Course overview
Here, you develop a critical understanding of information governance and assurance, along with current technology risk management practices.
Learn how to explore the threat landscape and develop countermeasures for cyber security attacks. And study security for the Internet of Things, and the security concepts and technologies used in mobile devices.
Identify the issues surrounding the weakest link in security systems – people. And develop your technical and critical thinking skills in applying your cyber security knowledge to real-world problems.
You explore professional, ethical, security and social implications. And you develop the transferable skills you need to progress into industry.
- Industry links: work on live industry briefs, competitions and hackathons. Previous companies have included Cisco, Cubic Transportation Systems, Sage, TUI, Atombank, HMRC and Waterstons.
- Career-ready: our ExpoSeries allows you to showcase your skills to industry professionals who are looking to recruit new and rising talent.
Course details
Course structure
Core modules
Data Security and Information Governance
Information security and governance are crucial elements of cyber security and business information security management systems (ISMS). Information and physical security play a crucial part in legislative compliance, ensuring high levels of privacy for accessing confidential information.
You are introduced to the principles of information security, as well as the common practices and frameworks used in industry. Consider physical and software-based technologies and how they are adopted in the real world.
Hacking the Human, Ethics and Law
Criminals are increasingly targeting people for easy access to computer systems. Explore social engineering cybersecurity threats and the steps individuals and organisations can take to mitigate them.
Consider key issues including the English legal system, intellectual property rights, computer crime, computer contracts and liability, privacy and data protection. Study and apply legal principles to real-world scenarios.
Understand the relationship between the University or workplace and your own practice in a collaborative process of knowledge generation and use. Bring together key elements of learning to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of practice in a work-based project.
The composition, content and context of your project is unique to you. Reflect on your practice to demonstrate continual learning and development. You are taught content to help you successfully manage and complete your project.
Mobile Systems and Cyber Security
Gain a thorough understanding of the concepts and technologies used in modern wireless networks, such as wireless sensor networks and cellular systems. Learn about their hardware and the networking technologies that allow them to communicate with each other and the outside world, considering communication protocols and security.
Systems Administration and Security
You cover underlying theoretical concepts such as cryptography and cyber security models, as well as practical issues of cyber security attacks. You also consider countermeasures in system administration.
Analyse access control, symmetric and public key cryptography protocols, digital signatures, authentication protocols, wireless network and security, firewall, network forensics, network security attacks, penetration testing, intrusion detection, access control list and firewalls.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You learn in group sessions that focus on practical skills supported by the academic concepts and theories. Which means you can discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in smaller groups.
Your learning experiences are strengthened by sessions delivered by industry practitioners who share their valuable industry insights with you.
You demonstrate your computing skills that are directly related to the market. And you develop your teamworking skills, working together on solutions using the latest technologies in simulated industry setting.
Subject (or modules) are delivered in six-week blocks. You study one at a time, supported by online learning materials.
How you are assessed
It’s essential that you learn by doing. Which means that most of your assessed work is based around practical projects that you work on throughout. You get valuable tutor feedback to guide your work and your overall development.
As you progress through the course, you develop a portfolio of work - this is an important industry requirement. Our tutors can give you advice and guidance on which work to include.
And your final project allows you the freedom to set your own brief based on your skills, interests and career aspirations.
Entry requirements
You need to have an honours degree (at least a 2.2) in a related subject such as artificial intelligence, computer forensics, computer science, computer security, cyber security, data science, digital forensics, games programming, information technology, software engineering.
International applicants
International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country
What you need
To access the on-campus facilities you need a HTML5-capable web browser on a computer such as a Windows, Mac, Chromebook, or Linux computer. HTML5-capable web browsers that can be used include the following:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
For some sessions you can also access sessions on the following browsers and devices:
- Chrome or Safari on an iPad (iOS 11 or later)
- Android (Android 8 or later)
- Microsoft Surface Pro (Windows 10) tablet
Don't have your own device yet?
Don't worry - we have a bank of devices available for you to loan whenever you are on campus.
You can also access Adobe Creative Cloud - a suite of 20+ world-class, industry-standard creative apps including Photoshop and InDesign.
Employability
Career opportunities
Teesside University computing graduates have gone on to work in a range of industries including the power industry, avionics and the pharmaceutical industry. And for national and international companies including Cisco, HMRC, Accenture and Durham Police.
We prepare you for a career in industry – we create opportunities for you to meet and network with our industry partners through events such as our ExpoTees, which showcases student work to industry.
Information for international applicants
Qualifications
International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.
Select your country:
Useful information
Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.