Best university courses for getting into cybersecurity

High Quality University Courses Match the Dynamic Field of #Cybersecurity 

It has been estimated that almost half of UK businesses have a skills gap in basic cybersecurity operations. Cybersecurity is an essential element of any organisation’s computer network. Without adequate protection, threats and security breaches can be devastating for governments, businesses and their individual clients. Choosing a degree in computer science or more specifically cybersecurity is a good way to boost employment prospects. However, because the field is constantly evolving, it’s important to choose a course with a syllabus that is regularly updated and offers practical experience of protecting computerized systems from unauthorised access. From general computing undergraduate degrees to specialised postgraduate computer engineering qualifications, universities offer a wide range of courses to a growing number of students interested in knowing more about the skills needed to protect IT networks and pursue a career in cybersecurity.

High Quality Courses

Cybercrime is an increasing problem and successful cyber attacks can result in damaging financial costs, the exposure of sensitive information and a loss of privacy for individuals. Cybersecurity plays a critical role in keeping computer systems and electronic data protected and its importance is now reflected in the number of universities offering cybersecurity courses.  In the UK alone, over 70 institutions provide training in computer science to degree level. To help students choose from such a wide range of courses, 19 Universities have now been acknowledged as Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR), and the National Cyber Security Centre, the UK’s independent authority on cybersecurity, has recently updated its list of accredited degree courses,

Specialist Cybersecurity Degrees

General computer science degrees offer modules on internet security but an increasing number of universities now offer degrees specialising purely in cybersecurity. The Cyber Technology Unit at Leicester’s De Montfort University is recognised as an ACE-CSR and its cybersecurity degree focuses on digital forensics. At Teesside University in Middlesbrough, students can choose from four degree courses related to cybersecurity. Specialist courses like these often have valuable links to industry and local business, which can help students gain real experience and find employment at the end of their course. 

Degrees with Placements

According to research by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, many computer science graduates felt that some aspects of their course were already out of date when they graduated and, more generally, that they were underprepared for the world of work. As the field of cybersecurity is constantly evolving, securing a year in industry placement as part of an undergraduate degree can help students to understand the latest issues in cybersecurity. Most computer science degrees offer students the opportunity to pause their degree and work during their third year. During this time, they can learn the practical skills required to operate, maintain and protect a business’s information system.

Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field and its effective management requires up-to-date qualifications and skills. An increasing number of universities offer specialised courses and degrees in cybersecurity and, with the addition of valuable work experience, can provide students with the high level of knowledge and hands on training necessary to help them to plug the growing skills gap in UK businesses.