Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Networks and Security

at Birmingham City University - City Centre Campus United Kingdom

The world of finance is rapidly changing, with new innovative financial products being developed on a constant basis. The present times have also witnessed an unprecedented number of companies failing because of poor financial management. All these challenges call for dynamic and brilliant people who can design financial solutions and make the world a better place.

The degree is designed to equip you with wider business and Finance environment knowledge. Offering you the opportunity to acquire key business and financial skills, explore innovative practices and entrepreneurial skills. The course is accredited by Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI). The course also aligns with various other professional bodies courses such as Association of Corporate Treasures (ACT), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and many others.

Delivery of the course is flexible and includes a blend of lectures, workshops, field trips and online learning. The modules, which feed into the course, are widespread, broad, covers key current topics such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help you to appreciate finance from a range of perspectives. Ultimately, decision making in finance, calls for one to exercise their judgement and intuition and this course helps you to strengthen that judgement.

The course team has, between it, years of industrial experience in the finance field as well in academia. Therefore, students with little or no background in finance are assured of getting all the help they need in order to excel in the course. You will learn a lot from course team’s knowledge and experience, as you will be regularly engaging in inquiry based and experiential learning, which has been designed to assimilate work-based scenarios.

In order to enhance your employability, extra-curricular activities such as trading trainings, conferences and field trips will be arranged throughout the academic years. Outside speakers from industry will also be invited to give presentations on how best to improve your employability. Moreover, you’ll also have the opportunity to gain industry experience by going on a professional placement, or to travel overseas to study abroad at one of our partner universities. In a nutshell, the knowledge attained from the course will help you to seek a variety of employment in the sector nationally and internationally.

Fascinated by cyber security in today’s society? It’s a key concern for modern organizations in our digital world. Secure communication technologies form the bedrock of our modern connected mobile society and our BSc (Hons) / MSci Computer Networks and Security degree course focuses on the practical needs of businesses that require high quality computer and network security, ensuring you’re equipped for a career in this increasingly important industry.

What's covered in this course?

The course takes a practice-led approach, making use of equipment and tools found in the industry to give you the best preparation for a successful career.  Our approach prioritises the practical skills sought by industry, backing this up with a thorough understanding of theory. The course delivers the latest in computing, network and security technologies, with the opportunity to gain additional accreditation from Cisco, Juniper, Huawei, Palo Alto and the Linux Professional Institute. Birmingham City University is also home to Cisco Systems, Juniper, Palo Alto and the Microsoft Academy Centres. You’ll learn from a well-rounded curriculum in computer network engineering, programming, server systems, security theory and practice, as well as management-level skills such as project and change management, maximizing your career potential.

Studying computing with us puts you at the heart of an exciting, innovative community. Part of your first-year assessment will involve taking part in our annual Innovation Fest, where students get together to solve society’s problems with creative technology. Previous projects have included medical assistance drones, accessible gaming controllers, and smart housing solutions. The event brings together students, academics and industry guests, so it’s a great way to have fun, build experience and network, and win prizes!

Want to study both criminology and sociology at University? Our BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology degree combines both subjects and allows you to take a year-long industry placement.

This course will enable you to develop an understanding of society and social factors and how this affects crime and criminals, giving you a solid human understanding that will put you in a good position for range of careers or further study.

What's covered in this course?

Combining sociology with the study of criminology gives you a chance to benefit from the cutting-edge thinking of the University’s Centre for Applied Criminology, a research Centre of Excellence. The recently launched Centre for Critical Social Research also brings sociological concerns to the fore.

This course is taught with an equal number of Sociology and Criminology modules.

You’ll share a common first year with the Sociology BA, giving you a wide range of understanding and letting you see what your options are before advancing. The course introduces you to sociological theories and contexts allowing you to situate and to inform your studies in criminology with a focus on crime, criminals and the operation of criminal justice agencies.

You’ll develop communication and research skills through our wide range of assessments, as well as a clear understanding of social policy and criminology.

In this course you will learn how to analyse risk and make credit decisions, how to deal with small and large business firms, and how to manage a bank treasury operations.

In addition to traditional banking skills, the course will provide skills in areas, which have become very popular in recent years such as digital banking, cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, etc. The main part of all modules including the assessment will be based on real-life case studies and exercises. Staff involved in designing this course have significant practical experience of working in these areas.

The proposed content of the course will be related to those offered by Chartered Banker Institute (CBI) helping students to gain Advanced Diploma in Banking and Leadership in Digital Age or Professional Banker Certificate. This course prepares you for such positions as credit and loan officer, financial advisor, risk manager, treasury specialist, underwriter etc.

You will be taught by highly qualified academics with industrial and professional experience and actively involved in research. MSc Banking and Finance is the second most popular Master’s program in finance in the UK according to ABS data. The banking sector is one of the most successful and one of the most stable sectors in the UK and England.  The banking sector has also been strongly growing in Birmingham in recent years with some banks moving their headquarters from London including HSBC.

Professional Placement option

For our MSc Banking and Finance degree, you will have the opportunity to take the Professional Placement version of the course, which is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability and transferable skills. The placement experience will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviors at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.

Our postgraduate Fashion Promotion course is highly vocational and an ideal choice if you want to work in fashion communication and the promotion of fashion companies, goods, events and brands.

