Welcome! Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Cybersecurity and International Relations course.
The course is available to students from the College and the Graduate School. Students from undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs throughout Brown can start their study of cybersecurity with this course if they'd like--the course assumes no previous knowledge about the topic, but provides a rigorous learning experience that examines the complexity of the cyber threat landscape and international relations. Advanced cybersecurity students can also benefit from the course and will be able to add a global perspective to their cybersecurity knowledge.
If you're a student at Brown and are interested in taking this course or are currently enrolled in it, please note that we will be utilizing a Canvas course website. This page shares basic information about the course for students at Brown as well as members of the public that might be interested in learning more about the CS Department's cybersecurity course offerings.
Registration Updates
Spring 2025 Registration
You may have read a note in the CSCI 1800 course listing on Courses at Brown which stated, "Enrollment limited to students in the Cybersecurity (SCM) program." This is an error. This course is open to students from throughout the university. The course is also avaiable to remote students such as those studying abroad.
Section 1 of the course has an attendance requirement. Students in this section must attend most class sessions [student can miss up to 4 class sessions without penalty]. Class sessions will be held on Zoom from 3 PM Eastern to 4:20 PM Eastern on Mondays and Wednesdays. Class sessions are interactive and give students opportunities to learn from their classmates.
Section 2 of the course does not have an attendance requirement. Students in Section 2 are strongly encouraged to attend as many class sessions as possible. Section 2 has limited space available. CAB shows an incorrect maximum enrollment number for the section; please do not rely on the number of seats CAB indicates as available.
To qualify for Section 2, students need to demonstrate a good reason for why they cannot attend class sessions regularly. For example, if you are studying abroad and the time zone you will be in makes it difficult to attend class sessions, then Section 2 is a good fit for you. There are many other circumstances that qualify for entry into Section 2 of the course. Please share your reasons via a Section 2 course override request directly in Courses at Brown; please do not send emails about your override request. No other action is necessary--other than completing your registration in CAB if you are granted an override--unless you are emailed by Professor Zaldivar with a request for additional information.
If you are granted an override for either section of the course, please register within 24 hours or your override may be permanently removed.
The first class session will be hosted on January 27th. Please see the announcements section on the course's Canvas webpage for more information.
Course Description
This course examines the role that cybersecurity plays in the relationships of nation state governments. Through interactive discussions, exercises, guest speakers, and readings students examine how international norms, diplomacy, international law, and technology provide a de facto infrastructure for how nation states operate in the cybersecurity domain. This is a writing-designated (WRIT) course.
