Masters Degrees (Cyber Security)

About the course

Cyber security is recognised as a priority for governments and large organisations throughout the world. State sponsored cyber attacks are widely reported and whilst the responsibility for them is usually denied, what is far more certain is that cyber attacks on the national critical infrastructure and the theft of the intellectual property of large organisations are increasing and need protecting against. It is impossible to ignore the importance of cyber security.

Developed in conjunction with Deloitte, this course provides you with knowledge of the very latest cyber security principles, practices, tools and techniques, taught by a team of specialist staff in purpose-built computer cyber security laboratories. 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.

Reasons to study:

• 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

Course Structure

Modules

Semester 1 (September to January)

• Foundations of Cyber Security
• Cyber Threat Intelligence• Host and Network Security
• Penetration Testing and Incident Response

Semester 2 (February to May)

• Cyber Engineering
• Digital Forensics Principles and Practice
• Malware Analysis
• Legal, Ethical and Professional Practice

Third Semester (June to September)

• MSc Cyber Security Project/Dissertation

Teaching and Assessment

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

Contact and learning hours

The time allocated to study is around 30 hours per week, carried out in block teaching.

Academic Expertise

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.

Facilities

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.

Cyber Security Centre

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 find out more

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:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply.aspx

Funding for postgraduate students:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/postgraduate-funding-2017-18/postgraduate-funding-2017-18.aspx

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Aim

Our MSc in Cyber Security aims to develop the next generation of industry leaders and address the shortage of cyber security professionals globally. The emphasis of the MSc is to provide graduates with a comprehensive understanding of the cyber security challenges facing industry and society, today and in the future, and equipping them with the skills necessary to address those challenges.

This taught programme provides a strong foundational education in the core areas of cyber security and offers practical training in key software tools and programs. Applied practical skills will be developed further in specialised projects exploring leading edge issues in cyber security research.

The MSc offers students a syllabus informed by the world-class research in the areas of data, network, media and physical security, being undertaken at Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT).

CSIT is a GCHQ accredited Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research and is the UK's largest university research lab in this field. CSIT is fast developing a reputation as a global innovation hub for cyber security and is influenced throughout by its strong history of commercial engagement with world leading companies including Infosys, Cisco, IBM, Thales, BAE Systems, McAfee, Roke, and Altera.

Programme Content

The MSc in Cyber Security is available in two options, lasting either 1 or 2 years:

The 1-year MSc consists of six taught modules (120 CATS points) and a 4-5 months practical project of a research nature/work placement (60 CATS points).

The 2-year MSc consists of six taught modules (120 CATS points) and a 12 months practical project of a research nature/work placement (60 CATS points).

One compulsory module and a choice of five from seven other modules as listed below:
• Applied Cryptography
• Computer Forensics
• Network Security and Monitoring
• Software Assurance
• Malware
• Media Security
• Intelligent Information Systems
• Ethical & Legal Issues in Cyber Security (Compulsory)

In any given year further specialist topics may be available for selection or listed topics may not be offered.

Assessment

Comprises written examination and coursework/lab work in six modules; and a dissertation on your research project (180 CATS points total).

Opportunities for Careers

Strong Industry Engagement
A key differentiator of our MSc programme will be the opportunity to closely engage with CSIT industry partners. The programme offers an enhanced education experience, including the facilitation of industrial internships and work placements with leading security professionals, as well as other commercially specified projects. Our Scholarships and Work Placements programme offers a significant opportunity for students to enhance career prospects by directly engaging with potential employers.

Opportunities for placements are being provided by the following companies: Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Facebook, IBM, McAfee, PwC, RepKnight, Roke, Thales, and United Technologies Research CEntre (UTRC).

Professional Skills Training
Students will be offered a range of personal development and transferable skills training to improve their professional skills and increase their employability. Courses will cover: project management, presentation skills, communication strategies, networking skills, public engagement and entrepreneurship. Invited seminars and special guest lectures from industrial and academic leaders offer students a chance to engage with leaders in the cyber security profession.

Careers
Our graduates have found that holding a prestigious MSc qualification from Queen's (one of the UK's top engineering schools) has significantly enhanced their job opportunities and employment prospects. With demand for cyber security experts growing at 12 times the rate of the overall job market, students can expect their career prospects to be enhanced significantly after graduation.

Our MSc in Cyber Security will prepare graduates for successful careers in secure systems development, security architecture development, network security, data analytics, and right up to board level positions such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Prospects for research and academic career paths in cyber security will also be enhanced by the MSc.

Special Features

Work Placements and Scholarships Programme
A number of scholarships, internships and work placement opportunities will be open to students accepted for enrolment on the MSc in Cyber Security degree programme. These opportunities are being provided on a competitive basis by CSIT's industrial partners and others affiliated with the Work Placements and Scholarships Programme. Once accepted for this masters degree you will be eligible to apply for opportunities made available via the programme.

Funding

A number of scholarships, internships and work placement opportunities will be open to students accepted for enrolment on the MSc in Cyber Security course via our Work Placements and Scholarships Programme.

Scholarship Opportunities:
CSIT Scholarships (x2) – UK/EU
- Open to UK/EU applicants to the 1-year MSc in Cyber Security
- Only students who are graduating in 2014 with an Undergraduate course in relevant discipline areas are eligible to apply
- Scholarships cover fees and a paid summer internship at CSIT
- How to Apply: Eligible students who apply for the 1-year MSc in Cyber Security will automatically be considered for these scholarships.

GREAT Queen’s University Belfast Scholarships (x2) – India
- Open to India students
- Scholarship value: £1500
- For further information and how to apply see:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/StudyatQueens/InternationalStudents/InternationalScholarships/GREATQueensUniversityBelfastScholarships-India/

Full details and further announcements about our Scholarships and Work Placements programme are available at http://www.csit.qub.ac.uk/msc

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This course is available full-time over one year, or part-time over three years.

It is made up of 8 assessed modules taught in week-long blocks and an individual project module.

