MSc Cyber Security (Part Time)

Key details

MSC CYBER SECURITY (PART TIME)

Start Year

2023

Attendance

Part Time

Award

Degree of Master of Science

Duration (years)

Cyber security is a dynamic and constantly evolving area that is going to play an increasingly pivotal role in all of our lives, as the world continues towards a highly connected society. The MSc Cyber Security degree at UEA provides an exciting and challenging journey through the ethical, societal, cultural and technological aspects of the subject.

This is a course that is perfect for anyone with a curious mind and the drive to shape the future of society.

You’ll develop a range of skills to encourage critical and analytical thinking and help you communicate your ideas. When you graduate, you will be well-equipped to work in a range of industries, or to continue to develop your knowledge with further study.

About

The Internet has changed our lives forever. It is arguably one of the most exciting and transformative developments of recent years. We now have unprecedented access to information, like-minded individuals and a whole host of potential problems. Our MSc in Cyber Security will give you a well-rounded appreciation of the issues facing our hyperconnected society, and some of the technological, legislative and social issues that we now face. You will also meet and be taught by practitioners from industry who will inform you of current issues and how these are being addressed.

Whether you are interested in the technical, human or legislative side of the subject, the MSc Cyber Security at UEA will give you the chance to develop a knowledge and understanding of the key areas. You’ll explore the many contributing factors that shape this complex and exciting subject. You’ll develop core cyber security knowledge along with essential intellectual skills such as communication, critical thinking and research that will be with you for the rest of your life. You will also gain important insights into the practical reality of cyber threats and security from industry practitioners.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

We have a mixture of individual and group assessments. These include written work, presentations or demonstrations, and exams (closed and/or time-limited assessment). They combine theoretical understanding with practical application and are designed to test the range of skills and competencies required for the learning outcomes of each module. The balance of assessment types varies according to the options chosen. Additionally, there is an individual project which is assessed through a combination of written work and demonstration or presentation.

You’ll be assessed by a combination of:

Examination/course test 20%
Demonstrations/Presentation 20%
Project 35%
Written assignments 25%

Structure

During the first year, you’ll be required to take the Introduction to Cyber Security module, which covers the fundamental concepts in security. This module covers the foundational technical knowledge required alongside more human aspects of the subject such as social engineering and cyber crime. Additionally, in the first year you will be required to study either Applications Programming or select from HCI, Artificial Intelligence or Advanced Programming depending on your previous skills and experiences.

Additionally, in the first year you will have the option to study one of the following topics: Network Security and IoT, Developing Secure Software, and The Protection and Management of Privacy and Reputation.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

You’ll be taught be experts in the field, with a wealth of experience both in academia and industry. Your learning will take the form of lectures, seminars, lab sessions and guest lectures.

Your lectures will provide an excellent background in the subject and give you all of the theoretical tools that you need. Each module will have seminars, labs or a combination of the two to give you the chance to apply what you have learned. This kind of active learning is one of the best ways to cement the knowledge you gain throughout the course. The seminar sessions will allow you the opportunity to discuss your thoughts and ideas in small, focused groups and are an excellent place to develop and discuss your own thoughts. Lab sessions give you the opportunity to put the skills that you have learned into practice in a technical setting.

During the taught phase of your MSc Cyber Security, you will typically have around 12 hours of contact time per week, typically consisting of:

Six hours of lectures
Six hours of labs/seminars

Independent study

In addition to your contact hours, you will also spend time carrying out independent study, whether that is working in the Cyber Security Lab or researching in UEA’s state-of-the-art library.

The degree provides an excellent grounding in cyber security, but it will also give you much more. The course will give you an excellent balance of critical thinking, research, independent thinking and study skills that will allow you to develop as self-motivated learner and researcher. You’ll develop excellent time management skills and become organised and confident through self-directed study. Throughout your degree, you’ll receive support, guidance and constructive feedback to allow you to develop to your full potential.

