: SW4xxx, CS3004, CS3600, CS3610, or one of SE4011, IS4031, MN3309, or MN3331 (software system acquisition courses) |
||
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
|
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
|
Educational Skill Requirements (ESR)
Software Engineering - Curriculum 369
All officers with advanced degree education in Software Engineering must possess skills and competencies in software design, development processes, and related software technology applicable to large-scale military systems. The skills and competencies are detailed below.
Program Officer
Duane T. Davis
Code CS, Glasgow East, Room 309
(831) 656-7980, DSN 756-7980
FAX: (831) 656-3681
Chair, MOVES Academic Committee and Academic Associate
Mathias N. Kölsch, Ph.D.
Code MOVES/Mk, Watkins Hall, Room 279
(831) 656-3402, DSN 756-3402
FAX (831) 656-7599
Brief Overview
The Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) Academic Program of the Naval Postgraduate School provides the MS and Ph.D. student both fundamental and specialized courses in applied visual simulation technology, combat models and systems, and the application of quantitative analyses to training and simulation technology.
The MS program is a two-year, eight-quarter program whose core covers the fundamentals of modeling and simulation, data analysis, visual simulation, intelligent systems, computer vision, training, and human performance. These topics include object-oriented programming, probability, statistics, stochastic modeling, data analysis, acquisition and program management, artificial intelligence, computer graphics, simulation and training, and combat modeling systems.
Specialization by the MS student is accomplished by completing four concentration areas (listed at the end of this section) providing depth in the selected areas. Once the MOVES core courses have been taken and while the specialization courses are underway, the final step in the MS degree is the completion of a written thesis. This thesis is conducted on a research problem under the supervision of a MOVES faculty thesis advisor.
The MOVES Academic Program also has a program leading to the degree Doctor of Philosophy. Areas of special strength amongst the MOVES Academic Faculty are combat modeling and analysis, networked and web-based visual simulation, agents and cognitive modeling, training systems and human factors, and discrete-event simulation.
Requirements for Entry
A baccalaureate degree, or the equivalent, with above average grades in mathematics (including differential and integral calculus), resulting in an APC of at least 325 is required for entry. Undergraduate degrees in applied science or engineering are highly desirable. Students lacking these prerequisites may be acceptable for the program, through the 12-week technical refresher or 12-week Engineering Science program, providing their undergraduate records and/or other indicators of success, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), indicate an ability to work in quantitative subjects. While previous academic or practical experience in modeling, virtual environments, and simulation is certainly helpful and can enhance the applicant's potential for admission, such experience is not a prerequisite.
Entry Date
MOVES is an eight-quarter course of study with entry dates in March and October. Those requiring the 12-week refresher will begin study in January and July, respectively. If further information is needed, contact the MOVES Academic Associate or the MOVES Program Officer for this curriculum.
Degree
Master of Science in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
Requirements for the Master of Science in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements established by the sponsor for the curricular program.
The degree of Master of Science in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation is awarded after satisfactory completion of a program, approved by the Chairman of the MOVES Academic Committee, which satisfies, as a minimum, the following degree requirements:
Doctorate in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
The Ph.D. degree requires the equivalent of at least three academic years of study beyond the baccalaureate level (some of which may be for another post-baccalaureate degree), with at least one academic year (or its equivalent) being spent in residence at NPS. The student must complete, in order, the following steps, which are detailed at http://www.movesinstitute.org
No courses are required for the Ph.D. degree besides the secondary specialization unless the student's doctoral committee so stipulates.
Ph.D. Minor in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
A Ph.D. minor in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation consists of:
Subspecialty
Completion of this curriculum qualifies an officer as a modeling, virtual environments, and simulation subspecialist with a subspecialty code of 6202P.
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
TBD
Typical Course of Study
(MOVES (399) Core Matrix, All Students)
Refresher – if required (Summer/Winter)
CSR100 |
(2-2) |
Refresher for |
(4-1) |
Logic and Discrete Mathematics |
|
(4-0) |
Single Variable Calculus I |
|
MA1114 |
(4-0) |
Single Variable Calculus II with Matrix Algebra |
Quarter 1 (Fall/Spring)
(4-2) |
Fundamental Object-Oriented Programming in C++ |
|
(4-1) |
Probability and Statistics |
|
(4-0) |
Linear Algebra |
|
(4-0) |
Introduction to Department of Defense Modeling and Simulation |
|
(2-0) |
Introduction to MOVES |
Quarter 2 (Winter/Summer)
(4-2) |
Java as a Second Language |
|
(4-1) |
Data Analysis for HSI and MOVES |
|
(3-2) |
Computer Graphics Programming |
|
(4-1) |
Simulation and Training |
|
(2-0) |
Introduction to Virtual Environmental Technology |
Quarter 3 (Spring/Fall)
|
(DOD students) |
(5-1) |
Principles of Acquisition and Program Management |
GB3031 (non-DOD students) |
(2-0) |
Principles of Acquisition Management |
(4-2) |
Statistics and Design of Experiments |
|
(4-1) |
Advanced Data Analysis |
|
(4-0) |
Probability Models for Military Applications |
|
(4-1) |
Artificial Intelligence |
|
(2-0) |
Introduction to Research |
Quarter 4 (Summer/Winter)
(4-0) |
Simulation Modeling |
||
OA4655/ |
(4-0) |
Introduction to Joint Combat Modeling |
|
(2-0) |
Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation |
||
Two concentration area/block courses |
|||
Typical Course of Study
(MOVES (399) 2nd Year Core Matrix, All Students)
Quarter 5 (Fall/Spring)
(0-2) |
Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, |
||
Four concentration area/block courses |
|||
Quarter 6 (Winter/Spring)
(0-2) |
Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation |
||
Four concentration area/block courses |
|||
Quarter 7 (Spring/Fall)
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
||
(2-0) |
Survey of Joint Modeling and Simulation Combat Models |
||
(0-2) |
Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, |
||
Three concentration area/block courses |
|||
Quarter 8 (Summer/Winter)
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
||
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
||
(4-0) |
Management of |
||
(2-0) |
Research Seminar in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation |
||
One concentration area/block course |
|||
Concentration Blocks
Select four concentration blocks: two from Group A and two from Group B. A block consists of two required courses and one elective chosen with assistance from your thesis advisor. U.S. Navy students must take the JPME block. All U.S. Army students must take the Systems Engineering block.
Group A
A1. Combat Modeling
MV4302 - Advanced Discrete Event Simulation
OA4656 - Advanced Combat Models
Recommended Electives
MV4657 - Modeling and Simulation for Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations
OA4602 - Joint Campaign Analysis
OA4604 - Wargaming Applications
A2. Visual Simulation
MV3500 - Internetwork Communications and Simulation
MV4470 - Image Synthesis
Recommended Electives
CS4330 - Computer Vision
MV4471 - Computer Animation
MV4472 - Physics for Game Developers and Virtual Environments
MV4474 - Virtual Environment Network and Software Architectures
A3. Agents and Cognitive Modeling
MV4025 - Cognitive and Behavioral Modeling for Simulations
MV4100 - Cognitive Engineering
Recommended Electives
CS4330 - Computer Vision
MV4015 - Agent-Based Autonomous Behavior for Simulations
A4. Discrete Event Modeling and Analysis
MV4302 - Advanced Discrete Event Simulation Modeling
OA4333 - Simulation Analysis
Recommended Electives
OA4108 - Data Mining
OA4308 - Time Series Analysis - not yet decided
A5. Optimization
OA3201 - Linear Programming
OA4201 - Nonlinear Programming
Recommended Electives
OA4202 - Network Flows and Graphs
Group B
B1. Web-Based Simulation
MV3204 - Computer Graphics Modeling Using X3D/VRML
MV3250 - Introduction to Extensible Markup Language (XML)
Recommended Electives
MV4205 - Advanced 3D Modeling with X3D/VRML
MV4250 - Advanced Extensible Markup Language (XML) Authoring and Design
B2. Training Systems
OA4401 - Individual Performance: Sensation, Perception and Cognition
OA4408 - Team Performance and Decision Making
Recommended Electives
OA3402 - Research Methods for Performance Assessment
OA4407 - Human Anthropometry and Biomechanics
B3. Human Factors
MV4001 - Human Factors of Virtual Environments
OA3401 - Human Factors in System Design
Recommended Electives
OA3402 - Research Methods for Performance Assessment
OA4407 - Human Anthropometry and Biomechanics
B4. Systems Engineering and Acquisition
* Required of all U.S. Army students - Available to others
SE3100 - Fundamentals of Systems Engineering
SE3400 - Fundamentals of Engineering Project Management
Recommended Electives
OS4680 - Naval Systems Analysis
SE3302 - System Suitability
B5. JPME
* Required for non-JPME-qualified U.S. Navy students - Not available to others. All four courses required.
NW3230 - Strategy and Policy
NW3275 - Joint Maritime Operations, Part I
NW3276 - Joint Maritime Operations, Part II
NW3285 - National Security Decision Making
Seminars (Required)
MV2921 - Introduction to Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation
MV3922 - Introduction to Virtual Environment Technology
MV3923 - Current Research in MOVES
MV4924 - Research Seminar in MOVES
OA4658 - Survey of Combat Models
Educational Skill Requirements (ESR)
Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES) - Curriculum 399
Subspecialty Code: 6202P
All officers with advanced degree education in Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES) must possess skills and competencies in the fundamentals of modeling and simulation (M&S) (including visual simulation), human-computer interaction, statistics, and data analysis. Topics in this curriculum include: object-oriented programming, artificial intelligence, computer communications and networks, computer graphics, human-computer interaction, virtual world and simulation systems, physically based modeling, virtual environment network and software architectures, probability, statistics, stochastic modeling, data analysis, human performance measurement and evaluation, and combat modeling. The skills and competencies are detailed below.
Curriculum Sponsor and ESR Approval Authority
Director, Navy Modeling and Simulation Office (NMSO).
Program Manager
Cynthia Irvine, Ph.D.
Code CS/Ic, Glasgow East, Room 211
(831) 656-2461, DSN 756-2461
Brief Overview
The NPS Computer Science Department is authorized to award five Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Information Assurance Certificates. The certificates are awarded to students who successfully complete specified sets of Computer Science and Information Assurance courses.
The certificates are based on training and education standards that were established by the National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Committee (NSTISSC).
The standards address duties and responsibilities of Information System Security Professionals, Senior System Managers, System Administrators, Information Systems Security Officers, and System Certifiers.
Certificate Sponsor
Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS), www.cnss.gov
Certificates Awarded
Required Courses
NSTISSI 4011 - Information Systems Security Professionals
CNSS 4012 - Senior System Managers
CNSS 4013 - System Administrators
CNSS 4014 - Information System Security Officers
NSTISSI 4015 - System Certifiers
Program Manager
Man-Tak Shing, Ph.D.
Code CS, Glasgow East, Room 334
(831) 656-2634, DSN 756-2634
FAX (831) 656-2814
Brief Overview
The Naval Postgraduate School offers programs of study in specialized areas of software engineering, with the aim of providing DoD personnel with both knowledge and problem-solving skills needed for acquiring software-intensive, large-scale systems. Each certificate requires completion of four graduate-level courses in a specialty area of software engineering. The certificate programs are tailored by NPS to meet the needs of the DoD sponsor and the required courses are specified accordingly. Upon completion of the four courses in a specialty area, the student receives a certificate of completion. A student may apply three certificates in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree in software engineering. Courses are offered online, by VTC, or in person, depending on the arrangements made with the student's sponsoring organization. Requirements for entry into the certificate programs are the same as those for the M.S. in Software Engineering.
Certificates Awarded
Certificates are offered as requested and tailored to the individual needs of the sponsor.
As an example, these two certificates were offered in FY06:
Required Courses
The FY06 offering of the DoD Software Engineering Certificate required completion of the following courses:
The FY06 offering of the Weapon Systems Software Development Certificate required completion of the following courses:
Chairman
Gordon H. McCormick, Ph.D.
Code DA/Mc, Root Hall, Room 214
(831) 656-2933, DSN 756-2933
FAX (831) 656-2649
Associate Chairman, Instruction
Douglas A. Borer, Ph.D.
Code DA, Root Hall, Room 217
(831) 656-2117, DSN 756-2117
Associate Chairman, Operations
Pete Gustaitis
Code DA, Root Hall, Rm 206
831-656-3799
Associate Chairman, Research
David Tucker, Ph.D.
Code DA, Root Hall, Room 215
(831) 656-3754, DSN 756-3754
* The year of joining the Naval Postgraduate School faculty is indicated in parentheses.
John Arquilla, Professor (1993); Ph.D., Stanford University, 1991.
Mark T. Berger, Visiting Professor (2006); Ph.D., University of New South Wales, 1992.
Leo Blanken, Associate Professor (2008); Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 2006.
Douglas Borer, Associate Professor (2004); Ph.D., Boston University, 1993.
Dorothy Denning, Professor (2002); Ph.D., Purdue University, 1975.
Jennifer J. Duncan, Program and Research Manager (1992); M.S., City University of New York, 1985.
William P. Fox, Professor (2006); Ph.D., Clemson University, 1990.
Michael Freeman, Assistant Professor (2005); Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2001.
Frank Giordano, Professor (2002); Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 1975.
Heather S. Gregg, Assistant Professor (2006); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003.
Erik Jansen, Senior Lecturer (1994); Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1987.
Michael Jaye, Associate Professor (2009); Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic, 1998.
George Lober, Senior Lecturer (1998); M.A., California State University at Fresno, 1986.
Gordon H. McCormick, Chairman, Defense Analysis Department and Professor (1992); Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1986.
Guillermo Owen, Professor (1983); Ph.D., Princeton University, 1962.
Robert O'Connell, Visiting Professor (2004); Ph.D., University of Virginia, 1976.
