From national security to the privacy of personal communications, the smooth running of societies and economies depends on the security of computer networks. With a security breach potentially costing a company millions, highly skilled experts who can provide protection are sought-after across the globe. Technology is constantly developing and security issues are too, making this a challenging and rapidly evolving specialism.
This course provides both intensive practical training and a profound theoretical education, extending beyond the technicalities of network security to cover strategic and organisational issues. During your studies, you will work with our LTE test bed and Blade Server, and you will learn how to access and configure cloud-based networks.
You will be encouraged to learn, explore and work within our award-winning technology centre and its five specialist laboratories equipped with the latest industry-standard hardware and software, including OPNET, Wireshark, MATLAB, Simulink, OpNet Modeller 17.0, OMNeT++ , NI and Cisco technology such as Packet Tracer. Depending on the Covid-19 related restrictions in place at the time, the teaching may take place either online with remote/virtual access to specialised hardware equipment and industry standard software or on campus following the required restrictions.
Practical work is an important part of every module, and unless you're already in employment, we'll encourage and support you to finding a placement for up to 12 weeks, during which you'll work on your independent research project. Access to placements will be dependent on individual employer organisations and any Covid-19 restrictions they may have in place.
Our strong research profile ensures our courses remain innovative. We have developed our own WSN, Senso LAB, and have also undertaken notable research in areas such as MIMO, LTE and LTE Advanced
The course is designed for those students who have previously studied computing at university level or who are currently working in the sector, and are looking to develop an advanced mastery of the subject.
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This Masters degree gives you an in-depth understanding of network design and construction, programming and operating systems, and the legal, ethical and professional issues which surround this sector. You will also study online security risks, installing the relevant procedures to ensure data is transmitted and stored securely, and developing measures that can be taken not only to prevent breaches but to minimise damage if they do occur.
You will be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to analyse and build security systems, software and hardware applications, secure transactions, authentication measures, and cryptography and encryption techniques.
You will become familiar with the configurations of different systems in laboratories and learn to choose the appropriate measures and applications for a network. In addition to your proficiency in the subject, you will also have developed your mathematical, problem solving, 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 module focuses on the design and implementation of the modern operating systems and application environments used to build commercial, online applications. The module examines key operating concepts including processes and threads, memory management, scheduling, inter-process communication (IPC), device drivers, storage systems, multiprocessor systems, micro-kernels and networking interfaces. You will concentrate on Linux, Windows, Apple iOS and Android operating systems before focusing on a detailed study of key application environments including the Eclipse IDE, XCode, and Android SDK. Finally, we look at the concept of virtual machines and building applications for the cloud using the Google GAE SDK.
This module covers the concepts and critical issues of security with emphasis on security architecture and mechanisms, standards, protocols, solutions and applications. It will provide you with an understanding of security technologies, algorithms and solutions as well as an understanding of the design criteria in security, basic system security analysis, and security solution synthesis.
The aim of this module is to provide you with the knowledge and experience in methodological approach to computer forensics and evidence analysis. It will familiarise you with the methods intruders use to gain unauthorised access to an organisation's networked systems and then compromise them.
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 provides you with a solid introduction to the subject of cyber security and information assurance. This includes a broad understanding of the security technologies available to support information assurance and security requirements and vulnerabilities corresponding to attack vectors. It will also explore regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, E-commerce Bill, key escrow.
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.
This is an intensive course and much of your study will be independent. Full-time students should expect to spend a maximum of three days a week in classes and part-time students should expect one or two days a week. You will develop your practical skills in laboratory sessions delivered online, and deepen your theoretical knowledge by attending lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials.
Depending on the Covid-19 related restrictions in place at the time, the teaching may take place either online with remote/virtual access to specialised hardware equipment and industry standard software or on campus following the required restrictions.
As well as exams, 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.
For your independent project you will plan, conduct and produce an original piece of research relevant to the industry – either using existing or emerging technology to solve a practical problem, or extending the theoretical understanding of new technology. You will be assessed on your research proposal, written report and via oral examination.
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 2021/22 | ||
Live in-person on campus learning | Contact hours per week, per level: | 7 hours |
Live online learning | Average hours per week, per level: | 5 hours |
Tutor set learning activities | Average hours per week, per level: | 24 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 masters degree will leave you ideally placed for a role as training specialist, systems dispenser, business analysis manager or university lecturer. The majority of our graduates are in roles directly related to their studies and working in programming, telecommunications engineering, network management, and computer and network security. You could even start your own business or you may wish to pursue a career in academia.
Our graduates have gone onto achieve many successes since leaving Middlesex and a number have even started working for such companies as:
Hadi Sanei
Graduate
Completing my MSc course gave me a huge amount of confidence in myself and my capabilities. I learnt how to deal with complex problems, how to analyse them and how to find the best solutions. The modules on systems simulations and modelling completely changed my career plans. I found the topic so interesting that I based my final project around it, which was later published and presented as a conference paper in the UK and Italy.
I now work for Halcrow as a systems engineer. We provide consultancy services and design for a variety of rail systems globally. In the last four years, I have worked on many major rail projects in the UK, Malaysia, Indonesia, Qatar, Canada and Brazil.
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 2024
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGG42G
Start: September 2024
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGH64A