This course is suitable for those with a Computer Science related degree and is for those students who already possess a strong computer science, software engineering or information technology background.

Security of our systems is one of the most challenging topics of our time. There is an international consensus that the level of security skills will have to be increased in order to respond to the number and sophistication of threats we face.

Our new MSc in Cyber Security is a forward-looking course that gives you the skills and knowledge you need in the core areas of cyber security. It emphasises the important technical material that will help you make effective cyber security decisions, and addresses issues such as:
-Identity
-Trust and reputation
-Cryptography
-Network security
-Malware and intrusion detection
-Risk management
-Development of high assurance systems

If you are looking to follow a career in industry or government, this course will provide you with a broad education in cyber security, that allows you to make technically informed principled decisions. This course will also prepare you if you are seeking a research career in cyber security - a research skills module is a mandatory part of the course.

It has been designed for students who already possess a strong computer science, software engineering or information technology background who want to broaden their knowledge about the specific challenges in cyber security and of possible solutions to those challenges.

Course structure
The MSc in Cyber Security is offered as a one-year full-time course, or can be taken part-time over three years.

The first half of the course is taken up by taught modules. Each module comprises a mix of lectures, problem classes and practical classes, plus a personal study time. In the second half of the course, students undertake an individual research project under the supervision of a member of staff.

Course aims
-To educate students in the theories, principles, practices and technologies of cyber security.
-To provide the knowledge and understanding of the principles underpinning effective approaches to cyberdefence.

Learning outcomes
When you graduate from the MSc in Cyber Security, you will have developed a detailed understanding of the fundamental aspects of cyber security. The course emphasises the important technical material that must be understood in order to make effective cyber security decision making.

You will understand extant threats to current and emerging system types, and understand and be familiar with a range of technologies that can be brought to bear to reduce risks.

This course will equip you for a career in industry or government, particularly in strategic cyber security decision making, or if you are seeking a research career in this area.

Project

The dissertation project undertaken by students over the summer is carried out individually, supervised by a member of academic staff. It may involve working with an external organisation. Students are also encouraged to work with academic staff to create projects of interest to them.

All projects are vetted to ensure suitability for the MSc. Provided academic criteria are met, there is considerable flexibility in the choice of cyber security topics for the project. Though many projects may follow naturally from the taught material, projects may also investigate suitably challenging topics outside that material.

The outputs from this module are a project dissertation together with a conference paper length summary of the work.

Projects are worth 5/9 of the total mark for the MSc.

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Our specialised MBA (Cyber Security) degree gives you the opportunity to not only develop your expertise in finance, marketing, leadership and other vital business areas, but also to learn about the growing field of cyber security. The modules include Cyber Security, Cybercrime and Cyber Security Management. You’ll study alongside MBA students from a variety of related disciplines and postgraduate students from courses in the computer sciences, providing you with an abundance of networking opportunities. Successfully complete the degree, and you’ll be ready to take on leadership of cyber security departments and organisations around the world.

More about this course

The London Met MBA (Cyber Security) gives you the opportunity to develop your understanding of key business functions as well as focus on cyber security. With increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks on both national governments and international corporations, this is a growing sector.

The modules on this course are related to accounting, marketing, leadership and other vital managerial functions within companies and organisations. They are designed to help you evolve into a successful leader in the business world.

The cyber security modules introduce you to the fundamentals of leadership and risk management within cyber security organisations, as well as specific challenges faced by all organisations, such as identity theft, scams, fraud and attacks on computer systems.

Our teaching staff and visiting academics, who you’ll meet both informally and formally through lectures and social events, are experts in areas including cybersecurity, management and leadership, ensuring you’ll develop the skills you need to steer a business to success.

You’ll collaborate alongside MBA students from a variety of professions and educational disciplines, such as specialist postgraduate computer science students. Your training will be supplemented with regular informal learning activities including the weekly student-led Business Breakfast, a monthly dinner, networking events, meetings with business leaders, entrepreneurs and consultants and lively charity fundraising events in the City.

We’ll provide regular coaching sessions to help improve your career potential, while you can also make use of our Careers and Employability Unit to help you find new roles for life after the MBA.

You’ll be assessed through individual and group work. This is likely to come in a variety of forms including reports, portfolios, presentations, videos, conferences and competitions, enabling you to develop the skills to master a multitude of situations in the world of cyber security.

Modular structure

Core modules:
-Accounting and Finance for Managers
-Leadership and Strategic Management
-People and Organisations: Principles and Practices in Global Contexts
-Marketing, Marketing Communications and Operations

Cyber security modules:
-Cyber Security Management
-Cybercrime and Cyber Security

Research-focused modules:
-Management Learning and Research
-Business Research Project

After the course

Graduates of the MBA may continue in their existing careers or choose to explore new opportunities. Recent graduates of our business related degrees are employed by companies including Oxademy, ALDI, Schwab Versand Hanau, Sapa, UBM plc, Carillion, Hanson Hispania SA, Triometric, BNP Paribas. They work in management roles in the fields of international sales, area management, business development and clients services.

Roles particularly relevant to the evolving field of cybersecurity management include application and security risk manager, security operations manager and information security manager.

Collaborative and international Llnks

The MBA programme has close links with ESoft, Sri Lanka’s largest education network and Islington College Nepal. London Met’s experience in delivering cultural variations of this MBA abroad means you’ll be learning from globally connected teaching staff in London.

Moving to one campus

Between 2016 and 2020 we're investing £125 million in the London Metropolitan University campus, moving all of our activity to our current Holloway campus in Islington, north London. This will mean the teaching location of some courses will change over time.

Whether you will be affected will depend on the duration of your course, when you start and your mode of study. The earliest moves affecting new students will be in September 2017. This may mean you begin your course at one location, but over the duration of the course you are relocated to one of our other campuses. Our intention is that no full-time student will change campus more than once during a course of typical duration.

All students will benefit from our move to one campus, which will allow us to develop state-of- the-art facilities, flexible teaching areas and stunning social spaces.

