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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Key features
You will join Cisco Networking Academy. This course covers the syllabus of three Cisco certificates: The new Cisco Certified Network Associate, Cisco CyberOps Associate, and Cisco DevNet Associate and one additional Cisco Networking Academy course: Network Security.
Free Cisco assessment for related modules to gain a Course Completion Certificate/Digital Badge from Cisco Networking Academy verifying the acquired skills and preparing the students to optionally obtain the commercial certifications at a 3rd party exam centre.
We have more than 50 years of computing experience that you can learn from. This long-standing history allows you to draw on a wealth of research and academic expertise to inform your studies.
This course is taught by experts from DMU’s Cyber Technology Institute, which boasts an international reputation in cyber security, influencing the approach taken by the UK government and leading organisations.
DMU has been named a gold standard ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education’ by the leading authority on cyber security in the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - part of GCHQ. DMU is the first university in the East Midlands to achieve this prestigious status.
DMU has been recognised for conducting world-leading cyber security research, having been named the East Midlands’ first ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research’.
Gain valuable industry experience by undertaking a placement, with students taking up placements at Airbus, GCHQ, and Vauxhall Motors.
Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.
Overview
This degree programme will equip graduates who are capable of meeting the increasing demands for combining computer networks, security, and programming expertise raised by the growing adoption of the Next-Generation Network (NGN) services, e.g., VoIP, and Next Generation Network Model, i.e., SDN and NFV, where network devices have turned to be a programmable virtual entity on the cloud.
In addition to core computer science and cyber security modules, this course includes key networking modules prepared carefully according to the new Cisco certification path, in consultation with our Cisco partner. These modules focus on industry level requirements and are certification oriented and will prepare graduates to meet the new skill demands to maximise employability.
The structure of the course and programme modules makes it possible for graduates to also prepare for traditional and emerging computer science, software engineering, or cyber security roles.
Modules
Year 1
Block 1: Foundation of Computing and Cyber Security
This module introduces you to the professional context of computer science, software engineering, cyber security, and digital forensics. It introduces mathematical structures that provide a basis for computer science and cyber security to prepare students with the necessary skills in this domain. Students gain skills to learn the concepts of computer science cyber security. In this module the students will learn the mathematical foundation of computing such as logic and Boolean algebra, set theory, probability and statistics, relations, functions, and modular arithmetic.
• Lecture: 24 hours
• Seminar: 48 hours
• Self-directed study: 156 hours
• Consolidation: 40 hours
• Revision: 30 hours
• Assessment: 2 hours
• Total: 300 hours
Block 2: Endpoint Security
Designed to provide a foundation in computer ethics, computer architecture and operating systems with a specific emphasis on their security. It will introduce the ethical theories affecting information systems, information security, software engineering, computer science and digital forensics. It requires students to develop critical analytical skills in applying ethical theories to technological outcomes regarding information systems, information security, software engineering, computer science and digital forensics.
• Lecture: 36 hours
• Practical: 48 hours
• Workshop: 10 hours
• Self-directed study: 100 hours
• Consolidation: 36 hours
• Revision: 30 hours
• Assessment: 40 hours
• Total: 300 hours
Block 3: Secure Coding
This module covers introduction to secure and object-oriented programming using C++. The programming concepts covered in this module are fundamental in almost any other programming language. Students initially learn about the fundamental problem-solving skills using algorithms and basic programming concepts that enable them to create, edit, compile, execute and test computer programs, then about applying key syntax rules for variables, expressions, statements, arrays, and functions in C++.
This module also covers developing/building trusted and reliable software to meet user's requirements including, e.g., naming conventions, initialisation of variables, variable scope and lifetime, validation of input, bound checking, string manipulation and reliability. Students learn about the latest security standards to understand the best practises for writing a software.
• Practical: 48 hours
• Lecture / Large group: 24 hours
• Reading - suggested reading is part of seminar work: 50 hours
• Reflection: 50 hours
• Revision: 40 hours
• Consolidation: 88 hours
• Total: 300 hours
Block 4: Computer Networks
The module introduces the architectures, models, protocols, and networking elements that connect users, devices, applications and data through the Internet and across modern computer networks - including IP addressing and Ethernet fundamentals. It also includes switching technologies and router operations that support small-to-medium business networks and includes wireless local area networks (WLAN) and security concepts. By the end of the course, students can build simple local area networks (LAN) that integrate IP addressing schemes, foundational network security, and perform basic configurations for routers and switches. They can also perform troubleshooting, identify and mitigate LAN security threats, and configure and secure a basic WLAN.
