About the course
Course content
Interest in computer security is booming. From whistle-blower Edward Snowden to the NHS ransomware attack, the increase in cybercrime has led to a strong demand for security experts in this area. This online course will teach you how to protect and safeguard the information stored on digital devices around the world.
With an in-depth focus on penetration testing and the implementation of defensive measures, your course will enhance your existing computing knowledge and develop your security expertise. We will teach you how to break systems in order to tighten their security and stop others from breaking into them, and you will develop new methods to protect a company's security.
You will gain hands-on experience in a Virtual Learning Environment. Connecting to a remote machine from your PC or laptop, you will discover how to 'hack' and defend machines in order to test their security using safe and legal training procedures.
Research Excellence Framework 2014
Research Excellence Framework 2014: our University demonstrated strength in five emerging areas of research which it entered into the assessment for the first time, including computer science.
Course Benefits
To successfully protect organisations you're going to learn how to hack into machines, introduce viruses, and break systems. However, for legal, ethical, and moral reasons we don't want you doing this on your own machines. That's why we provide you with a learning environment that will allow you to connect to a remote machine, providing you with a virtual environment to practise what you learn.
This is a course that can be studied from the comfort of your own home. It is taught entirely online, providing you with practical scenarios in which you can role-play as an IT security professional.
A virtual learning environment is provided which will host all the relevant material for the course and, where appropriate, weekly online lectures or tutorials will be given.
Resources via our Library Online will also be available to you, such as online journals and ebooks.
Core modules
- Principles of Digital Security
- Incident Response & Investigation
- Network Security, Firewalls & Virtual Private Networks
- Hacker Techniques, Tools & Incident Handling
- Security Strategies for Web Applications & Social Networks
- Research Practice
- Project Management
- Dissertation
Job prospects
Whether you are already in computing and looking to move into security or you are a student who has just finished a computing-related degree, this course will give you the skills to protect the information held by businesses across every sector, giving your career global potential. Your future roles could include penetration tester (system, network, web, and application), security architect, malware analyst, security analyst or security auditor.
- Penetration tester (System, network, web, application)
- Security architect
- Malware analyst
- Director of security