Program Overview

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BEng (Hons) Cybersecurity (Graduate Apprenticeship)

Overview

This Graduate Apprenticeship allows you to enhance your skills and improve your career prospects in the field of Cybersecurity by studying for a fully-funded university degree while in a paid, relevant job role. You will be equipped with the academic skills, industry accreditation, and work experience that will give you a competitive advantage in a demanding marketplace.

Combining three of the most sought-after streams of computing, this course capitalises on the rising awareness of the importance of network security and is a valuable foundation to a successful and well-paid career. You will gain an enhanced knowledge of cybersecurity and develop the skills to adapt to challenging situations across a global computing infrastructure. This Graduate Apprenticeship provides relevant fundamental knowledge related to cybersecurity such as encryption and authentication, and also provides relevant practical examples through lab-based practice, while emphasizing engineering practice.

Mode of Study

• Day Release
• Full-time

Duration

• 4 years

Course Details

As a Graduate Apprentice, you will study for your degree alongside your job, spending approximately 80% of your time in work and 20% in university. This unique combination offers an integrated experience, where practical skills and knowledge gained during the university days can be embedded in your working practices. Skills learned directly in the workplace are aligned with and can be applied to coursework and assessment. This allows you to attain an honours degree in 4 years, the same time as traditional full-time students.

You will initially gain a broad knowledge and the related skills required to understand the basic concepts needed for a career in a computing-related field. In year 2, you will be taught specific concepts to allow you to apply elements of security and digital forensics expertise.

In years 3-4, you will undertake significant work-based learning and gain the ability to apply professional standards to the analysis, design, testing, evaluation, and modification of reliable and maintainable software. In addition, you will be able to develop critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills in relation to computing issues.

As you progress through the course, more of your job role will be used to gain credit towards your final award. This is captured in the Professional Practice modules which allow us to personalise your learning to ensure it meets your needs, those of your employing organisation, and the university.

How You'll Be Taught

This Graduate Apprenticeship is taught over 4 years at our School of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment, based in our Merchiston Campus in Central Edinburgh. It is delivered across three trimesters over a full calendar year on a day release basis. You attend classes one day per week, in years 1 and 2, studying 2 modules per day. Professional Practice modules are work-based and timetabled in the summer trimester, for which there is no on-campus requirement, offering greater flexibility. In years 3 and 4, the emphasis on work-based learning increases, and on-campus teaching is significantly reduced.

Your work-based learning will be overseen by a workplace mentor and university coach. You will be offered tripartite progress review meetings each trimester to support you in your work and studies.

Assessments

• A mixture of practical assessments, reports, academic essays, and exams.
• You are also assessed on your learning in the workplace, primarily in the summer trimesters.
• As you progress through the course, more of your job role is used to gain credit towards your final award through Professional Practice and your final-year dissertation.

The assessments will allow you to demonstrate your application of the knowledge and skills you are gaining both through your studies and through your work experience.

Work Placement

You will be a full-time employee for the duration of the programme.

Facilities

Graduate apprentices can enjoy the same full access to our campus facilities as a full-time student. All learning takes place at our Merchiston campus, which is centrally located in the heart of Edinburgh. Merchiston campus is home to our creative, computing, and engineering students.

Facilities include modern classrooms and cutting-edge labs. Our Merchiston Library is a bright attractive environment providing both silent and collaborative study spaces designed to suit a variety of learning styles. In addition, Merchiston boasts a business incubator, two cafes, and a 500-seat computing centre, with both Mac and PC hardware, that is open 24hrs a day in Trimesters 1 and 2.

Popular Modules

Year 1

• Foundations of Software Design and Development
• Mathematics for Software Engineering
• Practical Networks
• Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
• Computer Systems
• Professional Practice 1: Work-Based Project

Year 2

• Database Systems
• Scripting for Cybersecurity and Networks
• Digital Forensics
• Web Technologies
• Professional Practice 2: Work-Based Project

Year 3

• Networked Systems
• Network Security and Cryptography
• Security Testing and Advanced Network Forensics
• Professional Practice 3: Work-Based Project

Year 4

• Security Systems for IoT
• Secure Software Development
• Information Security and Society
• Honours Project: Work-Based Project

Entry Requirements

Standard Entry Requirements

• Four SQA Highers at Grade BBBB (or equivalent) including Computing or Maths.
• National 5 grade C in Maths/Lifeskills Maths/Applications of Maths and English are required if not taken at Higher.
• A Foundation Apprenticeship in IT: Software Development at SCQF Level 6 plus two SQA Highers at Grade BB.
• A Modern Apprenticeship at SCQF Level 6-7 in an ICT/Digital related discipline.
• HNC with C in the graded unit in one of the following: Computing, Computer Networking, Computer Networking and Internet Technology, Cyber Security.
• Sufficient recognition of prior learning (RPL) through industry-related experience, qualifications, and informal learning.

Minimum Offer Entry Requirement

• BBCC.
• National 5 grade C in Maths/Lifeskills Maths/Applications of Maths and English.

Advanced Entry

• Advanced entry into Year 2 or 3 is possible for students with suitable qualifications.
• If applying for advanced entry, you will need to provide sufficient evidence of qualifications and experience through our process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Work Experience and Professional Qualifications

• We encourage applications from individuals whose work experience or professional qualifications provide them with a comparable foundation for starting the course.
• You will be considered through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process and asked to provide evidence of relevant work experience through a detailed CV or application form, including an employer reference.

English Language Requirements

• As all learning, teaching, and assessment activities are conducted in English, if your first language is not English, you must have a minimum International English Language Testing System score of 6.0 with all four elements having a score of at least 5.5.

Fees & Funding

• Graduate Apprenticeships are fully funded through Scottish Funding Council and Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), and supported by Skills Development Scotland.
• Once you have been offered a Graduate Apprenticeship place, you should apply to SAAS for funding, who will pay your tuition fees directly to the university.
• There are no associated learning costs to the Graduate Apprenticeship employer.

Careers

• As a Graduate Apprentice, you are fortunate to be studying for your honours degree alongside your work-based apprenticeship position and to have the support of both Edinburgh Napier staff and your workplace.
• You are first and foremost an employee for your organisation, and therefore could develop your career through your entire apprenticeship journey.
• Your employer will look for opportunities for you to apply your learning in work and develop as a professional, meaning you may be offered career progression opportunities at any time during your studies.

On completion, apprentices can build their career in jobs such as:

• Security Consultant
• Forensic Investigator
• Audit/Compliance Consultant
• Security Adviser/Auditor
• Cybercrime Consultant