Course summary

Our Cyber Security course emphasises the industry's practical side, ensuring you are well-prepared for the real world. We want you to be an imaginative and technically skilled practitioner who can efficiently face the challenges of the future.   Through this course, you will enhance your knowledge of information security management, programming, secure systems, digital forensic investigation, and penetration testing. We tend to favour workshop-style sessions over lectures and you will have the opportunity to apply cutting-edge knowledge and skills to real life scenarios. Live briefs, simulations, role play and live case studies will be used to recreate workplace conditions. You will also have the opportunity to attend occasional field trips during your studies. You will gain a thorough understanding of the structure and operation of computer systems and networks and the impact of cyber security, plus knowledge of the legal system, legal processes, relevant laws and the regulatory environment related to the handling of digital evidence and forensic investigations. You will also gain the ability to undertake digital forensic examinations, collecting and analysing digital evidence to support or oppose an investigative case.  Our students benefit from links to professional and industry bodies including Cisco Networking Academy and the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.  Your Foundation Year is the perfect way to boost your academic skills, build your confidence and develop your wider subject knowledge so you can succeed at Winchester. This course offers an extra year of study at the start (Year 0) which leads onto a full degree programme (Years 1, 2 and 3).  A Foundation Year is ideal if you are returning to education after a break; haven’t quite achieved the entry qualifications required; are wanting more support during the transition to studying at university; or are unsure about which subject you wish to pursue. An optional placement year between Year 2 and 3 provides you with the opportunity to enhance your employability, business understanding and professional skills.  In Year 0, you will study a set of modules from across the Faculty of Business and Digital Technologies which are designed to develop your academic and practical skills. This broader focus in your first year introduces you to studying at university level and provides you with a better understanding of  Cyber Security and related subjects.  You will have access to a wide variety of databases for research purposes, in addition to training within data analysis software such as SPSS, Qualtrics and InVivo. You will also be provided with hands-on use of cutting-edge specialist software, for example Kali Linux.  Before moving on to your final year, you may choose to spend a year on a paid work placement in a business relevant to your ambitions, increasing your professional confidence and employability.