Today virtually every aspect of modern life depends on the integrity, reliability and efficiency of computer networks – from personal communication to the functioning of the world's economy – which is why the sector is experiencing major investment and qualified professionals are in huge demand.
Our course is designed to equip you to deal with the ever-changing needs of the business world and ever-developing threats to security – combining both theory and intensive practical experience with a strong emphasis on professional skills.
We make the most of our strong links with companies like Microsoft and Siemens and work hard to ensure our course remains highly relevant to the workplace. Practical work is an important part of every module, delivered online, and unless you're already in employment, we'll help you find a work placement for up to 12 weeks, during which you'll work on your independent research project.
Our award-winning technology centre has five specialist laboratories equipped with the latest industry-standard hardware and software, including OPNET, Wireshark, MATLAB, Simulink, OpNet Modeller 17.0, OMNeT++ , National Instruments and Cisco technology such as Packet Tracer. While studying for this qualification you will work with our LTE test bed and Blade Server, and you will learn how to access and configure cloud-based networks. As part of your studies, you'll also have the opportunity to work towards a Cisco CCNA professional certification, worth £1,600 and considered the gold standard in the industry.
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This course gives you an in-depth understanding of computer network design, implementation and optimisation. You will focus on network design and construction, programming and operating systems, and network troubleshooting in a business environment. You will also explore cloud-based networks, modern data centres, virtualisation and distributed storage.
You’ll be gain experience in modelling, monitoring and analysing networks in various situations as well as simulating performance and availability to configure for optimum performance. In addition to the expertise you will develop, the course will also improve your mathematical, problem solving, teamwork, communication, time management and critical skills.
During this module you will develop a systematic understanding of the concepts, protocols and standards for computer networks and internetworking, used in current and future communication infrastructures. It is vital in today's networking market that network managers, administrators and engineers have a critical insight and practical experience of the essential tools used for monitoring, managing and evaluating computer networks. This module is designed to equip you with these problem solving and practical skills.
This in-depth module provides a theoretical and practical overview of troubleshooting complex enterprise networks. It will enable you to communicate advanced network concepts to both networking experts and non-experts and apply the techniques you have learned to carry out projects. The module focuses on turning you into a qualified network manager, administrator and engineer with both problem solving and practical skills, such as selecting and configuring appropriate protocols.
This module focuses on the design and implementation of modern networked Operating Systems The module examines key operating concepts including: processes and threads, memory management, file systems, inter-process communication (IPC), synchronisation, networking technologies, network interfaces and socket programming. Practical experience of modern Operating Systems will be provided using labs on Linux and Windows 10.
Throughout this module you will learn how to evaluate a network situation and identify the most important aspects to monitor and analyse. You will be introduced to a methodological approach to network design and the concepts of network modelling, analysis and simulation. At the end of the module you will have developed an appreciation of the design and development simulation software as appropriate models to evaluate the pure performance and availability, as well as the performability, of computer networks.
This is module covers the principles and foundations of network security. It aims at providing students with security issues, technologies, algorithms and protocols used in securing computer networks and associated systems. It will also provide an understanding of possible security breaches, security risk analysis and mechanisms to protect computer and network communication systems. It also studies an in-depth review of commonly-used security mechanisms and techniques, security threats and network-based attacks.
This module covers various issues relating to virtualisation and could computing. You will focus on exploring and understanding modern data centres, virtualisation, distributed storage, MapReduce, NoSQL, platform services, web services and caching. At the end of the module you will be able to critically assess a variety of cloud platforms, use quantitative and qualitative techniques to professionally design and implement scalable applications and services that execute in a distrusted computing environment, and evaluate the trade-offs and challenges when developing a cloud.
This module is an independent piece of work shaped largely by one’s own decisions and preferences to accomplish and deliver a task via prescribed stages. The module aims to facilitate students’ understanding of designing, planning and conducting applied research. The module encourages students to apply and test theory and to contribute to applications, through enhancing students’ ability to handle data for problem solving and evaluation; to test theory using analysis and simulations, integrating the learning from other modules.
See the course specification for more information:
Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we have learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.
We aim to model a wide range of teaching strategies and approaches on the course which you can adapt to your own setting.
As well as developing your practical skills in laboratory sessions, you’ll attend lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, where you’ll deepen your theoretical knowledge, work on activities and case studies, and develop your analytical and problem-solving skills. You will do research, produce written reports, give presentations and take part in group discussions and group work, supplementing all this with your own independent study.
As well as exams (including an oral exam as part of your dissertation), tests and your research project, you’ll be assessed through practical assignments, including laboratory work, and coursework including essays, reports, presentations and class discussions. Some assessed work will be group work.
You will receive regular feedback on your work, including your assessed coursework and your exams.
We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we have learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.
We are currently reviewing our approach to teaching and learning for 2023 entry and beyond. We've learned a lot about how to give you a quality education - we aim to combine the best of our pre-pandemic teaching and learning with access to online learning and digital resources which put you more in charge of when and how you study. We will keep you updated on this throughout the application process.
Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities, with online sessions for some activities where we know being virtual will add value. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.
The table below gives you an idea of what learning looks like across a typical week. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.
This information is likely to change slightly for 2023 entry as our plans evolve. You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.
Learning structure: typical hourly breakdown in 2022/23 | ||
Live in-person on campus learning | Contact hours per week, per level: | 8 hours |
Live online learning | Average hours per week, per level: | 4 hours |
This information is likely to change slightly for 2024/25 entry as our plans evolve. You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.
Definitions of terms
Support
You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.
Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.
You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
This course will leave you perfectly placed for a role as a training specialist, university lecturer, systems dispenser or business analysis manager. Many of our graduates have gone straight into employment in the networking and communications industry and are working in programming, telecommunications engineering or network management. Or why not consider starting your own your business?
Our graduates have gone onto achieve many successes since leaving Middlesex and a number have even started working for large companies such as:
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2023
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGG42G
Start: September 2023
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGI108
Start: September 2023
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGH64A
