Computer Science with Cyber Security

Computer science with cyber security addresses one of the most urgent challenges in contemporary digital life. Every organisation that depends on digital systems, which is to say almost every organisation in the modern economy, faces threats to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of its data and systems. Cyber security is the discipline concerned with understanding, preventing and responding to these threats, and it requires both a solid foundation in computer science and a specialised knowledge of cryptography, network security, secure software development, threat modelling and the legal and ethical dimensions of operating in a digital security context.

At the University of York, this four-year full-time programme with a year in industry develops your skills as a practitioner in the principles and practice of cyber security, building on a rigorous computer science foundation. You will study the core computer science curriculum, including programming, algorithms, data structures, operating systems, networks and software engineering, alongside specialist cyber security content including network and system security, cryptography, malware analysis, penetration testing, digital forensics, and security policy and governance. The year in industry gives you sustained professional experience in a cyber security or technology role, developing the practical skills and professional judgment that employers in this field consistently prioritise.

You will develop strong technical skills alongside the ability to think adversarially about systems: to identify vulnerabilities, to understand how attacks are constructed and to design defences that are robust under realistic threat conditions.

Graduates from this programme move into roles in cyber security analysis, penetration testing, security operations, digital forensics, security architecture, software security engineering, and a wide range of technology roles where security expertise is valued across finance, government, defence, healthcare and technology sectors. Postgraduate study in cyber security or computer science is a well-supported pathway.