Cyber Security (Level 4)

• GCSE grades at A* to C (or equivalent) and/or 9 to 4 (or equivalent) in maths and English. For non-native English speakers, IELTS 5.5 (reading and writing must be at 5.5). 
• a BTEC Level 3 qualification in Computing, or
• a GCE Advanced Level in a relevant subject, or
• Other related Level 3 qualifications such as an Access to Higher Education Diploma, or
• relevant work experience, or
• an international equivalent to the above qualifications
• due to the nature of the course (online), you need access to IT & Wi-Fi connection at home/place of study

Around 44% of UK businesses report having basic technical skills gaps in cybersecurity. This includes areas such as incident management, which has seen an increase in skills gaps from 27% in 2020 to 48% in 2024. Digital technologies create opportunities for malicious hackers and cyberterrorists to exploit individuals, governments, institutions, and large organizations. Defending against cyber-attacks, including insider threats, is a top priority in the digital technologies sector. Cybercrime techniques and attack vectors are rapidly evolving, leveraging the speed, anonymity, and convenience of the internet to facilitate malicious and criminal activities.

This unit aims to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of cyber threats, vulnerabilities, defense techniques, and incident response. It covers fundamental principles and advanced concepts, including terminologies, models, and hardening methods. Students will evaluate various types of malicious activities and potential targets, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cyber resilience.

Upon completing the unit, students will have explored cybercrime and threat actors, understood roles and responsibilities in information assurance, assessed threats and vulnerabilities in ICT infrastructure, and investigated strategic responses to cybersecurity threats. Despite challenging macroeconomic factors, the demand for cybersecurity professionals remains resilient. This course will open up numerous career opportunities in this field.

For employed individuals, this program offers the opportunity to study and complete individual Higher National (HN) units as part of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). It also provides pathways for career advancement. Whether you aim to upskill or reskill, this program will be beneficial, potentially opening doors to employment in new or alternative sectors.

This course will allow you:

• The flexibility to gain knowledge, skills and behaviours in a more efficient and bite-sized way, without having to enrol on a full qualification.
• Ability to “stack” units towards a full Higher National qualification in Computing.
• Ability to gain more niche knowledge, skills and behaviours and to upskill and reskill.
• Will achieve a Certificate of Unit Credit (CoUC) as evidence of learning

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Explore the nature of cybercrime and cyber threat actors
• Investigate cyber security threats and hazards
• Examine the effectiveness of information assurance concepts applied to ICT infrastructure
• Investigate incident response methods to cyber security threats.