Core modules

You will complete all core modules for this course.

Key Concepts: Security in Context

Security in Context module brings the technical, engineering and science aspects together. It outlines, through a series of vignettes and interaction with practising security professionals, the relevance and applications of the concepts in other modules. The needs and effects of political decisions and regulatory process is also explored out in this module.

Behavioural Research Methods

This module examines behavioural data and how best to obtain reliable information from sources such as interviews, focus groups, sorting tasks, existing sources and observational materials. The module then turns to the systematic analysis of behavioural data in order to convert raw material into reliable and valid research data.

Behavioural Science and Security

This module examines the ways in which behavioural science research has been used to inform security. The different types of threat actors are considered, such as terrorists, spies, hackers, political activists and insiders, as well as their aims and targets. The media, and managing the positive and negative potential of both the mainstream and social media is discussed.

Network and Web Security

In this module you will have the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge of network and web security from the network to the application layer. The emphasis of the course is both on the underlying principles and techniques, and on examples of how such principles are applied in practice.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive: the Physical Threat Space

This module provides an understanding of the history and underlying science of CBRNE, and environmental security. For each of the CBRNE elements, physical properties, detection/measurement techniques, impacts and mitigation will be discussed. Finally, the Environmental security component will be addressed in terms of the impact of non-CBRNE interventions and extreme weather events on personnel and critical infrastructure.

Sensors: Electronic and Natural

In this module the principles of sensing the environment will be given, highlighting the context of point and standoff detection/sensor systems. A range of different detection technologies will be covered, including structure-based, chemistry-based and function-based sensors. Key performance indicators will be used to show how to assess a variety of sensor technologies for their intended application.

Core modules

You will complete all core modules for this course.

Security in Context

Security in Context module brings the technical, engineering and science aspects together. It outlines, through a series of vignettes and interaction with practising security professionals, the relevance and applications of the concepts in the core modules and places the elective components in context. The needs and effects of political decisions and regulatory process is also explored out in this module.

Behavioural Research Methods

This module examines behavioural data and how best to obtain reliable information from sources such as interviews, focus groups, sorting tasks, existing sources and observational materials. The module then turns to the systematic analysis of behavioural data in order to convert raw material into reliable and valid research data.

Behavioural Science and Security

This module examines the ways in which behavioural science research has been used to inform security. The different types of threat actors are considered, such as terrorists, spies, hackers, political activists and insiders, as well as their aims and targets. The media, and managing the positive and negative potential of both the mainstream and social media is discussed.

Network and Web Security

In this module you will have the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge of network and web security from the network to the application layer. The emphasis of the course is both on the underlying principles and techniques, and on examples of how such principles are applied in practice.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive: the Physical Threat Space

This module provides an understanding of the history and underlying science of CBRNE, and environmental security. For each of the CBRNE elements, physical properties, detection/measurement techniques, impacts and mitigation will be discussed. Finally, the Environmental security component will be addressed in terms of the impact of non-CBRNE interventions and extreme weather events on personnel and critical infrastructure.

Sensors: Electronic and Natural

In this module the principles of sensing the environment will be given, highlighting the context of point and standoff detection/sensor systems. A range of different detection technologies will be covered, including structure-based, chemistry-based and function-based sensors. Key performance indicators will be used to show how to assess a variety of sensor technologies for their intended application.

Infrastructure and Transport Security

This module focuses in on the security of critical national infrastructure and transport systems, introducing the student to key concepts of both, and how security vulnerabilities are analysed. The effects of Blast and Impact on the built environment are looked at. Mitigation techniques and the implications these have for policy are covered, and the concept of ‘secure by design’ is introduced relating to transport systems.

Individual Research Review

You will also complete an individual research review.

Optional modules

You will choose one optional module.

• Research Skills Training
• Mathematical Methods for Physicists
• Introduction to Shock Physics
• Shock Physics in Context
• Hacking 4 Defence

Core modules

You will complete all core modules for this course.

