Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security MSci/BSc (Hons) with foundation year

Learn cyber security fundamentals, tools and skills you'll use throughout your degree. Explore how to protect digital assets and data while learning how cyber-attacks happen and how to defend against them.

Work with common operating systems used in security, such as Linux and Windows command line, and build an understanding of core cyber security concepts, including cyber-crimes, data breaches, threats and attacks. Learn how to identify system and network-level vulnerabilities and how they can be exploited.

Compulsory

Understand the legal and ethical issues surrounding cyber security today. Through real-life case studies, debates and discussions, explore how technology impacts society and how global laws and ethics shape what’s considered right and wrong in the digital world. Examine the ethics of computer security, the growing use of artificial intelligence and the wider social context of connected systems and data collection.

Look at professional ethics and explore key legislation such as the Computer Misuse Act, Data Protection laws and privacy regulations. Discuss how security technologies are regulated and consider important issues around intellectual property and copyright in a digital age.

Gain an introduction to information security management. Explore how an organisation’s people, data, technologies and networks all play a role in keeping information secure. Topics include understanding different security roles and responsibilities, building a positive security culture, and developing professionalism in the workplace. Focus on the human side of cyber security, including intentional and unintentional errors, insider threats, the importance of following policies and procedures, and raising awareness of risks and best practices.

Compulsory

Gain a solid introduction to how computers work. Explore the key components of computer systems, learning how data is represented, processed and flows through a system. Explore data representation using binary and hexadecimal, logic laws, truth tables, logic gates and how set theory connects with logical operations.

Next, understand processor structure and operations, memory organisation and how machine and assembly code work. Dive into computer networks—learning about TCP/IP and ISO/OSI models, physical and logical network topologies, network media and how data travels through wired and wireless connections. Examine media contention and error correction, giving you a clear picture of how reliable communication is achieved in digital systems.

Compulsory

Gain an introduction to the core concepts of programming using industry-standard tools and a widely used programming language. Build your understanding of how code works and develop problem-solving skills that will support your progress throughout the course.

Learn about data types and structures, operators (including arithmetic, comparison and logical), and how to write conditional and control statements. Explore functions and classes to help organise your code effectively. As part of good software development practice, you’ll be introduced to version control systems, as well as key techniques like debugging, testing, and documentation and commenting, ensuring you build clean, readable and reliable code.

Compulsory

Build on your understanding of how digital investigations are carried out within the UK’s legal framework. Learn how to identify, collect, preserve and analyse digital evidence; while following ethical and legal standards such as those set by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and global best practices.

Explore key investigation methods and how to apply them in real-world scenarios. Topics include collecting, processing and preserving digital evidence, using forensic toolkits, understanding UK cybercrime legislation and following the investigative process. You’ll also cover device, Windows, Linux and memory forensics, including developing skills in forensic report-writing and expert testimony.

Compulsory

Build hands-on ethical hacking skills, focusing on penetration testing techniques and how to exploit remote systems responsibly. Explore a range of attack vectors and the strategies used at each stage of the penetration testing process.

Learn about penetration testing methodologies such as PTES and the Cyber Kill Chain and how to identify, classify and manage vulnerabilities. Practise server and network reconnaissance, explore common web vulnerabilities including those found in the OWASP Top 10 (like SQL injection and XSS) and develop your ability to perform privilege escalation techniques in a secure, ethical environment.

Compulsory

Examine the fundamentals of computer networks and how they operate. Explore how data travels across network systems, the protocols that control this communication and how to analyse performance and ensure network security.

Learn about the ISO/OSI and TCP/IP models, error detection methods like parity checks, checksums and CRC and medium access control (MAC). Look into IP addressing and subnetting, routing protocols, transport layer protocols such as TCP and UDP and congestion control techniques—giving you the essential skills to understand, design and troubleshoot computer networks.

Compulsory

Build expertise in planning, designing and improving information security to protect organisations from evolving cyber threats. Learn how to manage security across people, data, technology and networks, while keeping risks low and costs efficient.