Nancy C. Roberts, Professor (1986); Ph.D., Stanford University, 1983.
Glenn Robinson, Associate Professor (1991); Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1992.
Hy Rothstein, Senior Lecturer (2002); Ph.D., Tufts University, 2003.
Kalev (Gunner) Sepp, Senior Lecturer (2003); Ph.D., Harvard University, 1992.
Anna Simons, Associate Professor (1998); Ph.D., Harvard University, 1992.
Kristen Tsolis, Lecturer (1999); M.S., Monterey Institute of International Studies, 1999.
David Tucker, Associate Professor (1998); Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School, 1981.
Brian Greenshields, Col, USAF, Chair of Special Operations (2005); M.A., Naval Postgraduate School, 1989.
Brief Overview
The Department of Defense Analysis is an interdisciplinary association of faculty, representing a wide range of academic and operational specialties. The Department has two curricula: the Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum and the Joint Information Operations curriculum.
The Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum provides a focused course of instruction in irregular warfare, sub-state conflict, terrorism and counterterrorism, and other "high leverage" operations in U.S. defense and foreign policy. The core program also provides every student with a strong background in strategic analysis, decision modeling, organization theory, and formal analytical methods. The student's program is built around a common set of core courses and a selected specialty track. Currently the tracks offered are: Irregular Warfare, Information Operations, Terrorist Operations and Financing, Operations Analysis, Combat Systems, Financial Management, C4I Systems, National Security Affairs (Stability / Reconstruction), and National Security Affairs (Regional Studies). The individual student, depending on his or her interests and academic background, chooses the specialty track. In selected cases, students are also able to develop a tailored area of specialization to satisfy a particular interest or requirement. Graduates are awarded a Master of Science in Defense Analysis, with their specialty track so specified.
While the Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum is sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command, the curriculum actively solicits student participation from across the services, regardless of branch. International students are an important element of the program. Students are encouraged to apply for the Winter or Summer Quarter, permitting them to take maximum advantage of the program's sequenced course of instruction. Exceptions are approved by the Academic Associate. The program is 18 months long and requires a completed thesis.
The Joint Information Operations curriculum educates military personnel and civilian officials in the strategic and operational dimensions of information relative to the use of force as an instrument of statecraft. Graduates will be able to develop information strategies to support military action by taking advantage of information technology, exploiting the growing worldwide dependence on automated information systems, and capitalizing on near real time global dissemination of information to affect adversary decision cycles with the goal of achieving information superiority. This capability will be possible only after students develop a thorough understanding of the enduring nature of war.
The curriculum is designed for both the specialist who will be assigned to an information operations position and the generalist who will be assigned to an operations directorate. The curriculum includes a core of military art and operations, the human dimension of warfare (psycho-social), analytical methods, and a technical sequence customized for each student. Additionally, each student will have an elective sequence designed to further develop an in-depth understanding of joint information operations. Graduates are awarded a Master of Science in Information Operations. The program is 18 months long and requires a completed thesis.
Navy, Air Force, USMC, and select Army (SF, PO, CA) graduates who also complete the approved 4-course Naval war College JPME curriculum also receive credit for JPME 1 and their Service-particular Intermediate Level Education (ILE).
Degree
Master of Science in Defense Analysis
Master of Science in Information Operations
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DA3104 Computer Network Attack and Defense (4-1) Winter
This course introduces the basic principles of attacking and defending computer networks. On the attack side, it covers system intrusions, denial of service attacks, viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. On the defense side, it covers security policies and objectives, access control, authentication, firewalls, intrusion detection, cryptography, security management, and incident response. Basic networking concepts, including TCP/IP, are also covered. No background in computer science or networking is required. The course includes some hands-on work with hacking and security technologies. Prerequisite: SO3101.
DA3105 Conflict and Cyberspace (4-1) Summer
This course examines how cyberspace, particularly the Internet, can serve as a tool, target, and source of conflict for both state and nonstate actors. Topics include: characteristics of cyberspace, technology trends, power in cyberspace, cyber-based information operations (IO), cyber surveillance, domestic and international laws governing cyber operations, cyber crime, cyber activism and hacktivism, cyber terrorism, cyber warfare, and cyber defense. Prerequisite: None.
DA3110 Culture and Influence (4-0) Quarterly
This seminar aims to provide analytical tools for thinking about culture and the ways in which interacting with different cultures affects U.S. actions abroad, including military operations, democratization, economic development and foreign relations. The first section of the course offers a theoretical overview of academic debates about culture, drawing on literature from the fields of anthropology, political science, and economics. It includes topics such as the role of ethnicity, nationalism and identity in politics, efforts to democratize, economically develop and nation-build in other countries, and the possibility of a current global "clash of civilizations" in international affairs. The second section of the course aims to use first-hand experiences of students' interactions with various cultures — especially Iraq and Afghanistan — as case studies to apply and test the theoretical debates on culture presented in the first section of the class. Prerequisite: SO3101 and must have completed at least one full quarter of classes.
DA3120 Jihadi Information Operations (4-0) Spring
This course traces the rise and evolution of the Jihadi movement since its birth in the 1960s; analyzes the symbols, discourses, and media that Jihadis use in their own information operations, primarily vis-ŕ-vis the larger Muslim community; and examines the impacts on and receptiveness of the broader Muslim community to these information operations. The focus of the course is on the transnational Jihadi movement, but some examples of local Jihadism will be discussed as well. Prerequisite: None.
DA3180 Electronic Warfare Principles and Applications (4-0) Summer
This course provides students in the Joint Information Operations Curriculum (698) an introduction to Electronic Warfare (EW) principles and how they apply to operational and strategic level planning, and executing throughout the spectrum of conflict. The student focus is on understanding the basics of EW, being able to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of EW employment by both friendly and enemy forces, being familiar with resources to assist in strategic/operational level EW planning, and be able to discuss and advise military leaders on basic EW employment. The course will include studies on radar and communication systems, jamming and collection systems, spectrum management and exploitation, friendly and adversary EW systems, and finally EW tactics employed by adversaries. Advanced topics include modern threat systems, innovative uses of older systems and emerging EW trends such as Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices. Throughout this module students will be required to apply the concepts of the course to two case studies involving EW. These studies will be based on EW support to a conventional and unconventional scenario.
DA3201 Strategic Decision Making for Special Operations (4-0) Winter/Summer
This course examines the unique relationships and associated risks between strategic, operational, and tactical decision makers during the conduct of unconventional warfare (with emphasis on military special operations). In a classified environment using focal point control system information, the course begins by surveying popular models and theories of U.S. Government decision making and bureaucracy, while using selected case studies to improve the student's diagnostic skills. Roles and relationships between key strategic and political stakeholders in this decision-making process are examined to better understand the practical environment. Lastly, students will develop alternative methods of high risk/high payoff decision making based on the course subject matter. Prerequisite: MN3121, assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command, or consent of the instructor. Classification: SECRET/Focal Point.
DA3202 International Perspectives on U.S. Special Operations (4-0) Winter
This seminar-style course is designed for international officers assigned to the Department of Defense Analysis Special Operations/Irregular Warfare (699) curriculum. Designed as an unclassified version of SO 3201 (Strategic Decision Making for Irregular Warfare). Students examine the unique relationships and associated risks between strategic, operational, and tactical decision makers during the conduct of special operations. The course begins by surveying popular models and theories of U.S. Government decision making and bureaucracy, while using selected case studies to improve the student's diagnostic skills. Roles and relationships between key stakeholders in the decision-making process are examined to better understand the practical environment. Lastly, students will develop alternative methods of high risk/high payoff decision making based on the course subject matter. Prerequisite: Must be an international student assigned to the Department of Defense Analysis or consent of the instructor.
DA3210 The Unconventional Threat to HLS (4-0) Spring
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the operational and organizational dynamics of terrorism. It considers those who act as individuals, in small groups, or in large organizations; it considers indigenous actors, as well as those who come to the United States to raise money, recruit, or commit their acts of violence. In every instance, its focus is on violent clandestine activity that, whatever its motivation, has a political purpose or effect. The course addresses such specific topics as suicide terrorism, the role of the media, innovation and technology acquisition, the decline of terrorism, and ways of measuring the effect of counterterrorism policies and strategies. The course also looks briefly at sabotage. By the end of the course, students should be able to design effective measures for countering and responding to terrorism based on an understanding of its organizational and operational dynamics. Prerequisite: None.
DA3211 The Unconventional Threat in Homeland Defense (4-0) Winter
The purpose of this class is to provide an introduction to some of the debates over the causes of terrorism and strategies to defeat it. The causes of terrorism will be grouped into individual motivations, group strategies, motivating ideologies, and underlying social, economic, and political factors. Over the course of the class, several terrorist groups will be used as case studies, including Al-Qaeda, the IRA, and others. This class will also explore some possible strategies in response to terrorism, including the spread of democracy, intelligence, legal measures, negotiations, and the use of military force. By the end of the course, students should be able to design effective measures for countering and responding to terrorism, based on an understanding of its organizational and operational dynamics. Prerequisite: None.
DA3600 Geographical and Temporal Dimensions of Dark Networks (4-0) Winter/Summer
Using a task-based approach, the first course introduces a terror network that students analyze using Google Earth, ArcGIS, and software tools that elicit temporal and geospatial aspects of terror network activity. This class will teach students to think critically and creatively about how different forms of spatial data can be integrated into their research. While the class will briefly cover fundamentals of remote sensing and coordinate systems, this lab-intensive course primarily focuses on real world situations that students will face in the field. No prerequisite.
DA3720 The Rise of Religious Violence (4-0) Fall/Winter
This course aims to explore the conditions under which religious groups engage in violent activity as a means of achieving various political, social and religious goals. In particular, this course will a) offer an introductory foundation in the world's major religious traditions; b) investigate how religion influences conflict, violence and war; c) compare the rise and fall of religious groups engaging in violent activity with the intent of better understanding the conditions under which religious groups resort to and abandon violence; d) compare other examples of religious violence with the current rise of Islamic militancy; e) consider ways in which religiously motivated violence can be mitigated; f) investigate how the United States and the U.S. military can address religiously motivated violence directed at its government, military, citizens and other interests. Prerequisite: Student must have completed at least one full quarter.
DA3721 Religion, Politics and Collective Action (4-0) As Required
The relationship between religion and political behavior is not as straightforward as many people assume, and there is considerable debate as to what the relationship between religion, politics and civil society should be. Some think that particular religious traditions should play no part; others believe that they should. In this class, we will briefly consider these arguments, but we will spend the majority of our time exploring the interplay between religion and collective action, introducing students to the major theories, topics and debates in the field of social movements and collective action. It seeks to discover the conditions under which social movements emerge, thrive, and decline, and why some people get involved in social movements and others do not. It also explores why religious traditions are often at the center of collective action. Prerequisite: Must have completed two quarters of coursework.
DA3883 The Rise, Transformation and Future of the Nation-State System (4-0) Spring
This course provides students with a broad overview of the rise, proliferation, and possible fall of the major international organizing tool of the modern era: the nation-state. The course examines the rise of the nation-state in Europe, focusing on the specific political and economic factors that shaped the nation-state; the adoption of the nation-state system around the world, where it did not emerge organically; and the possible decline of the nation-state in the age of globalization. Does globalization mean the end of the nation-state, and if so, what kinds of organizational arrangements are likely to compete with and perhaps replace the nation-state? Prerequisite: None.
DA4110 Culture and Influence (4-0) Quarterly
This seminar aims to provide analytical tools for thinking about culture and the ways in which interacting with different cultures affects U.S. actions abroad, including military operations, democratization, economic development and foreign relations. The first section of the course offers a theoretical overview of academic debates about culture, drawing on literature from the fields of anthropology, political science, and economics. It includes topics such as the role of ethnicity, nationalism and identity in politics, efforts to democratize, economically develop and nation-build in other countries, and the possibility of a current global "clash of civilizations" in international affairs. The second section of the course aims to use first-hand experiences of students' interactions with various cultures - especially Iraq and Afghanistan - as case studies to apply and test the theoretical debates on culture presented in the first section of the class. Prerequisite: SO3101 and must have completed at least one full quarter of classes.
DA4120 Seminar on Jihadi Information Operations (4-0) Winter/Summer
This advanced seminar is designed as a follow-on course to DA 3120 for students pursuing theses or advanced research projects relevant to the field of Jihadi information operations. Course material will provide a more robust examination of the nature and types of IO campaigns used by both local and transnational Jihadi groups, but will also allow students to pursue and present specialized research on the topic. Prerequisites: DA 3120 and a one-page statement of research.
DA4600 Tracking and Disrupting Dark Networks (4-0) Spring/Fall
This course focuses on dark networks—covert and illegal activity such as drug-trafficking and terror networks. The course's first objective is to identify and describe these networks. We use various social network software packages (e.g., UCINET, NetDraw, Pajek) to aid our identification and description efforts. The second objective is to design intervention strategies to disrupt, destabilize and possibly destroy dark networks once they have been identified and described. The course's focus is on the tactical and operational levels, although the implications for strategic and policy levels also may inform our discussions. Prerequisite: SO2410 or consent of the instructor.
DA4601 Terrorist Financing (4-0) Summer
This course will examine how terrorists fund their activities and how they can be tracked and thwarted through their financial networks and footprints. It will cover sources and methods of terrorist financing, including the role of charities, legitimate businesses, and crime; the use of both formal banking systems and informal hawala systems to transfer funds; and money laundering. It will also cover national and international structures, regulations, tools, and efforts to identify, track, capture, and eliminate terrorists and their financial support through their financial transactions. Concepts will be illustrated with case studies of terrorist groups and regions where terrorism is present. Prerequisite: SO3801.
