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Cybersecurity Practitioner - BSc (Apprenticeship) Programme content

Three‑year apprenticeship blending study at UL with workplace learning to develop in‑demand cybersecurity skills for new entrants and current professionals.

Key information

NFQ Level NFQ Level 8
Duration Three years
Attendance Part-time
Programme type Professional / Flexible
Start date September
Award Undergraduate
Course code BSCYSEUPAD

Programme content - Year 1

Operating Systems 1: This module introduces multi-tasking operating system concepts. Topics include: processes, threads, memory management and file systems. Focus is on a single-processor machine. The module will include a laboratory project. 

Computer Software 3: Introduction to algorithms and dynamic data structures (e.g. queue, trees, and dynamic arrays), software engineering practices, flow diagrams and class diagrams. Includes good software practice to develop a significant application. 

Modern Communications Fundamentals: An introduction to modern communication systems, definitions, concepts and communication standards. Both fixed and wireless systems and their fundamentals are discussed. This module introduces the student to modern communications business models and paradigms that are used in the industry today. 

Computer Network Standards, Protocols and The Internet of Things: The aim of this module is to provide further education in communications networks and a detailed overview of the main international networking standards. Includes an introduction to modern communications standardised infrastructures and the Internet of Things (IoT). Offers a learn-by-doing approach in communications and computer networks, for a better understanding of how networking technologies, mainly network protocols, operate in practice.  

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Operating Systems 2: The study of multitasking operating systems. Study will be confined to single processor systems. A Unix or WIN-32 operating system will be selected as the prime example operating system. The module lab work will teach the student to develop concurrent program solutions. The module includes: concurrency, states, queues, scheduling. Process inter-communication. Memory management. File systems to support multitasking, File sharing, file protection, performance issues. Conditions for deadlock and solutions. I/O devices and device drivers. File security and protection. 

TCP/IP Networking: The aim of this module is to provide a detailed study of the TCP/IP model and the internet. The module also covers advanced topics in multimedia communications. 

Mobile and wireless communications: This module provides an introduction to mobile communications and mobile networking. At the completion of the module, students should have an understanding of the important issues in providing a mobile communications system including signal transmission, network management and interaction with a fixed network. Students should understand the principles of operation of a current mobile communications system and the potential for future services development.

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Reflective Learning Journal 1: Reflective Learning Journal modules 1 to 6 aim to enable students to reflect on their professional practice and associated learning in the context theories and practical applications studied across the modules within the programme. The module seeks to empower and challenge students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection by prioritising their learning and development needs. 

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Programme content - Year 2

Introduction to Security Cryptography: To introduce fundamental concepts of information and network security. To introduce the ideas of threats and vulnerabilities such as viruses, worms, malware etc. To introduce fundamental ideas in cryptography. To place them in their historical perspective. To provide an appreciation of approaches to preventing such attacks. 

Computer Law, Investigations and Ethics: With an overview of computer forensics technology, students will learn how to investigate, gather and preserve evidence related to computer crime. Begin to understand legal issues like: evidence integrity, chain of custody and admissibility. Gain a realistic perspective on the strengths and limitations of law enforcement with regards to digital crimes. Understand and apply accepted ethical practices with regards to computer usage - both personal and business. 

Reflective Learning Journal 2: Reflective Learning Journal modules 1 to 6: Aims to enable students to reflect on their professional practice and associated learning in the context theories and practical applications studied across the modules within the programme. The module seeks to empower and challenge students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection by prioritising their learning and development needs. 

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Data security

Introduction to data engineering and machine learning

Reflective learning journal 3

Reflective Learning Journal modules 1 to 6 aim to enable students to reflect on their professional practice and associated learning in the context theories and practical applications studied across the modules within the programme. The module seeks to empower and challenge students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection by prioritising their learning and development needs. 

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Reflective learning journal 4 

Programme content - Year 3

Applied Cloud Computing: This module will give the student experience in the practice of Cloud Computing including, aspects of cloud architecting and design, with developing in the cloud and/or operations in the cloud. In addition managing and securing services in the cloud will be discussed as will Cloud Computing Security Issues and resolutions related to security management and Access control issues. 

Introduction to Data Engineering & Machine Learning: To provide insight and grounding into information/data engineering and machine learning, the module will cover mathematical and coding skills essential to developing machine learning applications in Python and will provide an introduction to some advanced machine learning topics such as modern machine learning platforms, data visualisation, and deep learning. 

Project 1: The project is intended to give students the chance to study a topic in the field in depth and to apply his/her theoretical knowledge to their organisation.  

Reflective Learning Journal 5: Reflective Learning Journal modules 1 to 6 aim to enable students to reflect on their professional practice and associated learning in the context theories and practical applications studied across the modules within the programme. The module seeks to empower and challenge students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection by prioritising their learning and development needs. 

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

Host and Network Security: This module provides an in-depth knowledge of host and network security including, assessing the security of a network, recommending and implementing measures to prevent security threats, research and development of security audits, and conversant in current trends and methodologies. 

Computer forensics: This module aims to give the student a firm understanding of the problems associated with computer forensics in relation to data recovery from digital media, whether the data was accidentally lost or deliberately destroyed. The student will learn to extract information from a computer which might be of relevance at a crime-scene using a variety of forensic techniques, tools and commands. 

Project 2: The module is a continuation of ET4927 Project 1. The project is intended to give students the chance to study a topic in the field in depth and to apply his/her theoretical knowledge to their organisation. 

Reflective Learning Journal 6: Reflective Learning Journal modules 1 to 6 aims to enable students to reflect on their professional practice and associated learning in the context theories and practical applications studied across the modules within the programme. The module seeks to empower and challenge students to engage in self-evaluation and reflection by prioritising their learning and development needs. 

 

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.   

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s Book of Modules.

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