UCEN Manchester
UCAS Code: G550 | Foundation Degree in Science - FdSc
About this course
The United Kingdom has one of the most vibrant digital economies in the world. However, globally there is not currently the cyber security skills base to match, with both the Governments and private sector affected by the shortage in skills. The aim of the programme is to address the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, train and support information security (InfoSec) specialist. The course is fast-paced and heavily practical, encouraging students to explore their individual interests in order to develop as InfoSec practitioners/engineers. The course is ideal for those with a passion for networking security and a desire for a career in the InfoSec sector.
Responding to the changes happening in the modern networking domains this course will offer educational opportunities that are forward thinking and progressive. InfoSec is underpinned by accepted best practice security theories and industry standards.
The programme explores a number of modules that engage students in the technical and practical aspects of working as a security engineer as well as stretching the individual’s horizons across programming, networking and professional topics. The modules are designed to challenge the practices and concepts of the students through critical and theoretical discussion, practice and reflection.
Each year of the programme has a unique focus in providing students with the techniques, knowledge, and methods in order to become an InfoSec engineer/specialist. The first year is the ‘skill’ year where a foundation of skills, techniques, knowledge and methods will be introduced. The second year is the ‘practice’ year where the skills, techniques, knowledge, and methods will be utilised in network security forensics, firewalls and penetration testing which includes a final project.
On completion of this course you will receive a Foundation degree in Computer Network Security. You will then be able to complete a top-up year to study towards a BSc in Computer Network Security.
Modules
Examples of current modules-
Year 1:
Cyber Security Concepts
Network Essentials
Introduction to Programming
Introduction to Web Scripting
Introduction to Operating Systems
Employment and Academic Development in Technology
Year 2:
Digital Forensics
Firewall Design and Testing
Introduction to Penetration Testing
Research Project
Assessment methods
A range of assessment methods are used in Level 4 and Level 5 and could be in the form of the following:
· Written reports
· Hands on skills assessment
· Proposal presentation
· Literature review
50% seminar/lecture 50% self-directed learning
Tuition fees
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What students say
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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.
Computer networks
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.
Computer and information security
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.
Computer networks
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
£19k
£25k
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 and information security
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
£19k
£25k
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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Higher entry requirements
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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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