Prospective Students

Information Security & Privacy with placement (MSc)

Students taking the Information Security & Privacy degree are given the opportunity to gain external accreditation in Microsystemation XRY, an industry-leading mobile phone forensics tool. The School is one of only five universities in the UK to offer this training

Course Aims:

Appropriate security measures are an essential part of any modern enterprise. A detailed understanding of the key threats and the essential techniques for ensuring security, privacy and trust are fundamental requirements for successful information systems. Professionals in this field are well placed for a wide variety of employment opportunities.

To enhance your CV further you can opt for a two-year programme and apply for a paid 12-month work placement (year in industry).

Course Description:

This programme addresses the key security issues that are faced by global communications and information systems. The programme provides a mix of business context with core security, trust and privacy issues that challenge the IT sector. As well as studying themes such as trust and identity and forensic investigation, security techniques and network and cyber security, the programme provides an understanding of the e-Commerce and business environment. This combined business/security approach provides valuable training for interacting with organisations, and understanding their business functions in a deeper context.

Using case based analysis the programme also gives you the opportunity to learn about forensic approaches to investigation across multiple platforms. On a practical level, you have the opportunity to gain external accreditation for use of market leading forensic software, as taught in our dedicated network security lab. The School is one of only five universities in the UK to offer training in Microsystemation XRY, an industry-leading mobile phone forensics tool used by more than 85 percent of police forces and all major forensic laboratories in the UK and Ireland.

Full time students may choose to apply for a paid 12-month work placement to be undertaken on completion of Spring semester and before completing the MSc programme with a 60 credit dissertation. Subject to satisfactory progress we will support you with our professional and experienced work placement consultants who aim to satisfy your individual preferences. You will gain professional recognition of your placement through our accredited internship programme.

Available Modules:

• Aligning IT and Business Strategies
• Business and IT Management
• Dissertation
• Distributed and Cloud Computing
• E-Commerce and Innovation
• Forensics, Trust and Identity
• Information Modelling and Database System
• Information, Network and Cyber Security
• Security Techniques

Special Features:

• Full time students may choose to apply for a paid 12-month work placement.
• Opportunity to gain external accreditation in Microsystemation XRY, an industry-leading mobile phone forensics tool.
• A systemic view of the relationship between business needs and security solutions is emphasised.
• Practitioner-led modules integrate the latest research ideas with current best practice.
• Flexible choice of project topic reflecting your own interest.

Career Prospects:

Graduates are well prepared for a career in industrial, commercial, or governmental organisations with particular responsibility for information and process security.

Career destinations include: Information security manager, risk manager, technical security roles in computer forensics, identity management roles, secure systems developer, industrial and university research.

Entry Requirements:

The programme is open to applicants who have a good honours degree (2.1 or above) in computing or a related subject.

Graduates of other disciplines will demonstrate awareness of the broad scope of information systems and their context.

Applicants whose first language is not English are normally expected to meet the minimum University requirements (e.g. 6.5 IELTS, with at least 6.0 in each area).

Note: International students pursuing part-time programmes of study are not eligible for Tier 4 (General Student) visas and must have alternative leave to remain in the UK if they intend to study at the University in person.

Next intake: September 2012

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