January 2021
4 years full-time with placement
Usually 5 years part-time
Part-time
£13,700 (INT) *
We’re planning to teach through a flexible combination of online and face to face learning as we start the new academic year. If you’re thinking about starting in autumn 2020, there’s more detail on how we’ll deliver your course below, and in particular on the ‘Teaching’ tab under ‘Teaching and learning – changes for students in 2020’.
This course is now available in Clearing.
Follow this link or call 020 8411 6565 for more info
Overview
You can choose to start this course in October 2020 and in January 2021. This is because we've changed some of our teaching arrangements in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Whenever you start, you'll get the same great learning experience with lots of support to do your best.
Why study cyber security and digital forensics with us
Our BSc Cyber Security and Digital Forensics will develop your theoretical knowledge while you gain the skills, practical experience and certifications to excel in areas that range from compliance management to cyber forensics and everywhere in between. Tailor your studies to gain the expert knowledge, certifications and specialist cyber security skills that are in high demand across all sectors and industries.
You’ll enhance your understanding of compliance standards within a range of industries and networks, learn to identify breaches, vulnerabilities and threats – and build the digital investigation skills that will minimise their impact on organisations.
Build your practical skills
We’ll give you the opportunity to develop your professional skills with a year-long, paid work experience placement as part of a four-year study option. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, it may not be possible for placements to take place in the 2020/21 academic year. Placements will be subject to full risk assessment to ensure that the placement provider meets UK government criteria for COVID secure workplaces. You’ll also have the chance to gain industry-recognised certifications, including Cisco's CCNA and CCNP.
You’ll put theory into practice with hands-on experiments in our dedicated network, cyber security and digital forensic labs. There may be some restrictions to labs as a result of Covid-19. Where possible, practical online demos will be provided where it is not possible to access labs directly.
Our cyber security degree gives you the flexibility to tailor your studies with optional modules that let you focus on your areas of interest while you develop the skills that will give you a competitive edge in the industry.
Get the support you need to succeed
Our personalised approach gives you the support you need to succeed as a student. While you are an undergraduate or foundation year student, you’ll have a Personal Tutor directly related to your course. If you need support with academic writing, numeracy and library skills, we’ll be sure to provide it. Our Student Learning and Graduate Academic Assistants have studied your subject and can support you based on their own experience.
We’ll give you the help you need to write your CV, develop your job entry plan and make the relevant industry contacts that will let you pursue your career goals. You’ll graduate with a range of job opportunities in a variety of sectors, following in the footsteps of graduates who are now making their mark in companies including Accenture, Grant Thornton, Eurofins Forensic Service, Serious Fraud Office and Transport for London.
Course content
What will you study on BSc Cyber Security and Digital Forensics?
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. After Year 2, you will have the opportunity to put what you've learned to practical use with a work experience placement at an organisation.
What will you gain?
You will be prepared to deal with the legal implications of investigations and be able to collect, analyse and report on and present your findings on digital artefacts seized. You will be prepared to investigate unauthorised access or data breaches in an organisation.
Modules
We’ve made sure that the skills and knowledge that you’ll gain on your course will not change during the coronavirus outbreak. If you’re applying to start this course or progressing into year one, two or three this autumn, your module information is below.
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Year 1
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Computer Networks (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module provides you with the basic skills you'll need to succeed in networking-related degree programs and also help you develop the skills necessary to fulfil the job responsibilities of network technicians, network administrators, and network engineers. It provides a theoretically- rich, hands-on introduction to networking and the Internet. You'll learn both the practical and conceptual skills that build the foundation for understanding basic networking. You'll gain an understanding of the “layered” approach to networks by examining the OSI and TCP/IP models in detail. Among the topics covered will be the various network devices, network addressing schemes and the types of media used to carry data across the network. You'll gain a better understanding of routing protocols and learn how to configure, verifying, and troubleshoot routing operations.
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Computer Systems Architecture and Operating Systems (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module will provide you with fundamental concepts and principles of computer hardware and operating systems in order to explain the structure and operation of modern computers.
By taking this module, you will gain an understanding of how the computer’s hardware enables it to function as a networked, multi-media machine as this module will focus on the understanding of concepts, theory and associated terminology. Practical hands-on laboratory experiments will be used to illustrate the application of theory and concepts. Consideration will also be given to likely future developments in the area of computer architecture.
