Computer Forensics and Security | MEng at Leeds Beckett University

Course Details

Explore the interconnected fields of computer forensics and security. This four-year course will see you progress from an undergraduate degree after your initial three years of study to postgraduate-level study in your fourth and final year, enabling you to gain a masters-level qualification.

The areas of computer forensics and security are more closely related than ever before, with police forces creating cybercrime teams which draw on expertise from across these two specialities.

You will learn how to analyse digital devices such as hard drives and mobile phones to capture data that can be used as evidence in criminal trials. We will teach you where devices hide their data and how to retrieve it so it can be used in a variety of criminal cases, from those involving intellectual property theft to murder.

You will combine this knowledge with a thorough investigation of computer security as you discover new and more robust ways to protect digital data. Using our secure networks, you will gain hands-on experience of hacking into computer systems so you can understand how to install security measures, including firewalls and intrusion detection systems, in order to protect them.

Course Benefits

Studying for an integrated masters will allow you to build on the expertise you developed at undergraduate level. Many masters courses in computer security and forensics are designed for students from a general computing background, so teaching has to start with the basics. When you start the final year of your integrated masters, our teaching team will already know your level of expertise, so you will be able to refine your knowledge at a more in-depth level.

Throughout your course, you will be taught by a small and dedicated teaching team. Many of our staff have extensive knowledge of working in industry, giving them insights that will feed into your teaching. As part of our new Cybercrime and Security Innovation Centre, teaching staff from your course are working in partnership with West Yorkshire Police to develop new ways of fighting the growing problem of cybercrime. This partnership will give you unparalleled access to cutting-edge research and industry contacts, in turn giving you an invaluable insight into the real-world applications of computer security. You will have the opportunity to get involved in this research, enhancing the skills employers will expect of a masters-level graduate.

You will have the opportunity to join the Ethical Hacking Society. The society explores the very latest developments in digital security and hosts regular talks from industry experts to further inform your learning and sharpen your expertise. You will also have the opportunity to attend conferences where you will be able to network with professionals and enhance your career prospects. As part of our new Cybercrime and Security Innovation Centre teaching staff from your course are working in partnership with West Yorkshire Police to develop new ways of fighting the growing problem of cybercrime. This partnership will give you unparalleled access to cutting-edge research and industry contacts, in turn giving you an invaluable insight into the real-world applications of computer security.