Cyber Security

Whatever a student’s future career, there are certain professional skills that are required in the workplace. This module provides opportunities to acquire and apply essential skills for academic success, while also developing digital skills that are a prerequisite for a successful career. Students will practice, and build confidence in wide ranging skills, as part of their transition into higher education. By establishing and pursuing a personal development plan, students develop a set of personal qualities such as self-awareness, confidence and resilience; and professional skills such as communication, teamwork, risk management, coaching and feedback. Whilst students learn to construct outstanding CVs and professional LinkedIn profiles, this module also aims to raise students’ digital skills competencies. The module will cover the general Microsoft Office suite and specific digital skills of particular relevance to the discipline that the student is studying. This module is taught as a mix of lectures, practitioner guest lectures, hands-on skills seminars and computer lab sessions.

This module aims to provide students with a thorough underpinning in the Science of Computational Thinking. Students will learn about core mathematical concepts and their application, abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, algorithms, and data structures. As part of this module, students will be encouraged to consider the impact that they are having on the environment, especially in terms of the efficiency of their algorithms and consumption of computing resources. Students will be engaged in activities which allow them to practice and apply their computational thinking skills. They will be encouraged to consider a variety of different problems and how they can be “solved” using computation.

The aim of this module is to introduce concepts of system and software design within an organisational environment. This module develops the student’s skills in analysing business and technical requirements to select and specify appropriate technology solutions, capturing client requirements, and producing the solutions architecture and software design. Additionally, students will investigate the use of infrastructure to support business needs and design systems which will consider these requirements. Students will develop an understanding of the OSI model, networking devices, and routing protocols. Students will explore and understand the security threats to an IT system and the operational impact of these threats on an organisation. This module will introduce topical case studies of attacks on organisational information systems, highlighting the business consequences. Within this module, students will be encouraged to think about the design, security, and networking aspects of Computer Science using industry-led case studies.

Within this module, students will be supported develop the practical skills required to implement software solutions using programming techniques. Students develop the necessary understanding of how the fundamentals of coding languages (such as variables, functions, input-output, control structures) are implemented together with exploring the use of databases within systems. Throughout this module, students will be engaging in problem solving activities, designed to build their confidence with both software development activities and the tools, techniques, and technologies used by Software Engineers in industry. Students will be supported to engage with practical application of programming principles, with industry-led examples. Initially, students will focus on smaller programmes, gradually building to more difficult ones by the end of the module.

This module enables you to develop your understanding and competence in using diverse research methods for academic and professional purposes. You will explore a variety of research approaches and will develop practical qualitative and quantitative research skills including defining and scoping a project; designing an effective and manageable research protocol; collecting data and using appropriate analysis methods.

You will develop an appreciation of ethical implications of the research process to facilitate responsible research practice and will be introduced to the key stages required to complete an applied project from concept to delivery. You will learn how to manage a project and contribute effectively as a member of a project team, using ideas generation techniques and problem-solving skills to develop innovative solutions to business problems. This module contributes to your continuing professional development as you will gain key insights into how to perform technical process improvement tasks in a range of environments to solve real-world business problems.

This module explores protection mechanisms appropriate to various information technology systems and architectures.  Mechanisms and cryptographic protocols that help to provide confidentiality and integrity of data together with authentication and authorisation are explored in detail.  The principles and fundamentals of system-level security are considered together with a contextual overview of the law and regulations relating to the use of security mechanisms.  The practical application of these mechanisms in typical IT systems and architectures are incorporated.

This module explores the expertise to combat cyber threats effectively with secure networking and applied cryptography. This module demonstrates various cyber threats, including malware, hacking, social engineering, and phishing attacks, gaining insights to mitigate their impact on information systems. It explores the principles and techniques of applied cryptography, mastering encryption, decryption, digital signatures, and key management. This knowledge empowers you to implement secure communication and safeguard sensitive data across diverse applications. This module focuses on practical exercises, scenarios, and simulations, gaining hands-on experience in understanding and countering cyber threats using cryptographic techniques. By combining theoretical foundations with practical skills, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of cyber threats and applied cryptograph.

• Information Management and Data Analytics - 15 credits
• Servers, Data Centres and Smart Systems - 15 credits
• Artificial Intelligence - 15 credits
• Risk Management and Cyber Security - 15 credits

This module covers the four phases of digital forensic investigation including seizure, imaging, analysis and reporting.  Technical knowledge and practical skills are developed using industry standard forensic software. Legal and regulatory processes are explored in detailed together with mobile forensic techniques.

This module will examine the emerging trends that signify the formation of the information society and also its relationship with law, technology, and public policy. This module will cover UK and European Union law along with a variety of international regulatory perspectives that seek to harmonise law. The module will analyse the many legal and regulatory challenges that the information society generates for society, particularly with regard to privacy, the creation of products, the media. Particular focus will be upon whether these challenges can be best resolved by law or some other means, for example, technology, education or simple market forces.

Additionally, this module introduces the skills required and methodology used to perform penetration testing. Penetration testers simulate cyber-attacks to find security weaknesses in networks, operating systems, and applications. Students will acquire hands-on experience using different tools and techniques for penetration testing.

• Disruptive Technologies and Information Rights - 30 credits
• Cloud Infrastructures for Organisations - 30 credits
• Capstone Project - Dissertation - 30 credits
• Capstone Project - Consultancy Project - 30 credits
• Capstone Project - Placement for Good - 30 credits
• Capstone Project - Start up for Good - 30 credits