MSc Computer Systems Security
About The Course
- Faculty: Faculty of Advanced Technology, University of Glamorgan
- Course Length: 18 months
- Date of Commencement: September 7, 2008
- Course Features: The specialist course focuses on the technical aspects of computer system security and systems management. This course equips students for careers which require in-depth knowledge of security issues at a technical and managerial level.
- Career Prospect: This course equips students for careers which require in-depth knowledge of security issues at a technical and managerial level. Potential careers include systems administrator or security penetration tester.
- Entry Requirements: A Bachelor degree from a recognized institution, with 2 years of relevant working experience; OR be fully matriculated, and have 2 or more years' of relevant working experience; Demonstrated proficiency in English language, such as a Bachelor degree or a diploma taught in English or IELTS 6.5 or above or TOFEL scored 580 or above, or passes HKCEE English Language and HKALE Use of English.
This course is being submitted for accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS).
Course Contents
The topics covered on this course include:
- Project Management & Research Methodology
- Security Management
- Cryptography and Electronic Commerce
- Network Security
- Practical NT/2000/XP Security
- Practical Unix Security
- Individual Project
How to Study:
Students in Hong Kong will be taught directly by the academic staffs of the University of Glamorgan. Lectures and tutorials will be held intensively over evenings and weekends. You will need to spend a substantial amount of time working independently on reading and preparing for assessments. This should represent about 160 hours of work. You will be sent a pack that will contain work for you to complete before the start of the module. This is typically directed reading to introduce you to the concepts underpinning the module.
Most of the assessment is by coursework. While the style of coursework may vary, most will be the submission of a research style paper of essay. Each module normally has two essay/papers of around 3,000 words.
Course Units:
IS4S02 Project Management and Research Methodologies
This module enables students to use project management techniques and tools, to partake in various research methods and to provide an introduction to ethical issues in teaching and research. Upon the completion of the module, students can critically evaluate and use appropriate project management techniques to complete a non-trivial planning task on time and to the required standard, and present the results both in writing and verbally, to create and appraise a literature search for a research topic and to communicate (evaluate, assess, criticize, defend, support, compare) results and ideas and to identify research matters with legal and ethical concerns, and propose appropriate courses of action.
IS4S04 Security Management
This module provides knowledge of the tools and techniques available to secure and manage, in a meaningful manner, an information system. It develops the student’s ability to manage the security of an information system at a strategic, tactical and operational level. Upon the completion of the module, students can systematically and critically understand the different approaches and standards related to the implementation and management of security within an organisation.
MS4S01 Cryptography and Electronic Commerce
This module provides knowledge of the methods available to encrypt and decrypt data, along with knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses and areas of applicability of cryptographic methods and provides students with the ability to select and apply various encryption methods and security protocols, within a business environment. Upon the completion of the module, students can analyse various encryption methods and security protocol standards, along and appraise their strengths and weaknesses and to select a range of encryption and security protocols appropriate to a business environment.
SY4S02 Network Security
This module provides students with an understanding of the methods that are currently available to perform the management, configuration and auditing of a distributed system and to provide students with an understanding of what vulnerabilities existed within a distributed system and what methods are available to protect and manage the security of a distributed system. Upon the completion of the module, students can demonstrate a systematic understanding of the principles of security in networks and distributed systems and to perform the security management and configuration of a network and a distributed system.
SY4S03 Practical NT/2000/XP Security
This module provides knowledge of the techniques available to detect and deter unauthorised access to a Windows 2000 and Windows NT computer system. Upon the completion of the module, students can critically explain how to respond to various types of attack that can be applied to a Windows 2000 and Windows NT systems, and apply that knowledge to actually respond to an attack, to explain in a systematic manner of the importance of systems configuration and management and to undertake systems configuration and management for Windows 2000 and Windows NT systems and to perform an Information Technology Health Check (ITHC) and understand the role and limitations of an ITHC in securing Windows 2000 and Windows NT systems.
SY4S04 Practical Unix Security
This module provides knowledge of the techniques available to detect and deter unauthorised access to a Unix based computer system. Upon the completion of the program, students will be able to explain in a comprehensive manner how to respond to various types of attack that can be applied to a Unix based system, and apply that knowledge to actually respond to an attack, to explain in a systematic manner about the importance of systems configuration and management and to undertake systems configuration and management for Unix based system and to perform an Information Technology Health Check (ITHC) and understand the role and limitations of an ITHC in securing Unix based system.
About University of Glamorgan – the Award Winning University
The University of Glamorgan is the top university in the domains of computer forensics and security in the United Kingdom. The University won numerous awards including, but not limited to , the followings:
- Investor in People, the UK's premier award for staff training and development
- ISO14001 award, for environmental management
- Center of Excellence, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
- 1st prize in the National Partnership Awards, for excellence in course design and
- Teaching ability
- Centre of Expertise, for the whole of Wales
- Positive About Disabled People, by Jobcentre Plus