DA4610 Advanced Social Network Analysis (4-0) Winter/Summer
This course offers advanced substantive and methodological tools for social network analysis. Social network analysis is a collection of theories and methods that focus on understanding how patterns of relationships connecting individuals, groups or organizations (formal or informal) generate and constrain opportunities and contexts for action. Specifically, this course covers in depth (i.e., more so than in the Tracking and Disrupting Dark Networks class) key social network concepts such as cohesion, centrality, brokerage, equivalence and diffusion with an eye to applying these concepts (when applicable) to dark networks (i.e., covert and illegal activity such as drug-trafficking and terror networks). Prerequisites: DA3600 and DA4600.
DA4810 Countering International Terrorism (4-0) Winter
This course examines the U.S. government's response to international terrorism. It examines policy, strategy, bureaucracy, the role of intelligence, and the media and information campaigns, as well as specific responses to terrorism, such as military force, covert operations, policing, economic sanctions, and diplomacy. The purpose of the course is to provide students a sound basis for developing and evaluating responses to terrorism. Prerequisite: None.
DA4850 Regional Seminar in Low-Intensity Conflict: Latin America (4-0) Spring
As part of the regional seminar series, this course examines insurgencies in Latin America. The seminar reviews the history of the continent and the Caribbean from colonial times to the present; examines theoretical literature on political violence; and analyzes the recent history of Latin American-based terrorism and insurgency. It offers a series of detailed historical case studies of insurgent organizations and conflicts. Prerequisite: None.
DA4860 Regional Seminar in Low-Intensity Conflict: Far East (4-0) Spring
As part of the regional seminar series, this course examines low-intensity conflict issues in the Far East. The seminar reviews the theoretical literature on political violence and analyzes the recent history of Asian-based terrorism and insurgency. It offers a series of detailed case studies of local organizations and conflict, and focuses on functional issues in the Far East. Prerequisites: None.
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S00810 Thesis Research (0-8) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
This is a thesis research block. Prerequisite: None.
SO2010 Technical Writing and English Composition (4-0) Winter
This course provides a review of the rhetorical and grammatical principles necessary for successful academic writing. Course content emphasizes standard English grammar and syntax, as well as mastery of two rhetorical modes: comparison and contrast; and persuasion. Emphasis is also placed on the correct use of both parenthetical and traditional footnote notation and documentation for traditional and electronic sources. Prerequisite: None.
SO2410 Modeling for Military Decision Making, I (4-0) Winter/Summer
This course introduces mathematical modeling processes and concepts. Deterministic models in a graphical setting will be emphasized, including experimental modeling, curve fitting, and optimization. Applications include arms race models, Lanchester combat models, exponential growth and decay models, the Logistic model for social diffusion, supply/demand economic models, and inventory models. The computer is used as a tool with emphasis on the Excel spreadsheet package. Prerequisite: College algebra.
SO3010 Technical Writing and English Composition II (4-0) Fall
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the rhetorical principles applied in effective academic writing. Course content emphasizes rhetorical analysis, research, formal academic documentation, and a further review of English grammar and syntax. This course is writing intensive and intended to further the principles introduced in SO2010. Prerequisite: SO2010.
SO3101 Warfare in the Information Age (4-0) Fall/Winter
Given that the emerging Information Age heralds stark changes in future military and security policy, this course begins with a survey of the literature on the current revolution in military affairs (RMA), as well as studies of similar periods earlier in history. While significant attention is focused on information technologies, the principle emphasis in this course lies in an endeavor to understand the ways in which new technologies affect military strategy, doctrine, and organization. In particular, the rise of networked organizations, nonlinear military operations, and the further blurring of the line between war and peace are examined. Prerequisite: None.
SO3102 Psychological Operations and Deception (4-0) Summer/Fall
This course surveys current theories of behavior, cognition, and perceptual bias, linking them to applied military issues across the spectrum of conflict, from irregular to high-intensity warfare. The effects of increased information flows on the prospects for accurate assessments in crisis and war are also considered in detail. Case studies and experimentation complement the theoretical framework initially advanced, with students working in teams during this portion of the course. Prerequisite: None.
SO3250 Anatomy of Intelligence (4-0) Spring
This course will be devoted to providing students with an improved understanding of the structure, capabilities, and shortcomings of U.S. intelligence, with particular emphasis being placed on Special Operations (SO) and Information Operations (IO). In general, the course approach will be from the general to the specific—beginning with an orientation aimed at familiarizing students with the basic nature of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), followed by a closer look at the issues surrounding the provision of intelligence to SO and IO. Prerequisite: None.
SO3410 Modeling for Special Operations II (4-0) Summer/Fall
This course continues the mathematical modeling process and concepts introduced in SO2410. Models will now entail the use of probability to find solutions. Introductory probabilistic models will be discussed, along with rudimentary statistical concepts needed to analyze data generated from those models. The course will also introduce simulation modeling. Decision modeling includes decision making under both risk and uncertainty. Use of Excel and the Minitab statistical package continues from SO2410. Prerequisite: SO2410.
SO3701 Choice, Chance, and Consequence (4-0) Fall
This course examines the dynamic relationship that exists between Choice, Chance, and Consequence. Specifically, this course examines many of the influential factors associated with effective decision making in stochastic environments, and explores the reasons why choices made in such environments often produce a host of unintended consequences. Incorporating Molton's Theory of The Unanticipated Consequences of Purposive Action, Machiavelli's The Prince, and Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory, the course draws on case studies and examples from ancient Western literature, philosophy, American history, modern literature, and biography. Prerequisite: None.
SO3750 Anthropology of Conflict (4-0) Fall/Spring
The focus of this course is cross-cultural conflict and violent confrontation with a view to considering how anthropology might be better used to study modern warfare and large-scale ethnic conflict. For instance, military historians, political scientists, and foreign policy analysts increasingly refer to "culture" and religion, identity politics, and ideology to help explain the new world disorder. From an anthropological perspective, are they using these social science concepts correctly? This course is designed to not only expose students to anthropological concepts useful for understanding the motivations of combatants from other cultures and the nature of warfare as fought by different people(s), but the extent to which cross-cultural miscommunication can complicate the role of U.S. military personnel abroad. Prerequisite: None.
SO3760 The Soul of the Sword: the History of Weapons (4-0) Fall/Spring
This course examines the evolution of weapons primarily from a cultural and anthropological perspective: the aim being to provide military professionals with a more basic insight into how and why arms are and were chosen; how the use of weaponry and the concept of courage have manifested themselves over time, and the manner in which the institution of war has been influenced by the nature of the armaments extant at the time conflict took place. The course will place special emphasis on not only the roots of weaponry very early in human existence, but also the characteristics and use of "weapons" (i.e., teeth, claws, antlers, etc.) by other species. This course will cover a vast sweep of history; expect to cover rocks and rockets, along with everything in between. Prerequisite: None.
SO3800 Theory and Practice of Social Revolution (4-0) As Required
This course provides an overview of insurgency and counterinsurgency. It reviews the theoretical literature and offers an operational focus on social revolution by examining the alternative models of insurgency provided by the doctrine of "people's war," "foco theory," and the urban guerrilla. The course goes on to examine the development of U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine, the difference between the "hearts and minds" and "systems" prescriptions of counterinsurgency, and alternative British, French, and Russian concepts of counterinsurgency. Prerequisite: None.
SO3801 International Terrorism (4-0) Summer/Fall
This course provides an in-depth examination of the origins, nature, and political/military roles of contemporary international terrorism. It briefly examines the early history of terrorism, the contending theories that purport to explain the sources of terrorist behavior, the different types of terrorism and terrorist actions, and the challenge international terrorism poses for American interests and foreign policy. Functional topics, such as the special problems posed by state-sponsored terrorism, the relationship between terrorism and the media, and the range of possible military responses to terrorism are also examined. The course will conclude by comparing and contrasting different national responses to the problem of international terrorism, and examining the difficulties faced by the United States in its efforts to find an effective policy response. Prerequisite: None.
SO3802 Seminar in Guerrilla Warfare (4-0) Winter/Summer
Have you ever wanted to seize state power from below? Have you ever been responsible for keeping others from doing so? This reading seminar is designed to examine the strategy and operational art of substate conflict. It examines the problems of social mobilization; underground organization, command and control, and security; alternate strategies of internal war, and competing theories of counterinsurgency. These and related issues are examined analytically and historically. Comparative cases are discussed and evaluated. Throughout the course, attention is also given to the manner in which such wars are conducted in the future. Prerequisite: None.
SO3880 History of Special Operations (4-0) Summer/Fall
What constitutes a "special" operation? This course considers special operations in a historical context, with emphasis given to their impact on war outcomes, the necessary conditions for their success, and the patterns of civil-military relations that emerge when elite forces are formed. Successes and failures in air, ground, and naval actions are equally considered. Historical studies from World War II to the present will provide the principle means of analysis to gain insights into the theory, practice, and effects of special operations and irregular warfare. Prerequisite: None.
SO3882 Deterrence, Coercion, and Crisis Management (4-0) Summer/Winter
This course surveys current theories of deterrence and coercive diplomacy, relating them to a variety of applied problems in crisis management. Special attention is given to political psychological factors, crisis communication styles, extended deterrence, and the implications of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction for conventional deterrence. Prerequisite: None.
SO3900 Directed Studies in Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (4-0) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Supervised study in selected areas of special operations and low-intensity conflict to meet the needs of individual students. Format and content vary. Normally involves extensive assigned readings, individual discussions with the instructor, papers, projects, and/or examinations. May be repeated for credit if course content changes. Variable 1.0 - 4.0. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SO4101 Concepts in Information Operations (4-0) As Required
The emergence of information operations (IO) signaled a broadening of the original concept of information warfare (IW) beyond its early emphasis on electronic warfare and/or cyberspace-based attack and defense, to also include such notions as managing others' perceptions, public diplomacy, and the media. This broadening implied a new emphasis on content-based concepts of information operations as opposed to conduit-oriented issues of attack and defense of communications. This course surveys the entire scope of IO, keeping in mind the critical importance of IW, but also emphasizing the more conceptual issues having to do with strategy, doctrine, and organization. Applied issues are also examined, including such topics as the methods for sharing sensitive data with semitrusted allies, and the impact of information attack and defense on the future of force projection. Prerequisite: SO3101 or SO3103.
SO4102 Special Information Operations (4-0) Summer
This course serves as a project-oriented culmination of the studies of those specializing in the SOLIC "IO track." Students are given a specific, real-world problem and challenged to find the place for IO in developing solutions. The goal is both to mobilize the knowledge amassed from previous study and to use practical experience to gain insight into the issues of how IO can support special operations, and how special operations can support IO. Another key element of the course is the requirement that the students work as a team, employing either organizational concepts they have learned about or developing new ones that may be most suitable to the particular problem at hand. The course concludes with briefings to the sponsors of the given project undertaken. Prerequisite: None. Classification: TOP SECRET.
SO4104 Militaries and Technological Change (4-0) Summer
Technological advances have always influenced developments in military affairs, particularly fighting doctrines and forms of organization. This course surveys the major technological changes that accompanied industrialization: including advances in weapons, transportation, and communications systems; and examines the ways in which professional militaries adapted to these developments. Special attention is given to advances in information systems, as the goal of the course is to derive insights into how militaries might respond, doctrinally and organizationally, to an extended period of information-technology-driven changes in military affairs. Prerequisite: SO3101 or consent of the instructor.
SO4105 Special Topics in Information Operations (4-0) As Required
This course will focus on special topics in information and special operations. The list of topics to be analyzed for the seminar is announced at least one quarter prior to the offering of the seminar. Advanced study and research is conducted on topics not covered in other seminars. A major, graded research paper is required. Prerequisite: None.
SO4106 Trust, Influence, and Networks (4-0) Summer
This course examines the underlying nature of trust and influence, especially as they shape and are shaped by social networks. Students will acquire a theoretical foundation for these concepts and how they apply to a broad spectrum of activity, including work processes, military operations, underground movements, information and intelligence operations, governance, and the media; how trust and influence are established, maintained, exploited, and lost; and the functions they serve for individuals, organizations, and societies. Concepts will be illustrated with examples drawn from a variety of contexts. The course is aimed especially at students concerned with unconventional warfare, information operations, network-centric warfare, nation building, civil and military affairs, public affairs, terrorism, and intelligence. Prerequisite: None.
SO4107 Public Diplomacy to Psychological Operations (4-0) Fall
A nation uses various tools to minimize its weaknesses and limitations, and to maximize its strengths and capabilities in the international arena. This course aims to stimulate serious thought about a forgotten aspect of strategy and lay the groundwork for a revival of political-psychological planning and operations within a larger framework of U.S. national security strategy. Topics include: a historical overview of the sources of American diplomacy and values; strategic public diplomacy and the war of ideas; military public affairs and the media; and the power and utility of psychological operations. Case studies will be used throughout the course to reinforce important concepts. Prerequisite: None.
SO4108 Deception, Denial, Surprise, and Counterdeception (4-0) Summer/Fall
An impression about the threats a nation faces shapes its policies and actions in both war and peacetime. Consequently, information has a vital role in understanding threats and creating impressions. At the same time, it is uncertain whether the proliferation of communications technologies and the dissemination of vast amounts of information will keep senior leaders better informed or simply create more confusion. This course aims to stimulate serious thought about how deception, denial, and counterdeception can influence the outcome of a war or contribute to the favorable resolution of an international crisis. Topics include: the theory and process of deception; the role of intelligence; the process of protecting information that could be used by opponents to uncover some truth; and detecting deception. Case studies will be used throughout the course to reinforce important concepts. Prerequisite: None.
SO4301 American Approaches to Small Wars (4-0) Spring
How do the United States Government and its armed forces engage in undeclared wars, expeditions, and conflicts below the threshold of wars for the survival of the United States? This course examines those elements of American strategic culture that affect the United States' capacity to fight these "savage wars of peace." Historical studies from the American colonial period to the present will enable students to determine the defining aspects of the American approaches to small wars. Prerequisite: None.
