Cybersecurity is typically conceived as a technical topic. In reality, the topic is multi-
disciplinary, and some aspects of the topic are best understood through a social science lens.
This course addresses the social, political, legal, criminological, and economic dimensions of
cybersecurity through a social science framework. Students are introduced to a human-factors
approach to understanding cybersecurity threats. Attention is given to the social factors that
contribute to cyber incidents and the political and legal mechanisms that are developed to control
the behaviors of those who create risks cybersecurity incidents. The class also explores how
cybersecurity is studied by social scientists in psychology, political science, criminology,
economics, sociology, international studies, and other social science disciplines.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this class, students will be able to:
 Compare how basic psychological, sociological, criminological, political, economic, and
legal theories and models explain cybersecurity
 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of those theories in understanding the connections
between human behaviors and cybersecurity
 Define key concepts including cybersecurity, cybercrime, cyber criminology, cyber law,
digital forensics, human factors, cyber policy, cyber risk, cyber threats, and cyberwar.
 Identify how professionals in various cybersecurity careers apply these multidisciplinary
concepts in their daily routines
 Describe how hypotheses and research questions are formed in studies addressing
cybersecurity through a social science lens
 Describe how data are collected, measured, and analyzed in studies addressing
cybersecurity through a social science lens
 Identify how marginalized groups have confronted challenges and concerns related to
cybersecurity as well as how these groups have contributed to our understanding about
the topic.
 Explain how the application of social science theories, principles, and research strategies
have contributed to our understanding of cybersecurity at the societal level.