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This course has been developed in response to the demand from industry for cyber security professionals who have a systematic understanding of the principles and technologies underpinning today's IT systems.

Cyber security is a key problem in the provision of services, from the application layer through to the basic building blocks of computer and network systems. People trained in cyber security are greatly sought after and in the UK analysts expect that there will be a shortage of security professionals for the next 10 years or more.

The digital world is a complex place, varied in form and distributed, serving different types of stakeholder who use a variety of devices to access information. Specialists who recognise the diversity of business needs and the breadth of technologies and techniques to combat cyber threats, and have a systematic approach to understanding the impact of technology on organisations, are essential to the success of today's and tomorrow's cyber systems.

Equal in importance to securing cyber systems and their supporting technologies, is the management and delivery of content and services through to the users. These systems are in reality socio-technical-economic systems incorporating people, technologies, service providers, content providers, governments (laws, regulations, policies) through to law enforcement. The cyber security specialist is a broadly based professional able to work with technologists, senior management, service providers and suppliers, through to the end users, with their aim to provide secure services and investigate breaches.

This course builds on typical undergraduate computing courses, or those degrees with a high degree of computing content, whose graduates are looking to develop new knowledge and skills in cyber security. This course is designed to help the student gain an understanding of how cyber security systems are designed and constructed, and of the impact of technology into an organisation. The course will also give you the skills you need to work effectively in a business environment, and provide a solid basis for cyber security research. The course is supported by several research groups within the School of Computing and Engineering and the school has received research funding in cyber security.

Course detail

The course will also give you the skills you need to work effectively in a business environment, and provide a solid basis for cyber security research and development. The course is supported by several research groups within the School of Computing and Engineering and the School has received research funding in cyber security.

Teaching consists of lectures, seminars and laboratory work to provide a basis for the intensive individual study you need to undertake to maximise your achievements and the potential outcomes from taking the course.

Modules

• Fundamentals of Cyber Security
• Security Management
• Network and Systems Security
• Security Operations and Assurance
• Learning and Professional Development
• Employability Skills and Employment
• Knowledge Management (option)
• Computer Networks (option)
• Distributed Application Development (option)
• Project Management (option)
• Mobile Application Development (option)
• Research Methods
• Dissertation.

Format

Diverse methods are used to explore all aspects of the field. A strong supportive culture exists amongst the course tutors which enables students to achieve their potential.

Assessment

Assessed work is a significant part of the total assessment in the masters. There is practical work, report writing, presentations, critical academic writing and the skills and knowledge gained in these contribute to a capacity to deliver a high quality dissertation.

There are a number of end of module exams. Course tutors provide appropriate support throughout the module to ensure candidates are well prepared.

Career and study progression

Graduates in cyber security have a good record of achieving employment and progressing in their professional work. The security industry is wide, including companies that need to protect themselves, government and law enforcement through to the providers of equipment and services, such as the:
• anti-virus, security software vendors (such as McAfee, Kaspersky, Symantec, Sophos, EMC/RSA, Entrust, etc.),
• network and computer vendors (such as Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, HP, Barracuda, etc.),
• network and service providers (such as British Telecom, Vodafone, Rackspace, Amazon, etc.),
• consultancies (such as KPMG, IBM, Fujitsu, HP, etc.)
• services companies and in government and law enforcement.

Outstanding graduates have gone on to further study at the level of MPhil and PhD at UWL and at other institutions.

We actively encourage students with potential for research to make their interest known early on in their course.

How to apply

Click the following link for information on how to apply to this course: http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/postgraduate/how-apply

Scholarships and bursaries

Information about scholarships and bursaries can be found here: http://www.uwl.ac.uk/students/postgraduate/scholarships-and-bursaries

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The MSc Computer Networking and Cyber Security is designed for those wishing to pursue in a career Computer Networking and Cyber Security. In this course, you will develop the ability to design and manage robust networking and cyber security systems and at the same time, gain Cisco accreditation. Security of our systems is one of the most challenging topics of our time. The MSc provides knowledge of the very latest security principles, tools and techniques taught by specialist staff in a dedicated IT security laboratory, and an understanding of the principles underpinning effective approaches to cyber defence in response to a cyber attack. Guest speakers from industry will complement the teaching staff and enhance and challenge your knowledge of computer networking and cyber security.

More about this course

This course offers a unique opportunity for students to blend networking technologies with Cyber Security and at the same time gain Cisco accreditation. Such a combination will attract employers increasingly seeking graduates and post graduates within this area. The practical 10 sessions will be housed in specialist laboratories including a specialist IT security laboratory. Guest speakers from industry will complement the teaching staff.

The Communications Technology group is one of the first in UK to be awarded the "Cisco Networking Academy" in 1998. The academy has been running short/evening courses in Cisco CCNA and CCNP certification since. These are two of the most prestigious vocational certifications valued by Networking and related industries. Some of the modules in both CCNA and CCNP are currently embedded in the above two existing MSc courses and students follow the relevant Cisco curriculum. The courses are supported by three major laboratories equipped with some of the most up to date Networking technology equipment and it is taught by qualified Cisco instructors.

Security of our systems is one of the most challenging topics of our time. There is an international consensus that the level of security skills will have to be increased in order to respond to the number and sophistication of threats we face. It is impossible to ignore the importance of cyber security which is recognised by governments, large and small organisations as a priority. Cyber Security provides knowledge of the very latest security principles, tools and techniques taught by specialist staff in a dedicated IT Security laboratory and understanding of the principles underpinning effective approaches to cyber defence in response to a cyber attack.

