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Cyber Security

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,D-B,C,C

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMP-DMM

UCAS Tariff

88-112

A typical offer will be a UCAS Tariff score of 88 - 112. A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Computer and information security

Cyber security is an increasingly important area to build a rewarding career in. On our practical BSc (Hons) Cyber Security degree programme, we will help prepare you for a successful future in this field. Thanks to our close involvement with the sector, you can be sure we’ll help you develop the skills employers are looking for. You'll benefit from our industry links and experienced and supportive staff. To help you achieve your goals we have also invested in a top-end Cyber Resilience facility at our Aylesbury Campus and well-equipped computer labs.

**Why study this subject?**
Cyber-attacks are among the main security issues facing organisations in the information age. Today, all organisations operate with a potential information security risk and will need to implement strategies to protect their IT systems and data.

**Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?**
This course has been designed to incorporate guidance from the Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), a group within the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), as well as the Institute of Information Security Professionals’ (IISP) Information Security Skills framework. It reflects current issues and industry requirements and will help you improve your technical understanding of cyber security, IT services and risk management, and how this relates to the wider business and customer-facing needs.

You'll develop specialist skills in cyber security, risk and information management, underpinned with software and networked systems. You will also learn to use a wide range of cyber security related tools and techniques, alongside technical skills in computer programming, software engineering, cloud and database development. We’ll also help you to build a portfolio of work and seek opportunities to demonstrate your expertise by co-presenting at industry conferences and undertake internships or work experience.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in both your first and second year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

**What facilities can I use?**
We’ve invested in the best facilities for your next step into a computing career. The primary delivery of all modules within the course will take place within our specialist computing labs or in our cyber resilience facility. This will also include use of our networking lab for those modules involving any aspect of network or cloud-based development and/or security.

**What will I study?**
You will study software design and development, programming languages, technologies and applications which may include Python, Java, HTML, PHP, UML, database technologies, machine learning, algorithms and data structures, web and mobile computing, and Agile software development. Specialist modules allow you to further explore the areas of artificial intelligence, media programming, real-time systems, computer science, cloud computing and security.

You'll begin with the fundamentals in areas such as risk and information management, security auditing and network security before going on to apply what you have learned to various individual and team assignments. We'll help you to develop your ability to think strategically about real-world problems, whilst enhancing your transferable skillset to include analysis, design, research and leadership. In your final year, you'll work on a major project or extended written piece of work. The course provides, through the choice of research topic and via selection of particular advanced option modules, for you to tailor your studies to suit your own individual interest areas and future career ambitions.

Modules

**Year one**
**Core**
Computer Architectures
Programming Concepts
Networks
Cyber Systems and Threats
Computing Computational Fundamentals
**Opportunity**
2 x 10 credit year one Opportunity modules

**Year two**
**Core**
Information Security
Malware and Cyber Security Management
Research Methods
**Optional**
Digital Forensics Investigation and Penetration Testing
Data Essentials
Network Systems

**Year three**
**Core**
Secure Business Management
Extended Independent Work
**Optional**
Security Auditing and Response
Network Security
Cloud Computing
Software Testing and QA
Digital Innovation

Assessment methods

You will be taught by a team of expert academics and specialist professionals. Together, they use their collective experience of academia, industry and commerce to give you the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you’ll need for your career.

The high level of industry experience on our teaching team means we can give you a real flavour of what it’s like to work in a professional environment. We encourage problem-based learning via case studies and classroom exercises throughout the modules. You’ll also benefit from small class sizes that give you a chance to develop close working relationships with other students and tutors.

Course assignments reflect real-life problems because we believe that’s the best way to learn – and it’s more fun! You’ll be taught through lectures, tutorials, practical sessions and seminars.

A variety of assessment methods will be used as appropriate to the module, including assignments carried out in the student’s own time, in-class assignment, workshops and presentations.

The wider Computing Department and our Careers service also offer development opportunities that may involve placements, internships or employment in local companies.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£15,000
per year
International
£15,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.bucks.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/financial-support-bursaries-and-scholarships

The Uni


Course location:

Buckinghamshire New University

Department:

School of Creative And Digital Industries

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

80%
Computer and information security

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Software engineering

Teaching and learning

90%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
80%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
90%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

70%
Library resources
56%
IT resources
89%
Course specific equipment and facilities
70%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
85%
Male students
15%
Female students
60%
2:1 or above
30%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

D
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Software engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
low
Average annual salary
83%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
11%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
11%
Design occupations

A specialist subject, and not surprisingly graduates tend to go into software engineering roles or related. The degree classification students achieved made a particular difference last year — computing graduates with the best grades were much less likely to be out of work after six months and employers can even rate a good grade as important as work experience. Most students do get jobs, though, and starting salaries are good — particularly in London, where average starting salaries for good graduates were getting towards £38k last year. Be aware that at the moment, recruitment agencies are much the most common way for graduates from this degree to get their first job, so it may be worth getting in touch with a few specialist agencies in advance of graduation if you take this degree to get a foot in the door.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Software engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£21k

£21k

£26k

£26k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here