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Programme Specification for Cyber Crime MSc

Final award

MSc

 

Intermediate awards available

PGCert, PGDip

 

UCAS code

N/A

Details of professional body accreditation

N/A

Relevant QAA Benchmark statements

N/A

Date specification last up-dated

June 2012

Programme content

The general aim of the programme is to provide the opportunity for students to develop specialized expertise in the area of cybercrime. This programme provides students with opportunities to develop specialist skills and leadership capacities. Career opportunities in combating computer crime socially and legally are still expected to continue increasing during the foreseeable future. This programme aims to equip students with the knowledge of causes and controls of cyber criminal behaviour in both the individual and in society.

MSc Cyber Crime At UEL

The threat from computer crime and other information security breaches continues unabated and the financial toll is mounting. This is an issue of global importance as new technology has provided a world of opportunity for criminals.  Just as it is important to understand the characteristics of the criminals in order to understand the motivations behind the crime and subsequently develop and deploy crime prevention strategies, it is also important to understand the characteristics of the users of computer systems in order to understand the manner in which cybercrime makes these users victims. As a result cyber crime has now become an important area of criminology.

This MSc programme aims to explore and investigate: different types of internet-related crime; computing and network technologies with respect to the commissioning and detection or prevention of cybercrime; understand the criminological and sociological study of cyber crime, electronic discovery (e-discovery) in which parties involved in court case (litigation) respond to requests to produce electronically stored information (ESI), and cyberspace law and other measures designed to combat cyber crime.

Entry requirements

The entry requirement for this MSc programme is normally satisfied by possession of one of the following:

  • BSc, BA in IT related programme, Law, Criminology or an appropriate and related subject, with an award classification of no less than a lower second class honours (2:2).
  • A degree qualification of a standard equivalent to that obtained after a programme of study in a recognised university outside the UK. (Note: Sources such as the British Council Handbook and NARIC will be used as references to verify the qualifications equivalence to a UK degree)
  • Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis

In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes.

Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.

Programme structure

The programme can be taken either in a part-time or in a full-time mode by national students and just in a full-time mode for overseas applicants. The MSc is offered for full-time students with the possibility of being completed in one calendar year’s duration if the enrolment is in September. The MSc for part-time students has half load during the semesters and, consequently, the length of these studies is doubled. Part-time students require two years to complete the MSc programme.

Enrolment on the programme is possible either in semester A (starting in September, comprising the academic period from September to January) or semester B (starting in February, comprising the academic period from February to May).

Semester C (June-September) is only available for research supervision.

The programme consists of four 30-credit modules plus one 60-credit dissertation. The common schedules for MSc students are included below:

Full-time MSc student starting in semester A:

  • Semester A (1st year): two 30-credit modules
  • Semester B (1st year): two 30-credit modules
  • Semester C (1st year) or Semester A (2nd year): 60-credit dissertation

Full-time MSc student starting in semester B:

  • Semester B (1st year): two 30-credit modules
  • Semester A (1st year): two 30-credit modules
  • Semester B (2nd year): 60-credit dissertation

Part-time MSc student starting in semester A:

  • Semester A (1st year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester B (1st year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester A (2nd year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester B (2nd year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester C (2nd year) and Semester A (3rd year), or Semesters A and B (3rd year): 60-credit dissertation

Part-time MSc student starting in semester B:

  • Semester B (1st year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester A (1st year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester B (2nd year): one 30-credit module
  • Semester A (2nd year): one 30-credit module
  • Semesters B and C (3rd year), or Semesters B and A (3rd year): 60-credit dissertation

The maximum registration period is six years.

Learning environment

Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials, seminars. Web based learning is also employed particularly for the research dissertation. 

Assessment

Assessment includes a range of coursework, examination and project work.

The aggregate pass mark for a module is 50% with minimum module component mark of 40%.

Dissertation/project work

The Dissertation affords the student an opportunity to work independently toward a critical appraisal of a chosen topic. This may include a literature survey as well as numerical analysis with commercial computing software.

Your future career

The expected career for the graduates that will enrol on the proposed programmes will fall into the following categories:

  • eDiscovery response team
  • Security, Criminology and other IT department
  • Law firms
  • Digital forensics investigators
  • Law enforcement
  • Private IT security firms

How we support you

You may approach staff for help with personal or academic problems either in person or by e-mail. The programme handbook provides all relevant information on the programme and the teaching resources. Your research dissertation is carried out with the help of web-based guidance notes and a project supervisor.

Programme aims and learning outcomes

What is this programme designed to achieve?

This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:

  • Develop a capacity for critical engagement with the legal aspects that concern the regulation of information technologies.
  • Gain a broad understanding of the international relevance of laws governing information technology
  • Understand major theoretical, academic and substantive debates relating to cybercrime.
  • Foster an awareness of the role psychological, cultural, economic and other factors play in understanding the origins and nature of deviant behaviour in cyber settings.
  • Critically understand electronic discovery and the importance of the exchange of information in electronic format
  • Construct detailed knowledge of several forms of cybercrime.
  • Develop a critical awareness of computing and network technologies relevant to the commissioning or prevention of cybercrime

What will you learn?

