BSc (Hons) Cyber Defence & Intelligence

Core units

• Computer Fundamentals: Understand the concepts and terminology of computing, networking, communications, security, and virtualisation. 
• ​Mathematics for Computing: This unit will equip you with the mathematical knowledge for modelling and solving real-world computing problems. 
• ​Programming: Develop the skills and understanding to implement software solution to different problems whilst gaining hands-on experience in programming and testing. 
• ​Introduction to Cyber Security: Find out about fundamental cybersecurity concepts, tools and techniques in a team approach. 
• ​Network Essentials: Learn about common network hardware, as well as the terminology and basic concepts of networking.  
• ​Computing and Society: Learn about mapping computer techniques, concepts and principles in line with sustainability.  

Core units

• Ethical Hacking: Develop skills in ethical hacking and associated security techniques and practices.
• Machine Learning: This unit will help you develop and demonstrate an understanding of underlying theory and application of data analysis, data processing and machine learning techniques. 
• Security Operations (SecOps): Gain the skills to detect security breaches and effectively respond via an understanding of real-time security monitoring and data feeds providing security intelligence. 
• Data Structures and Algorithms: Learn about the theory and applications of fundamental data structures and algorithms, implementing them in real-world applications. 
• Network and Cyber Management: Acquire the principles and practices of network configuration and management needed for state-of-the-art computer network infrastructure.
• Technological Innovations in Cyber Security: Building on previous programming knowledge, you will learn about uses of emerging technologies and how to develop cyber security solutions in a team approach. 

You’ll complete a minimum 30-week work placement which can be carried out anywhere in the world. The placement year offers a chance to gain experience and make contacts for the future. Students who successfully complete the one-year placement will be awarded a degree in sandwich mode.

Core units 

• Cyber Threat Intelligence: You'll build strong foundations in Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), understanding how it shapes modern cybersecurity and keeps organisations one step ahead. You'll develop the skills to turn raw intelligence into real defence strategies within an operational incident response framework.
• Systems Engineering: This unit has been designed to provide you with the conceptual foundations and applications of Systems Engineering (SE). You'll learn the processes and lifecycles that support the development of complex socio-technical systems and their integration across the enterprise.
• Digital Futures: Drawing from technical, legal, and social disciplines, learn about the role of digital technology in society and how it affects the individual.
• Individual Project: The Individual Project is an opportunity to pursue a topic of your choice. You’ll identify a problem and then select and implement a solution to solve it.

Optional units (choose one):

• Cybercrime: Gain an understanding of the key issues of the current and likely future nature of the cybercrime industry and the issues relating to the management of risks relating to cybercrime. 
• Human Computer Interaction: Gain an understanding of the role of Human Factors (HF) and the integration of its elements into the development of complex socio-technical systems. 
• Deep Learning and Applications: Gain an introduction into Deep Learning approaches and their applications for Machine Learning tasks.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

With practical learning being integral to your degree, we provide industry standard specialist facilities. 
 
We continue to invest in our campuses so all our students can maximise their talents today and into the future. 
 
Visit our virtual tour to find out more and get a feel for where you’ll be studying while you’re based on our Talbot Campus. 

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing company and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

• Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
• Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
• Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
• Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
• Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

You can also choose to take your placement abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop yourself personally, academically, and professionally and gain skills to help you stand out in the job market.

You will begin your placement after completion of your second year of study and you must complete a minimum of 30 weeks.

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Co-ordinator.  

Through timetabled sessions and one-to-one appointments, they’ll help support you in your placement search including advice on finding a placement, information and advice on all aspects of job searching and job applications, as well as ensuring your proposed placement meets the requirements of your course.  

Our CareersBU service is also available throughout your time at BU, offering services like CV checking and careers fairs to meet employers.  

Placement Development Advisors will support you once you have started your sandwich placement – so you will be able to maintain contact with the university throughout.  

• Aston Martin
• Dyson Appliances Ltd
• IBM
• Barclays Bank
• British Aerospace.

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application; there are usually no interviews or selection activities needed. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply webpages.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements, we may be able to make you an offer through AccessBU if you meet certain criteria e.g. you have been in care or live in an area where fewer people typically progress to Higher Education. If you don't meet our published tariff, we will accept you at least 8 points below if your personal circumstances match our AccessBU criteria. 

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

• Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analyst
• Information Operations / Cyber Warfare Specialist
• Incident Response Analyst
• SOC (Security Operations Centre) Threat Hunter
• Cyber Security Resilience Officer
• Cryptanalysis / Vulnerability Researcher

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our Postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course, including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions
• Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately
• Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Information about funding your placement year can be found here
• Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable)
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office or Digital ID verification changes
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance), the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

Fudong is a Principal Academic in Cyber Security. He is the Cyber Security Pathway Leader for BSc Cyber Security Management, BSc Cyber Security with Digital Forensics, and BSc Networks and Cyber Security. He is also the Programme Leader for BSc Forensic Computing and Security.

Fudong has over 15 years of teaching and research experiences, covering various security related topics, including digital forensics, biometric authentication and ethical hacking. He has 12 PhD completions and published over 60 conference papers and journal articles. He is an EC-Council certified Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and CCNA (ITN).

Huseyin Dogan is Professor of Human Computer Interaction at Bournemouth University, where he leads the Research Excellence Framework (REF) for Computer Science and Informatics. His research focuses on enhancing User Experiences (UX) through innovative solutions in Digital Health, Assistive Technology, Human-Centred AI, and Systems Engineering.

Professor Dogan brings a wealth of experience from both academia and industry. Before joining BU, he worked as a Research Associate at Loughborough University and as a Higher Scientist for BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre. He holds an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) from Loughborough University, an MSc in Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics from University College London, and a BSc in Computer Science from Queen Mary University of London.

I obtained a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Democritus University of Thrace in Greece, an MBA from Keele University in the UK and a PhD in Computer Science (network security and cryptography) from Aston University. I am a certified Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI). I have worked in the Industry as an Information Security Consultant and served as an expert witness in Information Security in the UK and Greece.

My research falls in the area of digital forensics and incident response, with the recent years focusing on digital forensics for investigating Intellectual Property infringements, following the close collaboration with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and UN's Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, UNICRI.