Computer Networks and Security
University of Central Lancashire
UCAS Code: G611 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
96 to 112 UCAS points at A2
96 to 112 UCAS points
GCSE/National 4/National 5
5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above including Maths and English or equivalent. Equivalent qualifications are Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English or Level 3 Key Skills in Maths and Communication.
96 to 122 UCAS points at Higher Level subjects
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
96 to 112 UCAS points
96 to 112 UCAS points
UCAS Tariff
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Course Overview**
- Our Computer Networks & Security course will prepare you for a successful career in this rapidly changing industry.
- Thanks to new ideas, applications, security threats and constantly evolving technology, computer networks and security is a fascinating area to work in. On this practice-based course you’ll get to explore the latest developments in wired and wireless computer networking and security, underpinned by relevant theory.
- Supported by teaching in purpose-built laboratories, you’ll use specialist software to develop your networking and security skills. We also cover core computing skills and legal, ethical and commercial issues, giving you a breadth of knowledge and experience, which will prepare you to thrive in the computing industry.
- The skills you’ll gain on this course will be in high demand in tomorrow’s world. The cyber security sector is facing a significant skills gap at a time when threats and the legal and commercial consequences of inadequate security are increasing. Emerging areas such as the Internet of Things and Smart Cities offer new opportunities for us all, but also new vulnerabilities to accidental or malicious actions.
**Why study with us**
- Start your course with our exciting ‘4 Week Challenge’, where first year students work as teams to design and develop a new app and then create a marketing campaign to promote it.
- This course has accreditation leading to MBCS, CITP and partial CEng exemption from the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, which is the computing professional body.
- You’ll get to undertake a placement in industry after your second year. Most are based in the UK, but there are international opportunities as well.
**Further Information**
- This is a three-year BSc (Hons) degree. We also offer a four-year MComp Computer Networks and Security degree which offers an optional additional sandwich year in industry.
- Our MComp option leads to an integrated master’s degree. It’s ideal if you want to apply for jobs that demand a deeper knowledge in a specialised area.
Modules
Year 1: Introduction to Networking, Computer Systems and Security, Computing Challenge, Introduction to Programming, Interactive Applications, Programming, Systems Analysis & Database Design
Year 2: Computer Security, Introduction to Routing, Network Management, Interacting with the Internet of Things, The Agile Professional. One from the following: Advanced Programming, Database Systems, Internet Application Development
Year 3: Advanced Routing, Wireless and Mobile Networks, Penetration Testing, Double Project. One from the following: Computers, Society and Law, Cloud Computing, Science Communication, A level 5 option which hasn’t been taken
Tuition fees
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The Uni
University of Central Lancashire
School of Psychology and Computer Sciences
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)
Software engineering
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
There are a lot of computing courses out there, and they vary a lot in content, modules and the way they work with employers, so individual courses can have very different outcomes. This is a course where you really need to get a good grade — employers really pay attention to the class of your degree and a low grade will serious hit your prospects. But you can get a job on pretty much any industry in the country with a computing degree - and organisation with an IT system and a web site needs graduates in this discipline - and many employers report difficulty in finding graduates. So most students do get jobs, and starting salaries are good, particularly in London. If you want to find out more about the prospects for a computer science course at a particular institution, it's a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates went on to do.
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
Computing
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£21k
£23k
£27k
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 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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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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