Why study this course?
The Digital Forensics and Cyber Security (including foundation year) BSc (Hons) is a four-year degree with a built-in foundation year (Year 0), providing a route into higher education if you don’t meet the entry requirements for an undergraduate degree.
You will be taught within the Cyber Security Research Centre, which is a dedicated collaborative facility launched in 2018 to bring our industry partners into the University. You will be exposed to live projects from a variety of industries from within the fintech, cyber security and digital forensic businesses.
Our Digital Forensics and Cyber Security (including foundation year) BSc degree has been accredited with full CITP status by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. This accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by BCS. As a graduate of this course, accreditation will also entitle you to professional membership of BCS, which is an important part of the criteria for achieving Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status through the Institute. Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
More about this course
Our Digital Forensics and Cyber Security (including foundation year) BSc (Hons) degree has a preparatory year designed to help you build key skills in digital forensics and cyber security. This will help you in the following years of your course.
In the foundation year you’ll become familiar with cyber security, communication, design, mathematics and programming. This introduction will help assess your interests and prepare you for modules at a higher level. The foundation year on this course is shared with some of our other foundation year degrees, meaning in Year 0 you’ll get to study with other students interested in a number of different areas.
You’ll be trained in the protection against, as well as the detection and conviction of, digital crimes. You’ll also gain competencies in software and hardware in weekly practical demonstrations. You’ll experience demonstrations from external software vendors and have access to our Cyber Security Research Centre, which will allow you to study alongside industry partners and work on live projects. Our excellent facilities and dedicated teaching staff will ensure you have all the skills and experience you’ll need to succeed as a cyber security professional.
Following your foundation year, you will study the same course content and get the same choice of modules as those who study our Digital Forensics and Cyber Security BSc (Hons) degree.
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited as fully meeting the educational requirement for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) registration.
On graduating, you’ll be eligible to apply for Membership of the British Computer Society (MBCS).
Accreditation of Prior Learning
Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course
Modular structure
The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.
Year 0 modules include:
Cyber Security Fundamentals (core, 30 credits)
Introduction to Robotics and Internet of Things (core, 30 credits)
Mathematics (core, 30 credits)
Programming (core, 30 credits)
Year 1 modules include:
Computer Hardware and Software Architectures (core, 30 credits)
Fundamentals of Computing (core, 15 credits)
Introduction to Information Systems (core, 15 credits)
Logic and Problem Solving (core, 30 credits)
Programming (core, 30 credits)
Year 2 modules include:
Computer and Mobile Forensics (core, 15 credits)
Network Forensics and Incident Response (core, 15 credits)
Professional Issues, Ethics and Computer Law (core, 15 credits)
Risk, Crisis and Security Management (core, 15 credits)
Security in Computing (core, 30 credits)
Smart Data Discovery (core, 15 credits)
Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things (option, 15 credits)
Year 3 modules include:
Digital Investigation and E-Discovery (core, 30 credits)
Ethical Hacking (core, 15 credits)
Network and Cloud Security (core, 30 credits)
Project (core, 30 credits)
Work Related Learning II (core, 15 credits)
Where this course can take you
Completion of this degree will improve your career prospects in areas such as law enforcement, in government or other related agencies as well as in commercial IT departments or security consultancies.
What is a degree with foundation year?
This is a four-year degree course with a built-in foundation year (Year 0). It’s the perfect route into university if you can’t meet the necessary entry requirements or don’t have the traditional qualifications required to start a standard undergraduate degree. You’ll graduate with a full undergraduate degree with the same title and award as those who studied the traditional three-year course.
