Academic Handbook Course Descriptors and Programme Specifications
LCSCI62109A Cyber Security Analyst End-Point Assessment Course Descriptor
| Course Code | LCSCI62109A | Discipline | Computing and Information Systems |
| UK Credit | 30 | US Credit | N/A |
| FHEQ Level | 6 | Date Approved | October 2023 |
| Core Attributes | |||
| Pre-Requisites | |||
| Co-Requisites | |||
Course Overview
Digital and Technology Solutions Professionals are found in organisations where digital technologies can be used to solve problems that exist across a range of functions. DWhether looking for ways to reduce waste, increase productivity, ensure resilient and responsive customer service, or create a secure transactional environment, organisations turn to digital and technological solutions to achieve these aims. Wherever these activities take place Digital and Technology Solutions Professionals are influencing outcomes and making things happen.
A cyber security analyst typically leads in the work to define, implement and maintain security products and systems within an organisation’s policies and service level agreements. They will need to analyse and understand the points of vulnerability within information technology systems and a proactive and agile approach to maintain high levels of systems and organisational security. They will monitor security performance using tools, statistical reporting and analysis, using the output of monitoring to problem solve, propose improvements and implement changes to meet service level requirements. A cyber security analyst leads technical implementation of security infrastructures and technical designs, including producing cost and timescale estimates and identifying risks. After implementation they take ownership for obtaining the information required to diagnose and resolve more complex problems and escalations such as security incidents and business recovery. They engage with third parties to jointly resolve in-depth product issues where necessary and complete cyber risk assessments.
This course enables learners to demonstrate the occupational competencies of the role via a work-based project and a portfolio. The implementation of the course assessments will be in line with the Digital and Technology Solutions Professional End-Point Assessment Plan.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
| K1c | Plan and deliver a substantial individual project by applying a digital technology solutions and demonstrate a competitive advantage by adapting and exploiting it |
| K1c | Assess sustainable development approaches within digital technologies as they relate to their role including diversity and inclusion. |
| K1c | Critically evaluate the ethical principles and codes of good practice of at least one significant cyber security professional body and the ethical responsibilities of a cyber security professional |
| K1c | Critically assess concepts and approaches to cyber security assurance |
| K2c | Deploy the principles of strategic decision making concerning the acquisition or development of digital and technology solutions |
| K2c | Produce a project plan which estimates risks and opportunities and determines mitigation strategies. |
| K2c | Critically evaluate appropriate techniques and approaches that are used in creating a business case |
| K2c | Apply techniques to estimate cost and time resource constraints |
| K2c | Critically Analyse the business problem behind the project proposal to identify the role of digital and technology solutions |
| K2c | Deploy the principles of quantitative and qualitative risk management theory including the role of risk stakeholders. |
| K3c | Apply the principles of cyber security tools and techniques, security architectures and methodologies to the project. |
| K3c | Apply the key legislative frameworks and the regulatory landscape for cyber security |
| K3c | Evaluate approaches to incident response and management including escalation and investigation of cyber security breaches and their root cause |
| K3c | Demonstrate how to undertake security risk assessments for complex systems without direct supervision and propose a remediation strategy relevant to the context of the organisation |
| K3c | Critically evaluate the nature and scope of common vulnerabilities in digital and technology solutions |
| K4c | Critically reflect on core technical concepts for digital and technology solutions and their applicability to organisation’s standards; data gathering, data management, data analysis and computer networking concepts. |
| K4c | Demonstrate how teams work effectively to produce a digital and technology solution applying relevant organisational theories using up to date awareness of trends and innovations. |
| K4c | Critically evaluate the concepts and principles of leadership and management as they relate to their role and how they apply them |
| K4c | Critically analyse relevant evidence to produce a proposal for a digital and technology based project in line with legal, ethical and regulatory requirements whilst ensuring the protection of personal data, safety and security |
Subject Specific Skills
| S1c | Apply relevant legal, ethical, social and professional standards to digital and technology solutions considering both technical and non-technical audiences and in line with organisational guidelines. |
| S2c | Manage cyber security risk |