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Assessment for Year 2

You’ll be assessed by a combination of:

Examination/course test 20%
Demonstrations/Presentation 20%
Project 35%
Written assignments 25%

Structure

As part of your second year, you’ll study Internet Law, providing a background and understanding in the legislative side of cyber security. Alongside this, you will take the Cyber Security in an Industrial Context module, with a focus on real-world challenges faced by industry.

You will also select a further module from: Network Security and IoT, Developing Secure Software, and The Protection and Management of Privacy and Reputation.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll be taught be experts in the field, with a wealth of experience both in academia and industry. Your learning will take the form of lectures, seminars, lab sessions and guest lectures. Your lectures will provide an excellent background in the subject and give you all of the theoretical tools that you need. Each module will have seminars, labs or a combination of the two to give you the chance to apply what you have learned. This kind of active learning is one of the best ways to cement the knowledge you gain throughout the course. The seminar sessions will allow you the opportunity to discuss your thoughts and ideas in small, focused groups and are an excellent place to develop and discuss your own thoughts. Lab sessions give you the opportunity to put the skills that you have learned into practice in a technical setting.

During the taught phase of your MSc Cyber Security, you will typically have around 12 hours of contact time per week, typically consisting of:

Six hours of lectures
Six hours of labs/seminars

Independent study

In addition to your contact hours, you will also spend time carrying out independent study, whether that is working in the Cyber Security Lab or researching in UEA’s state-of-the-art library.

September 2023 opportunities. Discover more

Open Days

This is the first year of your taught Masters programme.

Assessment for Year 1

You’ll be assessed by a combination of:

Examination/course test 20%
Demonstrations/Presentation 20%
Project 35%
Written assignments 25%

Compulsory Modules

CYBER SECURITY IN INDUSTRIAL SETTINGS

Code CMP-7036B

Credits 20

This module presents cyber security from an industrial perspective. This looks at how cyber security is considered in industry and how mitigation can be put in place. Weekly lecture is delivered by industry speakers in informal settings, hence student attendance is strongly encouraged. Students will have opportunities to ask questions at the end of each session.

INTRODUCTION TO CYBER SECURITY

Code CMP-7034A

Credits 20

This module provides a broad understanding of the core topics and issues relating to the rapidly evolving world of cyber security. As security becomes an increasingly important part of our daily lives, then it is essential to develop an understanding of the theories of security and their application to the wider world. Introduction to Cyber Security covers topics including: the value of data and the role of security, of risk and threat modelling, human aspects of cyber security, social engineering, deception, and cyber and information warfare. The module prepares you with essential knowledge and understanding of cyber security and provides the tools for further study and research in specialist areas.

DISSERTATION - P/T PROPOSAL

Code CMP-7039B

Credits 0

This module contains the Dissertation Proposal for CMP-7039X (DISSERTATION - P/T) and is a separate module because the proposal is submitted in the second half of the year proceeding the dissertation. The proposal will be evolved with your Supervisor and the mark will contribute 10% to the 60-credit Dissertation module.

Optional A Modules

(0-20 credits)

APPLICATIONS PROGRAMMING

Code CMP-7000A

Credits 20

This module provides a practical introduction of applications programming as you will be creating a simple game from zero to full development. This will involve designing and modelling the initial software engineering processes, and then coding and testing specific processes within the game you create. You will also be required to professionally present/demo your creations. This module is very intensive, but it enables you to develop a clear understanding of both software engineering processes and Python programming skills, which are fundamental requirements for working in a range of computing science industries.

ADVANCED PROGRAMMING

Code CMP-7009A

Credits 20

The advanced programming module aims to take your understanding of programming languages beyond their mere application in real world apps. As such, the emphasis of the module is on the architecture of programming languages, classified into paradigms that include procedural, object-oriented and functional. In particular, the functional or “declarative” paradigm will be covered in depth. Another substantial part is on compilers and interpreters, i.e. programs that turn higher level programs into machine language or alternatively, transpilers, that translate to another established language. Code optimisation, high performance computing (HPC) and parallel programming concepts will be covered including applications of GPU programming using CUDA and OpenCL. Any General Purpose Language (GPL), old and new, may be used in lecture note examples. Applications of functional programming will adopt the F# functional programming language. IMPORTANT NOTE: This module does not cover web- or mobile app-based programming nor “advanced software engineering” concepts.

