Keeping computer systems secure is one of the most important challenges of our time. Heriot-Watt has created a programme which teaches the theory, methods and tools of computer network security. It’ll give you the knowledge to help you keep networks safe from attacks and threats by hostile parties, plus the skills to formulate policies, deploy network security solutions and validate their effectiveness. The course also offers a detailed understanding of contemporary issues in network security research areas. Our masters in Network Security is ideally suited for honours graduates with an IT background.
The full-time Network Security masters starts in mid September and lasts one year. The course can also be taken part-time over two years, or as a nine month Postgraduate Diploma.
Core Courses:
Optional Courses:
8 taught courses (4 mandatory + 4 optional) plus a dissertation
For more detailed information on this programme or the opportunity to talk directly with one of our programme director's please email: [email protected] " target="_blank">[email protected]
This programme is suitable for both newcomers to computer security and computer forensics and practitioners who wish to further their skills. It covers relevant skills, software and hardware technologies, and the more theoretical studies that underpin everyday practice. It ensures that students have a basic understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements and the international standards pertaining to computer security in different nations.
Students gain knowledge of computer crime, police and forensic methods, and the legal requirements for collecting evidence.
At the end of the programme, students are able to administer and configure business-critical distributed applications. They also gain an understanding of the threats to business networks and servers.
The programme includes hands-on training in current forensic tools as used by the police. Students can therefore contribute quickly to the well-being of corporate IT and informational assets.
Through our short course centre opportunity may also be provided to study for the following professional qualifications: Certified Ethical Hacker (EC-Council); EnCase Computer Forensics, Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment.
The availability of some courses is subject to satisfying constraints that may come into effect in the year of entry. In addition, some options are negotiable, indicating that a course selection will need to be approved prior to the student undertaking the requested option.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Year 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are assessed through examinations, coursework and a project.
This programme is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS). On successful graduation from this degree, the student will have fulfilled the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and partially fulfilled the education requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Chartered Scientist (CSci). For a full Chartered status there are additional requirements, including work experience. The programme also has accreditation from the European Quality Assurance Network for Informatics Education (EQANIE).
Upon successful completion of this programme, students will be proficient in computer security and systems security and are in a position to follow careers in system development and administration where knowledge of security and forensics will be an asset or work in a range of specialist roles including: forensics investigators, security consultants or network management specialists.
Study computer and information systems security on a course that combines academic teaching, industry input and practical skills development.
The course has four main focuses
This course is ideal if you are already working in an information technology environment or if you wish to specialise in the field of information security. After successfully completing it, you gain industry-recognised certifications that will assist you in progressing further in this field.
You focus on both the technical and managerial aspects of information security. The technically-focused modules involve you exploring a range of systems, tools and techniques at the cutting edge of technology. The managerial-focused modules give you an appreciation of the role information security has in an organisation and how it can be implemented and managed.
On this course you
Free training and certification exam
Thanks to our association with BSI Learning, you are entitled to attend the BSI ISO27001 Lead Auditor course and take the official exam which allows you to become accredited as a BSI certified lead auditor.
Our ethical hacking module is aligned with the CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) syllabus providing graduates with industry recognised and desired skills.
BSI lead auditor qualification
• ISO27001 Lead Auditor
BSI courses are delivered by approved BSI trainers and qualified ISO27001 lead auditors. As part of the course you receive the same course material as the official BSI training courses.
Guest Speakers from industry
Due to our strong ties with industry we regularly have special guest speakers. Recent speakers have included industry professionals from Mozilla, South Yorkshire Police, RSA and Blackberry.
Ethical Hacking
In 2014 Sheffield Hallam hosted the North of England's first Ethical Hacking Conference Steelcon. This is set to be an annual event with 2015's event already booked.
We developed this course along two main lines.
The first covers the principles and issues of security design concerning systems and systems integration, web and operating system based applications and communication networks.
The second addresses the methodologies and development of skills required to perform security assessments of complex information systems.
Semester one modules
Semester two modules
Options
Semester three modules
You study research methods and do a substantial research project leading to a dissertation.
Group and individual coursework. You also do a range of
On this course, you gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to work in many different positions, from technical to management roles.
The Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP) has highlighted the following specialisms in the area.
