Overview

Digital technology supports healthcare, banking, energy and education, and every one of those systems depends on people who can defend it against attack. The Bachelor of Cyber Security at Adelaide University gives students the knowledge to protect digital systems and data, with a solid grounding in security practices, software, systems and networking. Students learn to identify and stop threats, manage risk and safeguard information, drawing on foundational IT study, security fundamentals, governance, risk and compliance, and technically focused cyber courses. The structure is flexible, with the option to major in Governance, Risk and Compliance or in Technology, and a wide choice of cyber courses that lets students shape the degree around their own interests. Collaborative projects based on real cyber attacks bring the learning into realistic contexts. The program is provisionally accredited by the Australian Computer Society at cyber security professional level. It suits curious, analytical students who want to combine critical thinking with technical skill, and it prepares them for work across sectors such as healthcare, finance, government, defence, telecommunications, aerospace and energy.

What You’ll Learn

Programming, structured data and information technology systems

Security foundations and network foundations

Cyber law, policy and privacy

Human, organisational and societal aspects of cyber security

Security operations and incident response

Threat, vulnerability and risk analysis

Information assurance and risk management

Cyber tools and attacks, and offensive security

Cryptography, network security and cloud platforms

Cyber governance, planning, strategy and diplomacy

Big data, machine learning and data visualisation for cyber security

Professional communication, teamwork and business skills for IT professionals

An ICT capstone project or internship addressing real cyber security problems

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, graduates will understand how information systems, networks and data are structured and where their weaknesses lie, from technical components through to organisational and legal contexts. They will be able to identify and respond to cyber threats, assess and manage risk, and apply protective measures including incident response. Students learn to work with information security frameworks and best practices, and to consider the legal, ethical, privacy and human factors that shape security decisions. Practical and theoretical tasks, together with capstone or internship work based on realistic attack scenarios, build the ability to analyse problems, make evidence-based decisions and communicate findings clearly. Training in project management, teamwork and cultural awareness prepares them to collaborate within diverse professional teams. Through their choice of major, discipline courses and electives, students can specialise in either the technical or the governance side of the field. Graduates finish ready for roles such as cyber security analyst, penetration tester, network security engineer, consultant or incident responder.