AUDIO AND VISUAL PROCESSING

Code CMP-7016A

Credits 20

This module explores how computers process audio and video signals. In the audio component, the focus is on understanding how humans produce speech and how this can be processed by computer for speech recognition and enhancement. Similarly, the visual component considers the human eye and camera, and how video is processed by computer. The theoretical material covered in lectures is reinforced with practical laboratory sessions. The module is coursework only and requires you to build a speech recogniser capable of recognising the names of students studying the module using both audio and visual speech information.

HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

Code CMP-7018A

Credits 20

Human Computer Interaction (or UX) covers a very wide range of devices, including conventional computers, mobile devices and “hidden” computing devices. In this module you will learn about interactions from a variety of perspectives, such as cognitive psychology, ethnographic methods, security issues, UI failures, the principles of good user experience, heuristic and experimental evaluation approaches and the needs of a range of different audiences.

Optional B Modules

(20-40 credits)

NETWORK SECURITY AND IOT

Code CMP-7037B

Credits 20

This module will provide students with a broad understanding of the core principles of networking and network security. The students will develop an understanding and knowledge of the threats of varying levels of sophistication. The module will teach students about protocols and other methods of developing secure network systems.

DEVELOPING SECURE SOFTWARE

Code CMP-7038B

Credits 20

This module provides a practical introduction to Cyber Security, focusing on methods, tools and techniques for delivering robust, usable and secure web-based software. Students will learn the importance of designing and developing secure software by evaluating a range of software security threats and vulnerabilities, then mitigating these potential impacts. The module also covers ethical hacking and structured approaches to security testing. Groups will be created in week 2 and you will then work as a small development team from weeks 2 to 12, with the module running like a standard industry development project. This will involve your team completing everything from early research of security vulnerabilities and threats through to full development of a secure and usable web-based software system. Please note we do not teach JavaScript, Node or PostgreSQL during this module, as you are expected to be able to code these already via previous course modules.

THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PRIVACY AND REPUTATION

Code LAW-7004B

Credits 20

In the intrusive, multi-faceted world that exists today, with 24/7 media and an ever-expanding internet, the potential for damage to reputation and interference with privacy has never been greater. This module focuses on the various ways in which the law protects rights to reputation and privacy and examines ways in which the law can be used to manage reputations in this complex world. You will focus on the law of defamation, the laws relating to the protection of privacy interests, and the developing interplay between law and technology. While the approach taken by English law will form a significant part of the module’s content, comparative study will also be made of the laws of America and other common law jurisdictions as well as the laws of the European Union and some specific European countries.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

This is the second year of your taught Masters programme.

Assessment for Year 2

You’ll be assessed by a combination of:

Examination/course test 20%
Demonstrations/Presentation 20%
Project 35%
Written assignments 25%

Compulsory Modules

INTERNET LAW AND GOVERNANCE

Code LAW-7012A

Credits 20

Legal issues relating to Internet use are increasingly important. You are introduced to the key principles of Internet law, including competing views on its status and its relationship with other legal principles. You will also consider the question of the relationship between law and technology. You will explore case studies of alternative forms of governance, including international co-operation and stakeholder-driven processes, in the context of issues such as domain names, social networking and the regulation of Internet service providers. Current issues in Internet law are included on the syllabus each year.

DISSERTATION - P/T

Code CMP-7039X

Credits 60

In this module, each Masters student is required to carry out project work with substantial research and practical elements on a specified topic for their MSc dissertation. The topic can be chosen and allocated from the lists of proposals from faculty members, or proposed by students themselves with an agreement from their supervisor and also an approval from the module organiser. The work may be undertaken as part of a large collaborative or group project. A dissertation must be written as the outcome of the module.