Computer Networks and Security
De Montfort University
UCAS Code: G450 | Bachelor of Science - BSc
De Montfort University
UCAS Code: G450 | Bachelor of Science - BSc
Entry requirements
Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English and Mathematics GCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC National Diploma / Extended Diploma
T Level
UCAS Tariff
from at least two A-levels or equivalent. Plus five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Mathematics or equivalent
About this course
This degree programme will equip graduates who are capable of meeting the increasing demands for combining computer networks, security, and programming expertise raised by the growing adoption of the Next-Generation Network (NGN) services, e.g., VoIP, and Next Generation Network Model, i.e., SDN and NFV, where network devices have turned to be a programmable virtual entity on the cloud.
In addition to core computer science and cyber security modules, this course includes key networking modules prepared carefully according to the new Cisco certification path, in consultation with our Cisco partner. These modules focus on industry level requirements and are certification oriented and will prepare graduates to meet the new skill demands to maximise employability.
The structure of the course and programme modules makes it possible for graduates to also prepare for traditional and emerging computer science, software engineering, or cyber security roles. Professionalism within an industry context is emphasised throughout, with strong links to BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
**Key features**
You will join Cisco Networking Academy. This course covers the syllabus of three Cisco certificates: The new Cisco Certified Network Associate, Cisco CyberOps Associate, and Cisco DevNet Associate and one additional Cisco Networking Academy course: Network Security.
Free Cisco assessment for related modules to gain a Course Completion Certificate/Digital Badge from Cisco Networking Academy verifying the acquired skills and preparing the students to optionally obtain the commercial certifications at a 3rd party exam centre.
We have more than 50 years of computing experience that you can learn from. This long-standing history allows you to draw on a wealth of research and academic expertise to inform your studies.
This course is taught by experts from DMU’s Cyber Technology Institute, which boasts an international reputation in cyber security, influencing the approach taken by the UK government and leading organisations.
DMU has been named a gold standard ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education’ by the leading authority on cyber security in the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - part of GCHQ. DMU is the first university in the East Midlands to achieve this prestigious status.
DMU has been recognised for conducting world-leading cyber security research, having been named and Airbus Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security.
Gain valuable industry experience by undertaking a placement, with students taking up placements at Airbus, GCHQ, and Vauxhall Motors.
Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.
Modules
**First year**
Block 1: Foundation of Computing and Cyber Security
Block 2: Endpoint Security
Block 3: Secure Coding
Block 4: Computer Networks
Additional: Expert Briefings in Cyber Security
**Second year**
Block 1: Secure Scripting and Business Applications
Block 2: Enterprise Networking
Block 3: Penetration Testing
Block 4: Industrial Cryptography
Additional: Expert Briefings in Cyber Security
**Third year**
Block 1: Network Security
Block 2: Network Development
Block 3 / 4: Final Project
Optional Modules (choose one):
Block 3 / 4: Emerging Technologies in Computer Networks and Security
Block 3 / 4: Artificial Intelligence for Cyber Security
Block 3 / 4: Digital Forensics and Cyber Crime Investigation
Assessment methods
On this course, you will benefit from Education 2030 - DMU’s new way of delivering courses. Through block teaching, you will focus on one subject at a time instead of several at once.
The programme will use a combination of lectures, seminars and interactive large group discussions to transfer many of the major topics. Laboratory tutorials will provide the students with the opportunity to practice and develop skills and techniques under guidance and obtain feedback for each of the defined blocks. The directly interactive sessions will be supplemented by self-study.
Assessments can be formative as well as summative and could include practical software development exercises, structured exercises, group and individual projects, and tests. Projects offer the opportunity for students to develop their ability to conduct a sustained individual development exercise. Group projects also allow students to develop their ability to work in teams, to appraise group performance and deal with group problems.
You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Leicester Campus
Computing, Engineering and Media
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Others in computing
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Computer science
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Software engineering
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Others in computing
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Computer science
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
There are a lot of computing courses out there, and they vary a lot in content, modules and the way they work with employers, so individual courses can have very different outcomes. This is a course where you really need to get a good grade — employers really pay attention to the class of your degree and a low grade will serious hit your prospects. But you can get a job on pretty much any industry in the country with a computing degree - and organisation with an IT system and a web site needs graduates in this discipline - and many employers report difficulty in finding graduates. So most students do get jobs, and starting salaries are good, particularly in London. If you want to find out more about the prospects for a computer science course at a particular institution, it's a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates went on to do.
Software engineering
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
A specialist subject, and not surprisingly graduates tend to go into software engineering roles or related. The degree classification students achieved made a particular difference last year — computing graduates with the best grades were much less likely to be out of work after six months and employers can even rate a good grade as important as work experience. Most students do get jobs, though, and starting salaries are good — particularly in London, where average starting salaries for good graduates were getting towards £38k last year. Be aware that at the moment, recruitment agencies are much the most common way for graduates from this degree to get their first job, so it may be worth getting in touch with a few specialist agencies in advance of graduation if you take this degree to get a foot in the door.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Others in computing
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£27k
£35k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Computer science
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£27k
£35k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Software engineering
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£22k
£27k
£35k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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