BSc in Cybersecurity and Networks

The programme equips students with the theoretical foundations and applied skills needed to protect contemporary information systems and communication networks. The curriculum is organised in three progressive layers: 

• Foundations in programming, computer architecture, operating systems, networking and IoT/wireless communications.
• Core specialization in cryptography and network security; privacy, policy, law and technology; databases; network administration; and network modelling and analysis. 
• Advanced and applied topics including digital forensics, intrusion detection and incident response, distributed systems, secure software development, ethical hacking and penetration testing, research methods, and a final capstone project. 

By graduation, students are able to critically evaluate cybersecurity threats and risks and design appropriate countermeasures for ICT and cyber-physical systems; design and implement cryptographic techniques for data protection; evaluate operational cybersecurity and risk-management policies aligned with ethical and legal standards; apply forensic engineering principles to investigate incidents; and implement end-to-end security across wired, wireless, mobile and IoT networks. 

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-evolving fields in computer science and digital governance, driven by the continuous rise of cyber threats, the complexity of modern information infrastructures, the need for compliance with national and EU regulatory frameworks, and a documented shortage of qualified professionals. The programme directly responds to this demand by preparing graduates for roles such as: 

• Network and security administrator 
• Security architect and security engineer 
• Secure software developer 
• Information security officer / Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) 
• Digital forensics analyst / investigator 
• Data protection officer 
• Information systems auditor 
• Vulnerability assessor and penetration tester 
• Cyber incident responder and cybersecurity risk manager 
• Cyber legal, policy and compliance officer 

The curriculum is also designed to prepare graduates for internationally recognized professional certifications and for postgraduate studies in the same field. 

Drawing on the formal learning outcomes of the programme, students develop four complementary skill groups: 

• Cognitive skills — analysing complex security problems, critically evaluating an organisation's cybersecurity resilience, designing cybersecurity policies against applicable standards, and conducting field research into networking and security solutions. 
• Practical and professional skills — using contemporary design, programming and security tools (including industry-standard tools such as Wireshark); modelling security solutions for wired and wireless networks; structuring and producing expert technical reports on the conception, design and development of security products or policies. 
• Transferable skills — written and oral professional communication, teamwork, time management aligned with professional ethics, independent learning, and reflective problem-solving. 
• Ethical and legal judgement — understanding the social, ethical, legal and policy dimensions of information technology and cybersecurity practice. 

The programme is distinctive in its interdisciplinary breadth. Rather than treating cybersecurity as a narrow technical subfield, it deliberately combines: 

• Technology — networks, wireless and IoT communications, operating systems, distributed systems, cloud computing. 
• Law and policy — through the dedicated ITC 3036 Privacy, Policy, Law and Technology course covering the legal, ethical and regulatory dimensions of cybersecurity. 
• Artificial intelligence — both as a defensive tool (e.g. AI/ML techniques in intrusion detection) and as a new source of risk students must learn to assess. 

This technical core sits within an American-style Liberal Education programme, mandatory for all students, that delivers academic writing, professional communication, character education, and electives across five thematic clusters (Aesthetic Expression; Human Experience in Social, Historical and Cultural Contexts; Society and Community; Environment and Sustainability; The World of Business). Liberal education fosters critical thinking, ethical judgment, intercultural awareness, and the capacity to integrate knowledge across disciplines, capabilities that are increasingly essential for cybersecurity professionals working at the complex intersection of technology, organisations, and society. 

The international dimension is further reinforced by the academic supervision of Roger Williams University (Rhode Island, USA), accredited by NECHE, which gives students access to an internationally recognised degree and to study-abroad and mobility opportunities, while operating in compliance with Greek Law 5094/2024 and Bologna Process principles. High-achieving students may also join the International Honors Program (IHP), an embedded interdisciplinary track requiring a cumulative index of 3.5/4.0. 

Hands-on, applied learning is built into the programme through several complementary mechanisms: 

• ITC 4085 IT Internship — a structured, credit-bearing supervised work-experience course (typically 40–60 hours per US credit) undertaken after the first two years of study. Each student is supported by a Work-Based Learning Coordinator and the Office of Career Services and Alumni, who assist with CV preparation, mock interviews, placement matching, on-site supervision, and progress monitoring via Blackboard. 
• ITC 4949 Capstone Project — a final integrative project, undertaken after completing 60% of the curriculum, in which students design, simulate or evaluate a cybersecurity component or solution for a realistic networking problem, combining field research, iterative development, and professional documentation. 
• Specialized research and training laboratories, including the STEM Lab, the Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory, the SWIFT (Smart Wireless Future Technologies) Research Lab, the Cybersecurity Research Laboratory, and dedicated Computer Labs — providing the environment for laboratory courses, undergraduate research, and supervised thesis work. 
• Industry-facing events — annual seminars and conferences such as Security Day and Career Day, guest lectures from senior industry professionals, technical projects, simulations and case studies that connect classroom learning to real professional scenarios. 
• Faculty research integration — courses are taught by faculty actively engaged in cybersecurity, AI, telecommunications and signal-processing research (e.g. with affiliations to NCSR "Demokritos" and previous experience at CentraleSupélec, Trinity College Dublin, and EURECOM), ensuring that cutting-edge research feeds directly into teaching. 

Together, these elements give graduates a balanced profile of theoretical depth, applied technical capability, professional readiness, and exposure to state-of-the-art technologies, a combination that the field's evolution increasingly demands.