BSc (Hons) Cyber Security and Forensic Computing
University of Portsmouth
Key Information
Campus location
Southsea, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 - 4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* for UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students/EU residents | £18,300/year: international students
Scholarships
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Introduction
Digital security breaches can bring down banks, hospitals and governments. But you can join the fight against cybercrime.
Investigate cyberattacks, expose flaws in security systems and stop hackers in their tracks. Use ethical hacking to secure the operating systems of global companies. Become an expert in malware forensics and cryptography in a world that relies on computing to thrive.
On this BSc (Hons) Cyber Security and Forensic Computing course, you’ll build technical and investigative skills to break down security systems, expose gaps in security and identify cyber intruders. You’ll also learn how to investigate cybercrime for the police and see a case through to court.
Course highlights
- Benefit from our close relationship with the Hampshire Police High Tech Crime Unit through an optional internship
- Design and develop software, hardware and networks, in fields such as digital forensics and artificial intelligence
- Benefit from the Student Union's cyber and computing clubs and societies such as the AI and Robotics Club, IT Society and Gaming Society
- Gain insight from guest expert lecturers from the forensic and cyber security field
- Be taught by industry professionals such as Fudong Li, who is currently working towards Foresight, an ecosystem of training and simulation platforms that will advance the skills of cyber-security professional
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the British Computer Society (The Chartered Institute for IT), partially meeting the educational requirement for CITP and CEng.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Modules
Year 1
Core modules
- Architecture and Operating Systems – 20 credits
- Core Computing Concepts – 20 credits
- Cyber Security and Forensic Computing – 20 credits
- Programming – 40 credits
- System Administration and Internetworking – 20 credits
There are no optional modules this year.
Year 2
Core modules
- Ethical Hacking – 20 credits
- Forensic Fundamentals – 20 credits
- Forensic Investigations – 20 credits
- Operating Systems and Internetworking – 20 credits
Optional modules
- Cyber Law Governance and Human Rights – 20 credits
- Data Structures and Algorithms – 20 credits
- Exchange Study Abroad – 40 credits
- Industrial Placement – School of Computing – 20 credits
- Learning from Experience (LiFE) – 20 credits
- Network Servers and Services – 20 credits
- Virtualisation and Cloud Computing - 20 credits
- Web Programming - 20 credits
Year 3
Core modules
- Malware Forensics – 20 credits
- Security And Cryptography – 20 credits
- Vulnerability, Discovery and Exploitation – 20 credits
Optional modules
- Final Year Study Project – 40 credits
- Hacking 4 MoD - 20 credits
- Individual Project (Engineering) – 40 credits
- Practical Data Analytics And Mining – 20 credits
- Security Management – 20 credits
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry, and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Placement year opportunities
Taking an optional placement year will give you the experience you need to increase your chances of landing your perfect role after graduation.
We'll give you all the support you need to find a placement that prepares you for your career, and we'll continue to mentor you throughout your placement.
Potential roles
Previous students have taken placement roles such as:
- cyber analyst
- cyber forensic analyst undergraduate
- security operations analyst
- undergraduate software developer and support analyst
- technology industrial placement student
Potential destinations
They've completed placements at organisations including:
- InTandem
- Nomura
- BAE Systems
- IBM
- Pfizer
Rankings
The University of Portsmouth is ranked 5th of the modern universities for research quality in computer science and informatics
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Career Opportunities
The cost of cybercrime was estimated at $1 trillion in 2020 – 50% higher than in 2018. According to the UK Government, 64% of large businesses and 51% of high-income charities reported cyber security breaches or attacks in a 12 month period.
Not surprisingly, with the growing threat of cyber crime, senior cyber security analysts can expect salaries from £35,000 to £60,000 and you can earn up to £80,000 a year as a senior forensic computer analyst. And the demand is there – 100% of our students from this course who are in work 15 months after they graduate are in highly skilled work.
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have worked for companies such as:
- Metropolitan Police
- Lockheed Martin
- Capgemini
- Adatis
- F-Secure
- Dynamics Consultants
What jobs can you do with a cyber security and forensic computing degree?
- digital forensic examiner
- threat hunter
- cyber intelligence analyst
- cloud infrastructure consultant
- cyber security analyst
- data analytics consultant
Ongoing career support – up to 5 years after you graduate
Get experience while you study with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities and work experience. Towards the end of your degree and after graduation, you'll get 1-to-1 support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to find your perfect role.
Facilities
Student Testimonials
English Language Requirements
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