Study key areas including the structure and role of a Security Operations Centre, threat modelling techniques like attack trees, STRIDE and DREAD, and intrusion detection strategies using IDS, IPS, EDR and SIEM tools.

Learn about incident response, from preparation to recovery and explores automation tools like SOAR, XDR and AI-driven approaches. Understand the legal and ethical frameworks guiding security monitoring in the UK, EU and US.

Compulsory

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes. 

Optional

This module²  provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes. 

Optional

Apply the knowledge and skills you’ve gained throughout your degree to a major, independent project. Develop problem-solving abilities, conduct independent research and showcase your technical expertise in your chosen field.

Support lectures will help you with project planning and time management, research methods and literature reviews, system design and development, data collection and analysis, and ethical considerations.

Compulsory

Investigate computer networks, covering network models, architecture and the protocols that control data transmission. Explore design methodologies like three-tier architecture and DMZ, as well as management topics such as access rights and network monitoring.

Security is a key focus, with coverage of policies, authentication methods, VPNs, ACLs and firewalls. Study WAN connectivity, network scaling, relevant protocols like OSPF and BGP, media technologies and modern services including cloud computing and service level agreements.

Compulsory

Learn how to manage digital security risks through effective corporate governance, risk assessment and security audits. Learn about information assurance models and how to apply security audit frameworks through real-world case studies.

Topics include different security controls at managerial, operational and technical levels and how to align these with business goals. Study ISO 27000 standards, risk assessment methods and compliance in payment ecosystems like PCI DSS. The module also covers the COBIT governance framework and its alignment with ITIL and ISO standards.

Compulsory

Advanced Digital Forensics – 30 credits

Dive into advanced digital forensic methods with a focus on network forensics. Learn how to capture, analyse and interpret network traffic to spot security incidents and trace unauthorised activity. Explore cloud forensics, malware analysis and anti-forensic techniques like data hiding and trail obfuscation used to evade detection.

Examine data recovery principles, storage technologies, and laws, plus forensic tools like Wireshark and TCPdump for analysing network layers and malware traces. Look into emerging areas such as social media, email and cloud forensics.

Advanced Ethical Hacking and Exploit Development – 30 credits

Explore advanced hacking techniques and how to defend against them. Study network security topics like Active Directory, virtualisation and cloud security. Learn about advanced ethical hacking skills, including reverse engineering and exploit development.

Key topics include security of network protocols such as Active Directory, advanced web exploitation, reverse engineering, exploit development, kernel-level exploits, memory corruption attacks like buffer and heap overflows, and Return-Oriented Programming (ROP).

Optional

Gain a deep understanding of cyber security theory, cryptographic methods and how to evaluate system security.

Study platform security covering operating systems, web, embedded devices, cloud, virtualisation, security as a service and trusted computing. Learn security evaluation frameworks like OWASP and the Cyber Kill Chain.

Dive into cryptography foundations including Shannon’s information theory, entropy, stream and block ciphers, cryptographic PRNGs and hashes. Explore symmetric and asymmetric key cryptography, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and future developments in cryptography.

Compulsory

Develop the knowledge and skills to protect and secure network infrastructures, while providing a comprehensive understanding of incident detection and response.

Study network security architecture, firewalls and access control lists (ACLs). Learn about intrusion detection and prevention systems, wireless security protocols and techniques for network monitoring and analysis. The module also covers risk management to help you assess and reduce security threats effectively.

Compulsory

Gain a solid understanding of cloud computing principles, technologies and best practices. Explore emerging cloud technologies and learn how to manage cloud operations effectively.

Topics covered include operating systems, cloud platforms, virtualisation and containerisation. Study monitoring and logging, as well as DevOps and Agile practices to prepare you for modern cloud environments.

Compulsory

Understand how cyber security applies to connected systems like IoT and automotive technologies. Explore current and emerging trends, mobile communication methods (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee) and key protocols like MQTT used in smart devices.

Study security issues in automotive and autonomous vehicles, along with the legal and ethical considerations around data collected by connected devices. Examine security policies for embedded systems and the emerging threats posed by AI, IoT, autonomous vehicles and our increasingly connected world.

Compulsory