MSc and Postgraduate Diploma in Information Security. Programme handbook

Transcription

1 MSc and Postgraduate Diploma in Information Security Programme handbook

2 Statement The University of London and its staff cannot accept legal responsibility for the information which this document contains or the use to which this information is subsequently put. Although every step is taken to ensure that the information is as accurate as possible, it is understood that this material is supplied on the basis that there is no legal responsibility for these materials or resulting from the use to which these can or may be put. Note: the telephone and fax numbers given in this handbook for addresses outside the United Kingdom are those to be used if you are in that country. If you are telephoning or faxing from another country, we suggest you contact your local telecommunications provider for details of the country code and area code that you should use. Published by: University of London University of London 2014

3 Contents Introduction... 1 Regulations...1 About the University of London and Royal Holloway... 2 The University of London...2 Royal Holloway...2 Studying Information Security at Royal Holloway... 3 Information Security Group...3 Why choose Royal Holloway?...4 Who is the programme aimed at?...4 Learning objectives of the programme...5 Who teaches the programme?...5 How is the programme taught?...6 How is the programme assessed?...6 How is the programme evaluated?...6 How much time should you allow for study?...7 Joining the Royal Holloway Information Security community...7 How to contact us... 8 Academic queries...8 Administrative and technical support...8 Technical user support...9 About online distance learning Advantages...10 Difficulties...11 Mixed mode study...12 The programmes online and on campus...12 Planning your studies The programme structure...13 Pacing your studies...13 Rules of progression...15 Reporting breaks of study...16 How to study Know what is expected of you...17 Set study targets...17 Find time to study...18 Find a place to study...18 Get involved...18 Develop a flexible study strategy...19 Adapt to different teaching styles...20 Deal with overlap and inconsistency...20 Do further reading...20 Use the internet...21 The programme tools and materials What to expect and when...23 The virtual learning environment...24 The Online Library...24 Structure of the study materials Modules...25 Units...25 Sections...26 What does a module contain?...26 What does a normal unit contain?...27 What does an audio unit contain?...29 How is information presented within a screen?...30 Using the study materials...31 Networking and academic support Obtaining academic support...32 Programme handbook i

4 Online seminars...33 Module tutors...35 Module discussion areas...36 Summary of moderated support...37 Peer-to-peer support...37 External support...38 Your responsibility...38 What to do if you get into difficulties Advisers of studies...41 Assessment About examinations...42 Revision guidance...43 How to do well in examinations...44 The MSc degree project...46 Results...48 After you graduate Graduation ceremonies...49 Research degrees at Royal Holloway...49 ii Information Security

5 Introduction Welcome to the MSc degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Information Security. The MSc in Information Security has been offered at Royal Holloway since 1992 and has been an enormous success. The Postgraduate Diploma was introduced in Since then, students from over 40 countries have successfully completed a programme that is highly regarded internationally by industry and in academia. During that time we had repeated requests from prospective students throughout the world for a version of this degree that could be studied without coming to London. The programme that you are now enrolled on is the result of these requests. We intend to do everything we can to make your experience on this programme as rewarding and enjoyable as possible. We are always keen to hear your ideas and suggestions your views are very important to us. This Programme handbook is designed to help you to get the most out of your experience as a flexible and distance learning student. It is a good idea to read through the contents quickly so that you know what it contains, remembering that you can always come back to it for specific information or advice. We hope that we have covered everything that you need to know about during your studies, but if you require any additional information or support please contact us. Alongside this handbook, you should also read the new Student guide to the International Programmes (Student guide), which will give you advice on the practical aspects of being an International Programmes student such as how to register and pay your fees, how to enter for examinations, and tracking your study materials. The Student guide is available on the website: Regulations Further important information about the Information Security degree programmes is contained in the Programme Specification and Regulations document (PSR). The PSR contains the rules which apply to your programme and your registration as a student of the University, as well as detailed information about what you can study. You should make sure that you have read it, and refer to it throughout your time as an International Programmes student. It can be downloaded from our website: Unless otherwise stated, any reference to the MSc also applies to the Postgraduate Diploma throughout this handbook. Programme handbook

6 About the University of London and Royal Holloway The University of London The University of London is a federal University which is made up of 18 Colleges and 10 Institutes, based in and around London. The International Programmes are the suite of programmes that the University offers in partnership with its Colleges, one of which is Royal Holloway, University of London. The University of London handles the administrative background to the Information Security programmes, such as helping you to register and pay your fees, organising examinations, and despatching your study materials, while Royal Holloway determines what you will study and provides academic guidance and support. suggested a college for women as the means by which Holloway s money might effect the greatest public good. In 1900, Bedford College and Royal Holloway were admitted as Schools of the University of London and in 1965 they both admitted male undergraduates for the first time, while retaining their commitment to women s education. The colleges merged in 1986 and have since adopted the name Royal Holloway, University of London. Royal Holloway Royal Holloway, University of London stands as a monument to two Victorian visionaries, Elizabeth Jesser Reid and Thomas Holloway. Both played a crucial role in the development of equality in education through the creation of two colleges for women: Bedford College in London, and Royal Holloway College in Surrey, 19 miles to the west of central London. Their foresight and philanthropy have created opportunities for many generations of students. Elizabeth Jesser Reid, a pioneering social reformer, founded Bedford College in 1849 as a women s college. Bedford College was the very first institution to play a leading role in the advancement of women in higher education and in public life in general. Thomas Holloway was a self-made multimillionaire whose fortune was made in patent medicines. He founded Royal Holloway College in 1879 after initiating a public debate inviting suggestions as to How best to spend a quarter of a million or more. It was his wife Jane who 2 Information Security

