MSc Advanced Computer Science / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Systems Governance

Course unit fact file
Unit code COMP60721
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? Yes

Overview

IT governance is the framework that takes creative information systems from ideas to successful business tools. It's a toolbox of measures for taking the responsibility to build secure architectures that meet the exacting standards of today's budgets and the regulatory environment. Technology meets leadership meets design meets human factors meets compliance.

Aims

This course unit covers the coordination of business decision making for the assurance of information. It concentrates how business responsibilities consider security in strategy, acquisition, performance, conformance, and human behaviour.

Learning outcomes

  • Apply analytical techniques to steer a community out of a cyber security incident.
  • Be able to work in a team to resolve differing viewpoints to create a governance portfolio.

  • Apply structured governance techniques to acquire IT systems with security built in.

  • Comprehend the importance of leadership and the balance of decision rights and escalation paths whether that is between people or machines.

  • Be able to specify a security architecture and evaluate for vulnerabilities.

  • Be able to identify and select appropriate metrics to monitor the security of an information system.

Syllabus

  1. Security RACI - Responsibility, Accountability, Consulted and Informed
    • Leadership
    • Managing investments
    • IT and audit working together
  2. Strategic security
    • Risk management
    • Information security
    • Implementation roadmap
    • Architectures
  3. Security during acquisition
    • The business case
    • Supplier governance
  4. Performance of security measures
    • Capability assessment
    • IT service continuity
    • Performance measurement
  5. Conformance of information systems to security obligations
    • Legal and regulatory aspects
  6. Managing the human behaviour affecting the security of information systems
    • Communications

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures

70% of contact time will be lectures.

Laboratories

30% of contact time will be group work in the lab.

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Group/team working
Innovation/creativity
Leadership
Project management
Oral communication
Problem solving
Research
Written communication

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written assignment (inc essay) 100%

Feedback methods

This is an interactive module with in-class sessions and an on-line discussion board that operates through the week to keep up the pace between contact days.

Study hours

Independent study hours
Independent study 150

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Daniel Dresner Unit coordinator

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