51Âþ»­

Gold-standard teaching

Named a gold standard ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education’ by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

Key facts

Entry requirements

112 or DDM

Additional entry requirements apply to this course. Full entry requirements

UCAS code

G550

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time, four years with a placement

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,750

Additional costs

Entry requirements

112 or DDM

Additional entry requirements apply to this course. Full entry requirements

UCAS code

G550

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time, four years with a placement

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,750

Additional costs

Named a gold standard ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education’ by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

Technology and computer systems are becoming ever more integrated with our day-to-day lives and protection of the data and information they contain is paramount. With many organisations and businesses now considering the defence of online information a critical business issue, there’s an increased focus and demand on the role of cyber security.

On our Cyber Security BSc, you will learn about different types of cyber-attack, how to solve them and how to prevent them. Discover how to build ultra-secure software and systems, carry out rigorous penetration testing and study cryptography techniques. By putting yourself in the mind of a hacker, you will come to expect the unexpected and develop problem-solving skills that are highly-valued in the world of work.

A versatile range of core computing and cyber security skills are embedded throughout the course, giving you a solid understanding of the underlying principles of cyber security. This includes the mathematical foundation of computing, secure coding and computer ethics. Your Final Project in year three provides an opportunity to work innovatively and creatively to produce a quality solution that addresses a societal or organisational need.

By the time you graduate, you will have the skills required for an exciting career in the cyber security sector. Recent graduates have progressed into careers in industry, government and law enforcement, as security analysts, penetration testers, forensic investigators and cyber security engineers, at organisations such as Deloitte, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Airbus, and Rolls-Royce.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments – rather than lots of exams at the end of the year – and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging. Read more about block teaching.

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What you will study

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: 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 3: 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.

Learning and teaching activity hours for the module:

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 4: Business Infrastructure and Security

This module covers the theory and practice underpinning the foundations of modern networked information systems. Awareness of these principles and concepts is essential for individuals working in Cyber Security, to allow them to secure the systems that organisations depend upon. Topics introduced allow consideration for the opportunities to secure these systems, and the role these systems play in a wider context.

Learning and teaching activity hours for the module: 

Lecture: 24 hours 

Seminar: 48 hours 

Self-directed study: 156 hours 

Consolidation: 40 hours 

Revision: 30 hours 

Assessment: 2 hours 

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: Incident Response and Cyber Threat Intelligence

This module covers incident response and cyber threat intelligence principles, industry standards as well as frameworks, tools and techniques. The students will learn about the essential preparations before an incident occurs, incident response life cycle stages, and appropriate approaches to incident handling. Organisational departments dealing with incidents, their structure and functions will be considered. The students will also be able to understand modern security operations.

Student hours per module:

Practical: 56 hours

Lecture / Large Group: 44 hours

Reading: 100 hours

Reflection: 60 hours

Revision: 40 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.

Learning and teaching activity hours for the module:

Lecture: 24 hours

Seminar: 48 hours

Self-directed study: 137 hours

Consolidation: 40 hours

Revision: 30 hours

Assessment: 21 hours

You may choose one of the block 4 options in the final year.

Block 1: Cyber Physical Systems Security

Cyber Physical Systems are ubiquitous to the modern way of life, controlling or impacting all Critical National Infrastructure sectors identified by the UK government, such as Water, Power and Telecommunications. Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) integrate physical processes, computing, and communication to monitor and control mission-critical applications.

This module will be delivered in seven-week block mode with the following estimated teaching and learning activity hours:

Lecture: 24 hours

Practical/Lab: 48 hours

Self-directed study: 141 hours

Consolidation: 45 hours

Assessment: 42 hours

Block 2: Malware and Attacker Techniques

This module provides students with practical skills of investigating malware in accordance with best practice, using industry standard tools and techniques whilst adhering to professional code of ethics and legal requirements. Students learn the fundamentals of assembly language and apply it to malware reverse engineering and malware de-armouring. They will also gain an in-depth understanding of malware behaviour and evasive techniques as well as malware strategies employed by Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors.

Learning and teaching activity hours for the module:

Lecture: 28 hours

Practical labs: 42 hours

Self-directed study: 140 hours

Consolidation: 35 hours

Revision: 20 hours

Assessment: 35 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.

Includes optional modules, of which you choose one.

Lectures: 6

Supervisor meetings: 5

Self-study: 289 hours

Block 3/4: Cyber Security and Social Responsibility (Optional)

Cyber Security professionals are often tasked with ensuring an organisation meets legal and regulatory standards when handling data. This module allows for consideration of, and brings awareness to moral and ethical aspects that may be encountered when building computing systems or processing data.

Note that the expected methods of delivery below assumes delivery over two blocks while students take on another module at the same time, such as the final year project.

Lecture: 30 hours

Reading: 45 hours

Self-directed study: 100 hours

Review: 22 hours

Consolidation: 50 hours

Collaborative activity: 50 hours

Assessment: 3 hours

Block 3/4: Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security (Optional)

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 (Optional)

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 indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

The course is part of 51Âþ»­’s Cyber Security Centre, which influences the government and corporations in their approach to cyber security. This shapes the curriculum so that you learn what is important. It also grants you privileged access to career opportunities.

