National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE). CAE programs are required to meet specific academic and program requirements, improving the depth of cyber operation programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. FIU was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education through the academic year 2025 and Cyber Defense Research (CAE-R) through the academic year 2024. This designation applies to the bachelor’s in computer engineering with a concentration in Cyber Defense.

The National Security Agency sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program. The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise.

The CAE designated programs must have passed stringent requirements and reviews as well as demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence in the information security field. The requirement for FIU students pursuing a Bachelors in Computer Engineering consist of completing all seven courses in the Cyber Defense concentration and EEL 2880 as part of the core courses in the BS in Computer Engineering.

Completion of all of the courses in the Cyber Defense concentration indicates the eligibility to obtain the CAE Excellence in Cyber Defense Education certificate upon graduation. The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education Program (CAE-CD) has enabled FIU to provide the certificate as an indication of Cyber Defense readiness.

Cyber Defense concentration:
TCN 4211 Telecommunication Networks
TCN 4081 Telecommunication Network Security
EEL 4802 Introduction to Digital Forensics
EEL 4804 Introduction to Malware Reverse Engineering
EEL 4806 Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures
EEL 4730 Programming Embedded Systems
EEL 4734 Embedded Operating Systems

Point of Contact:
Dr. Alexander Perez-Pons
aperezpo@fiu.edu