• Lecture: 48 hours
• Practical: 48 hours
• Self-directed study: 140 hours
• Consolidation: 32 hours
• Revision: 30 hours
• Assessment: 02 hours
Additional: Expert Briefings in Cyber Security
Year 2
Block 1: Secure Scripting and Business Applications
This module covers the fundamentals of database design and implementation as well as the ethical and legal responsibilities associated with storing data. The module also considers how secure scripting techniques can address unauthorised access to stored data through poor business application design and implementation.
• Practical: 60 hours
• Lecture / Large Group: 40 hours
• Self-directed Study (including coursework report): 99 hours
• Reflection: 60 hours
• Revision: 40 hours
• Assessment: 1 hour
• Total: 300 hours
Block 2: Enterprise Networking
This module describes the architectures and considerations related to designing, securing, operating, and troubleshooting enterprise networks – including wide area network (WAN) technologies, quality of service (QoS) mechanisms for secure remote access, along with software-defined networking, virtualization, & automation concepts supporting network digitization.
It also covers on IP telephony technologies to prepare students with the necessary skills in this domain in line with the convergence of voice, video, data and mobile applications.
Students gain skills to configure and troubleshoot enterprise networks, and learn to identify/ protect against cybersecurity threats and are introduced to network management tools and key concepts of software-defined networking, including controller-based architectures and how application programming interfaces (APIs) enable network automation.
• Lecture: 36 hours
• Practical: 48 hours
• Self-directed study: 140 hours
• Consolidation: 35 hours
• Revision: 20 hours
• Assessment: 21 hours
Block 3: Penetration Testing
This module shows students how to think like a hacker, how to probe systems for exploitable vulnerabilities and to report findings for implementing mitigation strategies. From social engineering and physical attacks to client-side and server-side attacks, students will replicate the same Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) that a malicious hacker would use, whilst being compliant with current ethics, law and regulations. In this module students will learn how to perform reconnaissance on a target, how to identify possible victims and how to enumerate their services, how to gain access, how to escalate an individual’s privileges and how to create a final penetration test report.
• Lecture: 20 hours
• Practical: 60 hours
• Self-directed reflection: 20 hours
• Self-directed reading: 20 hours
• Self-directed online learning: 80 hours
• Self-directed revision: 40 hours
• Assessment 60 hours
Block 4: Industrial Cryptography
Cryptography constitutes today a fundamental and ingrained part of the security of all modern communication. Everything from web browsing, email, and telephony, to messaging apps, data storage and video conferencing, is today secured by cryptographic techniques.
This module will introduce the central principles, methods, and definitions of cryptography, as well as presenting some of the most important applications and implementations. Modern cryptography is concerned with an enormous variety of scenarios where the involved parties do not fully trust each other such as internet banking, electronic voting, integrity of data, security of computer networks, and many more.
• Lecture : 24 hours
• Seminar : 48 hours
• Self-directed study : 137 hours
• Consolidation : 40 hours
• Revision : 30 hours
• Assessment : 21 hours
Additional: Expert Briefings in Cyber Security
Year 3
Block 1: Network Security
This module discusses the architectures, protocols, and networking elements to secure your network and respond to incidents. It helps to meet the growing demand for network security professionals to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and devices. The curriculum introduces the security concepts and skills needed to monitor, detect, analyse and respond to cybercrime, cyberespionage, insider threats, advanced persistent threats, regulatory requirements, and other cybersecurity issues facing organizations.
Emphasizing the practical application of the skills needed to maintain and ensure security operational readiness of secure networked systems, it prepares the students for a career as a network security engineer or in the rapidly growing area of cybersecurity operations working in or with a security operations centre (SOC) in roles such as: Security SOC Analyst and Incident Responder.
• Lecture: 48 hours
• Practical: 48 hours
• Self-directed study: 150 hours
• Consolidation: 27 hours
• Revision: 25 hours
• Assessment: 02 hours
Block 2: Network Development
In this module we will discuss the methodologies and tools of modern software development, applied to the IT and Network operations. It covers a 360 view of the domain including microservices, testing, containers and DevOps, as well as securely automating infrastructures with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
Students will gain hands-on lab experience on using GIT, common data formats (JSON, XML and YAML), deploying applications as containers, using Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and automating infrastructure using code. In addition, students will critically appraise Software Defined Network (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and address the issue of code quality and reliability assurance via DevSecOps.