SO4410 Models of Conflict (4-0) Summer/Winter
This course deals with the problems faced by a rational decision maker, trying to maximize some payoff in a social setting. A distinction will be made between Type I behavior (optimization in a game against nature), Type II (optimization when faced with agents who react against the decision maker's perceived behavior), Type III (optimizations against strategic agents), and Type IV (cooperation with other agents). Applications include arms race models, treaty inspections problems, monopolistic behavior, coalition formation, and pursuit games. The computer is used as a modeling tool. Prerequisites: SO2410 and SO3410.
SO4450 Analytical Methods (4-0) Summer/Winter
This course will provide a basic understanding of social science research methodology. The emphasis will be on qualitative research methods to balance the analytical course sequence (including SO2410 and SO3410). The course will also discuss the key concepts of theory, law, and hypotheses. Finally, paying particular attention to case study methodology, we will focus on how theories should be tested. In the end, students will learn how to develop an argument; how to marshal evidence to support your argument; how to test your hypotheses; and how to anticipate and address counter-arguments. Prerequisite: SO2410.
SO4500 Special Topics in Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (4-0) As Required
This course will focus on special topics in special operations and low-intensity conflict. The list of topics to be analyzed for the seminar is announced at least one quarter prior to the offering of the seminar. Advanced study and research is conducted on topics not covered in other seminars. A major, graded research paper is required. Prerequisite: SO3802.
SO4710 Critical Thinking and Ethical Decision Making (4-0) Fall
This course explores both the contemporary and classical Western frameworks used to define effective ethical leadership and decision making. Emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking and decision-making skills, the recognition of logical fallacies, the analysis of both civilian and military case studies, and the exploration of current ethical issues. Readings for this course span classical selections from such writers as Plato, Rousseau, Kant, and Mill through contemporary papers from the Joint Services Conferences on Professional Ethics. Prerequisite: None.
SO4760 The Military Advisor (4-0) As Required
This course examines the many roles of the military advisor-as leader, trainer, liaison—in a wide variety of settings, among very different groups of people, and under significantly different conditions. Lessons will be drawn from first-person accounts. What field craft lessons can be learned from past endeavors? What challenges might advisors expect to encounter in the future? This course is open to Department of Defense Analysis students only or by consent of the instructor. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
SO4770 Ethnic Conflict (4-0) As Required
This course poses a series of questions, such as "what is a state?" and "what is a nation?", in order to better understand when and why ethnic conflict erupts and persists. Often cited as the most prevalent form of warfare today, "ethnic conflict" as a term may conceal more that its reveals. For instance, strife in Northern Ireland and in Israel is often explained away as ethno-nationalist and ethno-religious in nature. On the face of it, both cases would seem to have much in common. However, once local histories and regional politics are considered, the two represent radically different models of (and for) ethnic conflict. This course will examine a series of such examples in order to better understand the origins, trajectory, and virulence of ethnic conflict. Prerequisite: SO3750.
SO4780 Political Anthropology: Methods of Social Control (4-0) Winter
The aim of this course is to examine in greater detail a variety of methods of controlling: social interactions, resources, societies, states, liberties whatever it is that humans feel a need to—or discover they can—control. Questions that will lurk throughout the course are: Why does control matter? To whom does it matter most? Can we draw any generalizations cross-culturally? And to what extent might control differ across societies, strata, time, and space? The course is designed to be comparative and will draw on a series of case studies. Prerequisite: SO3750.
SO4820 Regional Seminar in Low-Intensity Conflict: Africa (4-0) Winter
This course teaches students how to analyze the nature of conflict in sub-Saharan Africa—who is likely to fight, where, why, and when, with special attention paid to the significance of regional complexities and local particularities. Eight cases are presented with two aims: to present a history of post-colonial conflict and to achieve regional balance. Students are specifically taught how to compare and contrast among different sets of factors that tend to feed conflict in Africa. Students also learn about sources of information to which they can turn in the future should conflict flare up in places with which they are unfamiliar. Prerequisite: Student must have completed at least two quarters of instruction in the Defense Analysis Department or NSA or consent of the instructor.
SO4830 Regional Seminar in Low-Intensity Conflict: Middle East (4-0) Spring
As part of the regional seminar series, this course examines political violence in the Middle East. The course focuses on the major systemic causes of violence in the Middle East at both the state and nonstate levels. At the state level, sources of violence include the consolidation of state power in fragmented societies, survival strategies by weak states, and competition for scarce regional resources. Violence by nonstate actors is also examined, including violence associated with the Jihadist movement and with the conflict over Palestine. Prerequisite: None.
SO4840 Regional Seminar in Low-Intensity Conflict: Europe and the Transcaucasus (4-0) Spring
As part of the regional seminar series, this course examines low-intensity conflict issues in Europe and the Caucasus. The seminar reviews the theoretical literature on political violence and analyzes the recent history of European and Caucasus-based terrorism and insurgency. It offers a series of detailed case studies of local organizations and conflict, and focuses on functional issues in Europe and the Caucasus. Prerequisite: None.
SO4900 Advanced Directed Studies in Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (4-0) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
(Variable hours 1.0 - 4.0.) Supervised study in selected areas of special operations and low-intensity conflict to meet the needs of individual students. Format and content may vary. Normally involves individual research under the direction of the instructor and submission of a substantial paper of graduate seminar quality and scope. May be repeated for credit if course content changes. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor.
Academic Associate
Hy Rothstein, Ph.D.
Code DA/Ro, Root Hall, Room 212
(831) 656-2203, DSN 756-2203
FAX (831) 656-2649
Program Manager
Jennifer J. Duncan
Code DA, Root Hall, Room 219
(831) 656-3584, DSN 756-3584
FAX (831) 656-2649
Brief Overview
The goal of this curriculum is to educate military personnel and civilian officials of the United States in the strategic and operational dimensions of information and its use as an instrument of statecraft.
Graduates will be able to employ information in support of full-spectrum dominance by exploiting the growing worldwide dependence on information systems, and by capitalizing on near real-time global dissemination of information to affect adversary decision cycles, with the goal of achieving information superiority for the United States.
The curriculum is designed for both the specialist who will be assigned to an information operations position and the generalist who will be assigned to an operations directorate. The curriculum includes a core of military art and operations, the human dimension of warfare (psycho-social), analytical methods, and a customized elective sequence designed for each student. Additionally, each student will have an elective sequence designed to further develop an in-depth understanding of joint information operations. Finally, each student will write a thesis relevant to the field of information operations.
Requirements for Entry
The Joint Information Operations curriculum is open to officers and civilian employees of the U.S. Government and other countries. U.S. officers must be eligible for a TOP SECRET clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information based on a Special Background Investigation completed within the last five years. A baccalaureate degree earned with above average academic performance and a minimum APC of 365 is required.
Entry Date
The Joint Information Operations curriculum is a six-quarter course of study with entry dates in January and July. If further information is needed, contact the Academic Associate or the Program Officer for this curriculum.
Degree
Requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Information Operations are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements of the curricular program.
Master of Science in Information Operations
The Master of Science in Information Operations degree will be awarded in accordance with the following degree requirements:
Subspecialty
Completion of the 698 curriculum qualifies an officer as an Information Operations Subspecialist. The curriculum sponsor is the U.S. Strategic Command.
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
Command Positions at the LTC/CDR level and above
Staff Officer, Plans or Operations: Joint Headquarters
Information Operations Officer at the LTC/CDR level and above on service staffs, JTFS, and combatant commands
Typical Course of Study
Quarter 1
(4-0) |
Deterrence, Compellence, and Crisis Management |
|
(4-0) |
Technical Writing and |
|
(4-0) |
Organizational Design |
|
(4-0) |
Modeling for Military |
Quarter 2
(4-0) |
Warfare in the Information Age |
|
(4-0) |
Anatomy of Intelligence |
|
(4-0) |
Analytical Methods |
|
(4-0) |
Modeling for Military |
Quarter 3
(4-0) |
Public Diplomacy, the Media & Psyop |
|
(4-0) |
Trust, Influence, and Networks |
|
(4-0) |
Computer Network Attack and Defense |
|
(4-0) |
Seminar in Guerrilla Warfare |
Quarter 4
(3-2) |
Electronic Warfare Principles and Applications |
|
(4-0) |
Deception, Denial, Surprise Attacks and Counterdeception |
|
(4-0) |
Anthropology of Conflict |
|
(4-0) |
Jihadist Information Operations, I |
Quarter 5
(4-0) |
International Terrorism |
|
(4-0) |
The Rise of Religious Violence |
|
(4-0) |
Culture and Influence |
|
(0-8) |
Tracking and Disrupting Dark Networks |
Quarter 6
(4-0) |
Special Topics in IO |
|
(4-0) |
Militaries and |
|
SO3105 |
(0-8) |
Conflict in Cyberspace |
(0-8) |
Critical Thinking an Ethical Decision-making |
Educational Skill Requirements (ESR)
Joint Information Operations - Curriculum 698
Subspecialty Code: None
Academic Associate
Gordon H. McCormick, Ph.D.
Code DA/Mc, Root Hall, Room 214
(831) 656-2933, DSN 756-2933
FAX (831) 656-2649
Program Manager
Jennifer J. Duncan
Code DA, Root Hall, Room 219
(831) 656-3584, DSN 756-3584
Brief Overview
The Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum is designed to provide a focused course of study of the conflict spectrum below general conventional war. Graduates of this curriculum will possess a thorough knowledge of the broad range of factors involved in the planning and conduct of these forms of conflict and a detailed understanding of the role of special operations and related forces in U.S. foreign and defense policy. The curriculum examines the sources and dynamics of inter-state and intra-state conflict; the challenge these forms of conflict have posed and are likely to increasingly pose for U.S. security planning; the doctrinal and institutional evolution of the U.S. special operations community; the recent history of political violence and "small wars"; the history of irregular warfare; and contemporary perspectives on low-intensity conflict resolution. The curriculum provides the graduate with a strong background in the areas of strategic analysis, decision making, organization theory, the technological revolution in military affairs, and advanced analytical methods.
Requirements for Entry
The Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum is open to officers and civilian employees of the U.S. Government and other countries. U.S. officers must be eligible for a TOP SECRET clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information based on a Special Background Investigation completed within the last five years. A baccalaureate degree earned with above average academic performance and a minimum academic profile code (APC) of 365 is required.
Entry Date
The Special Operations/Irregular Warfare curriculum is a six-quarter course of study with entry dates in January and June. If further information is needed, contact the Academic Associate or the Program Manager/Officer for this curriculum.
Degree
Requirements for the Master of Science in Defense Analysis degree are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements of the curricular program. The program currently offers eight specialty tracks. Other specialty tracks can be tailored to meet student interests. The current tracks include Irregular Warfare, Information Operations, Operations Analysis, C4I Systems, Combat Systems, Financial Management, National Security Affairs, and Terrorist Operations and Financing.
Master of Science in Defense Analysis
The Master of Science in Defense Analysis degree will be awarded in accordance with the following degree requirements:
The Chairman of the Defense Analysis Department approves each individual program.
Subspecialty
Completion of the 699 curriculum qualifies an officer as a Special Operations Subspecialist with a subspecialty code of 2500P. The curriculum sponsor is the Commanding General, Special Operations Command.
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
Command Positions at the LTC/CDR level
Assistant Operations Officer, U.S. Army Special Forces Group
Staff Officer, Plans or Operations: USSOCOM
Action Officer, Counterterrorism Directorate, ASD (SO/LIC)
Staff Officer, Plans or Operations: Theater Special Operations Commands
Special Warfare Plans: CINCLANT/CINCPAC/NAVEUR
Chief, Intelligence/Plans: COMNAVSPECWARCOM
Joint Plans/Doctrine: COMNAVSPECWARCOM
Joint Staff Action Officer: J-3, Special Operations Directorate (J-3, DDSO)
Typical Course of Study
(Irregular Warfare Track)
Quarter 1
(4-0) |
Seminar in Guerrilla Warfare |
|
(4-0) |
Strategic Decision Making for Special Operations |
|
(4-0) |
Organizational Design for Special Operations |
|
(4-0) |
Modeling for Military |
Quarter 2
(4-0) |
Deterrence, Compellance, and Crisis Management |
|
(4-0) |
Modeling for Military |
|
(4-0) |
History of Special Operations |
|
(4-0) |
Warfare in the Information Age |
Quarter 3
(4-0) |
Analytical Methods |
|
(4-0) |
Anthropology of Conflict |
|
(4-0) |
Models of Conflict |
|
SO48XX |
(4-0) |
Regional Seminar in |
Quarter 4
(4-0) |
International Terrorism |
|
(4-0) |
Psychological Operations |
|
(4-0) |
The Rise, Transformation and Future of the Nation-State System |
|
(4-0) |
Islamic Insurgencies |
Quarter 5
(4-0) |
The Military Advisor |
|
(4-0) |
Special Topics in Special Operations and |
|
(4-0) |
Trust, Influence, and Networks |
|
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
Quarter 6
(4-0) |
Critical Thinking and |
|
SO48XX |
(4-0) |
Regional Seminar in |
XXXXXX |
(4-0) |
Emphasis Elective |
(0-8) |
Thesis Research |
* Five courses in Low-Intensity Conflict covering different regions of the world will be offered; students will select two of the three.
Educational Skill Requirements (ESR)
Special Operations/Irregular Warfare - Curriculum 699
Subspecialty Code: 2500P
Chairman
Dan C. Boger, Ph.D.
Code IS, Glasgow West, Room 3005
(831) 656-3671/2214, DSN 756-3671/2214,
FAX (831) 656-3679
Associate Chairman, Research
Alexander Bordetsky, Ph.D.
