Cybersecurity BSc (Hons)

This degree aims to provide you with a deep, practical understanding of the latest security technologies, applications, and issues, ensuring you know how to put in place strong information security and management that can cope with the vast and ever-evolving proliferation of malware and targeted cyber-attacks. 

The course is uniquely designed to blend a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art domains around information and network security; it will equip you with the academic and industry skills to excel in your career.

Course accreditation

• This course is fully accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), the Chartered Institute for IT, meaning you qualify for chartered IT professional (CITP) status once you graduate.

Facilities and specialist equipment

• Modern, purpose-built STEM building with industry-relevant laboratories and equipment High-tech Cisco Networking Academy computer networking and specialised cybersecurity laboratory
• Cutting-edge technology such as MATLAB simulation software and virtualised environments so you become familiar with the technology used in industry
• Use of Hak5 hardware for pentesting activities

Your student experience

• Cybersecurity learning is supported through industry-professional certification programmes such as Cisco CCNA and CyberOps Associate, to name a few.
• The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CyberOps Associate and CompTIA CySA+ programmes prepare you for industry examinations to gain networking and cybersecurity certifications.
• Put your skills into practice through work-based projects, learning from experts at organisations such as Bedfordshire Police.
• Take part in a mixture of hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations from academics and guest industry speakers. Examples of guest speakers include Mark Wilson, Technical Director of Vertali, on IBM Mainframe security; Alex Mortimer, Manager of Academic Partnerships at ISC2; and Cristian Coraci, IT Consultant, on data hiding, digital forensics and mainframe forensics.
• Benefit from being supported by our dedicated academic success tutors.

Course Units which follow Professional Certifications

• We understand the importance and value of professional computing certifications. A hybrid approach of combining hands-on practical, academic and professional learning best prepares learners and gives you 'added value' as you start out on your computing career. The School of Computer Science and Technology has long established collaborations with top providers in the industry and the School’s teaching team includes many long-standing experienced professional instructors.

What will you study?

• Studying our Cybersecurity BSc (Hons) course will equip you with an in-depth knowledge and skills in the areas of information security, cyber defence and threat mitigation. In core areas of study, our Principles of Information Security unit will introduce you to the fundamentals of information security, threats, and network security while also allowing you to practice using industry-standard operating systems. 
• You will explore this in more depth in our Information Security Management unit that will provide you with the theory and practical skills around compliance, threat mitigation and cybersecurity operations and apply this to a business standpoint through risk identification or assessment. Furthermore, our unit in Switching and Routing will teach you to perform basic network configuration, troubleshooting, and to protect against cybersecurity threats.
• More importantly, you will learn to build and evaluate successful threat intelligence programmes in our Cyber Defence and Information Governance unit. You will be given an overview of the tools and techniques for network security and use this to prevent cyberattacks or to identify and flag them as quickly as possible. As a crucial skill, you will then be taught to respond in the event of a security breach in our Incident Response unit by implementing incident response processes such as evidence gathering and forensic investigation techniques. 
• More interestingly, you will also receive specialised knowledge and hands-on experience in Ethical Hacking, vulnerability assessment and security testing. Similarly, you will be introduced to the basic concepts and applications of computer systems in our Databases and Computer Networks unit. You will then be taught to combine mathematical knowledge with computer science in our Mathematics and Concepts for Computational Thinking unit. You will apply mathematics to practical skills such as algorithms and pattern recognition while also using it to develop software applications using high-level programming language such as Python.
• As a student in the field of computer science, it is also essential that you are familiarised with programming and data handling. This is where our Principles of Programming and Data Structures unit will develop your programming skills to explore the process of analysing, designing, testing and implementing computer systems and how to skilfully use this for software development. You will also consider the principles of Wireless Communications and Networking by exploring the techniques for wireless networking and learning to use this to produce realistic solutions to complex networking problems. Finally, you will complete an Undergraduate Project in an area of interest that is relevant to your field of study. 
• You will decide on your proposal topic with your supervisor in our Research Methodologies and Emerging Technologies unit where you can choose from a range of ideas relevant to your career aspirations. Similarly, our Agile Project Management unit will equip you with the project management skills for such academic work and most importantly, your future employment.
• Throughout the three years of the course, you will also be provided with hands-on content from various industry professional certifications such as Cisco CCNA, Cisco CyberOps Associate, and CompTIA CySA+ to name a few, delivered through our Cisco Networking Academy and CompTIA Partnership. Additionally, various cybersecurity tools will be used to help develop your skills in the field that employers need. Hak5 penetration testing hardware along with Cisco switches, routers and firewalls; and software tools such as Virtualised Environments, Wireshark, Kali Linux and other Linux distros, Cisco Packet tracer; alongside other penetration testing and network defence tools, will be used throughout the units. 
• Cybersecurity graduates can pursue any of the general or specialist IT positions such as a Security Analyst, Cyber Risk Analyst, SOC Analyst, Incident Response Specialist, Network Security Specialists, Network Technicians or Administrators, Penetration Testers, Governance and Compliance Officers, and many more.

How will you be assessed?

• You are assessed in a variety of ways. The majority of units are assessed through coursework group and individual projects portfolios essays presentations or exams. You will also produce software artefacts in the area of your specialism. Constant feedback and advice from a supervisory or unit team will be provided to support you in your studies. You are required to comprehend the basic range of intellectual concepts which form the foundations of the subject and application area and will be assessed on your ability to articulate such concepts in a coherent manner.
• There are opportunities for formative assessment particularly through guided learning. Written assessments are used to allow the students to reflect on their experiences in the workplace and to consider steps they could take to apply their learning. E-Portfolios allow students to collect evidence of work they have completed as well as examples and applications of their knowledge from course. Students may also be required to make technical presentations. At level 4 you are assessed on your understanding of the fundamental concepts of Computer Science and its applications. 
• Students will also be introduced to fundamental theory around data analytics and its applications to network defence underpinned by the basics of information security principles. At level 5 you are assessed on your ability to apply the basic concepts of the disciplines introduced in level 4 to existing controversies and issues on which there is already a body of research and critical opinion. At level 6 you will be required to demonstrate independent thinking and initiative. This may be in the form of analysing and criticising current approaches and theory within cybersecurity malware analysis and GRC frameworks. In all cases you will be expected to show an awareness of the major theories and practices of the discipline. 
• You will progress from well-defined briefs to more open-ended and challenging assessments which culminate in the honours project - where you will be given freedom to choose your area of work.

Careers

• This course opens up a range of roles including information security specialists network security officers/administrators/engineers penetration testers mobile security testers cybersecurity operations centre specialists incident responder network administrators/engineers systems administrators/engineers.