Digital Forensics & Cyber Security Program
Hardening The Enterprise Network Course
Creating a Foundational Course in Network Security That Would Teach Foundations and Prepare for Industry Certifications
Methodist University was developing a Digital Forensics & Cyber Security program to introduce students to core concepts in cybersecurity and digital investigation. While the Security Concepts course had a name and a high-level overview, there was no structured curriculum, no defined learning path, and no supporting technology environment for instructors to rely on.
The expectation went beyond simply teaching isolated security topics. The course needed to prepare students for real-world roles while also aligning with industry certification expectations. At the same time, there was no functional environment in place—only physical infrastructure with no configured systems—leaving the entire instructional experience, from design to delivery, undefined.
The course was designed around a business-driven scenario to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. Students were positioned as employees of a fictitious company and were given operational requirements to meet. Their performance in the course was tied to business outcomes, reinforcing accountability and aligning their work to realistic expectations.
Before any content was built, the focus was on defining what students needed to be able to do by the end of the course. Certification exam objectives were reviewed and mapped to identify overlaps, gaps, and key skill areas. In addition, industry professionals were consulted to identify additional competency areas that needed to be included in the course. From this, a refined set of course objectives and a case study focused on a fictitious engineering company was created to guide both instruction and assessment. This ensured the course followed a clear, intentional path aligned to real-world expectations.
The course was structured as a continuation of a prior Networking course, using the existing virtualized environments as the foundation for the learning design. Content was organized to transition from system creation to system protection, ensuring a logical progression of concepts. A sequence of technical activities was developed to guide the application of security controls, vulnerability identification, and remediation strategies. Assignments and assessments were intentionally aligned to these activities to reinforce application, not just understanding. A consistent business use case was embedded into the course design to ensure all components were tied to real-world outcomes.
The course was deployed by reconfiguring the existing infrastructure into a fully virtualized environment that supported consistent, hands-on delivery. Each student was provisioned with an individual client-server network, ensuring the experience could be repeated across cohorts without relying on instructor variation. Delivery expectations were standardized through structured progress reporting, creating a built-in system for accountability and communication. This approach ensured the course could be delivered consistently while reinforcing both technical execution and professional communication.
The result was a fully functional, scalable network environment that supported not only this course, but the broader Digital Forensics & Cyber Security program. This environment enabled multiple courses to incorporate hands-on, real-world activities using consistent infrastructure.
Students were able to move beyond theory and actively apply server security practices, identify vulnerabilities, and implement solutions within their own environments. Just as importantly, they developed the ability to communicate their decisions and progress clearly—an essential skill in any technical role.
The course created a connected learning experience where prior knowledge was reinforced and extended, allowing students to see how foundational concepts evolved into applied skills used in real-world environments.
"Ms. Koncaba puts so much effort into making sure that you not only get the material but that you actually learn it. I am grateful for what she has taught me and the individualized attention that she gave me."
Ashley Blackmon | Harnett County Schools