Code IS, Root Hall, Room 225
(831) 656-2287, DSN 756-2287
FAX (831) 656-3679
Associate Chairman, Operations
Glenn R. Cook
Code IS, Glasgow West, Room GW-3012
(831) 656-2778, DSN 756-2778
FAX (831) 656-3679
Associate Chairman, Distance Instruction
Steven J. Iatrou
Code IW/Is, Glasgow West, Room 3011
(831) 656-3770, DSN 756-3770
FAX (831) 656-3679
Associate Chairman, Resident Academics
Thomas J. Housel, Ph.D.
Code IS, Root Hall, Room 239
(831) 656-7657, DSN 756-7657
FAX (831) 656-3679
* The year of joining the Naval Postgraduate School faculty is indicated in parentheses.
Tarek Abdel-Hamid, Professor (1986); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986.
Wolfgang Baer, Research Associate Professor (1994); Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1972.
Albert Barreto, Lecturer (2006); M.S., University of Phoenix, 2005.
Richard Bergin, Visiting Assistant Professor (2002); M.S., University of Southern California, 1998.
Dan C. Boger, Chairman, Department of Information Sciences and Professor (1979); Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1979.
Alexander Bordetsky, Associate Professor (2000); Ph.D., Chelyabinsk State Technical University of Russia, 1982.
Eugene Bourakov, Research Associate (2002); MSEE, Chelyabinsk State Technical University of Russia, 1974.
Donald Brutzman, Associate Professor (1994); Ph.D., Naval Postgraduate School, 1994.
Rex A. Buddenberg, Senior Lecturer (1993); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1986.
Raymond J. Buettner, Jr., Associate Professor (1999); Ph.D., Stanford University, 2003.
Glenn R. Cook, Lecturer (2000); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1994, 2003.
Dale M. Courtney, Lecturer (2000); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1996.
Daniel R. Dolk, Professor (1982); Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1982.
James Ehlert, Research Associate (2004); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1995.
Raymond Elliott, Lecturer (2001); MBA, Golden Gate University, 2001.
Edward Fisher, Lecturer (2005); M.A., California State University, 1989.
Shelley P. Gallup, Research Associate Professor (1999); Ph.D., Old Dominion University, 1998.
Richard Hayes-Roth, Professor (2002); Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1974.
Michael Herrera, CDR, USN, Lecturer (2006); M.A., Naval War College, 2002.
Susan Higgins, Lecturer (1999); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1988.
Thomas J. Housel, Professor (2001); Ph.D., University of Utah, 1980.
Susan Hutchins, Research Associate Professor (1994); M.S., San Diego State University, 1983.
Steven J. Iatrou, Lecturer (1999); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1992.
Nelson J. Irvine, Research Assistant Professor (2003); Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, 1973.
Erik Jansen, Senior Lecturer (1994); Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1987.
Magdi N. Kamel, Associate Professor (1988); Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1988.
William G. Kemple, Associate Professor (1990); Ph.D., University of California at Riverside, 1991.
Anthony Kendall, Lecturer (1999); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1980.
David Kleinman, Research Professor (1994); Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1967.
Orin E. Marvel, Research Associate Professor (1994); Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1970.
Randall Maule, Visiting Associate Professor (2003); Ph.D., University of Florida, 1987.
Mark Nissen, Professor, (1996); Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1996.
John Osmundson, Research Associate Professor (1995); Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1968.
Karl D. Pfeiffer, Lt Col, USAF, Assistant Professor (2004); Ph.D., North Carolina State University, 2001.
Terry E. Smith, Lt Col, USAF, Lecturer (2006); M.S., Air Force Institute of Technology, 1984.
Brian J. Steckler, Lecturer (2002); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1994.
John Van Hise, Research Associate (2001); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1979.
William J. Welch, Lecturer (2000); M.S., Naval Postgraduate School, 1987.
Emeritus Professors
Carl R. Jones, Professor Emeritus (1965); Ph.D., Claremont Graduate School, 1965.
Michael G. Sovereign, Professor Emeritus (1970); Ph.D., Purdue University, 1965.
Brief Overview
The Department of Information Sciences provides in-residence graduate education, as well as a continuum of career-long learning opportunities, in support of defense requirements in the areas of information sciences, systems, and operations. The Department maintains an internationally respected research program in selected areas of information sciences, systems, and operations, and has the capability of developing research programs in additional areas of information sciences that are required to support graduate education.
Degree
The Department provides the following degree programs:
Master of Science in Information Technology Management
The degree of Master of Science in Information Technology Management will be awarded at the completion of the appropriate interdisciplinary program in Curriculum 370. The Master of Science in Information Technology Management requires:
Master of Science in Information Warfare Systems Engineering/Master of Science in Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering
The degree of Master of Science in Information Warfare Systems Engineering/Master of Science in Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering will be awarded at the completion of a multidisciplinary program in Curricula 595 and 596, respectively. The Master of Science in Information Warfare Systems Engineering/Master of Science in Electronic Warfare Systems Engineering requires:
The Master of Science in Remote Sensing Intelligence
The degree of Master of Science in Remote Sensing Intelligence will be awarded at the completion of the appropriate interdisciplinary program in Curriculum 475. The Master of Science in Remote Sensing Intelligence requires:
Master of Science in Systems Technology
The degree of Master of Science in Systems Technology (Command, Control, and Communications) will be awarded at the completion of the Joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) interdisciplinary program, Curriculum 365, carried out in accordance with the following degree requirements:
Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations
The degree of Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations will be awarded at the completion of the Information Systems and Operations interdisciplinary program, Curriculum 356, in accordance with the following degree requirements:
Doctor of Philosophy in Information Sciences
The Department offers the Ph.D. degree in Information Sciences. The program begins with advanced course work guided by the Departmental Ph.D. Committee, which leads to qualifying examinations. The primary emphasis then shifts to the student's research program, culminating in the Ph.D. dissertation. Three areas of primary concentration within the field of information sciences are available: information systems, command and control, and information operations/warfare. Interested potential students may obtain further details by contacting the Information Sciences Ph.D. Program Director, Code IS, 589 Dyer Road, Room 200A, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943-5100. An applicant to the Ph.D. program will need to apply to the School Admissions Office formally (see http://www.nps.edu/Admissions/PhD/index.html), and will need to submit: an application letter describing general background, interests and experience in research, and career goals; official or certified copies of all academic transcripts; results of a GRE general examination taken within the past five years; and three letters of references relating to your suitability to pursue a doctoral degree. Send these materials to the Director of Admissions, Code 01C3, He-022, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943-5100. Detailed admission procedures may vary depending on the individual's location and position. However, in all cases, the student must fulfill the general school requirements for the doctoral degree. Residency for this program is one year at the minimum, and the program generally requires three years beyond completion of a master's degree to complete.
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CC0001 Seminar Series in C4I (0-2) As Required
Seminars (consisting of guest lectures, video teleconferences, and field trips) are scheduled to provide background information on specific Joint C4I systems and activities. Prerequisite: None.
CC0810 Thesis Research for C4I Students (0-8) As Required
Thesis research time for JC4I students. Prerequisite: None.
CC3000 Introduction to Command and Control (4-0) As Required
Knowledge of current C4I systems and practice is introduced. A basic framework for understanding C4I is provided. Case studies are used as well as lessons learned from crises, field exercises, and war-gaming. Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Joint C4I Systems curriculum, OS2103 concurrently. Classification: SECRET.
CC3102 Introduction to Combat Modeling and Analysis for C4I (3-2) As Required
Emphasis is on the use of mathematical models such as those for search, attack, and combat adjudication on land and sea to help operational and tactical commanders solve wartime problems or improve the effectiveness of their forces. Includes a hands-on introduction to the Systems Technology Battle Lab and selected applications. The course is the basis for later study of models of the command and control process, war-gaming and simulation, and C4I systems engineering. A required course for the 365 curriculum. Prerequisites: CC3000 and OS3104 (may be concurrent). Classification: U.S. Only, SECRET.
CC3250 Command, Control and Communications (C3) (4-0) Winter, Summer
CC3250 is designed to introduce technical curriculum students to command and control theory and processes as well as the first principles associated with modern electronic communication systems of interest to military operations. Specific course topics include command and control (C2) elements and concepts, the technology influence on C2 as well as fundamental communications principles and concepts to include: signal representations, noise considerations, link analysis, analog/digital modulations and Defense Department systems within the Global Information Grid concept. Prerequisites: SI1001, SI1002, or equivalent; SI2011 or equivalent.
CC3900 Special Topics in C4ISR (V-V) As Required
Supervised study in selected areas of command, control, and communications to meet the needs of individual students. May be repeated for credit if course content changes. Graded on Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the Academic Associate.
CC4101 Systems Engineering for Joint C4I (4-2) Summer
Provide an introduction to systems engineering by performing systems engineering activities, using the tools that a systems engineer uses, analyzing the procedures a systems engineer follows, and performing an actual systems design on a joint C4I system element. The course will use practical examples to explain the fundamental principles, while maximizing the hands-on practical systems design activities. A required course for the 365 curriculum. Prerequisites: CC3000 and OS3604. Classification: TOP SECRET.
CC4103 Joint C4I Systems Evaluation (2-4) As Required
Experiments in determining C4I system effectiveness using wargaming and simulation. Design of experiments. Survey of current C4I systems evaluation techniques. Prerequisites: CC4101 and U.S. citizenship. Classification TOP SECRET with Eligibility for SI/SAO.
CC4221 Joint C4ISR Systems (4-0) As Required
Synthesis course that deals with adaptation of Internet technology to military situations including security, quality of service, survivability, and reach to mobile platforms (radio-WAN) issues. Course deals with general interoperability issues in Information Systems, including communications interoperability, modularity and coupling, and related issues. The course also deals with what the next generation of information technology training requirements are likely to be and how to prepare for them. Prerequisite: None.
CC4250 Enterprise Architecture (4-0) Winter, Summer
The focus of the course is the DoD enterprise and extended enterprise in terms of its information architecture. The course will look at Enterprise Architecture at the strategic, tactical and operational levels. The activities will include analysis of state of the art architectures, modeling enterprises, viewpoints and communications requirements. The student will analyze existing architectures, learn the relevance and limitations of enterprise architectures and to learn to appreciate the strengths and limitations of various approaches. The student will also become familiar with Service oriented architecture, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library and the role of components in the delivery of infrastructure products and standards. Prerequisites: CC3000, IS3502.
CC4900 Advanced Study in C4ISR (V-V) As Required
Supervised study in selected areas of command, control, and communications to meet the needs of individual students. May be repeated for credit if course content changes. Graded on a Pass/Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the Academic Associate.
CC4913 Policies and Problems in Joint C4I (4-0) As Required
Study of the fundamental role C4 systems fulfill in operational military situations, including crisis warning and crisis management. Analysis of the changing role of intermediate-level headquarters and its impact on C4I system requirement and design. Consideration of the complexities imposed on C4I systems as the force structure becomes more heterogeneous, as in the case of NATO. Case study of selected incidents and systems. This course is specifically for students in the 365 curriculum. Prerequisite: CC4103. Classification: CONFIDENTIAL.
CC4920 Multi-Criteria Analysis (4-0) Winter, Summer
The major goal of this course is to learn where and how to search for the best solutions for problems with contradictory criteria. This course will introduce methodology for correct statement and solution of engineering optimization problems, called the Parameter Space Investigation (PSI) method. This technique has been widely integrated into various fields of industry, science, and technology. The PSI method is implemented in the comprehensive software system MOVI (Multicriteria Optimization and Vector Identification) that will be used and distributed during the course. Prerequisites: None.
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IO0001 Seminar Series in IO Topics (0-2) As Required
Seminar lectures in Information Operations. Prerequisite: None.
IO0810 Thesis Research for IO (0-8) As Required
Information Operations thesis research. Prerequisite: None.
IO3100 Information Operations (4-0) Fall/Winter/Summer
This course, available in the classroom or through asynchronous Internet-based education, provides a survey of Information Operations (IO) along the time line of peace, to conflict, and back to the cessation of hostilities. Students study the specific methods and elements of IO and how they integrate with other elements of national power to meet national security objectives. Prerequisite: None.
IO4300 Information Operations Planning and Targeting (3-2) Spring/Summer
This course refines the students' ability to develop and analyze IO plans. Students learn to integrate seemingly disparate disciplines (national security affairs, information warfare/operations, computer science, physics (kinetic warfare), and operations analysis) into a cogent operations plan as an integral part of a theater campaign plan. Prerequisites: NW3230, IW3101, OS3000 (or equivalent Operations Analysis course). Classification: SECRET.
IO4301 Information Operations Planning and Execution (3-2) Summer
This course, available, through asynchronous Internet based education software, refines the student's ability to develop and analyze Information Operations plans. Students learn to integrate seemingly disparate disciplines (national security affairs, information operations, computer science, physics (kinetic warfare), and operations analysis) into a cogent operations plan as an integral part of a theatre campaign plan. Prerequisites: IW3101, IO3100. Classification: SECRET. Access to SIPRNET is required.
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IS0001 Seminar Sessions (0-2) As Required
Seminar Sessions in Information Systems for IST Students. Prerequisite: None.
IS0810 Thesis Research (0-8) As Required
Thesis research time for IST Students. Prerequisite: None.
IS2000 Introduction to Information Technology (3-1) As Required
Provide an introduction to the field of Information Technology Management and the functions and responsibilities of the information technology manager. Offered as part of the E-FIST certificate for distance learning only. Prerequisite: None.
IS2010 Introduction to Information Technology (1-2) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
This course provides an overview of the technology used to implement modern information systems. Extensive use of hands-on laboratories and demonstrations provide students with a thorough introduction to microcomputer architecture and design, the Internet and Web page development, local area network (LAN) operation and administration, databases, management information systems, and computer security. The strong emphasis on hardware and software technical issues in this course establishes the foundation necessary for studying IT management issues during the follow-on course. Prerequisite: None.