The development of a range of transferable skills with respect to communicating and demonstrating relevant knowledge will be encouraged and supported throughout.
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Programming for Data Communications and Networks (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module introduces fundamental computational concepts and programming constructs relevant to understanding and use of a range of widely used programming languages.
The main aim is to provide you with the opportunity to learn to program effectively. This takes place in the context of learning to solve a range of problems arising in the context of the processing, storing and transmitting data. You will understand the role of a basic but important range of data structures and types, and their use. Several data structures of interest within CCE will be considered, for example those to represent RTP packets (and associated operations on these) in order that audiovisual data can be sent using transport protocols such as the UDP protocol. The concept of an algorithm is introduced early on together with the techniques for program implementation. You will be encouraged and supported in undertaking - both individually and within a small group setting - a variety of laboratory-based problem solving tasks.
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Information in Organisations (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module will enable you to differentiate between data, information and knowledge in an organisation and to investigate efficient ways of storing, preserving, searching, retrieving and displaying information in an organisation. Undertaking this module will help you to visualise and conceptualise information in organisations through knowledge of modelling techniques and to design and implement a database system, and to utilise a mark-up language, to reflect the information in an organisation. The module will enable you to query and manipulate data that is stored in relational database using Structured Query Language (SQL).
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Year 2
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Digital Incident Scene Investigation (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module will provide you with experiential knowledge of the four phases of a Digital Investigation for digital landscapes, which are, Seizure (covers areas from the beginning of the crime scene and will discuss the current guidelines and standards, Locard’s exchange principle, the physical and appropriate process of “bagging and tagging” of digital devices and making and referring to contemporaneous notes), imaging (covers areas of why it is necessary to image, types of imaging methods, verification of an image, evidentiary integrity and how-to image using Write-Blocker hardware), analysis (uses various software to build up profiles of users from their digital fingerprints using appropriate software) and reporting (uses appropriate software be able to explain, justify and defend any decision made in the analysis stage).
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Internet Technologies (30 credits) - Compulsory
In the past years there has been an increase in attacks on websites that can result in the disclosure of information that is of a personal and confidential nature. With the introduction of GDPR it is no longer acceptable to collect information overtly and then not protect that information adequately. The purpose of this module is to consider GDPR compliancy for websites and more importantly implement them for the protection of collected data. Compliancy is taught in another module, so this module has some overlap, but relies on some knowledge of GDPR.
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Cyber Security and Digital Forensic Compliance (30 credits) - Compulsory
The aim of this module is to enable you to understand both the requirements for cybersecurity legislation and standards and the effects of compliance with them.
Whilst taking this module you will become proficient at how to identify and comply with relevant legislation and standards. The module will include a consideration of the language and terminology of laws and standards and how `in house’ regulation can be written to facilitate the following of best practise and legal requirements by a wide range of end users.
Through this module you will become familiar with the complete standardisation process from creation to replacement or withdrawal and also consider the role of and requirements for legislation in this area.
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Network and Protocol Analysis (30 credits) - Compulsory
The module looks at Network and Protocol Analysis and attempts to cover all aspects of networking and protocols including Internet Protocols, Network Services and Cloud Environments as well as Network Monitoring and Analysis. The main goal of the module is to equip you with the ability to build and analyse any networking environment independent of the underlying physical networking technology. Internet Protocols are the backbone of global communications and will be thoroughly examined in this course: including ARP, IP, UDP and TCP. This is then followed by the examination of the use of Network services including DNS, DHCP, CIFS and Ecommerce platforms such as LAMP. The course then moves on to show how these systems now run on Cloud Service Platforms leading to the development of the Intelligent Edge Environment (IEE). The course finishes by looking issues of network monitoring, network analysis and network performance.
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Year 3 - Optional Placement Year
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Supervised Industrial Placement (120 credits) - Optional
The overall aim of the module is to provide a minimum of nine months (39 weeks) and a maximum of 12 months (52 weeks) experience in a relevant work placement. The specific aims of this module are to enable you to experience a technical employment role in a real work setting and apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of practical problems. It will help you to build your skills to assess practical problems effectively and provide well-grounded solutions developing and enhancing your professional qualities, to work in a management structure, to develop team skills and communication skills. This opportunity will develop the maturity that will enable you to perform well in your final year, contributing with the development of the skills of autonomous learning.
