Practical learning builds my skills
Jennifer Sau Yan Wan is a second year Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security BSc (Hons) student in the Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing.
With high profile incidents like the WannaCry and Petya ransomware attacks making headlines in 2017, there is an increasing demand for highly trained individuals who can advise businesses and organisations, government and law enforcement agencies alike on the best ways to protect their computer networks and the valuable, commercially sensitive information stored within them.
The specialist skills and knowledge to thoroughly test the security of computer systems, make them secure and investigate properly if they are compromised are not typically taught within a standard computer science course. In contrast, our course has been developed to provide a good practical and theoretical understanding of cybersecurity, hacking, digital forensics and the underlying computer science.
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity MSci/BSc (Hons) was accredited by the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) for the 2019/20 intake. Following changes which have been made to improve the courses, we are applying for re-accreditation for entrants of 2020/21 onwards. We anticipate that our application for re-accreditation will be successful. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to these courses, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
Jennifer Sau Yan Wan is a second year Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security BSc (Hons) student in the Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing.
The Cisco lab is used for working with general networking and towards accreditation by CISCO. Optional modules allow students to work in the lab to develop skills in preparation for the CISCO certification exam.
Contains 84 workstations, equipped with full licenses for Forensic Toolkit 7.1 and open source security suites, in addition to a variety of software commonly used by many businesses.
Provide a cutting edge virtualisation environment that can be used to create entire virtual networks, complete with services, users and even attackers. Students can access this environment from anywhere on or off campus.
With the latest technology at hand and great tutoring, I have gained a variety of skills and deeper understanding of the latest software. Coventry University is the best choice I have ever made.
Studying Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security at Coventry University will provide you with the opportunity to learn to identify and analyse the threats posed to modern information structures and develop the knowledge and skills to be able to advise a company on how to set up secure systems.
Coventry University has over 10 years’ experience of teaching cyber security, producing graduates who have gone on to successful careers in the sector. Previous graduates have gone on to become security consultants, security engineers, penetration testers and other sector specific roles.
With a strong emphasis on practical application of academic and theoretical aspects, the course aims to teach the key skills and competencies required by a cyber security professional, using specialised physical and virtual labs.
You will cover general purpose computer systems technology and specialist security topics in the computing field, including ethical hacking, digital forensics, penetration testing, network security and cryptography. This combination aims to enable you to devise methods to test a system’s security in the future, apply appropriate defences against threats and possess the technical computing skills needed to break into systems that have vulnerabilities.
Course specification
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We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
We have been ranked joint first amongst Modern Universities in England for career prospects - Guardian University Guide 2021
Cybersecurity is fast becoming the most pressing and least understood problem for many individuals, businesses and nations. The landscape itself is difficult to visualise, built on layer upon layer of evolving computing equipment, networks, protocols and software. The ways in which it can be exploited are innumerable, with new vulnerabilities discovered daily.
Coventry University is committed to educating successive generations of cybersecurity researchers and experts – from developers that can write secure code, to digital forensics specialists and penetration testers.
We have garnered a reputation for teaching excellence and our current staff benefit from a mix of practical experience from industry and law-enforcement, combined with active research in cutting-edge cybersecurity. Current projects include the incorporation of cryptography into network services for centralised management, machine learning for intrusion detection, low-power security systems and the security of embedded devices and the Internet of Things.
Our current extensive links with industry have helped previous graduates to secure rewarding jobs with security companies, large corporations and government*. These relationships may also provide various opportunities for industry placements* during your studies, with previous students spending a year working for high profile security consultancy organisations such as BAE Detica, Nettitude and NCC Group.
This course is designed to give you the opportunity to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to lead the fight against cyber criminals and keep hard-earned assets secure. It covers the essentials of computer systems architecture, programming, operating systems and databases, together with specialist topics in digital forensics, legal issues, networking, ethical hacking and computer security.
Our Activity-Led Learning (ALL) approach means your education should be hands-on; we aim to help you become familiar with penetration testing tools, encryption algorithms and forensic analysis software. You could also gain an additional industry recognised network certification through the CISCO Academy Programme (competitive application and additional costs may apply).
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Your main study themes are:
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The programme allows you to study full-time over three years to achieve Bachelor’s level or four years if you wish to progress to Master’s level. You may also take an optional work placement/study abroad* between years two and three.