You may be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work, laboratory sessions, practical sessions and self-directed study. Assessment and how assessments are weighted is varied across modules. Our assessment practices reflect the best practices in teaching methods deployed by academic members of staff each year. Indicative assessment weighting and assessment type per module are shown as part of the module information. Again, these are based on the current academic session and are subject to change.

Teaching contact hours

This is a full-time course. Each module is worth 30 credits. Outside of your normal timetabled hours you will be expected to conduct independent study each week to complete preparation tasks, assessments and research.

Self-directed study

In order to prepare for, and assimilate, the work in lectures and seminars you will be expected to use our on-line resources, participate in flipped or virtual classroom discussions on our virtual learning environment (VLE) and engage in personal study and revision for approximately 25 hours per week.

Accreditation and Awards

This course has been fully-certified by the British Computer Society (BCS). The BCS accreditation is a mark of quality assurance and means our course content and provision has been assessed by academics and employers to ensure it meets the rigorous standards set by the profession.

Graduating from a BCS-accredited course will help you to stand out in the world of work, and also enable you to have your qualification recognised globally. Upon completing this course, you will meet the criteria (in part* or in full) to become professionally registered with BCS as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP), Registered IT Technician (RITTech), Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng).

*Partial CITP accredited degrees are not recognised under the Seoul Accord agreement

BCS Logo

Accredited by BCS; The Chartered Institute for IT

Accreditation from BCS provides you with independent assurance and recognition of the quality of our computing education. Your course content and provision are assessed by academics and employers, aligned with IT industry frameworks and benchmarked against other educational institutions, to ensure they meet the rigorous standards set by the profession.

Students choose to study BCS-accredited degrees knowing they’ll gain the right set of technical, personal and professional skills for the evolving tech industry — while employers can be confident that graduates are prepped and ready to make an impact in their business.

National Cyber Security Centre logo

Gold-standard teaching

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).

Cyber Security in the spotlight

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Our facilities

Cyber Security laboratories

The Cyber Security laboratories are among the best equipped facilities of this type in the UK. Developed in consultation with leaders in the industry, they are designed to meet the highest forensics and security standards.

The laboratories contain high-specification, specially customised PCs configured with multiple operating systems, virtualisation and removable hard drives, as well as specialised servers, wired and wireless networking equipment and a variety of other hardware and software components.

The laboratories are also the base for the university's Cyber Security Centre, a multidisciplinary group of academics and industry experts who focus on a wide variety of cyber security and digital forensics issues. Their mission is to provide to all the benefits a safe, secure and resilient cyberspace.

What makes us special

Three students working together around a laptop

Block Learning

With block teaching, you’ll learn in a focused format, where you study one subject at a time instead of several at once. As a result, you will receive faster feedback through more regular assessment, have a more simplified timetable, and have a better study-life balance. That means more time to engage with your 51Âþ»­ community and other rewarding aspects of university life.

51Âþ»­ Hackers

51Âþ»­ Hackers

Get hands-on experience and meet like-minded peers by joining 51Âþ»­’s Hacking Society focussed on Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security. It has more than 150 members who meet weekly to share skills such as web application hacking, binary exploitation and reverse engineering and enter competitions. 

Where we could take you

computer science graduate careers

Graduate Careers

Computer Science graduates have gone on to work as associate software engineers, computer engineers, systems engineers, database managers, software developers and web developers for companies including HSBC Bank, Sainsbury’s, MMT Digital, RR Donnelley and Serck Controls.

Graduates can also continue their academic careers by embarking on postgraduate study in either research or taught areas, which provides opportunities for further specialisation and the enhancement of existing skills.

placements-img

Placements

Explore professional opportunities with an optional placement year. Previous Computer Science students have spent their third year in industry working in roles such as Placement Developer, Cloud Reliability Developer, Solution Engineer and Business Analyst Intern for organisations including Next, Leicestershire Police, Oracle, IBM and The Walt Disney Company.

Course specifications

Course title

Cyber Security

Award

BSc (Hons)

UCAS code

G550

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time, four years with a placement

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,750

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements

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

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

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.

Scholarships

51Âþ»­ offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.

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.

Interview and portfolio

Interview required: No

Portfolio required: No

Additional costs

There are no compulsory placements or trips associated with this programme, however, you will have the option of participating in 51Âþ»­Global trips either as part of some of the modules or as an extra-curricular activity. These trips are subsidised by the university and the cost and the subsidy varies by location.

Students have the opportunity to take a paid or unpaid placement year in industry before their final year. Placements are full-time jobs and are available in a wide variety of sectors include private, public and not-for profit.

If you wish to undertake a placement year facilitated by 51Âþ»­ fees are reduced to £650 (£750 for international students) for the year. This covers your access to all 51Âþ»­ services during your year away from the university, support from your academic supervisor and professional staff, as well as all the preparation support provided in advance.