• Lecture: 48 hours
• Practical: 48 hours
• Self-directed study: 143 hours
• Revision: 20 hours
• Consolidation: 20 hours
• Assessment: 21 hours
Block 3 / 4: Final Project
The project provides students with the opportunity to carry out a significant piece of work that reflects the aims and outcomes of their specific programme. It provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate practical and analytical skills present in their programme of study; to work innovatively and creatively; to synthesise information, ideas, and practices to provide a quality solution, together with an evaluation of that solution. The project should meet some real need in a wider context.
• Lecture: 6
• Supervisor meetings: 5
• Self-study: 289
Optional Modules (choose one):
Block 3 / 4: Emerging Technologies in Computer Networks and Security
After completing several networking and programming modules, students will get the chance to really put these skills together while practicing the latest network technologies, e.g., Software Defined Network (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV). Students will also get introduced to the cloud environments and have hands-on experience on cloud network and security management. Moreover, security and privacy issues that are related to IoT, mobile networks, and modern autonomous systems will be discussed and analysed.
• Lecture: 20 hours
• Practical: 40 hours
• Self-directed study: 160 hours
• Consolidation: 40 hours
• Assessment: 40 hours
Block 3 / 4: Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security
The application of AI algorithms to the domain of cyber security has gained a lot of momentum in the last few years, especially with the proliferation of Deep Neural Network architectures and applications. In this module, the application of AI to cyber security will be examined in detail. Students will be trained on how to collect, pre-process, and analyse cyber security datasets. Students will gain fundamental knowledge about AI algorithms, including statistical machine learning algorithms and deep neural networks, and how such algorithms are applied to cyber security applications. State-of-the-art tools and software libraries will be used to apply taught concepts to train and evaluate different AI models to develop cyber security solutions.
• Lecture: 24 hours
• Practical/Lab: 56 hours
• Assessment: 60 hours
• Reading: 100 hours
• Reflection: 60 hours
Block 3 / 4: Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime Investigation
This module will guide students through the Digital Forensics Incident Response (DFIR) life cycle in traditional and/or enterprise crime scenes involving digital devices such as computers/laptops/mobile devices/networks and the associated legal and ethical considerations and requirements.
Students will use a combination of proprietary and open-source forensic tools to collect and analyse digital evidence in a forensically sound manner whilst completing the appropriate and necessary paperwork, prior to presenting their findings for a given audience.
• Lectures: 24 hours
• Staffed Labs: 48 hours
• Unstaffed Labs: 24 hours
• Self-directed study: 140 hours
• Collaboration: 24 hours
• Assessment: 40 hours
Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry criteria
A typical offer is 112 UCAS points from at least two A-levels or equivalent or
BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DMM
Plus five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent.
Alternative qualifications include:
Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English and Mathematics GCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification.
We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course or
International Baccalaureate: 26+ points or
T Levels Merit
Portfolio Required: No
Interview Required: No
We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.
Contextual offer
To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.
English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Teaching and assessments
On this course, you will benefit from Education 2030 - DMU’s new way of delivering courses. Through block teaching, you will focus on one subject at a time instead of several at once.
The programme will use a combination of lectures, seminars and interactive large group discussions to transfer many of the major topics. Laboratory tutorials will provide the students with the opportunity to practice and develop skills and techniques under guidance and obtain feedback for each of the defined blocks. The directly interactive sessions will be supplemented by self-study.
Assessments can be formative as well as summative and could include practical software development exercises, structured exercises, group and individual projects, and tests. Projects offer the opportunity for students to develop their ability to conduct a sustained individual development exercise. Group projects also allow students to develop their ability to work in teams, to appraise group performance and deal with group problems.
Industry association
You will join a Cisco Networking Academy and will cover three Cisco certificates including the new Cisco Certified Network Associate, Cisco CyberOps Associate and Cisco DevNet Associate and one additional Networking Academy course: Network Security
Career Opportunities
Graduate Careers
This programme has been developed to help give students the skills needed for careers in the computer networks and cyber security industry.
Graduates have excellent opportunities to pursue careers in industry, government, or law enforcement in roles such as a Network Engineer, Network Security Engineer, Network Automation Engineer, Security Analyst, Penetration Tester, Cyber Security Engineer or working in a Security Operations Centre (SOC) in roles such as SOC Analyst and Incident Responder. Previous graduates from our Cyber Security programmes have gone on to work for organisations such as Deloitte, GCHQ, Airbus, and Rolls-Royce.
Placements
Work placements are offered as part of this course as one of the best ways to boost your skills and experience while studying, as well as improving your chances of gaining a graduate level job.
We have links with organisations both in the UK and internationally, and the placements team will help you find a placement to suit your interests and aspirations.
Students on related courses have taken part in placements at Airbus, GCHQ, and Vauxhall Motors to develop their skills and put their learning into practice.
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