Your course will be based on a series of lectures, with associated seminars and project based practical classes. In addition, your personal tutor will review and discuss your progress with you and will be available for advice.
Throughout the course, great emphasis is placed on the practical development of work, with a significant portion of your time being spent on assisted lab tasks, which may involve live practical hacking challenges, seminars discussing topics such as cryptography and forward secrecy or project-based classes, which may involve more in-depth work developing secure systems in hostile environments.
Regular external talks by our academic and research staff, as well as visiting lecturers (subject to availability), bring you the latest issues on a wide range of topics, which have recently covered exfiltration methods and social-engineering in banking.
We organise a wide range of optional field trips*, here in the UK or abroad, with past students visiting Bletchley Park, the central site for Britain's codebreakers during World War II, and the Internet of Things Expo in London. We also encourage you to attend the annual Securi-Tay conference, which is held at Abertay University.
*Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
How you’ll be assessed This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include formal examinations, coursework, online and in-class tests, essays, practical or project work, group work, presentations and posters.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Upon successful completion, you will be able to:
Actual teaching contact hours will vary depending on the level of study and the requirements of a particular semester. In a typical week your contact hours will be divided amongst personal tutorials and small group teaching; medium group teaching (e.g. seminars, tutorial sessions, lab sessions and workshops); and large group teaching (lectures). In addition, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study each week depending on the demands of individual modules. The number of contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 17 contact hours per week in the first and second years dropping to around 12 contact hours per week in the final year as you become a more independent learner.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 20 hours of self-directed study each week eg. working on course assignments and taking part in the flipped classroom activities.
Cybersecurity is a global problem affecting all types of organisations throughout the world and, consequently, the course is international by its very nature. For example, when considering the legal and ethical dimensions of ethical hacking, we will study case studies selected from different countries and jurisdictions, such as the USA.
In the past, we have also encouraged students to participate in Online International Learning (OIL) projects in conjunction with colleagues at Middle East College and are currently developing a project with Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia.
Coventry University currently has links with many universities around the globe. To increase your employment prospects after graduation, we encourage you to study abroad* as part of your degree. Previous students have benefited from our links with universities in Europe (through the Erasmus scheme), America and Asia. Current staff on this course have links with the Emirates Aviation University in Dubai, which provides additional opportunities for collaborative work in research, module delivery, placement, project sponsorship and supervision.
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
For more information, please visit our Finance pages.
We're committed to communicating study costs clearly to make sure you're not faced with having to make any unexpected payments.
This is why our ‘Flying Start’ package provides you with a few course essentials. Your full-time fee for an undergraduate degree will cover the following:
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire.
Additional costs not included in the fees:
Any optional overseas field trips or visits
Optional personal computer and software
Media consumable items
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
The practical nature of our course places an emphasis on your future employability, developing a wide range of technical, analytical, design and professional skills, many of which may be gained from placement experiences*. The technical content is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect what is currently important and in demand in industry.
In the past, students on placements* at IT security firms have engaged in real client projects, involving various aspects of penetration testing of systems and vulnerability analysis, as well as malware analysis and static and dynamic testing of programs and applications.
We place a strong emphasis on sound investigative procedures, logging and reporting, which is particularly suited to work within law enforcement agencies, as well as consultant organisations. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of different operating systems and a number of investigative, development and hacking tools.
Our faculty’s employability and placements unit the Talent Team, which won the ‘Best Placement Service in the UK’ award at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards in 2015 and 2016, will help you in finding work experience* while you study and employment on graduation.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Previous graduates have found employment in ethical hacking and penetration testing roles, malware and software security analysis, telecoms security, digital forensics and evidence gathering, network and security administration within organisations, government organisations and insurance companies. Others have gone on to pursue more general computing careers in other areas of IT.
After attending an open day I was impressed with the approachability and experience of the lecturers, and the employability factor was a big sell. It was clear from speaking to the EEC Futures team that they were genuine about looking after the best interests of students and helping them get a great career at the end of their studies. With ongoing support from the EEC Futures team and a bit of luck, I almost jokingly applied to Microsoft for my placement year. I never imagined I’d make it all the way and actually be offered a placement. At every stage of the process EEC Futures provided ongoing advice and support, from CV writing and interview techniques to preparing for the applicant day.
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.