Professionals based in industry who have interest in cybersecurity. The micro credential will prepare professionals for a rewarding career; for example, to take a role as a security manager, security engineer, security analyst, or IT security specialist.
Information Security
Overview
| Module Code | COMP47920 |
| Module Title | Information Security |
| Subject Area | Cybersecurity |
| Credits | 10 |
| NFQ | 9 |
| EFQ | 7 |
| Start Date | September 2025 |
| Duration | 12 Weeks |
| Time | Synchronous |
| Mode of Delivery | Blended |
| Course Leader | Professor Joe Carthy |
| Fee | €1800 |
| Application Deadline | September 2025 |
This micro-credential will introduce students to the world of information security addressing the major issues that security specialists encounter in the "real world". One aspect of the micro-credential is to enable students to reason about information systems from a security engineering perspective. In addition students may be required to attend seminars given by security specialists. Students will maintain a learning journal addressing topics and issues that are discussed in lectures or identified by the lecturer.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, you will be able to:
- Understand Information Security
- Identify Security concerns in the design and implementation of secure systems
- Understand and apply Security models and design principles
- Understand role of cryptography and security protocols
- Privilege management access control
- Common software and network vulnerabilities
- Usable security and the human factor
- Discuss the concepts of Privacy VS Surveillance
- Undertake real world case studies in information security.
Topics will cover:
- Introduction Information Security
- What is it
- Threats
- Information Security and Computer Forensics
- Security and the design and implementation of secure systems
- Security models and design principles (e.g., principle of least privilege and fail-safe defaults)
- Introduction to Cryptography and security protocols
- Access control
- Common software and network vulnerabilities
- Usable security and the human factor
- Privacy VS Surveillance
- Real world case studies
Approaches to information security in different organisations - Recommendations for your organisation or an organisation of interest to you
This holistic and well-rounded course will be of interest to executives and professional/technical staff who:
- need to acquire knowledge and skills to equip themselves better for their current role.
- want to gain a promotion.
- want to open up new career opportunities for themselves in cyber security related roles.
- are interested in doing some research in this field, perhaps in relation to a current work problem.
- want to gain a qualification to add to their standing and credibility within their professional life.
Pre-recorded lectures will be complemented with live activities, such as tutorials, discussion forums hands-on exercises using vulnerable software applications. The assessment approach will be based on in-class activities and project work.
Minimum of 2.1 honours bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (or a cognate discipline) or 2:2 honours bachelor’s degree in computer science (or a cognate discipline) and equivalent (> 5 years) industrial experience in software development or software/system security.
Each applicant will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 7.0 (no band less than 6.5 in each element), or equivalent.
Assignment: Implementation of a web application using SpringBoot (Throughout the Trimester); Assignment: A report that identifies and describes the vulnerabilities that are present in the web application developed by another team and showcases how these vulnerabilities can be exploited (Throughout the trimester); Assignment: Implementation of an improved version of the web application developed in Assignment 1, with the objective to remove the vulnerabilities identified by another team in Assignment 2. (End of Trimester); Continuous Assessment: Journalling activities describing how vulnerabilities can be exploited and prevented (Throughout the Trimester)
The lecturer will provide students examples of security testing techniques and strategies to prevent vulnerabilities that the students should apply in their group projects. At the end of each group project, the lecturer will provide written feedback to each group using an instructional rubric. The second group project will be peer-reviewed by a different group of students who will provide written feedback following a given set of assessment criteria.
- Leadership in Security COMP47800
- Applied Cryptography COMP47890
- Risk Assessment and Standards COMP47900
- Secure Software Engineering COMP47910
- Information Security COMP47920
- Cybersecurity Law LAW42160
- Incident Response COMP47870
- Network Security COMP47880
- Malware Analysis COMP47810
- Ethical Hacking COMP47860
If you have any questions about this micro-credential, or would like to speak to a UCD staff member, please contact (opens in a new window)microcredentials@ucd.ie.