Overview
The worldwide cyber security market has grown from $3.5 billion (2004) to $75 billion (2015) and is forecast to reach $170 billion by 2020. Gain the essential knowledge and skills needed to become a cyber security IT professional. Take advantage of our relationship with Cisco and graduate with CCNA certification, recognised worldwide by industry. This course has been validated to include an optional placement year in industry.
Careers
The 2015 Global Information Security Workforce Study predicts that the global cyber security workforce shortage will reach 1.5 million by 2020, as demand outstrips supply. As a result, graduates are in demand with cyber security roles starting on salaries from £25-30,000. Cyber Security Consultants can expect to earn anything between £40,000 – 80,000 per year and many provide their services under their own Limited companies.
Your skills in computer, network and information security could see you working closely with lawyers, government, commercial organisations, the education sector and investigation agencies, as well as the finance and e-commerce sectors and national security organisations.
Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us. If you’d like to continue your studies we offer a wide range of full-time and part-time postgraduate courses including MSc Cloud Computing and MSc Cyber Security. You’re also in the perfect position to continue your academic career and move on to research degree in Computer Science (PhD).
Modules & assessment
Year one, core modules
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Web Development
If you’re anticipating a career in information systems or programming, the knowledge of website construction, whether that is for the internet or a company intranet, is a valuable asset. Our module provides you with the knowledge required to build a standards compliant web site. The website will be a blend of XHTML, Cascading Style Sheet and a scripting language and incorporate media and text elements. You’ll also be expected to submit documentation containing an introduction, descriptions of the purpose and aims of the web site. You’ll choose a subject for the website. The knowledge you’ll gain in this module will form the foundation for further web-based study in areas such as graphic design, user perceptions of the usability and quality of web pages and multimedia/database websites. -
Learning and Skills Development for HE and Work
If you're entering higher education you'll need specific study skills to enable you to maximise your learning potential and take advantage of opportunities available both in the academic setting and the workplace. Students enter with different levels of skills and experience and may approach this module in a variety of ways. The module prepares and supports you to build a strong foundation for learning and later development. Learning will develop and underpin Level One study skills in the first half of the semester with the focus moving towards individual formative support towards the end of the semester. You'll develop and maintain a reflective learning log/blog to support this module and their continuing studies, the reflective log/blog is used as the basis of tutorial work and formative assessment. This work will also provide evidence for the beginning of a Personal Development Planning Portfolio that you'll build on over the next two years of your studies. You'll be expected to meet with your personal tutors to review your progress and actively seek out a mentor within the university community or workplace. -
Software Principles
Learn the fundamental concepts required to understand, design, implement and test high-level programming languages. We’ll introduce you to a design methodology to help develop linear and hierarchical trains of thought from idea conception through design and implementation to testing. You’ll use a simple interactive programming environment to discover how to create and use a wide variety of different basic and complex data structures. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to analyse a simple set of requirements, design appropriate data structures, select appropriate language syntax to manipulate program data and understand and use syntax for the implementation of conditional logic and repetition. You’ll also be able to create simple scripts, demonstrate familiarity with the taxonomy of programming languages and the software development life- cycle and gain sufficient experience of a range of algorithm design techniques. -
Networked Systems
This module will introduce you to the components and requirements of modern networked computer systems. In order to understand how such systems work it is necessary to consider the operating system, through the networking technology to the servers to be accessed. On completing this module, students will be able to specify, construct and maintain networked PC systems, and troubleshoot common hardware and software problems. Practical skills are underpinned by a sound theoretical foundation in computer systems and network architecture, including both local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). - Cyber Crime Fundamentals
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Operating Systems
You'll be introduced to the fundamental features of modern operating systems, their components and their use. You'll learn key concepts including the kernel, memory and resource management, security and authentication and command line and graphical user interfaces (GUI). Case studies will be used to familiarise you with the history and features of Windows/MS-DOS and Linux/Unix with some exploration of Android and Mac OSX. The module will also introduce you to the command line interface (CLI) commands and scripting in both the Windows CLI and a Linux shell and allow you to develop simple scripts to automate activities in both operating system environments. It'll also explain how each operating system stores configuration information and how (particularly in Linux/Unix) scripts can be used to modify that system configuration. The skills acquired in the module will enable you to go on to study modules which involve topics such as system administration, network and server configuration and technical support all of which are key skills graduates need when working in the systems and network support industries.
