Cyber Security and Forensics BSc Honours

Program Overview

Cyber Security and Forensics BSc Honours

Overview

Our Cyber Security and Forensics BSc is designed to meet the ever-growing requirements and challenges facing businesses, governments, and individuals. The cyber security and forensics domains are fast-changing and dynamic due to ever-evolving threats and the need for countermeasures. Companies now need to frequently change and improve their information systems security more than ever before.

Course Structure

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, practical tutorials, laboratory sessions, and independent study.

• Year 1: You’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of computer systems and cyber security.
• Year 2: You’ll apply your knowledge to practical assignments and learn critical project management and professional skills.
• Year 3: You’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry or a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions.

Programme Recognition

The Cyber Security and Forensics BSc is intended to fulfill the educational requirements of the British Computer Society (BCS) for the CITP (Chartered IT Professional) and partial CEng (Chartered Engineer).

Entry Requirements

• UK:
  • A levels: CCC (96 UCAS Tariff points)
  • T levels: 96 UCAS Tariff points
  • International Baccalaureate: 96 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme
  • BTEC Extended Diploma: MMM
  • BTEC Diploma: DD
  • Access: 96 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course
• International:
  • International Baccalaureate: 96 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme
  • We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications
  • English language requirements: IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with a score of 5.5 in each component

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: £9,535 (Price per academic year)
• International tuition fee: £17,000 (Price per academic year)
• Funding: Tuition fee loans, scholarships, and other funding options available

Teaching and Assessment

• Teaching methods: Lectures, seminars, workshops, problem-based and blended learning, and practical application
• Assessment: Practical, written exams, and coursework

Supporting You

• Study support: Workshops, 1-2-1 support, and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
• Personal tutors: Support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
• Student advice team: Provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits, and visas

Course Location

• Cavendish Campus: Located in central London, with state-of-the-art science and psychology labs and refurbished computer suites

Related Courses

• Computer Science BSc Honours
• Software Engineering BEng Honours

Program Outline

The cyber security and forensics domains are fast changing and dynamic due to ever evolving threats and the need for countermeasures. Companies now need to frequently change and improve their information systems security more than ever before. Our course brings together a mix of several disciplines and provides the fundamental skills needed for a successful career in cyber security and forensics. You’ll learn crucial theories, principles and methodologies used in the cyber security industry today. The aim is to turn you into a skilled, innovative, and confident problem solver. You’ll learn to consider the global outlook and societal aspects of the current environment when producing solutions that are both sustainable and adaptable. In addition, you’ll gain skills in key aspects of cyber security and forensics and use industrial tools and techniques, both offensive and defensive, in order to produce cyber resilient digital solutions. The Cyber Security and Forensics BSc is designed to meet the requirements and expectations of the UK government strategic vision for 2030 to become a leading responsible democratic cyber power. this course is designed to be aligned with the key knowledge areas of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Outline:

• Year 1:
• Applied Mathematics
• Introduction to Cyber Security and Forensics
• Introduction to Networks
• Programming Methodology I
• Programming Methodology II
• Trends in Computer Science
• Year 2:
• Applied Cryptography
• Digital Forensics
• Network Security
• Risk Management and IT Governance
• Web Applications Security
• Agile Project Management and Professional Experience
• Machine Learning and Data Mining
• Operating Systems
• Placement Year (Optional):
• Students can undertake a professional placement year in industry.
• Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours - Cyber Security and Forensics with Industrial Experience.
• Alternatively, students can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions.
Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Science with Honours - Cyber Security and Forensics with International Experience.
• Year 3:
• Cyber Security and Forensics Final Year Project
• Incident Response and Malware Analysis
• Wireless Networks Security
• Applied AI
• Cyber Security Threats and Counter Measures

Teaching:

Teaching methods on this course focus on active student learning and, where appropriate, practical application. This means that there is a growing demand for specialists in cyber security and digital forensics. This course is designed with a high degree of relevance to the requirements of industry.

