Cybersecurity (With Foundation Year)

This degree aims to provide you with a deep, practical understanding of the latest security technologies, applications, and issues, ensuring you know how to put in place strong Information security and management that can cope with the vast and ever-evolving proliferation of malware and targeted cyber-attacks. The course is uniquely designed to blend a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art domains around information and network security; it will equip you with the academic and industry skills to excel in your career.

Foundation Year
In the Foundation year you will study three days per week. The focus will be on academic writing skills and numeracy, plus subject-specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree. It provides a balance between content related to your chosen subject and the range of wider skills required for undergraduate study. This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will be required to pass the foundation year in order to progress to the first year of your degree. This course is ideal for those who do not meet our standard entry requirements or those with a non-standard educational background. It will allow you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree in your chosen subject in four years.

Course accreditation

This course is fully accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), the Chartered Institute for IT, meaning you qualify for chartered IT professional (CITP) status once you graduate.

Facilities and specialist equipment

• Modern, purpose-built STEM building with industry-relevant laboratories and equipment

• High-tech Cisco Networking Academy computer networking

• Specialised cybersecurity laboratory

• New immersive Security Operations Centre

• Cutting-edge technology such as MATLAB simulation software and virtualised environments so you become familiar with the technology used in industry

• Use of Hak5 hardware for pentesting activities

Career-powered links

We have long-established collaborations with top providers in the industry such as Cisco, CompTIA, EC-Council and the CWNA. We also have an active partnership with computer networking and cybersecurity specialists, Switchshop.

Your student experience

Cybersecurity learning is supported through industry-professional certification programmes such as Cisco CCNA and CyberOps Associate, to name a few.

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CyberOps Associate and CompTIA CySA+ programmes prepare you for industry examinations to gain networking and cybersecurity certifications.

Put your skills into practice through work-based projects, learning from experts at organisations such as Bedfordshire Police, the NHS, London Luton Airport and our partners, Switchshop.

Take part in a mixture of hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations from academics and guest industry speakers. Examples of guest speakers include Mark Wilson, Technical Director of Vertali, on IBM Mainframe security; Alex Mortimer, Manager of Academic Partnerships at ISC2; and Cristian Coraci, IT Consultant, on data hiding, digital forensics and mainframe forensics.

Benefit from being supported by our dedicated academic success tutors.

Extend your learning through field trips to renowned sites such as Bletchley Park and Cisco UK.

In 2024, our cybersecurity students showcased their skills by emerging among the top three teams in the UK in Cisco’s prestigious European CyberRace ‘Capture the Flag’ final.

Our academics were closely involved in organising the AI, Cybersecurity and Economics Data Analytics workshop for the 2026 IEEE International Congress on Cyber Science and Technology, meaning our course is up to the minute with the latest advancements in the field.

Course Modules

Year 1
Mathematics and concepts for computational thinking - Apply maths-based coding skills to build software applications using programming languages like Python. Databases and computer networks - An introduction to networking and data organisation as well as practical skills in design, configuration and troubleshooting. Principles of programming and data structures - Develop your skills in using a high-level programming language and apply them to real-world problems. Principles of information security - Learn cybersecurity fundamentals in areas such as cyber threats, threat actors, network protection and basic cryptography.

Year 2
Wireless communications and networking - Learn wireless networking principles in areas like radio-frequency basics, and practical WLAN design, installation and troubleshooting. Cyber defence and information governance – Use key principles, methods and tools for information gathering and analytics to reduce the risk and detection time of cyber-attacks. Ethical hacking - Gain specialised knowledge and hands-on experience in ethical hacking, penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. Information security management - Gain an understanding of cybersecurity operations, security management processes, and the tools and techniques used across organisations. Switching and routing – A Cisco-based programme covering switching and routing, cybersecurity threat protection, and configuring and troubleshooting enterprise networks.

Year 3
Incidence response – Build on your skills in computer security, countermeasures and forensics, with a focus on incident response and the legal aspects of cybercrime. Research methodologies and emerging technologies – Plan your Honours project around current or emerging technologies, using research to back up your proposal. Agile project management – Gain valuable project-management skills for your graduate career. Undergraduate project – Work independently to develop and complete a major project on a topic of your choice.

We make every effort to ensure the information here is accurate; however, for the most up-to-date information, visit our website.