Year two, core modules
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Routing and Switching Essentials
Computer networks are constantly evolving to keep pace with the changing needs of organizations in supporting their daily business. Users now expect instant access to company resources from anywhere and at any time. These resources not only include traditional data but also audio and video and voice. Due to the complexity and dynamic nature of networks, often networks employ dynamic routing protocols to dynamically establish the "best" path for routing the traffic, to achieve the maximum efficiency while maintain the ever-increased demand of reliability and security. This module focuses on the key concepts and protocols of network routing and switching. It covers basic routing and switching concepts, including static and default routing, Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), and interVLANs routing. Dynamic protocols such as RIP, EIGRP and OSPF, and will be discussed and explored Network security using Access Control Lists will be introduced and the wider issues of network and Internet security considered. Other topics such as DHCP and NAT will also be covered. - Secure Systems Architectures
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Data Security
Information technology has created a world that is increasingly virtual in nature. Both private individuals and businesses alike suffer the same vulnerabilities in managing access to valuable information that is increasingly being stored remotely. Whilst the public and industry professionals wrestle with the escalating complexity and variation in the ways that information is compromised, we see the emergence of the harnessing of digital insecurities as a weapon on an international stage. You’ll be introduced to some of the key concepts that lie at the heart of information security, but viewed at the more fundamental data level. You’ll be provided with a critical insight into the often misunderstood or poorly defined issues of data security and thereby offered a springboard to the study of information security at level 6. After studying this module you’ll understand how and why the digital data systems we use every day pose such a threat to individuals and businesses, where solutions are possible and where they might prove difficult or impossible. A key issue is the fundamental weakness that humans introduce into the technology. You’re expected to augment the content delivered by lectures with independent study of your own on a weekly (or even daily basis) in order to remain current with developing threats. You’ll write up a dossier of weekly security issues and together with a 1,000 word technical discussion of a particular security vulnerability will form the final assessment making a 3,000 word submission in total. -
Project Management and Quality Assurance
If you work in the IT field you will find yourself part of a project team. For projects to proceed successfully it is important for all members of the team to be aware of their roles and responsibilities. In this module you will learn about your role as a team member, the structure of IT projects and the tools and techniques used for planning, monitoring and controlling such projects. The quality assurance portion of this module will help you to develop an understanding of the range of techniques which can be used to promote quality and their cost/benefit issues. You will practise a range of verification and validation procedures. You will be introduced to the standards relevant to IT projects and accreditation procedures. As well as taught sessions you will have practical and theoretical tutorial sessions. You will be assessed by presenting a case study. -
Object Oriented Programming
Here, you’ll develop your programming skills and enhance your knowledge and skills in best programming practice. You’ll cover the essential aspects of input/output routines, control structures, contiguous data structures, and the devolvement of objects and methods, which will give you a detailed coverage of the object-oriented paradigm. You’ll adopt the computational way of thinking that a software developers use. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to assemble multiclass programs that meet the business requirements set in a specification. - Network Security
Year three, core modules
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Undergraduate Major Project
In this module you’ll be creating a substantial piece of individual research focused on a topic of your choice. You could choose your topic from a variety of sources including research groups, previous/current work experience and/ or suggestion from your tutor. You’ll identify problems and issues, conduct literature review, process data, critically appraise and present your findings. Regular meetings with your project supervisor will ensure your project is closely monitored and steered in the right direction. -
Managing Information
You'll develop a critical understanding of the problems, opportunities including ethical and legal, faced by organisations in effectively planning, developing and managing information. You'll incorporate strategic management concepts to ensure that IS development supports the business strategy, and progresses through suitable planning methodologies and assessment of ethical and legal considerations to implementation and evaluation (audit). You'll investigates the need for quality assurance standards, quality control of the system(s) and user education. The determining of critical success factors at the planning stage is considered essential to the successful completion and operation of any information system. In order to appreciate the need for methodological approach to planning and managing an information system the reasons for systems failure is investigated through case studies. In tutorial sessions you'll focus on facets of information strategy. -
Information Security
With the growth of high bandwidth internet, eCommerce, eBusiness and Virtual Private Networks, information security has become a centre-stage issue. However, many organisations and businesses find themselves missing the necessary skills and knowledge that is needed to develop effective security strategies. This module will equip you with the skills to fill that gap by introducing you to key aspects of information security and taking a broader view of the information security problems facing industry and commerce today. You'll gain a comprehensive overview of the problem, motives and techniques of 'hackers', the inherent security problems built into information technology itself and the role played by encryption techniques. Often it is user behaviour itself that creates significant vulnerabilities and this module focuses on the role of people and the part played by poor user discipline. -
Smart Systems and Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a novel paradigm that is rapidly gaining ground in the today’s digital world. The basic idea of this concept is the pervasive presence around us of a variety of ‘things’. The main strength of the IoT idea is the high impact it has on numerous aspects of everyday-life behaviour. Building automation (domotics), assisted living, e-health, automation and industrial manufacturing, logistics, business/process management, intelligent transportation, and enhanced learning are only a few examples of possible application scenarios in which the new paradigm will play a leading role in the near future. This module aims to deliver this message, and build upon your previous knowledge to have the appropriate skill-set that enables you to address any issue related to smart systems and IoT. This is done by introducing the concept of IoT and its general use and global applications. This module focuses on the methodology of prototyping, as well as the tools and techniques that can be utilised to support the implementation and proposed solution. - Security Management and Governance
Assessment
We’ll use a range of assessment methods to help measure your progress. Besides exams, you’ll undertake coursework, lab tests, group work, presentations, case studies and log books.
Where you'll study
Your faculty
The Faculty of Science & Technology is one of the largest of five faculties at Anglia Ruskin University. Whether you choose to study with us full- or part-time, on campus or at a distance, there’s an option whatever your level – from a foundation degree, to a BSc, MSc, PhD or professional doctorate.
Whichever course you pick, you’ll gain the theory and practical skills needed to progress with confidence. Join us and you could find yourself learning in the very latest laboratories or on field trips or work placements with well-known and respected companies. You may even have the opportunity to study abroad.
Everything we do in the faculty has a singular purpose: to provide a world-class environment to create, share and advance knowledge in science and technology fields. This is key to all of our futures.
Where can I study?
Chelmsford
Our striking, modern campus sits by the riverside in Chelmsford's University and Innovation Quarter.
Fees & funding
Course fees
UK & EU students, 2018/19 (per year)
£9,250
International students, 2018/19 (per year)
£12,500
Placement year (UK, EU, international students)
£1,250
Entry requirements
International students
We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you'll need to make sure you meet our English language requirements for undergraduate courses.
Improving your English language skills
If you don't meet our English language requirements, we offer a range of courses which could help you achieve the level required for entry onto a degree course.
We also provide our own English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) in the UK and overseas. To find out if we are planning to hold an ELPT in your country, contact our country managers.
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