| S3c | Recommend improvements to the cyber security approaches of an organisation based on research into future potential cyber threats and considering threat trends in the project. |
| S3c | Analyse cyber security requirements in the project against other design requirements for systems or products and identify conflicting requirements and recommend appropriate solutions with clear explanation of costs/benefits |
| S3c | Lead the design and build of systems in accordance with a security case to address organisational challenges in the project |
| S3c | Discover, identify and analyse security threats, attack techniques and vulnerabilities using cyber security architectures, methodologies, tools and techniques to recommend mitigation and security controls in the project |
| S3c | Select and apply cyber security tools and techniques in relation to the risks identified in the context of the project |
| S3c | Lead cyber security awareness campaigns and evaluate their effectiveness |
| S3c | Demonstrate the use of core technical concepts for digital and technology solutions, including: Initiate, design, code, test and debug a software component for a digital and technology solution; security and resilience techniques and apply the principles of data analysis
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Transferable and Employability Skills
| T1c | Present an overview of the project to appropriate stakeholders using appropriate language and style |
| T1c | Display an advanced level of technical proficiency in written English and competence in applying scholarly terminology, so as to be able to apply skills in critical evaluation, analysis and judgement effectively in a diverse range of contexts. |
| T3c | Make meaningful conclusions on the basis of a long period of independent study. |
| T4c | Manage the project delivery to achieve digital and technology solutions |
| T4c | Justify the methods of research and evaluation which determined the selection of digital and technology solutions identified for the project |
Teaching and Learning
The contact hours on this course are formed predominantly of supervisory meetings, typically 4 x 1 hour.
Students are also expected to manage their self-directed learning and independent study in support of the course.
The course learning and teaching hours will be structured as follows:
- Off-the-job learning and teaching (12 days x 7 hours) = 84 hours
- On-the-job learning (24 days x 7 hours) = 168 hours (e.g. 2 days per week for 12 weeks)
- Independent study (4 hours per week) = 48 hours
Workplace assignments (see below) will be completed as part of on-the-job learning.
Indicative total learning hours for this course: 300
Assessment
Both formative and summative assessment are used as part of this course, with purely formative opportunities typically embedded within interactive teaching sessions, office hours, and/or the VLE.
Summative Assessments
| AE: | Assessment Activity | Weighting (%) | Duration | Length |
| 1 | Project report with presentation, questions and answers | 50% | 6000 word (report) & 60 minutes (presentation and Q&A) | |
| 2 | Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio | 50% | 60 minutes |
Feedback
Students will receive formative and summative feedback in a variety of ways, written (e.g. marked up on assignments, through email or the VLE) or oral (e.g. as part of interactive teaching sessions or in office hours).
Indicative Reading
Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is for a general guide and part of the approval/modification process only.
- Walliman, N., (2013), Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The Essential Guide for Success, London: Sage.
- Rugg, G., & Petre, M. (2006). A gentle guide to research methods. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
- Berndtsson, M., Hansson, J., Olsson, B., & Lundell, B. (2007). Thesis projects: a guide for students in computer science and information systems. Springer Science & Business Media.
- Stephan Felix, M., & Smith, I. (2019). A practical guide to dissertation and thesis writing. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
- Soomro, Z.A., Shah, M.H. and Ahmed, J., 2016. Information security management needs more holistic approach: A literature review. International journal of information management, 36(2), pp.215-225.
- Katsikeas, S., Johnson, P., Ekstedt, M. and Lagerström, R., 2021. Research communities in cyber security: A comprehensive literature review. Computer Science Review, 42, p.100431.
Indicative Topics
Note: Comprehensive and current topics for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative topics provided below is used as a general guide and part of the approval/modification process only.
- How to solve a technological problem based on an organisation’s problem
- Managing technology projects to a successful outcome
- Using real-world data and scenarios
Version History
| Title: LCSCI62109A Cyber Security Analyst End-Point Assessment Course Descriptor
Approved by: Academic Board Location: academic-handbook/digital-and-technology-solutions |
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| Version number | Date approved | Date published | Owner | Proposed next review date | Modification (As per AQF4) & category number |
| 1.0 | October 2023 | October 2023 | Dr Alexandros Koliousis | October 2028 | |