PMCYBSEC - MSc Cyber Security

The course is designed for those who want to play a part in combatting emerging cybercrimes and supporting organisations to protect against cyber-attacks, as well as those who want to be at the forefront of the current digital revolution that is spanning all sectors – from science and engineering to business and entertainment. This course focuses on all aspects of cybersecurity, including information, network and cloud security, alongside practical and applied understanding of how to respond to cyber incidents and conduct forensic analysis, provide evidential reports, and implement risk-based strategies. The course aims to equip students to conduct security analytics in an intelligent way, which is a growing AI field in the detection, identification, classification, prediction and prevention of threats.

This MSc Cyber Security course is designed with a high degree of relevance to the industry’s needs making it practitioner-oriented and providing highly marketable applied cyber security and digital forensics skills. The course is aimed at graduate practitioners who wish to pursue a postgraduate qualification in different cyber security fields varying from cyber defence, security management, offensive security and auditing as well as digital forensics and incident response. Overall, the course aims to develop students’ graduate competencies and equip them with specific technical skills so that they can either work effectively as cyber security professionals who have a strong awareness of the environment in which they operate and/or be able to pursue research-oriented academic study. For cyber security graduates and industry practitioners, this course aims to enhance their professional abilities, develop further their careers, update their technical skills and deepen their knowledge/understanding of state-of-the-art and emerging technologies. Furthermore, this course includes the provision of an Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things module which is unique to such a course, yet it is a branch of cyber security that is now becoming more prominent.

Course Aims:
The MSc in Cyber Security aims to equip students for professional and/or research careers in this ever-important field. It provides a theoretical and practical understanding of the issues relating to the design, development and implementation of modern cybersecurity systems. This course is suitable for all students with a background in ICT and who want to specialize in cybersecurity and enable them to build skills that are necessary to tackle modern cybersecurity issues through the use of industry and open-source cybersecurity equipment, software and services based on industry standard technologies. The course covers the broad topics essential to the cyber security and forensics disciplines and uniquely includes full coverage of how artificial intelligence techniques can be used in detecting risks, preventing cybercriminal activity, and forecasting illegal activity.

The MSc Cyber Security learning outcomes have been designed to meet the requirements for certification of the British Computer Society, professional benchmarks in Computing as well as the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) accreditation. After completing this course, the graduates are expected to:

LO0. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.
LO1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and a critical awareness of current problems and new insights in the wide domain of cyber security and forensics, much of which is informed by academic research and professional practice in the particular field.
LO2. Acquire a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of the techniques and approaches applicable to the design, development, implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity systems.
LO3. Acquire a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of the techniques and approaches applicable to preventing, combating, and investigating cyber and cyber-enabled crimes.
LO4. Show a comprehensive familiarity with the ways in which cybersecurity skills and knowledge underpins the provision of information technology and demonstrate mastery and practical knowledge of methods and approaches to deliver secure solutions covering design, build, test and critical analysis.
LO5. Develop expertise in cyber security, including management and technical components encompassing applying cyber security tools and techniques.
LO6. Evaluate the risk posed by cybercrime to our society and deepen the understanding of how to develop and apply new security strategies and forensic analysis techniques.
LO7. Demonstrate critical awareness of current research issues, problems and/or insights.
understand and be able to participate within the professional, legal and ethical framework as professionals in the field.
LO8. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.

This course design has been informed by the “Subject Benchmark Statement for Computing” in March 2022.
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/sbs/sbs-computing-22.pdf?sfvrsn=ebb3dc81_2

A range of assessment methods is employed throughout the course. The method of assessment for each module in each level is clearly described in the individual ‘Module Guide’ which is made available to the students at the start of the semester. Modules employ a combination of the following forms of assessments:
• Case study-focused reports and presentations.
• Research reports
• Online journal entries
• Unseen examinations
• Case-based practical examinations
• Master Dissertation and Individual Vivas

A number of enriching opportunities (paid and unpaid) are offered to students based on their performance, experience, abilities or interests, examples include research projects with the teaching team, mentoring other students, supporting the teaching delivery of some content etc. The criteria for accessing these opportunities will be made clear to all students during the teaching year.

