About the course
Course content
This course has been developed in consultation with industry practitioners. The School of Maths and Computing has strong links with senior policy developers in Government and industry and is a national leader and innovator in the field of cybersecurity information sharing and threat intelligence.
This Master’s course is highly valuable to a variety of participants with an interest in Cybersecurity;
· It will prepare a student well for achieving success in gaining employment; the demand for cybersecurity professionals currently outstrips the supply of talent. Employment opportunities include (but are not limited to); Cybersecurity Consultant,
Cybersecurity Analyst, IT Security Manager, Security Architect and Compliance roles.
· For anyone thinking of undertaking further study in cybersecurity e.g. Research Degree or Professional Certifications.
· Those already in the sector who wish to enhance / widen their knowledge and gain an advanced degree qualification
· Those from a generalist IT or Governance background who wish to develop a depth of understanding in managing, developing and implementing secure computer and information systems within organisations.
· It may be appropriate for anyone with a strong interest wishing to gain an advanced level of knowledge of cybersecurity or graduates from other disciplines (depending on experience).
This course is available for full or part-time study.
What happens on the course?
You will learn, understand and be able to apply international standards and tools and techniques available to issues related to cybersecurity, information assurance and compliance. Through course material, interactive discussion, practical exercises and small group based work, you will learn, understand, and evaluate security problems, The focus is on risks and you will develop an advanced knowledge of the threats and vulnerabilities that all organisations need to mitigate in order to avoid serious data breaches.
You will be able to address critical security issues and demonstrate the ability to apply a variety of methods to secure data. You will benefit from interactive classes designed for the experience and professional practice of Cybersecurity. Typical practical activities include; addressing web-based security issues and configuring servers and network equipment for secure operation. Students will learn, understand, articulate and engage in the practical application of a wide range of security methods, tools and techniques which are available for the management and application of Cybersecurity. Students will enhance their understanding through research, analysis, synthesis and the production of a specialist dissertation relating to cybersecurity. Opportunities will be provided during the course to engage with cybersecurity professionals.
Career path
There is an increasing demand for qualified people in all aspects of CyberSecurity and Forensics.The opportunities include but are not limited to:
• Security Consultant
• CyberSecurity Consultant
• CyberSecurityAnalyst
• IT Security Manager
• Risk Officer
• Security Architect
This MSc contributes substantially to the career development of IT professionals by enabling high level practitioners to work in an IT security management capacity. If you are from an ITor general management background, the depth of understanding you will gain from this course will contribute to your ability as a manager to develop and implement secure computer and information systems and manage their governance for organisations. While the academic level is masters,there is a strong practical application and professional orientation to the curriculum.
What skills will you gain?
At the end of this course you, the student, will be able to:
Develop robust security policies, justify the selection of suitable mechanisms for enforcement of such policies and be confident in the practices pertaining to systems security;
Analyse, categorise and evaluate security problems, and demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the most critical aspects;
Recommend and apply appropriate methods for the secure transmission and storage of data;
Demonstrate expertise in the construction and implementation of a functional security design for a network system;
Display mastery of the necessary knowledge required to manage the security of computer systems within an organisation;
Conduct research into advanced areas of Computer Systems Security through analysis and synthesis, deal professionally with complex issues, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data and communicate conclusions clearly through appropriate media.
Who accredits this course?
Accreditation will be applied for from the British Computer Society and the Institute for the Management of Information Systems.