A range of assessment methods is employed throughout the course. The method of assessment for each module is clearly described in the individual module guide which is made available to the students at the start of the semester. Every module has dedicated Web site providing students with comprehensive learning/teaching material including workshop exercises. Module leaders use this site regularly to communicate with their students including providing general feedback, guidelines on how to write technical report/effective presentations and keeping logbooks. Modules employ a combination of the following forms of assessments:
-Case study reports and presentations
-Laboratory workbooks/logbooks
-Unseen examinations
-Part seen examinations
-Individual vivas

Professional accreditation

This course offers a Cisco accreditation.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-Cyber Security Management (core, 20 credits)
-Cybercrime and Cyber Security (core, 20 credits)
-MSc Project (core, 60 credits)
-Network Routing Protocols (core, 20 credits)
-Switched Networks (core, 20 credits)
-Digital Forensics (option, 20 credits)
-Hardening Network Infrastructure (option, 20 credits)
-Network Troubleshooting (option, 20 credits)
-Security Auditing and Penetration Testing (option, 20 credits)

After the course

The employment market has an abundance of posts which incorporate the key areas of this course, for example in networking, network security and cyber security, IT security, computer forensics. Careers range from the traditional network and network security professionals to network design engineer, secured network developer, and marketing and technical support. There are many exciting graduate employment opportunities available including:
-Network Engineer
-Network Management
-Network Security and Cyber security Consultant
-Crime and Computer Forensic

Moving to one campus

Between 2016 and 2020 we're investing £125 million in the London Metropolitan University campus, moving all of our activity to our current Holloway campus in Islington, north London. This will mean the teaching location of some courses will change over time.

Whether you will be affected will depend on the duration of your course, when you start and your mode of study. The earliest moves affecting new students will be in September 2017. This may mean you begin your course at one location, but over the duration of the course you are relocated to one of our other campuses. Our intention is that no full-time student will change campus more than once during a course of typical duration.

All students will benefit from our move to one campus, which will allow us to develop state-of-the-art facilities, flexible teaching areas and stunning social spaces.

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Designed for

The MSc in Cyber Security Engineering is designed for those wishing to develop a career as a cyber security professional.

Cyber Security

Cyberspace comprises the network of digital devices, used to store, modify and communicate information. It is global, interactive and completely changes our environment. It extends beyond the Internet, mediating interaction between individuals and groups.
Our world is increasingly shaped by cyberspace. Opportunities for interaction are emerging in ways, only imagined by previous generations. As the influence of cyberspace in our lives continues to grow, so does the associated security risk.
As organisations worldwide harness the opportunities of cyberspace, they create huge demand for cyber security professionals. Cyber security professionals who can function at various strata within an organisation - server room, operations room, board room - you choose. Their task is beguilingly simple: enable the good and prevent the bad.

GCHQ Certification

GCHQ, the UK government's National Technical Authority for Information Assurance, identified the shortage of cyber professionals as a concern that needed to be addressed. Part of their strategy was to identify cyber security master's courses that would "... help prospective students make better informed decisions when looking for a highly valued cyber security qualification".

Course Content

You will study a broad range of cyber security topics. Some focus on technology, some on people, some on organisations. Insofar as possible, we seek to avoid teaching topics in silos of narrow expertise. Throughout, the practical application of insight is valued equally with abstract analytical skill. The following should give you a sense of the course content:
◾Cryptography
◾Counterfeiting
◾Risk
◾Digital forensics
◾Governance
◾Data protection
◾Network security
◾Intelligence
◾The enterprise cyber perspective
◾Security architecture
◾Industrial espionage
◾Cyber-physical systems
◾Standards and guidance
◾Cyber security research

Teaching Style

Tutors adopt their own distinctive style within their taught weeks. Most modules are taught by more than one tutor, which, together with the wide range of guest speakers, gives real breadth of insight into any topic. The external input is especially evident in the Enterprise Cyber Security module where colleagues from IBM make a substantial contribution to the week's activities.

After You Graduate

Graduates can expect rapid career progression in within a wide range of organisations relating to cyber security in a range of roles.

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The University of Bradford Cyber Security MSc is a taught postgraduate programme, offering one-year full-time or two-year part-time study options.

Students complete a range of core modules before carrying out an independent research project and dissertation. The course awards a full Master of Science qualification.

The main goal of MSc Cyber Security is to prepare professionally trained graduates for industry. It has been designed to offer graduates the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of cyber security as a discipline. The focus within this programme on the principles, technologies and practices of cyber security helps you to gain the appropriate skills for future PhD studies and research careers as well as to become competent practitioners. The programme comprises particular developments in security with a firm base in academic research and also offers the opportunity for you to study selected topics in advanced computer science.

Included in the programme is the opportunity to enhance industry relevant skills with study in ISO27001 Lead Implementer and Ethical Hacking. These skill areas were highlighted by past alumni and industry practitioners for inclusion in the programme. Therefore, you have the opportunity to gain additional qualifications in: Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer; and CEH v8 Ethical Hacking.

This programme meets a continued growing demand for specialists in this area by offering a way for individuals in current employment with relevant industry experience as well as recent graduates to study and enhance and develop their skills. The MSc Cyber Security programme will therefore draw graduates wishing to enhance their undergraduate studies in computing with advanced study of security to equip them for senior positions with responsibility for the IT technical and management based security of an organisation. In addition, the programme encourages those with relevant industry skills to specialise in cyber security or refine and develop their existing expertise.

For more information on the part time version of this course, please view this web-page: http://www.brad.ac.uk/study/courses/info/cyber-security-msc-part-time

Professional Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society.

Why Bradford?

-Within this programme you have the opportunity to gain additional qualifications in: Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer; and CEH v8 Ethical Hacking

-Meets commercial needs for employees who are able to understand and think strategically about future developments in this area

-Provide a high academic quality of service to you, covering both theoretical and practical aspects of computing, networking and cyber security

-Enable you to equip yourself with knowledge, skills and understanding, at an advanced level within the chosen field of study

-MSc Cyber Security draws upon the successful research expertise of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in addition to that within the Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) in Cyber Security. This base of expertise and research is a fantastic resource for the continued development of the programme in cyber security

Modules

-Business Systems Security

-Networks and Protocols

-Foundations of Cryptography (PG)

-Internet Security and Protocols

-ISO27000 Framework (ISMS)

-Ethical Hacking

-Dissertation

Career support and prospects

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

The course is designed to equip graduates for senior positions with responsibility for the IT-based security of an organisation.