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Year 4
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Memory Analysis (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module aims to look into complete memory extraction and distinguish and identify memory artefacts. You will be exposed to how memory Analysis can help to determine information about running programs, the operating system, and the overall state of a computer.
You will also look into memory forensics in the form of cyber investigation that allows an investigator to identify unauthorised and anomalous activity on a target computer or server. You will be able to run a special software that is able to capture the current state of the system's memory that is known as memory dump (snapshot file).
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Defensive Security (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module will provide an overview of the different types of cyber security threats to computer systems and networks and the measures that can be put in place to counteract and mitigate against these threats.
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Individual Project (30 credits) - Compulsory
This module provides you with the opportunity of choosing and working on a project that reflects your interests and aims and outcomes of your programme. It should constitute a practical problem-solving project relevant to your programme of study. The primary aim of the module is to consolidate and deepen your understanding of material taught on your programme, to exercise professional judgement, to undertake individual research and to conduct an investigation and/or develop a product, process or application relevant to the focus of your programme. It provides you with the opportunity of engaging in significant system development, the typical output of which represents the solution of a problem akin to those that you as a fledgling professional practitioner are likely to encounter in future employment. The module intends that your choice of individual project will provide you with a significant opportunity to reflect on your learning progress and to develop your learning for life-long and career development.
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Blockchain Engineering and Analytics (30 credits) - Optional
Blockchain Technology is changing how organisations communicate and operate, with this change there is a challenge and opportunity for Blockchain developers and analysts. This module aims is to enable to gain knowledge behind the blockchain technology and how it can be applied, to gain skills to develop and implement blockchain technology and to enable you to combine knowledge and skills to complete blockchain analytics.
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Artificial Intelligence (30 credits) - Optional
The aim of the module is to introduce you to a range of AI theories and techniques, including the most commonly used. This will extend to the ability to implement these techniques, to facilitate you to extend your own development skills.
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Network Security and Forensics (30 credits) - Optional
This module aims to provide you with an understanding of network security and forensics. It provides an overview of some key issues, such as CIA and AAA, current systems and infrastructures, Cloud Computing and define some key principles, such as defence-indepth and de-militarisation zones (DMZ).
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More information about this course
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.
Teaching
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
Careers
How can the BSc Cyber Security and Digital Forensics support your career?
You will be expected to complete case studies that reflect real-world investigations. Standard Operating Procedures, theory and practice will all be completed and compliant to current regulations. Understanding of regulations and how they are applied is important in organisations that rely on data. These teaching experiences will help prepare you for your future career.
This course can provide a range of job opportunities in a variety of sectors. 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 |
Campus life
Staff profiles
Dr Ian Mitchell
Associate professor
Dr Mitchel has been teaching for over 20 years in higher education and has over 40 articles published in domains extending to Neural Networks, Evolutionary Algorithms, Digital Forensics and Blockchain Engineering.
Dr Sukhvinder Hara
Senior lecturer
Dr Hara has spent 7 years as a Digital Forensic Analyst in the Serious Fraud Office and brings invaluable experience to the programme. She has published many articles and is currently completing research in Crytocurrencies.
Dr Mahdi Aiash
Senior lecturer
Dr Aiash is a computer security researcher and practitioner with industry, academic, and research experience. He is an active contributor to the academic as well as broader international community working on Information and Network Security issues. He has published in excess of 50 peer reviewed papers in prestigious journals and conferences and is a recipient of a number of "Best Research Paper Awards". Dr Aiash presently maintains nearly two dozen certifications including Ethical/White Hat Hacker, Licenced Pen-tester and Information Security Officer. He has also conducted workshops and corporate training's around the world apart from his speaking engagements.
Other courses
Computer Networks BSc
Start: October 2020, September 2020: EU/INT induction
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years with placement, Usually 5 years part-time
Code: G400
Computer Communication and Networks (Year 3 Entry) BEng/MEng
Start: October 2021
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years with placement, Usually 5 years part-time, Entry is only for Year 2 and Year 3
Code: BEng: G425, MEng: I120
Computer Science BSc/MComp
Start: October 2020, January 2021
Duration: BSc: 3 years full-time, 4 years with placement, MComp: 4 years full-time, 5 years with placement
Code: BSc: G404, MComp: I10M