The course attracts students from all disciplines from around the world, and we urge you to enrich your perspective as a global citizen, through expanding your cultural horizons in a stimulating multi-cultural environment and helping you to become a global graduate equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Your learning environment will encourage you to become an adaptable, flexible and knowledgeable graduate, equipped to pursue a career in the fashion industry. Many of our graduates go on to start up their own, or even develop existing family businesses.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

Our BSc (Hons) Financial Economics degree prepares you for a career in the financial sector as a financial economist, analyst, planner, investment analyst, or in a similar role.

Our degree provides both sound theoretical knowledge and technical skills which are highly sought-after by employers. This degree is built on core principles of economics, which are then applied to financial markets and institutions.

The course uses a unique pluralist approach that will empower you to understand competing economic ideas, think critically and apply your knowledge in your daily life and in your future workplace. Our degree is highly flexible, and apart from studying core economics subjects, you will be able to select optional modules which are most suitable for your own learning needs and career goals.

You will be able to benefit from unique set of modules, for example: Date Intelligence, Financial Modelling, Investment and Portfolio Management, Real Estate Economics and Financial Bubbles, as well as a capstone Business Advice or Economics Research Project. Moreover, you will learn advanced methods of quantitative analysis, econometrics, and IT skills using relevant industry-specific software to assist you to become a job-ready graduate.

You will be taught by industry-experienced academics who bring real world practical knowledge to the classroom. You will be able to work on life client projects with our Business Advice Centre that will give your exposure to challenges and issues faced by businesses and a chance to develop successful solutions. You will be right in the hub of the vibrant city and be surrounded by other likeminded students on a variety of economics, business, finance and accounting degrees.

During your studies you will benefit from international exposure on different levels. All modules delivered within this course contains teaching material based on international data; thus, your knowledge and expertise will not be limited by the UK alone. Our course is delivered by a multinational team of experts.

Our BSc (Hons) Financial Economics degree is highly applied and we pay special attention to developing your transferable skills that will prepare you for a wide range of careers both in public and private sector, providing you with a range of options depending on your career aspirations.

Looking to study a postgraduate accounting course in Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest City? Are you also looking to study ACCA to become part of a huge global network of highly skilled professionally qualified accountants?

Our MSc International Professional Accounting (ACCA) degree is directly aligned with the Strategic Level professional examinations of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) professional body. The course is a professional and practice-based level 7 Masters and aims to provide you with enhanced employment prospects.

This is an ideal opportunity to combine your studies towards achieving a high-quality Master's level degree award whilst also studying towards the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Strategic Professional examinations.

The ACCA do not grant exemptions from their essential strategic professional papers but this course is designed to fully prepare to undertake these professional body exams. The successful completion of this Masters course does not provide you with the ACCA qualification; however, the course is designed to prepare you for the rigour of the external professional examinations.

Our status as a Platinum Approved Learning Partner of the ACCA reflects the quality of our course provision and excellence in the standard of our tuition.

Professional Placement option

For our International Professional Accounting degree, you will have the opportunity to take the Professional Placement version of the course, which is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability and transferable skills. The placement experience will allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.

MA Creativity, Making and Innovation Practice is a creative, future-thinking Master's course. It is designed as a multi-disciplinary practice-based program that combines creativity, innovation, technology and enterprise.

Addressing challenges on a range of societal issues, you will research and develop concepts and prototypes. Working collaboratively, in an open lab environment, you will be supported by technical and innovation experts.

Students on the course will apply their previous experience in creative, artistic, design, making, engineering or computing backgrounds.

Our postgraduate degree in Jewellery and Related Products is a highly respected, innovative course, which develops your creative potential and in-depth knowledge of theories, processes and techniques.

Students on our course demonstrate understanding, and a critical awareness of current issues and/or new insights.

What's covered in this course?

The focus of this course is very much on developing your entrepreneurial spirit and helping you become the designer you want to be.

You will use a variety of materials, manufacturing techniques and processes.

The scope for design is very broad and builds on knowledge in the area of personal ornaments, body signification and decorative metal objects.

There are affinities with industrial design, fashion design, fine art and sculpture and content is often informed by philosophy, conceptualisation and critical theory.

Project-based activities will develop creative, design and making skills and enhance your professional skills. You will develop concepts and products, analyse problems and reflect on the relationships between personal objectives, cultural values, market identities, prototyping techniques and new technologies.

You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to your own research and advanced creative activity, alongside exhibiting originality in the application of knowledge.

You will demonstrate your practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in our discipline and create innovative new designs in jewellery and related products.

The course is based at our internationally renowned School of Jewellery, in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. The historical facade of our Vittoria Street building conceals a contemporary environment including workshops, a specialist library, an atrium gallery and exhibition space.

This MSc Cyber Security course provides a broad foundation for Cyber Security concepts while delivering advanced knowledge and skills in key technical areas. Designed to meet the growing demand from global business and industry for robust cyber security systems, this course underpins the principles and practical professional skills you’ll need to meet the future challenges faced by organisations, particularly when it comes to strategic security planning.

This course provides future Cyber Security professionals with the knowledge and skills needed by the employers. Our strong links with industry enable us to teach the most demanding
topics. You will develop state-of-the-art technical knowledge, intellectual know-how, management capabilities and hands-on practical skills to succeed in meeting the Cyber Security challenges faced by modern organisations.

Our academic staff members are actively engaged with government and industry to help solve their complex problems. These strong links provide you with plenty of professional opportunities that will help you to acquire valuable exposure to the real life challenges of Cyber Security.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.