Cybersecurity & Social Science
Course Overview
Cybersecurity, often viewed as a technical field, is deeply multidisciplinary and benefits significantly from a social science perspective. This course explores cybersecurity’s social, political, legal, criminological, and economic dimensions, emphasizing a human-factors approach to understanding threats. It examines the societal drivers of cyber incidents and the regulatory frameworks addressing risky behaviors. The course also highlights how disciplines such as psychology, criminology, sociology, and international studies contribute to understanding cybersecurity challenges.
Skills and Knowledge Gained
Through this course, I strengthened my ability to analyze cybersecurity issues by considering both technical and human factors. I developed critical thinking skills by evaluating the societal and regulatory contexts of cyber incidents and learned to identify how social, political, and economic factors influence security outcomes. The class also enhanced my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and thoughtfully, particularly when discussing interdisciplinary approaches to cybersecurity challenges.
Application and Perspective
This course helped me understand that cybersecurity is not just about technology—it is also about understanding the people and systems affected by cyber threats. By examining real-world examples of risky behaviors and regulatory responses, I learned to approach security challenges with a more holistic perspective that combines technical understanding with social awareness.
Personal Reflection
CYSE201 reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary thinking in cybersecurity and encouraged me to consider broader societal and behavioral factors when evaluating risks. This perspective will continue to shape my approach to problem-solving and decision-making as I build a career in cybersecurity.
Sample Work & Assignments
Below are examples of my work from CYSE201 that demonstrate my understanding of course concepts and my ability to apply social science perspectives to cybersecurity:
Article Review #1
Article Review #2
Career Paper
This image made me think about how we’re all connected through technology, especially through social media and online platforms. It represents how information—and unfortunately misinformation—can spread quickly from one person to another across the globe. From a social science perspective, it shows how human behavior, communication, and social networks play a big role in cybersecurity. People’s online habits, who they trust, and how they interact with others online can all affect how cyber threats spread and how we respond to them.
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Image Source: QCT College, What Is Social Engineering in Cyber Security? (April 15, 2024), QCT College, https://qctcollege.com/what-is-social-engineering-in-cyber-security/.