• Gain industry insider knowledge: You'll benefit from presentations by industry professionals who regularly appear as guest speakers.
• Develop in-demand skills: The need for improved computer security has never been greater, with a growing demand for cyber security specialists.
• Industry links: We have links with professionals from a range of fields in the cyber security and digital forensics industries.
• Industry engagement: Industry engagement is an essential part of the course as you'll hear from industry speakers and receive mentorship from industry professionals as part of your group project work.
• Communication exchange: As part of the course, you'll also have the opportunity to participate in a communication exchange with leading industry experts and businesses who can provide more specialised advice to bolster your portfolio and prepare you for future interviews.
• Job roles: This course will prepare you for roles in a variety of areas, including:
• Anti-piracy/content protection analyst
• Computer forensics analyst
• Computer security incident responder
• Cyber security manager
• IT security engineer
• IT security operations specialist
• Penetration tester (also known as ethical hacker)
• Researcher in applied cryptography
• Researcher in network/computer security
• Security officer
• Source code auditor
• Vulnerability assessor
• Graduate employment: Graduates from similar courses at the University of Westminster, such as the Network Security BSc, have found employment at organisations including:
• KPMG UK
• Metropolitan Police
• UK Ministry of Defence
• Willis Towers Watson
• Westminster Employability Award: Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
• Opportunities could include:
• Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
• Attending an international summer school or field trip
• Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
• International experience: International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
• Course Leader: Dr Ayman El Hajjar, Senior Lecturer in cyber security and forensics in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Westminster.
He leads the MSc and the BSc Cyber Security and Forensics courses. He also leads the Cyber Security research group, researching cyber security and forensics in different contexts. His main research focuses on looking at how existing security protocols can be used on infrastructure-less decentralised networks such as blockchain networks and the Internet of Things. He has several PhD students working in this group, researching these topics.
• Course Team:
• Dr Anastasia Angelopoulou - Senior Lecturer
• Dr Artie Basukoski - Senior Lecturer
• Dr Ayman El Hajjar - Senior Lecturer
• Chee Yeung - Senior Lecturer
• Dr David Huang - Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Network Systems
• Dr Djuradj Budimir - Reader in Wireless Communications
• Francois Roubert - Senior Lecturer
• Frantzeska Kolyda - Senior Lecturer
• Dr George Charalambous - Senior Lecturer
• Girish Lukka - Senior Lecturer
• Imtiaz Sandia - Senior Lecturer
• Jade James - Lecturer
• Maria Chondrogianni - Principal Lecturer
• Dr Mohammed Al-Janabi - Senior Lecturer
• Noam Weingarten - Senior Lecturer
• Sadaseevam Nagandiram - Lecturer
• Vassiliki Bouki - Principal Lecturer
• Dr Vasileios Kontogiannis - Reader
• Professor Vladimir Getov - Professor of Distributed and High-Performance Computing
• Study in central London: Based in our Cavendish Campus in central London, you’ll enjoy the benefits of studying in a major tech hub.
• Prepare for industry: You’ll have access to a dedicated cyber security and forensics computer laboratory, and use a range of specialised software tools and packages for cyber security and forensics.
• A supportive environment: We provide our students with the right environment, support and guidance throughout their studies to keep them motivated.
• Programme recognition: The Cyber Security and Forensics BSc is intended to fulfil the educational requirements of the British Computer Society (BCS) for the CITP (Chartered IT Professional) and partial CEng (Chartered Engineer).
Due to the 5-year accreditation timeline the course will be considered for the accreditation in 2027. The accreditation will be backdated to include the first intake from September 2023. On successful completion of this process your course will become accredited in 2027.
• Prospectus: Get your copy of the University of Westminster prospectus and browse the range of courses on offer.
Request a prospectus Next open day Saturday 19 October On campus Book Now Can't attend? See more open events
• Volunteer and gain new skills: We offer a number of different volunteering opportunities for you to learn new skills, create connections, and make a difference in the community.
• Get extra qualifications: We provide access to free online courses in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, as well as thousands of specialist courses on LinkedIn Learning.

UK Fees:

£9,250 (Price per academic year)

International Fees:

£17,000 (Price per academic year)