Application process

The easiest way to apply is online.

This will help us process your application more quickly and allow you to submit your supporting documents electronically.

If you are unable to apply online, please email [email protected] to request a paper application form.

We will also need the following supporting documents, along with any other information specified on the course page:

• Degree certificates/transcripts
• Research proposal (if required)
• Two references (including one academic reference)
• Evidence of English language level (if required)
• A copy of your passport

International students

If you applying from outside the UK and require additional support you may apply through your country representative.

They can help you at every stage and communicate with the University on your behalf. They often provide additional services to ensure your smooth arrival to the UK such as visa application support and assistance with your travel arrangements.

Funding

The following postgraduate funding may be available to study the Cyber Security MSc at the University of Bradford.

UK postgraduate loans:

• English Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in England, or EU students moving to England to study.
• Welsh Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,280 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Wales.
• Scottish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £10,000 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Scotland.
• Northern Irish Postgraduate Loans – Offering up to £5,500 for eligible UK or EU students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.

Erasmus funding:

• Erasmus Masters Loans – Offering up to €18,000 for eligible students to study a Masters abroad.

Funding from FindAMasters:

• FindAMasters Scholarships – Offering up to £5,000 to new UK, EU and international postgraduates.

Fees

UK / EU: £7,750

International: £17,600

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This Masters course provides you with the professional skills for practising Cyber Security in the Digital World.

Who is it for?

The course is designed for those who wish to extend their capability for an accelerated early career in cyber/information security. It will prepare you for a successful career in the various roles directly and indirectly connected to the world of computer, network and information security.

The course would suit students who have completed a first degree in a computing subject (e.g. computer science, business computing) or a numerate subject (e.g. applied mathematics, engineering, physics) if that covered a significant computing component.

Objectives

The primary objective of MSc Cyber Security is to practise security with an interdisciplinary shared coursework that spans across all security related modules.
-In semester 1, you become an ethical hacker. You are challenged to identify flaws in computer system by breaking its crypto components and retrieve sensitive information of an e-commerce company.
-In semester 2 you become an investigator. You are challenged to analyse network traffic, logs and detect attacks in a company's network. It is essential to trace hackers and bring them to justice with concrete proofs and reporting.

Academic facilities

The Department of Computer Science has invested in the design and implementation of a virtual laboratory (CybSec) for the purpose and needs of the cyber security course. In particular, CybSec is a virtual networked lab where hacking, penetration testing, malware analysis, security monitoring are taking place in a controlled and isolated environment without violating City's IT Policy. In addition, the security analysis of practical cryptosystems requires high computational power and resources that are used for code breaking. CybSec lab supports our teaching efforts and enhances our research strengths.

Placements

You will be offered the opportunity to complete up to six months of professional experience as part of your degree.

Our longstanding internship scheme gives you the chance to apply the knowledge and skills gained from your taught modules within a real business environment. An internship also provides you with professional development opportunities that enhance your technical skills and business knowledge.

Internships delivered by City, University of London offer an exceptional opportunity to help you stand out in the competitive IT industry job market. The structure of the course extends the period for dissertation submission to January, allowing you to work full-time for up to six months. You will be supported by our outstanding Professional Liaison Unit (PLU) should you wish to consider undertaking this route.

The Cyber Security programme also offers internships in collaboration with our alliance of companies in security related jobs.

Teaching and learning

The MSc in Cyber Security is a one year full-time course. On completion of eight taught modules and an individual project you will be awarded a Master of Science (MSc) degree.

The teaching and learning methods used are such that the levels of both specialisation of content and autonomy of learning increase as you progress through the programme. This progress will be guided by active researchers in cyber security, culminating in an individual project, an original piece of research, conducted largely independently with appropriate academic supervision.

The standard format is that taught modules are delivered through a series of 20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of tutorials/laboratory sessions.

Lectures are normally used to:
-Present and explain the theoretical concepts underpinning a particular subject
-Highlight the most significant aspects of a module's syllabus
-Indicate additional topics and resources for private study.

Tutorials are used to help you develop skills in applying the concepts covered in the lectures of the relevant module, normally in practical problem solving contexts. Laboratory sessions serve a similar purpose as the tutorials but their strategy is to demonstrate application of concepts and techniques through the use of state-of-the-art software development tools and environments.

You will be expected to undertake independent study and do substantial coursework assignments for each module, amounting approximately to 120 hours per module. The coursework takes many forms, including programs, theoretical work, and essays, and is primarily formative, but also contributes to module assessment.

Coursework will be used in a coherent manner across all of the security specific modules to ensure that you will also get appropriate hands-on operational experience of relevant aspects of cyber-security, including testing and analysis. Some of this course work may be organised in ways that shadow larger scale exercises, such as the Cyber-Security Challenge. The individual project (full-time) is carried out over the summer period, and if done without a placement, lasts approximately 14 weeks or 600 hours. If undertaken within an industrial or research placement, the project period extends to up to six months.

Modules

This course covers core areas of masters level computer science, such as research methods and scientific presentation and analysis skills.

It will enable you to specialise in some aspects of the area of cyber security with modules such as cryptography, network security, information security management, security audit and certification. You will engage with researchers to develop your scientific knowledge and skills. We offer options within the programme that allows you to develop your expertise in cyber crime, digital forensics, socio-technical aspects of security.

There are in total eight taught modules; six core and two elective modules with a full time individual project completed over the summer. You will choose electives to tailor the programme to your chosen career path.

In particular, the project component gives you an opportunity to carry out an extended piece of work at the cutting edge of games technology under the supervision of one of our specialist academic and research staff. Internship-based projects are also available.

