Cyber Security & Digital Forensics

UCAS code: I2F3

Here's what Leeds Beckett University says about its Cyber Security & Digital Forensics course.

Become a cyber expert with a master’s-level edge. Investigate digital crime, tackle cyber threats, and graduate with the advanced skills that employers demand.

Cyber attacks are escalating, digital crime is evolving, and the demand for professionals who can defend systems and uncover digital evidence has never been higher. This integrated master’s degree equips you with expertise in cyber security and digital forensics, two areas at the heart of national and global security.

You’ll learn how to protect complex systems, investigate cyber incidents, and extract meaningful evidence from digital devices, all while thinking like an attacker and a defender. From the start, you’ll gain hands-on experience with industry-standard forensic and security tools used by professionals worldwide, including Encase and Cellebrite, alongside open-source platforms such as Autopsy and FTK Imager.

As part of this cyber security and digital forensics degree, you’ll:

• Complete an extra year of specialist study to achieve a master's-level qualification

• Combine expertise in two high-impact fields: cyber security and digital forensics

• Investigate digital devices, from hard drives to mobile technology, to uncover, preserve, and analyse evidence

• Discover how computer systems and networks are attacked, defended, and secured

• Develop hands-on investigative and ethical hacking techniques

• Enhance your learning with our bespoke Hacktivity system, which simulates real business environments and potential cyber attacks

Find out more

Enhance your expertise Your final year empowers you to specialise at an advanced level. In digital forensics, you’ll explore topics like image and video analysis; evidence handling and chain of custody; and advanced investigative techniques used in real cases. In cyber security, you’ll delve into software exploitation, security mechanism design, system vulnerability assessment

You’ll complete a research or practical dissertation, strengthening your research, problem-solving, and professional practice skills – perfect preparation for both industry and further study.

*Your cyber community Joining the university’s Ethical Hacking Society gives you the chance to look at key topics outside the classroom. You’ll explore emerging digital security threats, experiment with tools and techniques, and hear directly from industry professionals.

Connect with Industry Professionals You’ll develop experience in preparing digital evidence for courts of law and industry clients, sharpening your professional communication and presentation skills. Through conferences, guest lectures, and live projects, you’ll build valuable industry connections. You could also work with local employers as dissertation clients, giving your CV a serious boost before you graduate.

Cybercrime and Security Innovation Centre As part of our Cybercrime and Security Innovation Centre, our teaching team works in collaboration with West Yorkshire Police to develop new approaches to tackling cybercrime.

Experience working life We work with a range of organisations to support placement opportunities. Our strong links with the security, forensics, and legal sectors help you apply your learning in real environments and enhance your employability before you graduate.

Why study the MEng Cyber Security & Digital Forensics course at Leeds Beckett University?

• Professionally accredited by the British Computer Society
• Access to specialist software, including Hacktivity, Hackerbot, Encase, Cellebrite, Autopsy, FTK Imager, and more, bringing theory to life
• Strong industry partnerships, including our collaboration with West Yorkshire Police
• Ethical Hacking Society – join a student society to sharpen your skills, broaden your learning, and meet fellow cyber enthusiasts
• Placement opportunities – gain valuable experience and boost your career prospects by taking a paid placement year

Year 1 Core Modules:

• Fundamentals of Digital Forensics
• Computer Communications
• Fundamentals of Computer Programming
• Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing
• Fundamentals of Databases
• Object-Oriented Programming

Year 2 Core Modules:

• Digital Forensics Processing
• Cyber Security Landscapes
• Web & Network Security
• Digital Forensics Analysis
• Team Project In addition, choose from a list of Year 2 option modules. Please check our website for a full and up-to-date list.

Year 3 Core Modules:

• Project
• Systems Security
• Mobile Forensic Investigations In addition, choose from a list of Year 3 option modules. Please check our website for a full and up-to-date list.

Year 4 Core Modules:

• Reverse Engineering & Malware Analysis
• Research Practice
• Forensic Image & Video Processing
• Dissertation
• Software Security & Exploitation