Major Overview

Description

Almost every ICT career path encompasses some aspect of cybersecurity. The major in cybersecurity will prepare you for a range of specialist cybersecurity roles using technology, people, information, and processes to enable assured operations in the context of adversaries. With industry integrated learning, you'll gain the practical skills and knowledge to lead the creation, implementation and management of secure computer systems across a range of exciting career paths, protecting people and their data from cyber-attacks.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) use mathematical, technical and business tools to secure information systems; (2) design prevention and mitigation strategies to address cyber security challenges; (3) design secure computer systems; (4) work effectively as a team member and as a team leader in cybersecurity projects; and (5) communicate cybersecurity concepts and techniques and results clearly in oral and written formats.

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year.

Students without ATAR Mathematics will take two first-year mathematics units.

Incompatibilities

MJD-ESOFT Software Engineering

Courses

Cybersecurity can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plans

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 CITS1003 Introduction to Cybersecurity
Incompatibility
CITS3004 Cybersecurity
S1, S2 CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals or equivalent
or
Enrolment in
62510 Master of Information Technology
or 62530 Master of Data Science
Incompatibility
CITS2401 Computer Analysis and Visualisation
S1 PHIL1001 Ethics for the Digital Age: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy
Incompatibility
PHIL1107 Ethics, Free Will and Meaning
Bridging units

Take units if applicable:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or Mathematics Methods ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50) or equivalent
Incompatibility
MATH1001 Mathematical Methods 1
and MATH1002 Mathematical Methods 2 and
MATH1011 Multivariable Calculus
or MATX1011 Multivariable Calculus
and
MATH1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods
or MATX1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods
and
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (12 points):

Students taking the Cybersecurity major in conjunction with the Engineering Science substitute CITS2401 Computer Analysis with CITS2002 System Programming.

Students taking the Cybersecurity major in conjunction with the Engineering Science substitute CITS2401 Computer Analysis with CITS2002 System Programming.

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 CITS2002 Systems Programming
Prerequisites
completion of 6 points of programming-based units
Incompatibility
CITS1002 Programming and System
S1 CITS2003 Open Source Tools and Scripting
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-ICYDM International Cybersecurity
or MJD-CYBER Cybersecurity
Incompatibility
CITS4407 Open Source Tools and Scripting

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (30 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 CITS3002 Computer Networks
Prerequisites
CITS1002 Programming and System
or CITS2002 Systems Programming
S2 CITS3006 Penetration Testing
Prerequisites
completion of 12 points of programming-based units
S2 CITS3007 Secure Coding
Prerequisites
completion of 12 points of programming-based units
S2 CITS3200 Professional Computing
Prerequisites
completion of at least 84 points, including
CITS2002 Systems Programming
or CITS2200 Data Structures and Algorithms
or CITS2402 Introduction to Data Science
Incompatibility
CITS5206 Professional Computing
S1 CITS3403 Agile Web Development
Prerequisites
CITS1001 Software Engineering with Java
or CITX1001 Software Engineering with Java
or CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
or CITX1401 Computational Thinking with Python
or CITS2002 Systems Programming or equivalent
Incompatibility
CITS5505 Agile Web Development