IS2020 Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming Using Visual Basic (2-3) As Required
A first course in computer programming using VB, DoN's IT21 mandated standard, as a high-level, event-driven, object-oriented, programming language. Course emphasis will be on planning, program development, graphical user interfaces, rapid prototyping, program construction, data types, operations, control flow, arrays, records, file I/O, database access, random number generators, and event-driven OOP structures. Prerequisite: None.
IS2025 Fundamentals of Networks (3-2) Spring
Undergraduate level Network fundamentals class for the E-FIST program. Security Clearance: CONFIDENTIAL.
IS3001 Computer and Software Technology (4-2) Fall
This course provides an overview of the technology used to create modern strategic information systems. Hardware architecture, operating systems, programming, software engineering, and project design are introduced. Use of hands-on laboratories and demonstrations provide students with an opportunity to learn how these systems work together. Common Operating Environment (COE), Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), and Joint Technical Architecture are all covered in this course. Prerequisite: None.
IS3181 Integrating and Leveraging Information Technologies (3-0) As Required
The attributes of information technology are studied in conjunction with the management aspects of developing and maintaining systems in support of DoN and the joint services. This course is heavily project- and case-study oriented. Minicases force the student to apply theory from reading to realistic DoN settings. These case studies will force trade-offs, resource allocation decisions, development of strategy for specific problems, etc. Prerequisite: Lead program students only.
IS3200 Fundamentals of Systems Analysis and Design (3-2) Fall/Spring
This survey course covers the basic concepts, models, and processes used by systems analysts to determine: 1) what is the current situation of an organization that desires to improve itself; 2) what are the problems and opportunities in this situation; and 3) what plans and specifications can be formed to feasibly address these problems or opportunities. The course covers how system analysis is performed to successfully cover these three areas of inquiry and how it connects to system design. Then, the fundamentals of information system design are discussed and applied. The class stops at the point of detailed design, e.g., complete specifications of an Internet Web interface or database application. This topic is covered in subsequent Information Systems classes. When the course is finished, it is expected that the students understand the system development life cycle, system analysis and design methodologies, and have applied them in a team project within the class. Prerequisite: None.
IS3201 Fundamentals of Database Management Systems (4-2) Fall/Spring
Introduction to database technology provides the basic knowledge, language, and experience to manage data electronically. Students will learn the essential activities of how to store, retrieve, manage, and control data using a relational database management system. They not only will learn how to build a database application using Microsoft Access, and but also how to deploy database technology in a larger, organizational context to support problem solving. Further, by the time students have completed the course, they will know the major steps required to manage a complex database project. Prerequisite: None.
IS3202 Web-Enabled Database Management Development (4-2) Winter/Summer
This course is designed to familiarize students with the different approaches for developing database-driven, interactive, dynamic Web sites. These approaches include client-side scripting using Java scripts; server-side scripting using Active Server Pages; and Extensible Markup Language (XML) technologies. An integrated development environment is used throughout the course to demonstrate the application of these approaches. Students are expected to develop a fully functional, dynamic Web site using the approaches/technologies learned in class. Prerequisites: IS3200 and IS3201, or consent of the instructor.
IS3210 Information and Knowledge Management Issues in Defense (4-0) Spring
This elective course on defense knowledge and information management integrates theory with practice to help prepare current and future leaders to leverage knowledge and knowing for competitive advantage in learning organizations. Knowing refers to knowledge in action and is concerned with activities (e.g., decisions, behaviors, work) in the organization. Using emerging knowledge-flow theory as its intellectual base, the theoretical part of the course helps professionals understand: how knowledge is both critical and unique; how it builds and depends on information; and how to design effective work processes, organizations, and technologies around dynamic knowledge and information. Using application cases for group critique, the problem-based learning part of the course examines a diverse set of knowledge-based processes and organizations in operation today, and it offers both principles for and experience in identifying strengths and weaknesses. Students also select new or operational knowledge-based processes for evaluation, and work individually as consultants to assess and redesign them around knowledge flows. This course may be offered as an online course. You can view more details at the NPS online website. Prerequisite: None.
IS3301 Computer-Based Tools for Decision Support (3-2) Fall/Spring
This course introduces the principles for designing, implementing and using computer-based tools to support a variety of decision-making situations. A key objective of the course is to introduce managerial decision-making technology in a format that is not too abstract or too mathematical. We cover a variety of analytical techniques for decision making in complex environments, involving single or multiple criteria made under certainty and uncertainty. Students learn the difference between building "private" models and "public" models and are introduced to software engineering practices for engineering quality models. Exemplary computer-based applications that support or involve the use of formal decision making methods and tools are discussed. Group projects will supplement and reinforce the course's learning objectives. Prerequisites: IS3200, IS3201.
IS3302 Fundamentals of Database and Decision Support Systems (3-2) Summer/Winter
Database management systems and decision support systems constitute essential components of information-driven organizations. These systems are employed in a wide array of activities, ranging from combat support to logistics and administration. The course proposed here covers the essential aspects of database management and decision support systems. The course has a "how to" flavor, i.e., in addition to conveying the essential concepts and methods, we seek to familiarize students with the tools and processes. Prerequisite: None.
IS3333 Introduction to Thesis Research (0-2) Fall/Spring
Introduction to the thesis research process and requirements for IS Department students. Prerequisite: None.
IS3502 Fundamentals of Networks: LAN/WAN (4-2) Winter/Summer
This course is targeted to the analysis and design of computer and telecommunication networks in close relationship with the emerging environment of Global Information Grid (GIG). The fundamental concepts of Internet and LAN/WAN building blocks for wired, satellite, and mobile wireless communication segments of GIG are in the kernel of the course. A four-step network design decision framework is in the center of the classroom, seminar, and project teamwork. This is complemented by analysis of emerging trends in high-speed terrestrial, wireless, and satellite communications. The study includes two research projects. The objective for both projects is to allow students to get hands-on experience with the analysis and design of emerging information networks. The Midterm Project is targeted to the "bottom-up" study of emerging networking technologies and their implementation within the GIG to enable command and control and sensor-decision maker networking operations. The Final Project is focused on the "top-down" design of a business proposal for selected GIG networking segments enabling command and control, humanitarian, ISR, UAV, METOC, and other operations. Both projects are tied to the NPS research activities with SOCOM, DHS, ONR, Foundry Networks, and the Internet 2 community. The course combines on-line study with modeling exercises in the OPNET IT Guru simulation modeling system. The on-line environment is comprised of the Blackboard system, interactive Agent-Evaluator for homework exercises and tests, and the optional Groove client for students' collaboration with the instructor. Prerequisite: None.
IS3504 Modern Network Operating Systems: Windows 2003 Server (3-2) As Required
This course focuses on the planning, design, installation, configuration, and management of network operating systems used throughout DoD and private industry. Network operating systems are compared with single-user operating systems to understand differences and similarities. Popular client/server and peer-to-peer systems are examined to provide a thorough understanding of the correct applications of each. Network labs provide in-depth analysis of such topics as file server configuration and administration, multilevel network security procedures, and global file server synchronization processes. Prerequisite: IS3502.
IS3710 Identity Management Operations (3-0) As Required
This course will integrate theory with practice to help prepare students with ways of thinking about how to leverage Identity for competitive advantage in operational environments. The focus of this course is on the design architecture for integrated systems which will allow for the collection, analysis, storage, and dissemination of information related to the identity of a person. This course is one of several that will collectively comprise the requirements for Identity Management specialization tracks in both the Information Science and Computer Science degree programs. Completion of four courses: CS3686, CS3699, IS3710, and IS3720, will meet the requirements for earning the Federal/DoD Identity Management Certificate offered by NPS. Prerequisites: None.
IS3720 Identity Management Policy (3-0)
The goals for the Identity Management Policy Course are to provide the student with the necessary ways to think about the creation or implementation of Identity Management policies. The focus is to provide students with a background on the approaches to the verification of personal identity and the implications in a digital environment. As individuals become more conscious of the collection of data regarding their actions, the student must understand the implications of privacy in this changing environment. There will be a strong, case-based focus on the laws, ethics, and moral implications of the collection, analysis, storage, and dissemination of personal data so that the student can prudently apply the appropriate policy. Additionally, the policies and procedures for the provisioning, propagating, maintaining, and removal of personally identifiable information will be discussed. The student will be required to develop a case study for a scenario that will address the policy implications and create a solution to meet the operational requirements. Prerequisite: None.
IS4010 Technology in Homeland Security (4-0) Fall/Winter/Spring
Government agencies in today's Information Age are more dependent than ever on technology and information sharing. This course provides students involved in homeland security with a broad overview of homeland security technology, information systems, sensors, networks, knowledge management, and information security. The course focuses on technology as a tool to support homeland security personnel regardless of functional specialty. The study of principles and theory is combined with homeland security examples and cases. The student will gain a perspective on the important role of senior management in enterprise-level computing and their personal role as change agents. The knowledge and skills acquired will make the students more effective technology users and help them recognize opportunities where the application of technology solutions can provide a strategic advantage and therefore make a contribution to homeland security. The ultimate objectives are to show students how homeland security professionals can exploit technology and not be exploited by it, and to wisely use technology in the most efficient and productive manner. This course is open to students in the Homeland Security Program only. Prerequisite: None.
IS4031 Information Systems Economics (4-0) Fall/Spring
The objectives of this course are to provide the student with the tools and methodologies that will allow for the objective evaluation of information systems from a business perspective. The course will focus on the alignment of IT investment to strategic goals and productivity, the methods of obtaining IT services through outsourcing and ASPs, and the importance of managing to the needs of the customer. This course also incorporates the concepts of e-commerce, with an emphasis on case-study analysis. Prerequisite: None.
IS4053 Remote Sensing II: Spectral and Polarimetric Tools and Analysis Techniques (3-2) Winter
Analysis of multi-dimensional data sets, primarily spectral. Nature of spectral data, analysis methods with application to military and civil problems. Prerequisite: PH3052.
IS4054 Remote Sensing III: Analysis Techniques for Passive Imaging Systems (3-1) Spring
Analysis techniques for data from national Means, tools and applications for systems, applications to military and intelligence problems. TS(SCI) Prerequisites: SS3001.
IS4055 Remote Sensing IV: Analysis Techniques for Active Imaging Systems (3-1) Summer
Active imaging systems (LIDAR and RADAR), tools for analysis, application to civil and military problems. Theory of non-literal analysis techniques for RADAR (interferometric synthetic aperture RADAR). Application of RADAR and LlDAR to development of digital elevation models (DEMs) and terrain classification. Prerequisites: PH3052.
IS4056 Geospatial Intelligence Applications (3-1) Summer
Course to be developed in conjunction with the sponsor. Course will include basic GIS principles: map/chart generation, satellite surveying, digital image mapping and GIS intelligence software applications. Concepts will be taught with an operational intelligence context. TS/SCI
IS4182 Information Systems Management (4-0) Fall/Spring
Information Systems Strategy and Policy: How to Be an Effective CIO or IT Strategist. This course aims to make students fluent in architecture-based decision making for IT systems strategy and policy. Students should become capable of significantly enhancing the prospects of an organization through effective, strategic use of IT architecture. The student should be capable of suggesting significant improvements in existing or proposed architectures, demonstrating both analysis and synthesis skills. Topics include: the enterprise and extended enterprise; information processing for competitive superiority; technology evolution and adaptive stresses; the role of the CIO; information systems architecture and enterprise architecture; architecting; U.S. Government architecture efforts; DoD imperatives; information superiority; network-centric warfare; and architecture synthesis and evaluation. Prerequisite: None.
IS4188 Collaborative Technologies (3-2) As Required
Collaborative technologies and multiple-agent, decision-support architectures become the central application elements of emerging GIG, FORCEnet, DARPA NICCI, and other sensor/decision maker networking initiatives. The first part of the course is based on the analysis of collaboration in different human organizations and the requirements of agent-based, decision-support architecture. The second part of the course is focused on studies of intelligent agents and multiple-agent architecture. From the beginning of the course, students are involved in hands-on practice with wireless collaborative environments including GPS units, pocket PCs, laptops, and other devices. We start with using the peer-to-peer Groove collaborative tool and NPS agents-facilitators. We later move on to several demonstrations, including the client-server GENOA system implementation for Homeland Security and PACOM POST virtual meetings via the Lotus Same Place System. Prerequisite: None.
IS4201 Enterprise Data Management (4-2) As Required
An elective course that will focus on the technological infrastructure, as well as the management processes, related to the operations and maintenance of enterprise data management systems. Prerequisite: IS3201.
IS4210 Knowledge Superiority (3-0) As Required
This elective course on knowledge superiority integrates theory with practice to help prepare current and future leaders to leverage knowledge and knowing for competitive advantage in learning organizations. Knowing refers to knowledge in action, and is concerned with activities (e.g., decision, behaviors, work) in the organization. Using emerging knowledge-flow theory as its intellectual base, the theoretical part of the course helps professionals understand how knowledge is both critical and unique, and equips them to design effective work processes, organizations, and technologies around knowledge flows. Using real-time cases for group critique, the problem-based learning part of the course examines a diverse set of knowledge-based processes and organizations in operation today, and offers both principles for and experience in identifying strengths and weaknesses. Students also select new or operational knowledge-based processes for evaluation, and work individually as consultants to assess and redesign them around knowledge flows. This course may be offered as an online course. You can view more details at the NPS web site. Prerequisites: IS3201 and IS3301, or IS3302, or equivalent with consent of the instructor.
IS4220 Business Process Reengineering with E-Business Technologies (3-2) Winter/Summer
The focus of this class is on practical application of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) principles and the use of information technology to enable innovative redesigns of core defense processes. BPR principles are a set of heuristics, "rules-of-thumb" that help the analyst accomplish the transformational goals required in dramatically changing core processes to create greater value. The course makes use of process analysis and measurement methodologies to ensure productivity increases as a result of the process redesigns. Prerequisites: IS3200 and IS4031, or consent of the instructor.