Core modules
-Information security management
-Network security
-Security auditing and certification
-Cryptography
-Readings in Computer Science
-Research methods and professional issues
-Individual project (June to September or December)

Elective modules
-Digital forensics
-Cyber crime
-Sociotechnical systems security
-Advanced algorithms and data structures
-Data visualisation

Career prospects

MSc Cyber Security will prepare you for a successful career in the various roles directly and indirectly connected to the world of computer, network and information security. It will develop your specialist analytical, operational and development skills in both technical and socio-technical areas of cyber security.

The course is designed for those who wish to extend their capability for an accelerated early career in cyber security.

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Designed for

The MSc in Cyber Security and Management is designed for those wishing to develop a career as a cyber security professional, or to take a leading technical or managerial role in an organisation critically dependent upon data and information communication technology.

It is suitable for those from a computer science or information technology education background. The programme is also able to cater for those with no formal studies in computer science but where significant interest in cyber security can instead be demonstrated.

The Course Provides:

1. Cyber Security in the UK has become a ‘tier 1’ priority alongside international terrorism and major national incidents. The serious threats emerging from the cyber-sphere are a recognised phenomenon worldwide and as such studies in cyber security are strategically important on a global scale.

2. Our goal for the MSc programme is to give focus to the strategic deployment and implementation of Cyber Security within an organization. We want to develop strategic thinkers who understand the Cyber threat to an organization and its resources and are able to build and support secure systems that support the strategic growth of a business.

3. The course covers all aspects of Cyber Security including network security, computer security and information security. You will learn the most important technical concepts of security—such as encryption, intrusion detection, penetration testing, access control, digital forensics and investigation, risk management, security governance and network security.

4. Alongside this, the course focuses on the business context so that students can progress their careers more rapidly through organisations and aim very particularly at management positions.

When you study the MSc Cyber Security and Management at Warwick, you will gain an unparalleded exposure to industry. All taught modules contain considerable input from industry experts who, through case studies and guest lectures, contribute to the design and delivery of material making for a vey rich learning environment.

An example of some of the companies involved in the CSM programme since it was launched in 2012 include HP, Amethyst Consulting, Deep Secure Ltd, Siskin Technology, SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency), CSC, VMware, OCSIA, Nottingham Police, Mozilla, Metropolitan Police, Kaspersky, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Telefonica, IBM, Blackstage Forensics, Derbyshire NHS Trust and Nettitude.

You will have additional opportunity to engage with industry through industry visits, conferences, and mentoring or advice from industry experts at key stages of your work.

Course Content

Students study nine taught modules as part of the programme of study.
Core Modules:
1. Security Architectures and Network Defence
2. Cryptosystems and Data Protection
3. Information Risk Management and Governance
4. Industrial Espionage and Counterfeiting
5. Digital Forensics

Elective Modules (3 from this list):
1. Cyber Intelligence and Operations
2. Cyber-Physical Systems
3. Enterprise Cyber Security
4. Globalisation and Outsourcing
5. Financial Analysis and Control Systems
6. Organisations, People and Performance
7. Leadership

A ninth module to be selected from the full list of WMG elective modules.

Learning Style

The taught component of the course is highly interactive and varied with a mixture of lectures, syndicate or group work, practical and lab based work, and technology enabled learning.
Class sizes are kept to a maximum of 30 students per class.
Module leaders are experts in their fields and are supported by external speakers working in organisations at the forefront of their fields.
Assessment is through Post Module Assignment based on the learning objectives of each respective module.
50% of the Masters credit is achieved through your individual project or dissertation, for which you will have close 1-1 supervision
Each module will usually be delivered in intensive one-week blocks so you are fully immersed in the subject area for that period. These one-week sessions are scheduled at intervals from October through to June.

After Your Graduate

Graduates can expect to go on to work within corporate information - security and technology teams, consultancies, government information-security departments, management tracks in information critical organisations and cyber security related research.

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On our highly regarded MSc Cyber Security, you will work with internationally renowned experts from our Centre for Cyber Security.

What's covered in the course?

This course provides a broad foundation for Cyber Security concepts while delivering advanced knowledge and skills in key technical areas. Designed to meet the growing demand from global business and industry for robust cyber security systems, this course underpins the principles and practical professional skills you’ll need to meet the future challenges faced by organisations, particularly when it comes to strategic security planning.

This course provides future Cyber Security professionals with the knowledge and skills needed by the employers. Our strong links with industry enable us to teach the most demanding topics. You will develop state of the art technical knowledge, intellectual know-how, management capabilities and hands-on practical skills to succeed in meeting the Cyber Security challenges faced by modern organisations.

Our academic staff members are actively engaged with government and industry to help solve their complex problems. These strong links provide you with plenty of professional opportunities that will help you to acquire valuable exposure to the real life challenges of Cyber Security.

Why choose us?

-Our Centre for Cyber Security is at the forefront of advancing information security.
-We provide research-led, practice-driven teaching underpinned by our research projects and strong industrial links.
-Our teaching staff have rich professional experience and are engaged with government and industry, helping to solve complex problems.
-You will have access to state-of-the-art, industry-standard equipment and laboratories with forensic software, network security software for penetration testing, and Cloud software.
-We are home to a Cisco Systems, Oracle academy, and the Microsoft Academy Centre. We are one of Microsoft’s top UK university-based academies and we are a member of the Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance. We are also a Cisco ASC (Academy Support Centre) and Cisco Instructor Training Centre (ITC) – one of only 10 such instructor training centres in the UK.

Course in depth

The MSc is normally studied over one year full-time or two years part-time.

The course is divided into taught modules of 20 credits and a Master’s project of 60 credits. Students complete 60 credits for Postgraduate Certificate, 120 credits for Postgraduate Diploma and 180 credits for the full MSc. Each credit represents 10 notional hours of student learning and assessment.

A range of assessment methods are employed, assessment criteria being published in each assignment brief. Knowledge and skills are assessed, formatively and summatively, by a number of methods: coursework, examinations (seen and unseen, open and closed-book), presentations, practical assignments, vivas, online forums, podcasts and project work.

