Cyber Security and Digital Forensics (BSc)

Study cybercrime prevention techniques, conduct digital investigations and gain hands-on experience using industry-standard software with the opportunity for a year-long placement.

Why choose Cyber Security and Digital Forensics BSc Honours at Middlesex?

• In our specialised cyber security and digital forensic labs, you'll be using the latest applications and tools used for IT security and digital forensics in industry.
• You’ll learn to identify breaches, vulnerabilities and threats and develop skills to mitigate these. In addition you will develop skills to seize, analyse and present for a digital investigation.
• You can develop your professional skills with a year-long, paid work experience placement as part of a four-year study option.

What you will gain

• You can achieve industry-recognised certifications, including Cisco's CCNA and CCNP (this is at an additional cost).
• Our careers service, MDXWorks, will help you develop a stand-out CV, develop your job entry plan and make the relevant industry contacts to pursue your career goals.
• You’ll graduate with career opportunities in many sectors, just like our graduates who are now making their mark in companies including FTI Consulting, Deloitte, Eurofins Forensic Service, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Relativity, Epiq, and London Metropolitan Police.

3 great reasons to pick this course

• One of London's best- We are one of the top five universities in London for Marketing — Complete University Guide, 2023
• Graduate success- Our graduates now work at organisations including JYSK, Danske Bank, Lindt and Sprungli, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), British Science Association and New Era Cap Company
• Over 91 percent of students were positive about the learning resources they received on their course, NSS, 2024

About your course

• Core modules such as programming, networks, and IT security are covered in this course extensively. You will develop expert knowledge in the technological, ethical, regulatory and legal issues in this field, including security, encryption, operating systems and information systems. From Year 2, you will have the opportunity to put what you've learned to practical use and in year 3 you can opt for a work experience placement at an organisation.

Year 1 overview

In year 1, you will study the conceptual, technical and mathematical underpinnings of computer networks and information systems, programming, databases and computer communication, through workshops, seminars, academic advising system and laboratory assignments. You will undertake problem-solving and design tasks to reinforce and deepen your understanding and apply theory to practice in laboratory tasks.

• Computer Systems Architecture and Operating Systems (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Programming for Data Communication and Networks (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Computer Networks (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Information in Organisations (30 credits) - Compulsory

Year 2 overview

In year 2, you will deepen and refine your understanding using real-life scenarios and undertake group project work. There is an increasing emphasis on design, problem solving and analysis, and developing research and communication skills. You will study digital scene incidents and use industry level software to analyse the results, build encrypted web pages and examine secure communication in devices using the Internet of Things. You will study ISO26000 and Sustainable Development Goals in organisations and cover project management, standards, regulations and ethics.  

• Internet of Things ( 30 credits) - Compulsory
• Secure Web Technologies (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Digital Incident Scene Investigation and Analysis (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Project Management and Professional Practice (30 credits) - Compulsory

Year 3 Sandwich Year

• Supervised Industrial Placement (120 credits) - Optional
• You will undertake a relevant work placement to gain work experience in a technical employment role, applying your theoretical knowledge to practical problems and providing solutions. You will develop your professional qualities, communication skills and work in a management structure and as part of a team. A placement is the opportunity to learn independently and develop the maturity required to perform well in your final year. Placements are a minimum of nine months and a maximum of 15 months.

Year 3/4 overview

In year 3 you will study ethical hacking/programming and examine and test intrusion prevention and detection systems. You will learn about how digital footprints are left in memory and detect intrusion or malware, choose other optional modules and undertake an individual project.  

• Computer Security and Ethical Hacking (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Memory Analysis (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Individual Project (30 credits) - Compulsory
• Defensive Security (30 credits) - Optional
• Blockchain Engineering and Analytics (30 credits) - Optional
• Advanced Topics in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (30 credits) - Compulsory

Teaching

• The emphasis of this course is very much on learning by doing. You'll learn how to use specialist equipment in our computer laboratories and work on group and individual projects. You'll also consolidate your learning during seminars. You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team who have a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

Student support

• We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.
• Additional needs
• We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

• Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

• You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.
• We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

Careers

• How can the BSc Cyber Security and Digital Forensics support your career?
• The course is designed with emphasis on currency and the relevance to future employment and most graduates are employed in posts relevant to the subject. Our graduates work in a broad range of companies, government organisations, law enforcement agencies and e-Discovery organisations that require their digital and confidential assets to be protected whilst maintaining data integrity. Over 20 percent of students pursue further postgraduate study or research.  Previous graduates have gone on to work with:

Company Role

• Accenture-Tester
• Alvarez and Marsal-Analyst
• Bedfordshire Police-Digital forensic examiner
• Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)-Digital forensics officer/Senior digital forensic specialist
• DMA UK-IT manager
• Epic-Operations analyst/Cyber forensics investigator
• Ernst and Young-Forensic ad integrity services assistant director/e-discovery associate
• Eurofins Forensic Service-Senior computer investigator
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)-Cyber forensics coordinator/e-discovery administrator
• Grant Thornton-Digital forensic consultant
• The Insolvency Service-forensic computing examiner
• Inventus-e-discovery consultant
• Mindshare-Business intelligence analyst
• QA-Cyber security researcher
• The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity-Senior database manager
• SAP-Technical consultant/developer
• Serious Fraud Office-Digital Forensic Investigator
• Sussex Police-Digital Forensic Investigator
• Transport for London- Compliance Manager

Global network

• Our location in London helps us connect you with over 1,000 industry partners to develop your future employment prospects. And we have unique work and study opportunities at our campuses in Dubai and Mauritius. You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.

Work placements

• You can opt for a four-year course and spend year 3 developing your professional skills with a 12-month, paid work experience placement, which will lead to a certificate of industrial achievement. Placements and internships greatly improve graduate employment prospects, and those who take part achieve excellent academic results through applying their learning in a professional setting.
• You will be assigned to an industrial tutor who will visit you on your placement. If you complete the Supervised Industrial Placement module you will receive an additional qualification referred to as a Diploma of Industrial Studies