Computer Science (Cyber Security)
Heriot-Watt University
UCAS Code: G4CS | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Heriot-Watt University
UCAS Code: G4CS | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
including **Mathematics at B for entry to Year 1. For entry to Year 2: ABB including Mathematics and Computing.
Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF Level 6)
We accept Foundation Apprenticeships in combination with other qualifications such as SQA Highers and Advanced Highers.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
It is also a requirement of every applicant to have English and Mathematics at a minimum of National 5 Grade C or GCSE Grade C or 4 (or equivalent)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
with **Mathematics at Higher Level 5 for entry to Year 1. For entry to Year 2: A total of 30 points with Mathematics and Computing at Higher Level 6.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
in a relevant subject (including sufficient Mathematics) for entry to Year 1. For entry to Year 2: DDM in a relevant subject (including sufficient Mathematics and Computing).
Scottish Advanced Higher
including Mathematics and Computing plus excellent Highers for entry to Year 2.
Scottish HNC
HNC with B in graded unit (including sufficient Mathematics at SCQF Level 6) for entry to Year 1. For entry to Year 2: HNC in relevant subject (including sufficient Mathematics and Computing at SCQF Level 6) with A in graded unit.
Scottish HND
For entry to Year 1: HND in relevant subject (including sufficient Mathematics at SCQF Level 6) with BB in graded units. For entry to Year 2: HND in relevant subject (including sufficient Mathematics and Computing at SCQF Level 6 and Computing) with AB in graded units.
Scottish Higher
including **Mathematics.
We will consider T Levels as suitable for entry to our degree programmes, however, certain subject requirements may be required for entry to specific programmes. Where this is not evident as part of the T Level studies, we may ask for additional qualifications.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
The world relies on technology more than ever before. As a result, today the prevention of cyberattacks, data breaches and identity theft are a priority for individuals, businesses and governments alike.
In order to target this growing requirement within industry, Heriot-Watt has designed a brand new programme for 2020, BSc Computer Science (Cyber Security). This Undergraduate programme will provide students with a sound foundation and applied skills in Computer Science with an emphasis in Cyber Security, in addition to other professional skills, enabling them to succeed in meeting the cyber security challenges facing modern organisations today.
In this programme you will learn about the foundations of networks and computer systems, thereby allowing you to understand how communications can be probed and altered, and systems can be forensically analysed. You’ll also learn about techniques for secure programming and how real-world networks and systems are protected with fundamental techniques such as access control, encryption, and intrusion detection.
In each of the first 3 years of the programme students take 8 mandatory courses and in Year 4 they take 5 mandatory courses and 3 optional courses from the 4th year optional course list.
Tuition fees
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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.
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.
Computer science
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Computer science
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.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. The subject is linked to important and growing computing industries, and over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Computer science
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£26k
£33k
£39k
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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Teaching Excellence Framework (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?
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