Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Science (Cyber Security)

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

The world relies on digital technology more than ever before. As a result, today the prevention of cyberattacks, data breaches and identity theft are a priority for individuals, businesses and governments alike.

In order to target this growing requirement within industry and society, Heriot-Watt has designed a brand new programme for 2020: BSc Computer Science (Cyber Security). This undergraduate programme will provide students with a sound foundation and applied skills in computer science with focus on cyber security, in addition to other professional skills, enabling them to succeed in meeting the cyber security challenges facing modern organisations today.

In this programme you will learn about the foundations of networks and computer systems, thereby allowing you to understand how communications can be probed and altered, and systems can be forensically analysed. You’ll also learn about techniques for secure programming and how real-world networks and systems are protected with fundamental techniques such as access control, encryption and intrusion detection.

In each of the first three years of the programme, students take eight mandatory courses, and in Year 4 they take five mandatory courses and three optional ones.

This course combines the rigorous studies of the BSc (Hons) Computer Systems with a year of work placement in level 4. Good performance means 12 months experience of working in an organisation in the computing sector. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of the work placement. The work placement helps you to develop specific work-related skills, giving you the opportunity to apply and build upon the theory you’ve learned. This course is well suited for students looking for a sound foundation in contemporary computing, complemented by the professional skills needed to design, deploy and manage robust systems in diverse organisations, from SMEs to large corporations as well as undertaking a year in industry.

Heriot-Watt Mechanical Engineering degrees are ranked 1st in Scotland and top 10 in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2020. An industrial panel are involved to ensure the course content reflects the changing needs of industry and that our graduates have the knowledge and practical skills required to successfully gain employment.

Student teaching benefits from our strong industrial links, in particular the involvement of the industrial panel in the assessment of 4th year design projects, providing a realistic client scenario.

Programme Structure:
The first two years of the degree provide a grounding in the core disciplines of mechanical engineering, which allows students to make an informed choice of the options in the following years. An individual project forms part of Year 4. Students can graduate at the end of year 4 with a BEng Mechanical Engineering, or progress to the MEng programme, if academic grades are suitable. The 5-year MEng degree is the standard route towards Chartered Engineering professional qualification.

The psychology component of the course (75% of the curriculum) covers the discipline’s main areas, namely social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, biological psychology, individual differences, and research methods, and emphasises their application to various employment-related contexts. The management component (25%) of the course introduces (and allows specialism within) marketing, human resource management, finance, and management.

Teaching is mainly via lectures, but large numbers of tutorials mean that staff and students know one another well. Assessment features a mixture of coursework and examination.

Chemistry is a dynamic and exciting subject which makes many important contributions to the world. It is a major contributor to the Scottish and UK economies and as such is a secure career pathway. Chemistry plays a crucial role in developing new medicines, materials and energy sources using greener methods for a better future.

At Heriot-Watt University, we make sure the theory we teach is linked to these practical applications so that when our students graduate, they are ready to address the biggest of global challenges. Heriot-Watt University is ranked first in Scotland for chemistry in the Guardian University Guide 2020.

The courses within our five-year MChem Chemistry include extensive laboratory work throughout. They provide students with hands-on experience and opportunities to link theoretical knowledge from lectures to the real world. As a result, our students develop practical lab experience as well as much needed teamwork, problem solving and communication skills.

Our BSc Computer Systems course is designed to give you a solid foundation in computing, together with the necessary applied skills. What’s more, it’ll give you a range of professional skills to help you communicate clearly, work independently and co-operate effectively. In the later years of our BSc Computer Systems course, you’ll also have the option to specialise and graduate with a named degree in Games Programming (5Y6J).

The IT Management for Business Graduate Apprenticeship degree develops specific skills and knowledge of information technology, to enable the participants to play a key role in the management of ICT infrastructure, strategy, operations and projects of their organisation.

Key areas of the programme:
The primary focus of the IT Management for Business Graduate Apprenticeship Programme is on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills outcomes sought by employers.

• Business
• Technology
• Personal and interpersonal
• Software project and delivery management

Each of the four key content areas is combined to deliver a holistic learning experience.

Graduates’ skillset:
The IT Management for Business Graduate Apprenticeship programme aims to produce MA (Hons) graduates equipped with knowledge, understanding and skills in the following areas:

• A broad background of business operations, procedures and culture applicable to a career in IT in a business environment
• Sufficient technical knowledge to play a key role in an IT related environment
• Personal and interpersonal skills enabling them to work closely and communicate with employees in non-IT related areas of an organisation
• A set of problem-solving and modelling skills appropriate to IT related business operations
• Sufficient management and business knowledge to play a management role in an IT project
• Project delivery experience in a business oriented environment

Our Structural Engineering course is aimed at graduates and practising engineers. It’s designed to help improve your knowledge of structural and foundation engineering. The degree’s been developed together with a wide range of employers in the sector. So there’s a strong relationship between the course and the engineering industry. The course also builds directly on staff research activities, which include experimental, numerical and theoretical work. You’ll have access to excellent practical and advanced computer and networking facilities too.

Edinburgh Business School’s MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree is accredited by all major professional bodies in the UK.

This 3-year accelerated degree is suited to those who have completed A-Levels. It prepares students to enter accounting or finance professions and features the use of professional-standard Bloomberg Trading Terminals throughout. As your studies progress through Years 1, 2 and 3 of this accelerated MA (Hons) programme you will study an increasing number of specialist accountancy and finance courses.

An industry-focused degree:
MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance is an industry-focused degree with extensive professional accreditations that offers the strongest possible foundation from which to launch your career. By studying accredited courses on this degree, students can gain the maximum number of exemptions from professional accountancy exams upon graduation. The course content is designed and delivered by professionals with industry experience and respected academics with expert knowledge across the full range of disciplines related to accounting and finance. Students at the Edinburgh Business School can enhance employability in the area of finance through use of our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room - a professional-standard facility that provides access to live financial data from global markets and organisations. Use of Bloomberg Terminals is integrated into our courses to develop professionally relevant skills in data analysis, financial reporting, financial risk management and financial modelling.

The MSc in Computing is a two year postgraduate degree. The first year imparts the knowledge and skills needed to study the subject at masters level in the second.

This new degree is open to graduates coming from any discipline. They will start by learning the art of software engineering, study some key computing topics and develop relevant research and technical English skills that prepare them for advanced study of computer science in the following year.

At the end of Year 1 students may progress to Year 2 or graduate instead with a Graduate Diploma in Computer Science.