At the end of this programme students will be able to

Knowledge

  • Understand the impact of cyber crime and the legal aspects that concern the regulation of information technologies.
  • Display an awareness of the role psychological, cultural, economic and other factors play in understanding the origins and nature of deviant behaviour in cyber settings.
  • Possess a  detailed knowledge of several forms of cybercrime.
  • Display a critical understanding of electronic discovery and the importance of exchange of information in electronic format

Thinking skills

  • Show a conceptual understanding of the principles of cyber criminology.
  • Examine current eDiscovery technologies and applications.
  • Systematically analyse problems and implement effective solutions.

Subject-Based Practical skills

  • Demonstrate cognitive, intellectual skills and theories while establishing appropriate criteria for informed recommendations and conclusions.
  • Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems in practices for cyber crime investigators
  • Critically evaluate current challenges in tackling cyber crime.

Skills for life and work (general skills)

  • Demonstrate an ability to study independently and effectively and to be able to convey technical information clearly and concisely.
  • Develop interpersonal skills and be able to contribute and work effectively in a team environment.

The programme structure

Introduction

All programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.

One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).

Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:

0          equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme

1          equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

2          equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

3          equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme

M         equivalent in standard to a Masters degree

Credit rating 

The overall credit-rating of this programme is 180 for Masters, 120 for PGDip, 60 for PGCert and 30 for PGAssCert.

Typical duration

The duration of this programme is one year full time if the enrolment is in September, and two years part time. For February enrolment, the duration becomes 15 months full time, and 27 months part time.

How the teaching year is divided

The teaching year is divided into two semesters of roughly equal length (Semester A, from September to January, and Semester B, from February to May). A typical student registered in a full-time attendance mode will study two 30-credit modules per semester and a typical student registered in a part-time attendance mode will study one 30-credit module per semester.

What you will study when 

Level

UEL Module

Code

Module Title

Credit

Status

M

LAM436

Current Issues in Information Technology Law

30

Core

M

 CRM430

Cyber Criminology

30

Core

M

CNM006

eDiscovery

30

Core

M

CNM009

Systems Integration

30

Core

M

CNM015

Research Dissertation

60

Core

Requirements for gaining an award

  • In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits at Level M.
  • In order to gain a Postgraduate Diploma, you will need to obtain 120 credits at Level M
  • In order to obtain a Masters, you will need to obtain 180 credits at Level M. These credits will include a 60 credit level M core module of advanced independent research.

 Masters Award Classification

 Where a student is eligible for an Masters award then the award classification is determined by calculating the arithmetic mean of all marks and applying the mark obtained as a percentage, with all decimals points rounded up to the nearest whole number, to the following classification

70% - 100%

Distinction

60%- 69%

Merit

50% - 59%

Pass

0% - 49%

Not passed

Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and learning

 Knowledge is developed through:

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Seminars

 Thinking skills developed through:

  • Coursework
  • Mini projects
  • Research dissertation

 Practical skills:

  • Laboratory experiments
  • Design projects
  • Planning of work required for the research dissertation

 Skills for life developed through:

  • Seminars
  • Presentation of research
  • Research dissertation

 Assessment

 Knowledge is assessed by:

  • Coursework
  • Examinations
  • Research dissertation

 Thinking skills are assessed by:

  • Solutions to practical problems
  • Evaluation of literature
  • Evaluation of experimental data
  • Research dissertation

 Practical skills are assessed by:

  • Use of design aids
  • Use of computer aided design packages
  • Laboratory experiments
  • Preparation of research dissertation

 Skills for life are assessed by:

  • Seminars
  • Research dissertation
  • Oral examination

How we assure the quality of this programme

Before this programme started

 Before this programme started, the following was checked:

  • there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;
  • adequate resources would be in place;
  • the overall aims and objectives were appropriate;
  • the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements;
  • the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
  • the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning  and assessment strategy and student support mechanisms.

 This is done through a process of programme approval which involves consulting academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions.

 How we monitor the quality of this programme

 The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:

  • external examiner reports (considering quality and standards);
  • statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate);
  • student feedback.

 Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes student participation.  The process is monitored by the Quality and Standards Committee.

 Once every six years an in-depth review of the whole field is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists.  The panel considers documents, looks at student work, speaks to current and former students and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions.  The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.

 The role of the programme organising committee

 This programme has a programme organising committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, student representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff).  The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality.  The programme organising committee plays a critical role in the quality assurance procedures.

 The role of external examiners

 The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner.

External examiners have two primary responsibilities:

  • To ensure the standard of the programme;
  • To ensure that justice is done to individual students.

 External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:

  • Approving exam papers/assignments;
  • Attending assessment boards;
  • Reviewing samples of student work and moderating marks;
  • Ensuring that regulations are followed;
  • Providing feedback through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.

 Listening to the views of students

 The following methods for gaining student feedback are used on this programme:

  • Module evaluations
  • Student representation on programme organising committees

 Students are notified of the action taken through:

  • Circulating the minutes of the programme organising committee
  • Providing charts on student feedback on the programme notice board

 Listening to the views of others

 The following methods are used for gaining the views of other interested parties:

  • Questionnaires to former students

 Where you can find further information

 Further information about this programme is available from:

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