Careers

Digital forensics and incident response is one of the most prominent labour shortages in the UK cyber security sector, and our specialist labs are the perfect place to develop knowledge and skills for your career.

You’ll solve ‘real world’ problems through Live Briefs, and gain expert witness experience by defending digital forensics scenarios against Law students from ARU.

You also have the chance to gain valuable work experience through an optional placement year.

What can you do with a Cyber Security and Digital Forensics degree?

Where have other cyber security graduates worked?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

Develop your understanding of cybercrime and how security threats and vulnerabilities can be dealt with.

You’ll start by learning how operating systems work and how scripting languages can be used to address security issues.

In our labs you’ll develop specialist skills, learning how to isolate and analyse malware, and undertake penetration testing or ‘ethical hacking’. You’ll also explore how threats originate and how to undertake threat intelligence.

You’ll learn in lectures and the lab, working both independently and as part of a team.

Student experience

Hear from ARU Senior Lecturer Dr Razvan-Ion Dinita in this Springpod subject spotlight: Decoding social media: an exploration of programming and platforms. Watch the full lecture on Springpod
Get to grips with the inner workings of computers with hands on, interactive sessions. Take a virtual tour of our Computer Science degree.
Work closely with students who share your interest in computer science and get expert guidance from academics who will support you through your studies.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

Introduction to System Architecture and Automation (30 credits)
Software Principles (15 credits)
Cyber Crime Fundamentals (15 credits)
Core Mathematics for Computing (15 credits)
Introduction to Networks (30 credits)
Into ARU

Year 2

Network Routing and Switching Essentials (30 credits)
Principles of Digital Forensics (15 credits)
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Cloud and IoT (15 credits)
Digital Security (15 credits)
Advanced Digital Forensics (30 credits)

Year 3

Digital Forensics and Malware Science (15 credits)
Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (15 credits)
Software Security (15 credits)
Final Project (30 credits)
Mobile Forensics (15 credits)
Security Management, Operations and Analytics (30 credits)

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Foundation in Engineering, Computing and Technology

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Year 3

Work Placement - Computing and Information Sciences

Module details

It’s possible to combine placement and foundation year options. Contact us to discuss what you can do, or choose your preferred option when you apply.

How is Cyber Security and Digital Forensics assessed?

What happens on a foundation year?

What happens on a placement year?

Who teaches Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at ARU?

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Andrew Moore
Senior Lecturer Practitioner
Dr Hossein Abroshan
Senior Lecturer
Dr Erika Sanchez-Velazquez
Deputy Head of School
Dr James Kadirire
Senior Lecturer
Dr Ronak Al-Haddad
Lecturer
Steve Shepherd
Senior Lecturer Practitioner

Study in state-of-the-art computing facilities in Cambridge, including networking equipment racks, ethical hacking and IoT devices, and rooms specialising in digital forensics to give you the feel of working in a professional lab environment.

Our students take part in accredited partnerships through modules, such as CompTIA Network & security + and our CISCO networking academy.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Main

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.

If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.

Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

See entry requirements for the BA or BSc (Hons)

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£1,400 Placement year (2024-25)

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£1,400 Placement year (2024-25)

International students

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

Placement year fee

Living costs

Bursaries, sponsorship and working

Apply for Cyber Security and Digital Forensics

Clearing places available

UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start

Apply through Clearing

Apply by phone

UK students, call our Clearing line

01245 686868

UK students

Apply through UCAS for 2026

Apply through UCAS

International students

Apply direct

Apply online

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Cyber Security and Digital Forensics

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

5 years with foundation and placement

Careers

Teaching and modules

Student experience

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

5 years with foundation and placement

Facilities

Entry requirements

BSc (Hons)

Important additional notes

With foundation year

Important additional notes

With placement

Important additional notes

5 years with foundation and placement

Important additional notes

International students

English language requirements

Fees and funding

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

5 years with foundation and placement

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

5 years with foundation and placement

Apply for Cyber Security and Digital Forensics

Clearing places available

Apply by phone

01245 686868

UK students

International students

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