Strategy, policy, governance
• strategist • policy manager • information technology services officer (ITSO) • department security officer (DSO) • chief information security officer (CISO)
Risk management, verification and compliance
• risk analyst • risk assessor • business information security officer • reviewer • auditor
Incident and threat management and response
• incident manager • threat manager • forensics (computer analyst, mobile and network analyst) • computer security incident response team (CSIRT) • attack investigator • malware analyst • penetration tester • disaster recovery • business continuity
Operations and security management
• network security officer • systems security officer • information security officer • crypto custodian • information manager
Engineering, architecture and design
• architect • designer • development • secure coding • software design and development • applications development • security tools • implementation
Education, training and awareness
• security programme manager
Research
• security researcher
Successful graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies such as HSBC, Citrix, and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
This masters degree course in Cyber Security is being offered by the School of Computing and Engineering and has been developed in response to a high demand for cyber security professionals with systematic understanding of the principles and technologies underpinning today's IT systems.
The School of Computing and Engineering has partnered with leaders within the security industry to provide you with a course which will enable you to gain comprehensive knowledge and critical skills in computer security. This course will enable you to pursue a career as a cyber security professional in either the public or the private sector.
This course is offered with a 6 months internship. The internship on the course will allow you to gain first hand work experience within the industry, it will enable you to improve and acquire new skills. Throughout the internship you will be encourages to explore various career opportunities, network and work with others as part of a team. It will also enhance your understanding of the world and what constitutes professional practice in the workplace.
In today’s digital world cyber security plays an integral role, people trained in this field are greatly sought after and the course is designed to meet the huge market demand for cyber security professionals. Partnering with leading security industry, this course combines theory and practice, balancing cutting-edge security technologies and solutions with concepts and principles of cyber security.
The course aims to develop your ability to analyse the legal, social, ethical and professional issues involved in the human aspects of cyber security and be guided by the adoption of appropriate professional, ethical and legal practices.
The course aims to develop your critical skills and techniques to appropriately solve typical cyber security problems, enabling you to choose from a range of security related jobs/roles in a rapidly evolving and diverse environment.
This course provides routes into a diverse range of career opportunities in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry and in organisations that are data and knowledge intensive. Employers require information security officers at all levels including:
You will have access to laboratories and dedicated ICT suites with specialist networks and software as well as excellent resources for study space and meetings.
Optional Modules:
The security industry includes government and law enforcement as well as providers of equipment and services, such as the:
The School of Computing and Engineering also has a growing research and enterprise culture with thirty PhD students as well as a diversity of research groups.
Outstanding graduates can continue their studies at the level of MPhil and PhD at UWL.
Click the following link for information on how to apply to this course.
Information about scholarships and bursaries can be found here.
Developed in conjunction with Deloitte UK, our Cyber Security MSc provides you with knowledge of the very latest cyber security principles, practices, tools and techniques. The programme is provisionally certified by GCHQ, taught by a team of specialist staff in purpose-built cyber security computer laboratories. The involvement of the Industrial Advisory Group (Airbus, BT, Deloitte UK and Rolls-Royce) in designing the course and supporting its delivery and development ensures the teaching remains current and supportive of the real challenges cyber security specialists face in the rapidly changing cyber domain. You will gain a holistic perspective of cyber security, including the underpinning technology of the cyber domain and the role of linguistics, psychology and sociology in dealing with new cyber challenges. If you are interested in a challenging and worthwhile career in a rapidly expanding and vitally important area of computing then this is the course for you.
• Taught by Industry Experts
developed and delivered in collaboration with cyber security professional from Deloitte and DMU teaching staff you will gain the knowledge and skills in the latest cyber security principles, practices and tools
• Purpose built Cyber Security Centre
access to our dedicated Computer Security and Forensics laboratories will give you the opportunity to work in industry standard facilities which will allow you to develop and enhance your skills in cyber security
• Specialise your learning to your area of interest
combine modules from across Cyber Security, Cyber Technology, Digital Forensics and Software Engineering, allowing you to tailor the course to your areas of interest
• Industry placement opportunity
you can chose to undertake a yearlong placement opportunity gaining valuable experience and skills as well as networking opportunities to build your industry contacts
• Graduate prospects
employed as cyber security specialists in a range of roles within organisations including IBM, Deloitte, Airbus and BT
• Foundations of Cyber Security
• Cyber Threat Intelligence
• Host and Network Security
• Penetration Testing and Incident Response
• Cyber Engineering
• Digital Forensics Principles and Practice
• Malware Analysis
• Legal, Ethical and Professional Practice
• Cyber Security Project/Dissertation
Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. A strong emphasis is given to real world problems. Assessment is by a combination of coursework, projects and laboratory-based assessments.
You will be taught and supported by experts in cyber security including staff from DMU's Cyber Security Centre, as well as professionals from Deloitte. We will need to expand on this later on when we can get more info from academics
The time allocated to study is around 30 hours per week, carried out in block teaching.
