Cyber Security MSc (Distance Learning)

Provided by Staffordshire University

About the course

Course outline

The award will provide the knowledge of the latest cyber security principles, practices, tools and techniques, taught by a team of specialist staff in state of the art, purpose-built, online cyber security laboratories. Graduates will be Cyber-operators, able to use ‘information’ as a defensive or offensive weapon. 

Today, Cyber-Operators are required to have an ‘enriched’ background drawing elements of practical experience from fields as diverse as sociology, psychology, networks and network security, computer science and computer security, information management and information security, software engineering and reverse engineering, and of course, the law. 

• Opportunity to achieve industry recognised certification as a Certified Ethical Hacker.
• Become Cyber specialists, able to use digital technology as a defensive or offensive weapon
• High demand in Government and industry for people who can secure computer systems against malicious attack
• 'The communication practices between the University and distance learning students were seen as exemplary, which the students described as ‘awesome’ ' from the most recent BCS accreditation visit 
• Flexible start in September or January
• Flexible study
• Please note fees for International students on this distance learning course are the same as for UK and EU

Course Fees and Finance

The expected study pattern on this programme enables you to complete modules totalling 45 credits in your first year of study and the other 135 credits, split equally between your second and fourth years of study. If you follow this pattern of study you will pay a fee of £1,586.25 per year of study. You will be invoiced for the modules that you register for each year, so if your study pattern is different from the expected pattern, you will pay more or less each year accordingly.

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni Discount: If you have previously completed an undergraduate degree with us, you may be entitled to a discount off your course fee for any subsequent postgraduate taught course.

Postgraduate Loans:

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a loan of up to £10,609 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. You won’t have to start repaying the loan until you are earning more than (currently) £21,000 per year.

Course content

This course builds upon our experience in successfully delivering distance learning modules to students from the MOD in our undergraduate courses. Throughout the course you will learn with a combination for synchronous and asynchronous delivery integrated with Blackboard, which will remain your main learning environment.  You will also have an opportunity in achieving industry recognised certification in Certified Ethical hacking.

Our purpose-built, state of the art, online security laboratory offers each student a unique experience in enhancing your skills and knowledge in Cyber Security. As a result of winning a recent £5 million STEM bid, you will benefit from state of the art hardware resources, which will enhance your learning.

You will gain:

• Sound understanding of the computer science.
• Sound understanding of TCP-IP networks, the TCP-IP suite and its supporting protocols.
• Sound understanding and practical knowledge of digital forensics incidence response.
• Understanding and practical knowledge of managing information at all levels.
• Practical knowledge of the different types of computer crime.
• Ability to use with competency cyber-security toolkits.
• Ability to follow strict policies and procedures with meticulous record keeping.
• Good understanding of people and their motivational catalysts.
• Knowledge of evidence law and legal procedures.
• Ability to write reports on technical issues in a non-technical manner.
• Ability to address large audiences in a formal manner and affect their decision making process.

 Core Modules

• Computer Security – Low Level
• Cyber Operations
• Malware analysis and Reverse Engineering
• Research Methods
• Operating Systems Security
• Digital Forensics & Incidence Response

Option Modules*

• Network Security with CISCO
• Network Security
• Penetration Testing
• Computer Security – High Level

* If you have CCNA certification (or an equivalent CISCO background), there will be the option of doing Network Security with the CISCO curriculum. Those of you who are not CCNA certified (or without an equivalent CISCO background), will do a less practical module of similar learning outcomes. After Teaching Block 2 you will have an option, again based on your prior knowledge on ethical hacking (and/or background, qualifications), for doing either Computer Security – High Level, which focuses on ethical hacking, or a more technical module on Penetration Testing.