The course is designed to provide students with a sound background in structured programming logic and design. These foundational concepts can be applied regardless of which programming languages a student eventually uses to write programs. The demonstration language for programming concepts will be C++. The course covers the key mathematical and logical constructs that are the basis of much programming. Topics include the software development life cycle, particularly the programming phase, structured programming techniques, problem-solving and algorithm development, decision control structures, including selection (IF/CASE) and repetition (looping) structures, variables and arrays, and data structures. Proficiency in Excel is necessary for success in this course.

This course addresses the foundations of cybersecurity, including threats and vulnerabilities as well as the tools, technologies, and strategies used to manage those threats and vulnerabilities.

This course will introduce students to the foundations of modern cryptography with an eye toward practical applications. The course will cover the role of cryptography in privacy topics, such as passwords, privacy in school settings, and privacy in social media platforms.

In this course students will have the opportunity to learn the fundamental concepts, components, infrastructure, as well as security and privacy considerations of cloud computing and virtualization systems. Course activities will address the skills and knowledge necessary to install, configure, and manage virtual environments and how to effectively plan, implement, and manage cloud computing.