Students who have professional certification and/or substantial industrial experience may be offered teaching engagements within the School of Computing and Digital Media.

Some of the students may also be offered to serve as mentors of undergraduate students in relevant fields.

Autumn semester entry
Year 1 Autumn CC7006, CC7008
Year 1 Spring CC7007, CS7064
Year 2 Autumn CC7177 or CS7050
Year 2 Spring CC7178 or CS7080
Year 2 Summer CS7P01

Spring semester entry
Year 1 Spring CC7007, CS7064
Year 2 Autumn CC7006, CC7008
Year 2 Spring CC7178 or CS7080
Year 3 Autumn CC7177 or CS7050
Year 3 Spring CS7P01

The course conforms to both the framework and University Academic Regulations in which no condonement or compensation is permitted.

• To obtain the degree award of MSc Cyber Security the students need to complete successfully all four taught core modules, two designated option modules and the MSc dissertation project module (CS7P01 MSc Project).
• Completing all four taught core modules and two designated option modules included in the course curriculum entitles the students to the PGDip Cyber Security award.
• Completing the two core methodological modules from the curriculum and one option module entitles the students to the PGCert Cyber Security award.
• All awards are only obtainable without condonement or compensation of any modules.

The course includes two semesters of formal scheduled teaching for full-time study (and up to four semesters for part-time study) where students will learn their knowledge and skills for developing intelligent cyber applications, followed by a one-semester dissertation project for full-time mode of study (and one or two semesters for part-time mode) where they will apply the knowledge and skills learned to exercise intelligent solution development. During their study, the students are encouraged to reflect on their learning by various means:

• In all modules, the students are encouraged to write blogs/logbooks to reflect on what they have learned each week, and to maintain a personal development portfolio;
• In some of the modules, the work on practical workshop tasks is assessed and contributes to the final module mark for increasing the engagement of the students in the practical work;
• Formative feedback is provided during the semester in each module so that students can discuss draft coursework in tutorials and workshops in order to refine and enhance their work before final submission.
• It is expected that after the formal scheduled teaching element students will be able to propose project topics which better place them within the professional context as well as better utilize the knowledge and skills gained while studying.

Students will also be able to reflect upon their learning, thereby further enhancing their employability and career prospects by participating in additional free seminars organised by the Learning Technologies department of the University. This time will be used to evaluate the different theories, models, technologies and tools learned.

On completion of the course graduates will be well equipped to work in the cybersecurity industry and R&D. They will understand the principles of the terminological vocabularies and will be able to demonstrate strong technical skills in different areas of applied cyber security and digital forensics. Based on this professional preparation, the graduates will be eligible for research-intensive and highly adaptive jobs above junior level, such as cybersecurity engineer, digital investigator, SOC analyst and research fellows, as well as members of development teams in quality of consultant and senior consultant. The course also provides an excellent basis for further study for those wishing to pursue a higher-level research degree, e.g. PhD, or embark on an industry-based career as a cyber security expert or consultant.
The course includes many technological modules, which prepare for professional certification from Exterro FTK, Magnet AXIOM, Cellebrite UFED as well as Linux CSI and other vendor-neutral certificates such as Security+, Pentest+ and CISSP. More information concerning this can be found on the corresponding corporate sites.

Upon completion of this course, you’ll have opportunities to apply for exciting job roles such as:

• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
• Digital Forensics Analyst/Examiner
• Cyber Incident Handler/Investigator
• Cyber Security Manager (CSM)
• Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analyst
• Ethical Hacker/Penetration Tester
• Cyber Security Compliance Officer
• Cloud Security Specialist

By studying in London, you’ll have global businesses on your doorstep. Potential employers could range from digital crime investigation companies, government agencies and the police force, as well as national and international organisations that need protection against digital crime.

This course is also excellent preparation for further study or research.

You will be required to have:

• a 2:2 UK degree (or equivalent) in computer science, computer, software or network engineering, computing, ICT or cyber security

Applicants with relevant professional experience will also be considered.