BSc (Hons) Cyber Security (with a foundation year) Bachelor's degree at Staffordshire
BSc (Hons) Cyber Security (with a foundation year) at Staffordshire is taught in English and awarded by the University of Staffordshire, a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Cyber Security (with a foundation year) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Staffordshire, based in Stoke on Trent Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Computer science graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 76% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Computer Science, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 76% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Algorithms And Programming Conceptscompulsory20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will begin an exciting journey of discovery that will lay the programming foundation for both your academic and professional career. You will focus on designing and developing programs in Python. On the way, you will also learn about algorithms, data structures, analysing problems, modeling solutions, and testing programs.
- Cloud And Cybercompulsory20 credits
Module details
Computing infrastructure and the data which is stored upon this is essential to businesses from the smallest through to global enterprises. This module we will be looking at how corporations have adapted to this changing landscape with the increased reliance on the data which is stored. As data is becoming more important, we need to ensure that everything is stored in a manner which makes it accessible within the timeframe defined by the company and to ensure that it remains secure from people b
- Computer Architecture And Operating Systems Designcompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module explores the different areas of technology within computing and identifies core elements within the field to make an informed choice for purchasing, designing, and developing systems. In addition to these core skills you will consolidate your understanding of an operating system and will be able to commission and program typically Windows and Unix derivative OS as used within your chosen field. Considering Operating Systems outside of traditional x86 computing is also a key skill for
- Data And Distributed Systemscompulsory20 credits
Module details
Relational databases are extremely common in the IT industry. This module will teach students how to manage a relational database and will provide and discuss issues relating to the management and control of replicated and distributed databases. This module will take both a theoretical and practical focus with assessment requiring you to work on two case studies to explore problems and identify solutions.
- Networks And Communicationscompulsory20 credits
Module details
In studying this module, you will learn about the fundamental concepts e.g. OSI/TCP suit, TCP and UDP communications, IP addressing, Ethernet, wireless networks, switching, routing, network design, documentation, management and troubleshooting. Upon successful completion of the module, you should become a skilled user who is able to design a network efficiently, can configure network devices e.g. switches, routers etc., can manage and troubleshoot network issues.
- Software Developmentcompulsory20 credits
Module details
In this module, you will continue your journey to build your software development skills by learning more about programming in languages such as Java, as well as designing and developing web applications with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. You will also look at how APIs are created and how they can be consumed by web applications. As part of the whole process, you will create and follow a test-and-deploy strategy to ensure the quality of your application.
Year 2 6 modules
- Cloud Infrastructure And Designcompulsory20 credits
Module details
The world of computer operations and networking is an ever-evolving field with new technology being developed and rapidly introduced into corporations. One of the disruptor technologies is the introduction of Cloud computing into the cooperate environment. Initially we will teach concepts of on-site infrastructure using VMWare and Open-Source Software, grounding your knowledge in infrastructure before introducing Amazon Web Services (AWS) as an environment to further your understanding. The deve
- Cyber Securitycompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module has been designed to provide students with the necessary information about the fundamentals of cyber security and help them develop a comprehensive approach to security practices. The module introduces students to a variety of security topics including fundamental concepts of security engineering, the significance of security protocols and frameworks and consideration of legal, ethical and standardisation requirements in information systems security. Students will learn and apply ext
- Data Analyticscompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module will enable students to apply their knowledge in small close-to-real world projects emulating real work scenarios which require using domain-specific techniques for applying Data Science to different domains. The module will also focus on why Big Data cannot be simply processed by using standard database management systems.
- Digital Forensics Fundamentalscompulsory20 credits
Module details
A digital forensic investigation is a special case of forensic investigation where the procedures and techniques allows findings to be presented in a Court of Law. The analysis of digital evidence is a very structured and formal process. This course will allow learners to develop knowledge and understanding of digital forensics, focusing on different platforms (computers, mobile phones, smartphones, and vehicles). The objectives of this course are to introduce the principles of digital forensic
- Ethical Hackingcompulsory20 credits
Module details
On this module you will study computer systems and network infrastructure as an attractive target to attackers. Hackers often manipulate software vulnerabilities and poor configuration to successfully gain access and steal information. To secure a system it is essential for computer security professionals to understand the structure, configuration, tools and techniques that hackers rely upon to successfully commit their act. It is also important to test the network regularly and discover any vul
- Professional Practice And Project Managementcompulsory20 credits
Year 3 5 modules
- Cryptography And Aicompulsory20 credits
- Dissertationcompulsory40 credits
- Low-Level, Hardware, And Iot Securitycompulsory20 credits
- Negotiated Studiescompulsory20 credits
- Network And Infrastructure Securitycompulsory20 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study practical computing from the ground up, starting with programming fundamentals in languages such as Python and Java, then moving into computer systems, discrete mathematics and algorithms. In your second year, you'll typically progress to data structures, databases and software engineering, alongside artificial intelligence and machine learning. By year 3, you'll usually choose specialist options, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data science, software engineering, systems and networks, or human-computer interaction, and complete modules in security and cryptography. You'll finish with an individual supervised software project where you design, build and evaluate a substantial system.
Who it's for
This course suits students seeking to develop expertise in cyber security and related computing fields. The foundation year is designed for those who would benefit from additional academic preparation. Most entrants to the university held A-levels or equivalent qualifications; the typical UCAS tariff band among accepted students was 144–159 points. Check the university's admissions pages for specific entry requirements and support available to applicants.
University & format
This 4-year full-time degree is studied at the University of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent Campus. Teaching is conducted in English. The course includes a foundation year, preparing you for the main BSc (Hons) programme. The University of Staffordshire is a UK degree-awarding body, so your qualification is nationally recognised. It holds a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 83% |
| another higher-education qualification | 7% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 6% |
| an Access course | 2% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code I751). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Staffordshire →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Computer Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £27,000 | £23,000 – £32,000 | 35 |
| 3 years after | £27,500 | £20,000 – £35,000 | 195 |
| 5 years after | £33,000 | £24,500 – £44,500 | 200 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate / Junior DeveloperFirst engineering role · 0–2 yrs
- 2Software EngineerShipping features end-to-end · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / Lead EngineerOwning systems and mentoring · 5–9 yrs
- 4Principal / Engineering ManagerArchitecture or leading teams · 9+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Computer Science nationally
National figures for Computer Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Computer Science courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,820 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 50% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Science, engineering and technology associate professionalsSOC 2020 31 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,828
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 35; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Computer Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Boilerplate and scaffolding code
- First-pass tests and docs
- Routine debugging and refactors
- Standard data wrangling
More human than ever
- System design and architecture trade-offs
- Reviewing and owning correctness & security
- Translating fuzzy problems into software
- Leading delivery and mentoring
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Computer Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Tech companies
- Banks & fintech
- Consultancies
- Government (GDS) & startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Computer Science graduates.
Software Developer Placement Programme No experience neededIT Online LearningSoftware Developer - .NET & Azure for Green Energy ProjectsOfgemSoftware Developer Backend (SFIA5)ZaiziSoftware Developer (Mobile Apps) in Guildford - ECM Selection (Holdings) LimitedJava Script WorksSoftware Developer (Contract) – Higher Education Projects (UK)Burman RecruitmentSoftware Developer – Distributed Scheduling & Workload OrchestrationCGG Services (UK) LimitedIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £27,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.9 out of 10: NSS 70.7% · in work or study 90% · continued 76%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Staffordshire
Computing across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Stoke on Trent Campus
1,636 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Computer Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Staffordshire from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Staffordshire; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Staffordshire’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Staffordshire and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Staffordshire
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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