Security in Context

Security in Context module brings the technical, engineering and science aspects together. It outlines, through a series of vignettes and interaction with practising security professionals, the relevance and applications of the concepts in the core modules and places the elective components in context. The needs and effects of political decisions and regulatory process is also explored out in this module.

Behavioural Research Methods

This module examines behavioural data and how best to obtain reliable information from sources such as interviews, focus groups, sorting tasks, existing sources and observational materials. The module then turns to the systematic analysis of behavioural data in order to convert raw material into reliable and valid research data.

Behavioural Science and Security

This module examines the ways in which behavioural science research has been used to inform security. The different types of threat actors are considered, such as terrorists, spies, hackers, political activists and insiders, as well as their aims and targets. The media, and managing the positive and negative potential of both the mainstream and social media is discussed.

Network and Web Security

In this module you will have the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge of network and web security from the network to the application layer. The emphasis of the course is both on the underlying principles and techniques, and on examples of how such principles are applied in practice.

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive: the Physical Threat Space

This module provides an understanding of the history and underlying science of CBRNE, and environmental security. For each of the CBRNE elements, physical properties, detection/measurement techniques, impacts and mitigation will be discussed. Finally, the Environmental security component will be addressed in terms of the impact of non-CBRNE interventions and extreme weather events on personnel and critical infrastructure.

Sensors: Electronic and Natural

In this module the principles of sensing the environment will be given, highlighting the context of point and standoff detection/sensor systems. A range of different detection technologies will be covered, including structure-based, chemistry-based and function-based sensors. Key performance indicators will be used to show how to assess a variety of sensor technologies for their intended application.

Infrastructure and Transport Security

This module focuses in on the security of critical national infrastructure and transport systems, introducing the student to key concepts of both, and how security vulnerabilities are analysed. The effects of Blast and Impact on the built environment are looked at. Mitigation techniques and the implications these have for policy are covered, and the concept of ‘secure by design’ is introduced relating to transport systems.

Individual Research Project

You will complete an individual research project with the guidance of an academic supervisor.

Optional modules

You will choose two optional modules. We've included some of the most popular modules, but this is not an exhaustive list and others can be selected from across the College where relevant.

Hacking 4 Security

Sponsored by the UK Ministry of Defence, this is an entrepreneurial module where you'll have the opportunity to work with the Ministry to better address the UK's emerging threats and security challenges.

Entrepreneurship for Physicists

This module explores the nature of entrepreneurship for physicists. You'll acquire important knowledge and skills for today's working environment, including intellectual property, entrepreneurial finance, corporate law and team building.

Privacy Engineering

Learn and practise state-of-the-art attacks against privacy-preserving mechanisms and systems. You'll review defence mechanisms and associated trade-offs for each attack, and learn strategies, analytical techniques and theoretical applications to explore this field further.

Computational Finance

This module will introduce you to the fundamental models and mathematical theories used in computer science and engineering. You'll acquire a range of practical skills, such as optimal design of investment strategies and using efficient numerical methods to solve optimisation models and simulate stochastic processes.

Principles of Distributed Ledgers

In this module, you'll explore the rise in popularity of decentralised ledgers, such as Bitcoin and engage with cryptocurrency research to discover the changes in how we think of money and financial infrastructure. You'll cover the foundations of distributed computing, applied cryptography and incentive mechanisms.

Cryptography Engineering

Learn how cryptographic techniques are used to design and implement secure communicating systems for different needs and applications. You'll analyse which cryptographic schemes have proven security and which ones rely on other assumptions, allowing you to critique the formal definition of security.

Graphics

Develop your knowledge of computer graphics concepts, such as the mathematical principles behind CGI (computer-generated imagery), shading and light approximations. You'll explore geometry representations and modelling techniques and learn to apply these to real-world computer graphics problems.

Air Traffic Management

This module will introduce you to airborne and ground air traffic management (ATM) principles. You'll explore the components of current and future ATM systems and examine their operational constraints, including capacity, safety and the associated environmental and economic factors.