Cyber Security and Forensic Computing

This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview
Digital security breaches can bring down banks, hospitals and governments. But you can join the fight against cybercrime.

Investigate cyberattacks, expose flaws in security systems and stop hackers in their tracks. Use ethical hacking to secure the operating systems of global companies. Become an expert in malware forensics and cryptography in a world that relies on computing to thrive.

On this BSc (Hons) Cyber Security and Forensic Computing course, you’ll build technical and investigative skills to break down security systems, expose gaps in security and identify cyber intruders. You’ll also learn how to investigate cybercrime for the police and see a case through to court.

Course highlights

• Benefit from our close relationship with the Hampshire Police High Tech Crime Unit through an optional internship

• Design and develop software, hardware and networks, in fields such as digital forensics and artificial intelligence

• Benefit from the Student Union's cyber and computing clubs and societies such as the AI and Robotics Club, IT Society and Gaming Society

• Gain insight from guest expert lecturers from the forensic and cyber security field

• Be taught by industry professionals such as Fudong Li, who is currently working towards Foresight, an ecosystem of training and simulation platforms that will advance the skills of cyber-security professional

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society, partially meeting the educational requirement for CITP.

Careers and opportunities
The cost of cybercrime was estimated at $1 trillion in 2020 – 50% higher than in 2018. According to the UK Government, 64% of large businesses and 51% of high-income charities reported cyber security breaches or attacks in a 12 month period.

Not surprisingly, with the growing threat of cyber crime, senior cyber security analysts can expect salaries from £35,000 to £60,000 and you can earn up to £80,000 a year as a senior forensic computer analyst. And the demand is there – 100% of our students from this course who are in work 15 months after they graduate are in highly skilled work.

Our graduates have worked for companies such as:

• Metropolitan Police

• Lockheed Martin

• Capgemini

• Adatis

• F-Secure

• Dynamics Consultants

Roles you could go onto with a Cyber Security and Forensic Computing degree include:

• digital forensic examiner

• threat hunter

• cyber intelligence analyst

• cloud infrastructure consultant

• cyber security analyst

• data analytics consultant

Placement year opportunities

Taking an optional placement year will give you the experience you need to increase your chances of landing your perfect role after graduation.

We'll give you all the support you need to find a placement that prepares you for your career, and we'll continue to mentor you throughout your placement.

Previous students have taken placement roles such as:

• cyber analyst

• cyber forensic analyst undergraduate

• security operations analyst

• undergraduate software developer and support analyst

• technology industrial placement student

They've completed placements at organisations including:

• InTandem

• Nomura

• BAE Systems

• IBM

• Pfizer

Year 1

Core modules in this year include:

• Architecture and Operating Systems (20 credits)
• Core Computing Concepts for Cyber Security (20 credits)
• Cyber Security and Forensics Essentials (20 credits)
• Programming (40 credits)
• System Administration and Internetworking (20 credits)

Year 2

Core modules in this year include:

• Ethical Hacking (20 credits)
• Forensics Fundamentals (20 credits)
• Operating Systems and Internetworking (20 credits)
• Security and Cryptography (20 credits)

Optional modules in this year include:

• Business Information Systems Security (20 credits)
• Cloud Computing (20 credits)
• Computing Undergraduate Ambassador (20 credits)
• Cyberlaw Governance and Human Rights (20 credits)
• Data Structures and Algorithms (20 credits)
• Exchange Study Abroad (40 credits)
• Network Servers and Services (20 credits)
• Web Programming (20 credits)

Year 3

Core modules in this year include:

• Malware Forensics (20 credits)
• Security and Cryptography (20 credits)
• Vulnerability Discovery and Exploitation (20 credits)

Optional modules in this year include:

• Complex Problem Solving (20 credits)
• Distributed Systems and Security (20 credits)
• Final Year Study Project (40 credits)
• Individual Project (Engineering) (40 credits)
• Internet of Things (20 credits)
• IT and Internetworking Security (20 credits)
• Practical Data Analytics and Mining (20 credits)
• Security Management (20 credits)

Placement year (optional)

At the end of your second or third year of study, you can do an optional placement year in the UK or overseas. This gives you experience in the field, helping to boost your skills and career prospects with real-world experience.

Previous students have secured placements in roles such as cyber specialist, forensic investigator and cyber security analyst at organisations such as: Deloitte, The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your aspirations. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.