Modules
-Information Security Management 20 credits
-Industrial Control Systems Security 20 credits
-Digital Forensics 20 credits
-Software Security and Cloud Security 20 credits
-Advanced Ethical Hacking 20 credits
-Research Methods and Project Management 20 credits
-Individual Project 60 credits

Enhancing your employability skills

This course is designed to ensure that you are a very sought-after graduate with the necessary first-hand, practical expertise of cyber security issues as well as a rigorous academic understanding of the sector.

Globally there is a shortage of experts who can work in cyber security at this very high level, so you will focus on the important technical material you will need for effective decision-making in a highly demanding career.

You will be equipped for a range of careers requiring advanced skills, such as:
-Security architect
-Security analyst
-Security administrator
-Security manager
-Incident response manager
-Risk and compliance analyst.

You will have the opportunity to get support for obtaining industry recognised Professional Certifications.

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Develop a different set of skills with this new one year conversion masters course.

Fascinated by cybercrime and want to learn how to tackle it? As organisations and government departments are becoming increasingly more reliant on computer networks and virtual environments for their business functions, cyber security is now realised to be of critical importance. Southampton Solent University’s essential cyber security engineering conversion masters degree is well suited to students from a wide range of backgrounds, helping you to develop new skills and gain advanced theoretical and practical proficiencies in dealing with computer, network and information security.

‌•Computing students have full access to the University’s state-of-the-art IT and networking facilities.
‌•Students will learn the latest techniques in tackling cybercrime and managing security systems.
‌•To complement studies, students can benefit from enhancement activities, such as industry talks, code jams, and employability support.
‌•Southampton Solent hosts regular lectures given by the British Computer Society (BCS), which computing students are encouraged to attend.
‌•Small group teaching allows for tailored support, helping students to shape the course to their own interests.
‌•The course comes to a close with students conducting their own research projects. This can be an excellent way to specialise knowledge, or act as a springboard for PhD study.

The industry

Recent research conducted by the UK government suggests that the costs of cybercrime to the UK could be in the order of £27 billion per year. To combat this, the Government has invested in a National Cyber Security programme which aims to make the UK one of the most secure places in the world to do business in cyberspace.

The cyber security sector has grown to over £17 billion in the UK, employing over 100,000 people. With the increasing importance for organisations to ensure their computer networks are robust against attempted security breaches, this sector is likely to grow, with high demand for skilled cyber security engineers.

A postgraduate qualification can put you at the forefront of this demand, demonstrating your commitment to the industry and your ability to carry out in-depth computing research.
This is echoed from reports and comments from industry-

“As a small software house, dealing with a group of international corporates, we have a regular need for graduates with strong software engineering and database skills. Given that we design systems that link to e-commerce, a good understanding of cyber security engineering is also key. Over the years we have found the pool of graduates with the required technical skills has seriously diminished so the more technical graduates from Solent University are an important source for us.”
John Noden, Managing Director/Executive Director Technical Design, Zentive

The programme

Southampton Solent’s cyber security engineering master’s conversion degree will help equip students with the essential skills and knowledge to become cyber security specialists, learning how to tackle cybercrime and manage security systems.

As well as gaining a firm grounding in web and software development, students on this course will learn the necessary skills to become ethical hackers, penetrate test networks, and prevent and eradicate malware. Students will also develop their problem-solving skills and explore research methods.

The course curriculum is developed with input from a variety of sources, including an industrial liaison panel, to ensure students are studying the latest technology and working practices employed by industry experts.

To aid study, students have full access to the University’s specialist networking labs equipped with industry-standard networking equipment from Cisco, Fluke and HP, as well as high-fidelity simulation systems, including the market-leading Opnet. Using Alienware computers and CISCO Packet Tracer, students can practice their software development skills and test their web applications.

The course has a strong focus on employability, and hosts regular industry speakers and events by the BCS to help students build their professional network.

Next steps

Think you’ve got what it takes to enter the challenging world of cyber security? Using the latest methods and technology, Southampton Solent’s cyber security engineering master’s conversion degree will help provide you with the skills to tap into this fast-growing industry. Apply today.http://www.solent.ac.uk/courses/2016/postgraduate/cyber-security-engineering-msc/course-details.aspx#tab1

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About the course

This programme provides flexibility and a range of module choices to practitioners and relevant organisations in the telecom, consultancy and software/system engineering sectors, which enables them to tailor their training/education needs.

Cyber Technology MSc consists of four main themes; Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Digital Forensics, and Management. It can be studied by combining modules from all four themes allowing you to specialise in your chosen area of interest. You have the opportunity to choose mixed pathways, for example the choices of modules could lead to a degree in Cyber Security with Management.

Reasons to study:

• Develop skills required for a rapidly changing sector
gain the latest skills, techniques and knowledge required in one of the most exciting areas of computing

• Developed in conjunction with industry experts
modules are developed with Deloitte PLC, Airbus Group, BT and Rolls-Royce ensuring that you explore issues relevant to industry

• Dedicated 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 digital forensics

• Taught by expert academic staff
taught by expert staff within our Cyber Security Centre and Software Technology Research Laboratory who recognised leaders in the cyber security domain

• 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

• Excellent career prospects
graduates are prepared for roles such as consultancy, software houses or project management within organisations that are cyber security specialists within law enforcement, government; in commercial IT departments and security consultancies

Teaching and Assessment

Each module is delivered over the duration of four full days. It targets both concepts and practical skills that are relevant to industry. A multiple choice (MC) test at the end of the course provides attendees feedback on their achievements and must be passed before continuation of the academic assessment through coursework.

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, multiple choice and laboratory-based assessments.

Contact and learning hours

You will normally attend 3 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week for each module undertaken during term time, for full time study this would be 12 hours per week during term time. You are expected to undertake around 24 further hours of independent study and assignments as required per week. Alternate study modes and entry points may change the timetabled session available, please contact us for details.

Academic Expertise

The programme is managed and delivered through our renowned Cyber Security Centre and Software Technology Research Laboratory.

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.

Facilities

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.

