This course will provide an introduction to fundamental issues in cyber policy and security. It will focus on the way that cyber issues impact people and organizations across sectors - from government and law to business, tech, and others - and how people and organizations can and should approach the myriad cyber challenges. This is not a technical or computer science course and no technical background nor prerequisites are necessary. In the first part of the course, we will introduce cyber policy and security fundamentals. The second part of the course will explore cyber policy and security aspects related to economics, psychology, law, warfare, international relations, critical infrastructure, privacy, and innovation. The third part of the course will be focused mostly on a number of case studies designed to simulate the challenges faced by policy-makers and executive-level decision makers. This course is heavily discussion-based and so attendance is required. Assignments will consist of three short papers and a take-home final exam. All graduate students are welcome to enroll, especially those in the international policy, law, and business programs. Undergraduate enrollment only by permission of instructor.
4-5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
This course will provide an introduction to fundamental issues in cyber policy and security. It will focus on the way that cyber issues impact people and organizations across sectors - from government and law to business, tech, and others - and how people and organizations can and should approach the myriad cyber challenges. This is not a technical or computer science course and no technical background nor prerequisites are necessary. In the first part of the course, we will introduce cyber policy and security fundamentals. The second part of the course will explore cyber policy and security aspects related to economics, psychology, law, warfare, international relations, critical infrastructure, privacy, and innovation. The third part of the course will be focused mostly on a number of case studies designed to simulate the challenges faced by policy-makers and executive-level decision makers. This course is heavily discussion-based and so attendance is required. Assignments will consist of three short papers and a take-home final exam. All graduate students are welcome to enroll, especially those in the international policy, law, and business programs. Undergraduate enrollment only by permission of instructor.
Offered in Winter 2026 at Stanford University.