The course teams within the Cyber Security Centre have unrivalled expertise in cyber security. The team includes former Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) of large telecommunications companies, internet banks and cloud service providers, an ex vice president of one of the largest cyber security companies in the world, information assurance specialists with extensive experience working in various UK defence organisations, leading digital forensics experts and respected government advisors. Several of the team are regular media commentators on forensics and security. Professional input throughout the course will come from Deloitte and their cyber security professionals.
The Cyber Security Laboratories are among the best equipped facilities of this type in the UK. Developed in consultation with leaders in the industry, they are designed to meet the highest forensics and security standards.
The laboratories contain 65 high-spec, specially customised PCs configured with multiple operating systems, virtualisation and removable hard drives, as well as specialised servers, wired and wireless networking equipment and a wide variety of other hardware and software components.
The laboratories are also the base for our Cyber Security Centre (CSC), a multidisciplinary group of academics and industry experts who focus on a wide variety of cyber security and digital forensics issues. Their mission is to provide the full benefits to all of a safe, secure and resilient cyberspace.
The laboratories play a vital role in the group's research and development work. Whether you are a first year undergraduate or a PhD student, within the laboratories you will be working with the latest tools and techniques at the forefront of computer forensics and security research.
To learn more about this course and DMU, visit our website:
Postgraduate open days: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/open-evenings/postgraduate-open-days.aspx
Applying for a postgraduate course:
Funding for postgraduate students:
The creation, transmission and storage of huge volumes of electronic data is one of the defining features of our age. Whilst these technologies bring us untold benefits, they also expose businesses, governments and individuals to repeated threats, such as fraud through data manipulation, deliberate sabotage and blackmail. As a result, businesses, governments and individuals around the world rely on the expertise and innovations of information security specialists, without which global communications systems would grind to a halt.
Want to join this expanding field and learn from the very best? Our flagship Information Security programme was the first of its kind in the world. It is certified by GCHQ, the UK Government Communications Headquarters, and taught by academics and industrial partners in one of the largest and most established Information Security Groups in the world. We are a UK Academic Centre of Excellence for cyber security research, and an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Centre for Doctoral Training in cyber security. We work closely with industry, and much of our curriculum and research is informed and audited by the industry itself. Our teachers are specialists in the field, with backgrounds in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics and the social sciences.
Our broad curriculum encompasses cryptography, fraud detection, system security, network security, device security and the study of how security itself should be managed. You will learn about the technical, legal and commercial aspects of the industry and have the chance to complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice. In a typical year you could benefit from lectures and seminars given by as many as 50 different guest speakers. You will also have access to our virtualisation software, for experimenting with network security settings and ideas, as well as to our Penetration Testing Laboratory and industry-sponsored Smart Card Centre.
We offer a friendly, supportive learning environment and you will have a dedicated personal adviser to guide you through your studies. The skills you gain will open up a range of high-level career options and provide a solid foundation if you wish to progress to a PhD. Our graduates are in demand for their cutting-edge grasp of the field as well as their technical expertise and transferrable skills such as data handling, analysis, problem solving and research. The programme can be completed in one year full-time, two years part-time, three to seven years through Continuous Professional Development (CPD), or two to four years through distance learning.
The programme can be completed in one year full-time, two years part-time, three to seven years through Continuous Professional Development (CPD), or two to four years through distance learning.
Core modules
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
We use a range of teaching methods, including seminars, lectures and practical lab work. There is a strong focus on small group teaching. The programme has a flexible, modular structure, combining a sueprvised dissertation and mandatory courses that together make up 120 of the 180 credits required to pass, with a range of optional modules on specialist topics, worth 20 credits each.
During your studies you will be invited to attend an intensive, two-day revision course to prepare for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exams, which you will then be able to sit on campus, through an established arrangement with (ISC)2.
Assessment is through a combination of end-of-year examinations sat in May or June and the written dissertation, which has to be submitted in September.
By the end of this programme you will possess the knowledge and skills to pursue a career as a cyber security professional, and an ideal basis for moving on to further postgraduate research if you prefer. You will have an advanced knowledge and understanding of the latest breakthroughs and techniques, as well as key challenges and opportunities in the field. This programme will also give you valuable transferable skills such as advanced IT skills, data handling, analysis, research, communication, problem solving, time management, adaptability and self-motivation.
Our graduates are highly employable and in recent years they have gone on to forge successful careers in a wide range of sectors, including: banking, telecommunications, security consultancies, the civil service, public utilities and the retail sector.
You will be assigned a personal advisor to guide you through your studies and advise you on further postgraduate opportunities. The campus Careers team will be on hand to offer advice and guidance on your chosen career and the University of London Careers Advisory Service runs regular sessions on finding summer internships or vacation employment and securing employment after graduation.
EURECOM: a leading Graduate School and Research center in the field of Digital Science