Cyber Security Centre

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 find out more

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:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply/entry-criteria-and-how-to-apply.aspx

Funding for postgraduate students:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/postgraduate-funding-2017-18/postgraduate-funding-2017-18.aspx

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This course is delivered via Blended Learning and students will be required to occasionally attend the Coventry Campus. Please contact us for further advice in regard to short term study visas if required.

This qualification has been developed in direct response to the need for government and industry to increase cyber management knowledge and expertise in the workplace.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

The MBA in Cyber Security (MBACS) aims to provide an educational experience which enables individuals to achieve an integrated understanding of the operation and strategy of management and to develop appropriate intellectual and personal skills.

The MBACS will enable individuals to understand complex business problems and key issues in cyber security whilst exploring many associated business issues such as globalisation and ethics to ensure successful global trade.

There is an exciting opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained in the MBACS to business. This can be achieved by undertaking an appropriate individual or group research project based on a real cyber security issue at the dissertation stage.

The MBACS is designed to explicitly cultivate the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil the gap in the workforce.

The first of its kind, the MBACS is structured so that you are exposed to a common core of key management issues within the fields of Strategy, Finance and Accounting, Human Resource Management and Marketing.

As distinct from MSc courses in this field, the MBACS aims to provide individuals with the skills to become effective managers by making informed decisions around cyber security risk management issues. The course provides a number of specialist modules that allows the individual to tailor their own pathway to complement and build on their existing knowledge.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

Mandatory modules
-Cyber Security: Strategic Thinking and Analysis
-Cyber Security: Management and Leadership
-Network Security
-Cyber Security: Financial Accounting and Decision Making
-Cyber Security: Human Resource Management, Trust and People
-Cyber Security: Marketing Principles and Crisis Communications

Optional modules
-Digital Security Risk and Audit Management
-Enterprise and Big Data Management
-International Cyber and Digital Law
-Network Defence Management

The titles and content of the modules will continue to evolve with help from our Industry Advisory Board.

HOW WILL THIS COURSE BE TAUGHT?

This is a blended MBA, so individuals will have the opportunity to manage their own time and choose how and when to study. There will be mandatory events on campus but learning will occur mostly online. For each module individuals will have engaging video lectures and a variety of interactive content and activities. The online interaction between lectures and colleagues will help individuals to stay motivated and committed to the learning experience.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

Assessment on the course will vary depending on the module being studied. Some modules are 100% coursework and others assessed through a mixture of assignments, viva voce and formal examinations. In addition to written tasks you will be required to deliver presentations to ensure that you develop a full range of communication skills. Coursework can be individual or set in groups, demonstrating a full range of communication skills.

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Cyber threats are on the increase and have been highlighted by the UK government as one of the four main threats to the UK. There is an increasing demand from business and government for individuals skilled in computer science and cyber security who can design, build, and maintain secure software and systems that can protect people, business and data from malicious attack.

This programme builds on the knowledge gained in a first degree to equip you with advanced computer science and cyber security skills necessary to produce modern secure systems. The theory taught in the lectures is reinforced in the practicals where you have the opportunity to use industry standard tools and techniques in our dedicated security, server and networking laboratories which provide a safe space for you to practice both offensive and defensive security techniques.

Why choose this course?

Dedicated security, server and networking laboratories with enterprise equipment including Cisco switches, routers, firewalls and Dell servers. Small, dedicated private cloud that allows you to create more complex cyber security scenarios and to investigate cloud security issues. Access to a wide range of enterprise software to ensure realistic deployment environments.

An emphasis on live projects, alongside group work modelled on industry standard working patterns, giving you the opportunity to develop skills that are directly applicable to the workplace. Staff with a wide range of expertise in computer science and cyber security. An opportunity to apply to undertake a placement which enables you to practice and refine your skills within a company or organisation.

This course in detail

The MSc in Computer Science for Cyber Security has a modular course-unit design providing you with maximum flexibility and choice. To qualify for a master’s degree without placement, you must pass modules amounting to 180 credits. This comprises six taught modules (20 credits each) plus your dissertation (60 credits). To qualify for a master's degree with placement you need to undertake a one-year placement in between the taught component and the dissertation.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science for Cyber Security allows you to concentrate on the taught part of the degree and is ideal for people working in the computing industry who wish to brush up their skills. To qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma, you must pass modules amounting to 120 credits. This comprises six taught modules (20 credits each). In some cases, it may be possible for a student on a Postgraduate Diploma to do 3 taught modules (20 credits each) plus your dissertation (60 credits).

The Postgraduate Certificate in Computer Science for Cyber Security allows you to concentrate on the taught part of the degree and is ideal for people working in the computing industry who wish to learn a specific area in this rapidly changing discipline. To qualify for a Postgraduate Certificate, you must pass modules amounting to 60 credits. This comprises three taught modules (20 credits each).

Semester 1 has the following modules:
-Research and Scholarship Methods (compulsory for MSc)
-Network Principles (compulsory for MSc)
-Secure Systems Architecture (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)

Semester 2 has the following modules:
-Operating Systems Development (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)
-Secure Programming (compulsory for MSc)
-Low level Techniques and Tools (compulsory for MSc and PG Dip)

If you are studying for an MSc you will also take:
-MSc Dissertation (completed over summer)

MSc students have the option to apply to undertake a placement. Placement positions are not guaranteed, however the department will help and support students in finding a placement.

Please note: as our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the list of taught modules offered may vary from the list here.

Teaching and learning

The taught modules include lectures, seminars, library and internet research, and practical design and experimentation.

Teaching staff include experienced academic staff and practitioners in the field of Computer Science and Cyber Security. Visiting speakers from business and industry help to maintain relevance to the evolution of the industry.

Laboratory facilities include dedicated security, server and networking laboratories.

Careers and professional development

This programme allows graduates to undertake a wide range of roles in IT and cyber security. Common careers in this area are IT security professionals, penetration testers, digital forensic investigators, software developers, systems engineers, technical analysts, IT managers, and consultants.

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