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Southampton, Solent University

UCAS Code: CYS2 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

104-120 from a minimum of 2 A Levels

In combination with other qualifications

Pass in Access course with 60 credits overall including 45 Level 3 credits passed with a minimum of Merit, or 102-118 UCAS Tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit or Pass Grades

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

HNC (BTEC)

P-D

HND (BTEC)

P-M

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

28-31

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

D*D

D*D (104 UCAS Tariff Points)

In combination with other qualifications

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DMM

DMM (112 UCAS Tariff Points)

In combination with other qualifications

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

D*D

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DMM

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*D

D*D (104 UCAS Tariff Points)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

DMM (112 UCAS Tariff Points)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

104-120 UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 2 Scottish Advanced Highers

104-120 UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 4 Scottish Highers

T Level

M

Merit (120 UCAS Tariff Points)

UCAS Tariff

104-120

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time with year in industry | 2025

Subject

Computer and information security

Want to protect the world from hackers, viruses and cyber-attacks? This practical degree course enables you develop the in-demand skills to kick start a fantastic career in cyber security – one of IT’s most hotly debated sectors.

In partnership with CISCO Networking Academy and EC-Council, the course explores a range of professional topics all with your future career in mind. You will learn cutting-edge technologies, processes, strategies, policies, and industry-standards to protect network systems and data from cyber-attacks at both individual and enterprise level.

During your studies you will also have the chance to gain professional qualifications alongside your degree including; CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA-Security, CISCO CyberOps, and CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) equipping you with the right set of practical and technical skills that are highly valued by the industry.

You will study in our high-tech computer networking labs with industry-standard facilities. These facilities feature a wide variety of equipment including Cisco routers and switches, and software including Kali Linux, Metasploit and a wide range of tools capable of footprinting, reconnaissance, scanning, and enumeration of computer network systems in a controlled cybersecurity environment. In these facilities you will investigate the methods that hackers use to compromise vulnerable systems and also look at mechanisms that can be used to secure them against attack, including specialist software and dedicated security appliances.

Industry-recognized professional qualification such as CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), Penetration Testing, Cisco CyberOps, CCNA Routing & Security, CCNA Security, PCAP Python.

**What does this course lead to?**
The ever increasing influence and use of computer networks have revolutionised our lives but at the same time, this is threatening our privacy, integrity, and security through increased cyber-attacks costing us a fortune. The estimated global cost of cyber-crimes is a few hundred billion GBPs annually and according to BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, there is a great shortage of skilled people to combat these crimes.

Career prospects of this course are excellent. Our recent course graduates have gone on to various roles in network and cybersecurity roles companies including Cisco Systems, IBM, Juniper, Symantec Security UK, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Electra networks, QinetiQ, Quostar, VeriFone, TalkTalk, Rackspace, Vodafone, and Peer 1 Hosting.

**Who is this course for?**
This course is ideal for those who wish to master the knowledge and develop the practical skills required to protect computer networks and data from hackers, intruders, and cyber-attacks.

Modules

YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Problem Solving Through Programming
Introduction to Networks and Security
Network Applications
Introduction to Databases
Routing & Switching
Cyber Security Essentials

YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Network Systems Automation
Ethical Hacking and Pen Testing
Network Implementation
Research Methods Project
Threat Intelligence Analysis
Network Security

YEAR 3 - PLACEMENT YEAR

YEAR 4 - CORE MODULES
Dissertation Project
Industrial Consulting Project
CyberOps

YEAR 4 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year)
Choose two of the below:

Cybercrime and Digital Forensics
Internet of Things
Cloud Computing and Virtualisation
Network Management

Assessment methods

You will be assessed through a mixture of group and individual coursework, report writing, presentations, time-constrained class tests, online tests, portfolios, practical demonstrations and project work.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,535
per year
England
£9,535
per year
EU
£17,750
per year
International
£17,750
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,535
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,535
per year
Scotland
£9,535
per year
Wales
£9,535
per year

Extra funding

Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries

The Uni

Course location:

Southampton, Solent University

Department:

Department of Science and Engineering

Read full university profile

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.

92%
Computer and information security

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.

Software engineering

Teaching and learning

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
75%
Staff are good at explaining things
71%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
71%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

75%
Library resources
86%
IT resources
81%
Course specific equipment and facilities
61%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

76%
UK students
24%
International students
90%
Male students
10%
Female students
82%
2:1 or above
16%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
E
C

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.

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.

£30,000
med
Average annual salary
90%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

75%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
8%
Information technology technicians
4%
Artistic, literary and media occupations

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.

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.

£20k

£20k

£27k

£27k

£31k

£31k

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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Same University
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Solent University (Southampton) | Southampton
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BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time with year in industry 2025
UCAS Points: 104-120

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here