IS4300 Software Engineering and Project Management (3-2) Fall/Spring
The objective of this course is to educate the student in areas of great concern to the DoD in the fields of software engineering and management. The course examines both the technological tools of software production as well as the software engineering techniques for software project management. Software testing, metrics, and reliability are also covered. DoD software standards and metrics programs are included. Prerequisites: CS3030 and IS3200 and IS3171 and OS3004.
IS4301 Data Warehousing, Data Mining, and Visualization (4-2) Winter
This elective course is designed to provide students with the basic concepts of data warehousing, data mining, and visualization. The course emphasizes both technical and managerial issues and the implications of these emerging technologies on those issues. The course has a distinctly "real-world" and DoD orientation that emphasizes application and implementation over design and development. A state-of-the-art system/tool will be used to help students understand and apply the concepts presented in the class. Prerequisites: IS3201 and IS3301 and IS3200, or consent of the instructor.
IS4505 Wireless Networking (3-2) Winter/Summer
This course provides students with wireless networking fundamentals essential to design, install, administer, and support IEEE 802.11-compliant wireless networks. The course content and format is aligned with the Planet3 Wireless Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) Official Study Guide. Students who successfully complete this course will be prepared to take the CWNA certification exam. Prerequisites: IS3502 or CS3502 and EO3502, or consent of the instructor.
IS4520 Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World (4-0) Spring
This course introduces system dynamics modeling for the analysis of organizational policy and strategy. Students will learn to visualize an organization in terms of the structures and policies that create dynamics and regulate performance. The goal is to use the analysis and modeling techniques of system dynamics to improve their understanding of how complex organizational structures drive organizational performance, and then to use that understanding to design high-leverage interventions to achieve organizational goals. We use computer-based simulations to model long-term side effects of decisions, systematically explore new strategies, and develop our understanding of complex systems (analogous to the "flight simulators" that pilots use to learn about the dynamics of flying an aircraft). Prerequisite: None.
IS4550 Internet Appliances and Me-Centric Computing (3-2) Winter
In the next decade, computing as we know it will be radically transformed around highly personalized devices that know their users, know how to get work done, and can interact with billions of devices and services over the Internet. Computing empires built up on traditional OSI 7-level stacks will lose their preeminence. In the emerging new world of Internet appliances, the center of the universe will become the individual and products will be built around knowledge of how to serve that user. Billions more people will gain access to computing power this way, and our daily experience will shift from endless efforts to tame incomprehensible software products to being masters of a universe of appliances and services that aim to please. This transition is inevitable, because hyper-complex technology isn't welcomed or assimilated fast enough, and pressures exist to find better paths to market. The clear path for powerful technology is to reach many more customers through a radical simplification of what customers must do to employ it. This revolution is underway now, and it will fundamentally alter the landscape for IT, IT management, and strategic uses of technology. The course will look into various technologies including personalization, services, wireless communications, Internet (including IP v. 6), and identity services that are driving the changes. Student projects will create Me-Centric innovations pertinent to their domains of interest. Prerequisite: None.
IS4700 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (3-2) Winter
This course is designed to help prepare the prospective Ph.D. in Information Sciences candidate to engage in original research. The focus will be on understanding the underpinnings of doing science by studying the work of modern philosophers of science. The course will review the epistemologies (economic, behavioral, physics-based, and general systems-based) serving as a scaffolding for the development of original theory development in the field of IS. The characteristic features of the received view, hypothetico-deductive formalism will be reviewed, along with the modern challenges to this framework. The distinction between the instrumental-realist positions will be examined in light of its implications for theory development in IS. Students should understand the requirements for theory generation in terms of the underlying assumptions of given epistemic perspectives as a result of taking this course. Prerequisite: None.
IS4710 Qualitative Methods for Research (3-2) Winter
Qualitative Methods for research will be explored in this course. Quantitative research methods are powerful, but not all research questions and settings are amenable to such methods. In particular, early stage exploratory research (e.g., "how" and "why" questions), studies in which the phenomena of interest are intertwined with their contexts (e.g., where people, technology, and organizations interact), investigations of individual and small-group behaviors (e.g., leaders, project teams, user groups), understanding rare and idiosyncratic events (e.g., catastrophes, new technology introductions, organizational changes), and research in which potential sample sizes are small, or measures cannot be operationalized practically, are all candidates for qualitative research methods. Additionally, combining qualitative and quantitative methods represents a compelling tactic for triangulation through data analysis. In this course, students learn to appreciate when qualitative research methods are appropriate, and they gain both theoretical and experiential knowledge about how to employ such methods. Prerequisite: None.
IS4720 Quantitative Methods for Research (3-2) Summer
This course equips IS doctoral students with the quantitative methods necessary to support dissertation research, using real-world project data and case studies. Topics include: defining research objectives, formulating and testing hypotheses, designing experiments, developing analytic and simulation models, collecting data, analyzing data, validating models, using quantitative software tools, and presenting results in written and oral reports. Prerequisite: None.
IS4730 Design of Experiments for Research (3-2) Fall
Design of experiments for Ph.D. students. Prerequisites: IS4700 and IS4710 and IS4720.
IS4790 Research Seminar for Ph.D. Students (0-3) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Research seminar for students in the IS Ph.D. program. Prerequisite: None.
IS4800 Directed Study in Information Sciences (V-V) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Directed study of selected areas of information science to meet the needs of the individual student. Intended primarily to permit students to pursue in-depth subjects not fully covered in formal class work or thesis research. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and department chairman. Grading on Pass/Fail basis or standard grading criteria are both available.
IS4925 Special Topics in Information Systems (V-V) Summer
Special topics courses are first-run courses that are intended to gauge student response and interest. After a course has run once, if successful, it will be submitted to the academic council for final approval. Prerequisite: None.
IS4926 Network Operating Centers (4-0) Winter
The course provides analytical background for implementing telecommunications management systems and integrating management infrastructure into the information grid design. It targets operations support for GIG, terrestrial, satellite, and mobile wireless network operation centers. The course combines classroom activities with research and design experience in telecommunication networks configuration, fault, and performance management. In the center of analytical work is the project-based study of management functions and information models for SNMP MIBs, TMN, and architectures. The advanced study issues include an introduction to knowledge-based management and intelligent agent technology. The applications target the needs of GIG operations, C4ISR networks management, Joint Experimentation, Fusion Centers, and Network Operation Centers environment. They employ features of LAN/WAN networks, ATM networks, PCS networks, satellite/wireless networks, UAV, HALO, and other platforms. During the course work, students will gain basic knowledge of several commercial telecommunications management systems used by the NOCs: Spectrum, HP Open View, Tivoli, Unicenter TNG, Micro Muse, etc. The classroom, studies, and projects teamwork are facilitated by the on-line distributed learning and shared electronic workspace environment. Prerequisite: None.
IS4927 Special Topics in Information Systems II (V-V) Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer
Special topics courses are first run courses that are intended to gauge student response and interest. After a course has run once, if successful, it will be submitted to the academic council for final approval. Prerequisite: None.
IS5810 Dissertation Research (0-8) As Required
Dissertation research for doctoral studies. Required in the quarter following advancement to candidacy and then continuously each quarter until dissertation is approved by the Academic Council.
Place-holder. Do not remove.
IW0001 Seminar Series for IW Students (0-2) As Required
Seminar series for IW students. Prerequisite: None.
IW0810 Thesis Research for IW Students (0-8) As Required
Thesis research work for IW students. Prerequisite: None.
IW3101 Introduction to Information Warfare (4-1) As Required
This course provides a survey of IO along the time line of peace, to conflict, and back to cessation of hostilities in the joint/coalition environment. All of the elements associated with IO, known as "core capabilities," and previously known as "The Pillars of IO," are covered including PSYOP, Military Deception, Operational Security (OPSEC), Computer Network Operations (Computer Network Attack/Defense/Exploitation), and Electronic Warfare (EW). An introduction to the fields of study that form the foundation of IO are provided. Foundation topics include military-civilian relationships, human cognition and decision making, the OODA loop, command and control structures, legal issues and considerations in IO, computer and network attack/defense, the joint planning process, and intelligence support to IO. Prerequisite: None. Classification: SECRET; U.S. Citizenship.
IW3301 IW Influence Modeling (3-2) As Required
This course explores influence models and analysis in support of military requirements. Students will learn the strengths and weaknesses of modeling techniques as applied to information operations, how to determine whether an influence model is appropriate for use, and how to evaluate the utility of various models and modeling techniques. The student will become familiar with the process of designing, constructing, and applying influence models within the context of information operations. Prerequisites: IW3101 or IO3100, and OS2100 (or equivalent); or consent of the instructor.
IW3502 Information Warfare Networks (4-2) Summer
IW3920 Information Warfare Targeting (3-2) Spring
This course describes the joint targeting process as it applies to information warfare attack. Network node attack, time critical targeting, weapon system characteristics, C2W attack, attack damage assessment, and directed energy weapons are discussed. Hard kill versus Soft kill methods are compared. Prerequisite: None. Classification: SECRET.
IW3921 IO Targeting I (2-0) As Required
This course describes the joint targeting process as it applies to information warfare. Targeting will be discussed in reference to the core competencies of information warfare as well as supporting and ancillary competencies. Specific areas of discussions will include: the joint planning process, network centric warfare, links and nodes analysis for target selection, effects-based targeting, time-critical targeting, information warfare systems characteristics, intelligence requirements for analysis and damage/effects assessment, and lethal versus non-lethal options. This course is conducted at the unclassified level utilizing open-source information. Prerequisite: IW3101 or IO3100 or consent of the instructor.
IW3922 IO Targeting II (2-0) As Required
This course is taught in conjunction with IW3921 and explores the practical application of IW targeting concepts as described for IW3921 through lecture and laboratory work. Prerequisite: IW3101 or IO3100 or by consent of the instructor; Concurrently: IW3921. Classification: This course is conducted at the SECRET level.
IW4301 Advanced Topics in Influence Modeling (4-0) Summer
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop an Influence Model and to use this model to conduct analysis in support of actual military requirements. Students will design, construct, and analyze Influence Models in collaboration with fellow students. Work completed as part of this course may be included in one or more Naval Postgraduate School Technical Reports. Each project may be briefed to appropriate senior DoD leadership as well, if deemed suitable for such briefings by the instructor. Students must have access to a United States Government computer network and have access to "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) data. SECRET-level work may be conducted as well by special arrangement with the instructor. Prerequisite: IW3301.
IW4500 Information Warfare Systems Engineering (3-2) Spring
This course applies Systems Engineering Principles to design an Information Warfare System. Project teams will develop an Information Warfare System from requirements determination through and including preliminary design. The five pillars of Information Warfare will be used in the design process, including information security considerations. Lectures will discuss both Systems Engineering principles and Information Warfare concepts. Prerequisite: IW3101
IW4800 Directed Study for IW Students (V-V) As Required
Directed Study for IW/EW students. Credit hours are variable and must be chosen on a case-by-case basis. Prerequisite: None.
IW4925 Special Topics in Information Warfare (V-V) Summer
Special topics courses are first-run courses that are intended to gauge student response and interest. After a course has run once, if successful, it will be submitted to the academic council for final approval. Prerequisite: None.
IW4950 Advanced Information Warfare Systems (3-2) Fall
This course examines the use of modern EW systems in support of information warfare operations. Modern EW systems studied include IDECM, Towed FO decoys, AIEWS, MAWS, ASPJ, Advanced Standoff Jammers, Stand-in Jamming, DECM, and Situational Awareness. Advanced topics, including stealth, directed energy weapons, modern threats, GPS jamming, Hard kill/Soft kill interactions, MASINT, and DRFM systems, are discussed. The laboratory includes visits to EW manufacturers and invited lecturers on advanced topics. Prerequisite: None. Classification: SECRET.
IW4960 Advanced Information Warfare Systems (3-2) Winter
The characteristics and performance of modern EW systems are discussed. Course topics include: the Advanced Radar Threat, Architecture and Technology of EA systems, EA against modern radar systems, Noise and DECM EA systems, DDS and DRFMs, characteristics of modern ES systems, Expendables and Towed Decoys, directed energy systems, and stealth principles. Prerequisite: EO4612 or consent of the instructor.
Program Manager
Lawrence G. Shattuck, Ph.D.
Code OR, Glasgow Hall, Room 234
(831) 656-2473, DSN 756-2473
FAX: (831) 656-2595
Brief Overview
The Human Systems Integration Certificate program is a distributed learning, graduate-level, non-degree program designed to enable acquisition professionals, program managers, engineers and scientists of the DoD to effectively implement Human Systems Integration (HSI) as required by the DoD.
Students will learn the fundamentals in applying usability assessments, modeling, optimization, and decision making to demonstrate cost-benefit trade-offs for technical, cost, and schedule modifications in systems acquisition.
The program consists of four online courses taken over a 12 month period. The course content and projects address problems of interest to the DoD.
Requirements for Entry
A baccalaureate degree with above average grades and an academic profile code of 345.
Entry Dates
Spring quarter.
Program Length
Four quarters.
Graduate Certificate Requirements
Requirements for the certificate are met by successful completion of all four courses, in succession.
Required Courses
OA3411 |
Introduction to Human Systems Integration |
(3-0) |
OA3412 |
Human Systems Integration in the Department of Defense Acquisition Lifecycle |
(3-0) |
OA3413 |
Human Systems Integration Tools, Tradeoffs, and Processes |
(3-1) |
OA4414 |
Human Systems Integration Case Studies and Applications |
(4-0) |
Program Manager
Steven J. Iatrou
Code IW/Is, Glasgow West, Room 3011
(831) 656-3770, DSN 756-3770
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
The Information Systems and Operations (ISO) academic certificate program is designed to provide DoD personnel with an opportunity to obtain advanced education in the operational arts supporting Information Operations via asynchronous web-based media. The four courses in the ISO program represent the foundation on which modern warfare is built: Command and Control, Space Operations, Network Operations, and Information Operations. This four-course sequence is also the bedrock of all operations-oriented, NETWARCOM-sponsored curricula at the Naval Postgraduate School: Information Systems and Operations; Information Warfare; Information Systems and Technology; Joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence; Computer Science; and Space Systems Operations.
The ISO academic certificate provides the fundamental education needed to achieve information superiority, thus enabling full spectrum dominance in the information and cognitive domains. The actions associated with information operations are wide-ranging—from physical destruction to psychological operations to cyber operations.
The ISO academic certificate is provided through asynchronous web-based media (i.e., the internet) because DoD recognizes that this education should be available to their personnel regardless of geographic limitations. So, if students have access to the internet, they have access to tools necessary to help meet U.S. national security objectives in the information domain.
All courses in the ISO academic certificate are graduate-level courses carrying full NPS academic credit. They provide the baseline for advanced education in operationally essential disciplines. As such, they do not carry graduate prerequisite requirements; however, you must have demonstrated academic proficiency through completion of a baccalaureate degree program.
Requirements for Entry
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission.
Entry Date
At the beginning of any quarter in the academic year (January, April, July, October). These courses may be taken in any sequence and they need not be taken all in the same academic year.
Program Length
Four quarters.
ISO Academic Certificate Requirements
To earn the ISO academic certificate you must pass all four courses with a C+ (2.3 Quality Point Rating (QPR)) or better in each course and an overall QPR of 3.0 or better. Students earning grades below these standards will need to retake the courses to bring their grades within standards or they will be withdrawn from the program.
Program Sponsors/Advisors
OPNAV N6, Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC)
Required Courses
CC3000 Introduction to Command and Control
IO3100 Introduction to Information Operations
IS3502 Fundamentals of Networks: LAN/WAN
SS3011 Space Technology and Applications
Program Manager
Steven J. Iatrou
Code IW/Is, Glasgow West, Room 3011
(831) 656-3770, DSN 756-3770
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
The IST academic certificate provides education in the fundamentals of information systems technology. This education is essential to helping the U.S. military reach information superiority in the operational environment. It also offers advanced education in areas essential to enabling global networked communications, including: databases, systems analysis and design, decision support systems, and network security.
The IST academic certificate is provided through asynchronous Web-based media (i.e., the Internet) because DoD recognizes that this education should be available to their personnel regardless of geographic limitations. If you have access to the Internet, you have access to tools necessary to help meet U.S. national security objectives in the information domain.
All courses in the IST academic certificate are graduate-level courses carrying full NPS academic credit. They provide the baseline for advanced education in essential disciplines in information technology. As such, they do not carry graduate prerequisite requirements; however, you must have demonstrated academic proficiency through completion of a baccalaureate degree program.
Requirements for Entry
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission.
Entry Date
Program entry dates are at the beginning of any quarter in the academic year (January, April, July, October). These courses may be taken in any sequence.
Program Length
Four quarters.
IST Academic Certificate Requirements
To earn the IST academic certificate students must pass all four courses with a C+ (2.3 Quality Point Rating (QPR)) or better in each course and an overall QPR of 3.0 or better. Students earning grades below these standards will need to retake the courses to bring their grades within standards or they will be withdrawn from the program.
Program Sponsors/Advisors
Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), Navy Information Professional Center of Excellence (IPCOE), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC)
Required Courses
CS2006 An Introduction to Information Systems Security
IS3200 Fundamentals of Systems Analysis and Design
IS3201 Fundamentals of Database Management Systems
IS3301 Fundamentals of Decision Support Systems
Program Manager
Steven J. Iatrou
Code IW/Is, Glasgow West, Room 3011
(831) 656-3770, DSN 756-3770
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
This program has been designed to enhance students' knowledge of and productivity in the Navy's information technology fields. The courses are Web-based and will be delivered entirely online. They provide an introduction to the field of Information Technology Management and the functions and responsibilities of the information technology manager.
The programming course meets DoN's IT21 mandated standard, as a high-level, event-driven, object-oriented, programming language. Course emphasis is on planning, program development, graphical user interfaces, rapid prototyping, program construction, data types, operations, control flow, arrays, records, file I/O, database access, and event-driven OOP structures.
A fundamentals course focuses on the basics of computer networking. Since networking is an underpinning to our technology-driven forces, understanding the basics of computer networking is important to any technology professional interested in building a solid technology understanding, and is an essential precursor to other courses in the Information Systems and Information Technology arenas.
All courses in the eFIST academic certificate are undergraduate-level courses carrying full NPS academic credit. They provide the baseline for advanced education in essential disciplines in information technology.
Requirements for Entry
A bachelor's degree is not required. There are no prerequisites.
Entry Date
Contact the Program Manager.
Program Sponsors/Advisors
Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), Navy Information Professional Center of Excellence (IPCOE), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC)
Required Courses
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Introduction to |
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Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming using Microsoft Visual Basic |
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Network Fundamentals |
Program Manager
Mark E. Nissen, Ph.D.
Code 06/IS, Glasgow West
Room 2006
(831) 656-3570, DSN 756-3570
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
Knowledge is hailed widely as one of the very few, sustainable sources of competitive advantage for organizations in the Information Age. But knowledge is distributed unevenly through the enterprise, clumping noticeably in particular people, organizations, locations, and times of application. Getting knowledge to flow—from where and when it is located to where and when it is needed for action—represents an essential aspect of knowledge-based competition.
However, knowledge is distinct from information and data, and competing on a knowledge basis requires more than just setting up high-bandwidth computer networks, shunting great volumes of data bits around the world, and making large online information repositories broadly accessible. Although such network, data, and information steps are important for knowledge flows, they are clearly insufficient. Rather, flows of knowledge build upon flows of network signals, data, and information, as knowledge—particularly tacit, experiential knowledge—resides principally in the minds of people and the routines of organizations. Hence, competing on a knowledge basis involves more than technology: it requires deft integration of people, processes, organizations, and technologies alike. This pushes knowledge-based competition beyond the limited, technical realm of many information sciences, and makes it a relatively challenging, but quintessentially effective basis for sustainable competitive advantage. The study of Knowledge Superiority focuses precisely on such sustainable, knowledge-based, competitive advantage.
The Knowledge Superiority Track develops and builds upon technical systems understanding in networks, databases, systems analysis, decision support systems, and like subjects, to develop a higher level design capability in students. To wit, students learn more than designing only technical systems: they learn to integrate such technical system designs into socio-technical system designs, the latter of which include people, processes, and organizations, in addition to technology. This higher level design capability enables graduates to escape the relatively narrow confines of purely technological jobs, and to support direct knowledge flows, attention focusing, and decision making at the highest levels of the military and government.
The Knowledge Superiority academic certificate is provided through asynchronous, Web-based media (i.e., the Internet) because DoD recognizes that this education should be available to their personnel regardless of geographic limitations. So, if students have access to the Internet, they have access to the tools necessary to help meet U.S. national security objectives in the information domain. All courses in the Knowledge Superiority academic certificate program are graduate-level courses carrying full NPS academic credit.
Requirements for Entry
Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission and have completed fundamental college-level courses in databases and computer networks.
Program Length
Four Quarters
KS Academic Certificate Requirements
To earn the KS academic certificate you must pass all four courses with a C+ (2.3 Quality Point Rating (QPR)) or better in each course and an overall QPR of 3.0 or better. Students earning grades below these standards will need to retake the courses to bring their grades within standards or they will be withdrawn from the program.
Program Sponsors/Advisors
Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC)
Required Courses
The curriculum consists of two core courses and two electives.
Core Courses:
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Issues in Defense Knowledge & Information Management |
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Knowledge Superiority* |
Elective Courses:
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Command Control Communication Computer and Intelligence Systems in DoD |
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Introduction to Information Systems Security |
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Information Operations |
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Fundamentals of Systems Analysis and Design |
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Fundamentals of Database Management Systems |
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Computer-Based Tools for Decision Support |
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Fundamentals of Database and Decision Support |
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Computer Networks: Wide Area/Local Area (Intro to Information Systems Networks) |
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Enterprise Database Management |
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Data Warehousing, Mining & Visualization |
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Space Technology and Applications |
Program Officer
Karl D. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., Lt Col, USAF
Code 39, Glasgow West, Room 3010
(831) 656-3635, DSN 756-3635
FAX (831) 656-3679
Academic Associate and
Steven J. Iatrou
Code IW/Is, Glasgow West, Room 3011
(831) 656-3770, DSN 756-3770
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
Our armed forces must be prepared to "win" across the full range of military operations in any part of the world, to operate with multinational forces, and to coordinate military operations, as necessary, with government agencies and international organizations. This requires a Total Force composed of well-educated, motivated, and competent people who can adapt to the many demands of future joint and coalition missions. The ability of the joint force to reach this full spectrum of dominance rests on information superiority as a key enabler, and our capacity for innovation.
Information operations are essential to achieving information superiority, thus enabling full spectrum dominance. The actions associated with information operations are wide-ranging—from physical destruction to psychological operations to computer network defense. The task of integrating information operations with other joint force operations is complicated by the need to understand the many variables involved, and integrate these variables across the spectrum of conflict, whether facing an adversary during a conflict or engaged in humanitarian relief operations. Achieving this aspect of JV 2020 will require exceptional officers, well versed in information operations and its integration with national security and national military objectives.
Technological innovation must be accompanied by intellectual innovation leading to changes in organization and doctrine. Only then can we reach the full potential of the joint force—decisive capabilities across the full range of military operations. The Naval Postgraduate School graduate studies program in Information Systems and Operations (ISO) provides the education necessary to meet the Chairman's vision and answer the call for officers capable of conducting experimentation, analysis, and conceptual thought in the arena of information operations.
All of the curricular programs at the Naval Postgraduate School take you far beyond the level of proficiency achieved in standardized training programs. NPS educates individuals and enables them to take the U.S. Armed Forces far beyond present capabilities, and ensures domination in all dimensions of the present and future operational environment.
Be advised: The ISO curriculum is not for everyone. The ISO matrix of courses is designed to provide the United States with officers capable of exploiting all elements of national power to reach our national security objectives: officers capable of operating in all dimensions of the operational environment, including: physical, informational, and psychological (cognitive). This is an 18-month curriculum balancing operational and technical courses and the full series of JPME Phase I courses—it is intense and will require the students' highest level of commitment to succeed.
Requirements for Entry
A baccalaureate degree or the equivalent resulting in an academic profile code (APC) of at least 334 is required for acceptance into the program. Students not meeting the minimum APC may be considered for acceptance after satisfactorily completing a refresher course in calculus or advanced mathematics. Eligibility for TOP SECRET security clearance with access to SPECIAL COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION (SCI) is also required.
Entry Date
Information Systems and Operations is a six-quarter course of study with an entry date in September. If further information is needed, contact the Academic Associate or Program Officer for this curriculum.
Degree
Requirements for the Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations degree are met en route to satisfying the Educational Skill Requirements established by the sponsor for the curricular program. These requirements are met by completing the approved matrix of courses and phase I JPME.
Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations
The Master of Science in Information Systems and Operations degree will be awarded at the completion of the appropriate interdisciplinary program in accordance with the following degree requirements:
Subspecialty
Completion of this curriculum qualifies a Navy officer as an Information Systems and Operations Subspecialist with a subspecialty code of 6100P. Other services have analogous coding. The curriculum sponsor is COMNAVNETWARCOM.
Typical Subspecialty Jobs
CO/XO, Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station/Master Station
Staff /Fleet Communications Officer, Numbered Fleets
Operations Officer (CG/DDG)
ADP Plans Readiness Assessment Officer
Systems Officer, Director Strategic Systems Procedure
Systems Officer, SPAWARSYSCOM
Chief Information Officer, Numbered Fleets
Staff Officer
Information Assessment Officer, Defense Agencies
Typical Course of Study
Quarter 1
Information Assurance: Introduction to Computer Security |
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Mathematics for Information Sciences, Systems and Operations |
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Introduction to Information Warfare |
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Strategy & Policy: The American Experience (JPME) |
Quarter 2
Telecommunications and Systems Engineering |
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Fundamentals of Networks: LAN/WAN |
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MN3154 |
Financial Management in the Armed Forces |
Statistics for Technical Management |
Quarter 3
Introduction to Command and Control |
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Information Systems Economics |
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Warfare in the Information Age |
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IW3301 |
Influence Modeling |
Quarter 4
Information Operations Planning and Targeting |
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Fundamentals of Database and Decision Support Systems |
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Advanced Influence Modeling |
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Thesis Research |
Quarter 5
Joint Maritime Operations I (JPME) |
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National Security Decision Making (JPME) |
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Space Technology and Applications |
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Thesis Research |
Quarter 6
Joint Maritime Operations II (JPME) |
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Enterprise Architecture |
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Thesis Research |
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Thesis Research |
Educational Skill Requirements
Information Systems and Operations - Curriculum 356
Subspecialty Code: 6100P
Curriculum Sponsor and ESR Approval Authority
OPNAV N6 and Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command, April 2009.
Program Officer
Karl D. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., Lt Col, USAF
Code 39, Glasgow West, Room 3010
(831) 656-3635, DSN 756-3635
FAX (831) 656-3679
Academic Associate
Ray Elliot
Code 39, Glasgow West, Room 2012
(831) 656-2433, DSN 756-2433
FAX (831) 656-3679
Brief Overview
The Joint C4I curriculum is designed to meet broad educational objectives endorsed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The overall objective is to provide officers and DoD civilian equivalents, through graduate education, with a comprehensive operational and technical understanding of the field of C4I systems as applied to joint and combined military operations at the national and unified command levels. The program is designed with the following goals: enable indivi