7 Studying Information Security at Royal Holloway The electronic handling of information is one of the defining technologies of our age. Enormous volumes of information are routinely stored and transmitted worldwide indeed, most aspects of our daily lives would come to a halt should the information infrastructure fail. However, the benefits deriving from the ability to manage so much information automatically also bring major threats to businesses, governments and individuals. These threats often arise from non-malicious or accidental events, but also include possible fraud through information manipulation, deliberate damage to stored and transmitted information, and blackmail associated with the threat of damage. The field of information security, namely the study of countermeasures to these real and serious threats, has grown rapidly in recent years. The subject embraces a range of technologies such as cryptography, computer security and network security, and also includes the study of how security can best be managed. Information Security Group The Information Security Group (ISG) at Royal Holloway is an interdisciplinary research group comprising computer scientists and mathematicians. The group offers an active research environment, with over 15 established academic posts and a large number of research students making it one of the largest academic security groups in the world. The ISG regularly hosts international visitors and has strong research links with a number of industrial and government institutions. A major initiative in 2002 was the formation of the Smart Card Centre by Giesecke and Devrient, Vodafone and Royal Holloway. It now receives funding from, among others, Orange Labs (UK). The designation of the ISG in 2012 as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research and the creation in 2013 of a Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Security, with a significant number of fullyfunded studentships, makes the environment particularly exciting and enriching for all students. The principal activities of the ISG are as follows. Research The ISG conducts research in areas such as the design and evaluation of cryptographic algorithms and protocols (actively contributing to the international standardisation process), smart cards, electronic commerce, security management, mobile telecommunications security, and the integration of security techniques into specific applications. As well as working with academic institutions around the world, the ISG plays a leading role in a number of United Kingdom and international collaborative research projects, supported by government research establishments, the European Union and industry. It will be one of the main partners in the European-wide Research Network Cryptography for Secure Digital Interaction to be launched in Postgraduate education The ISG runs a robust postgraduate research programme: over 70 students have successfully completed PhDs and many now hold influential positions in the security industry. About 25 per cent of our research students have had some form of industrial sponsorship. The MSc in Information Security is an interdisciplinary degree taught by the ISG and security experts from industry. Over 40 companies contribute to it. To date, students from almost 40 countries have successfully completed the MSc. Programme handbook

8 Consultancy Members of the ISG have consulted for over 50 companies worldwide and the ISG conducts specialised industrial training programmes. More details about all ISG activities can be found at: Why choose Royal Holloway? Royal Holloway is one of the six largest Colleges of the University of London. The ISG is one of the largest academic security groups in the world. The ISG regularly hosts international visitors and has close links to leading companies in the field. In 1998 the Department was awarded a Queen s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. This prize recognises and rewards the outstanding contribution that universities and colleges in the United Kingdom make to the intellectual, economic, cultural and social life of the nation. The prize citation was as follows: This pioneering Group provides a unique national resource for the training of information security specialists and the development of highly secure communications and computer systems. It offers world-leading independent expertise in a field of national importance where trust and integrity are paramount. Queen s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education Who is the programme aimed at? This programme is designed to introduce the technical, legal and commercial aspects of information security. It is intended as a foundation for, or as a consolidation of, a professional career in the field. It is also of interest to people intending to embark on postgraduate research in the subject. This programme is aimed at a wide range of people, from different backgrounds, with different experiences and skills. This is because information security is a topic that affects many people, in many types of organisation. It needs to be addressed and practised at many different levels. You may be surprised at the variety of experiences and interests that your fellow students bring to this programme. We anticipate that these will differ in two main areas: experience and background. Experience Some of you may already be information security professionals, and possibly already familiar with entire modules of this programme, but are hoping to obtain a better general perspective of the field and some professional recognition of your existing knowledge. Some students will have come across various aspects of information security on a past degree programme or as part of their employment, and are seeking to broaden their knowledge of this subject. Many will know very little about information security and are looking for a solid background in order to develop a new career. Background Some people will have a technical background in computer science, electrical engineering, informatics, mathematics or another science, and are seeking to specialise. Others will have a background in management, economics or business, and are seeking to understand the implications 4 Information Security

9 Learning objectives of the programme While each individual module has its own clear learning objectives, there are some general objectives that you should have achieved on completion of the programme. By the end of this programme you should be able to: demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the issues that need to be addressed when assessing the information security needs of an organisation identify potential sources of vulnerability within an information system and the possible implications of failing to counter them with adequate security controls and importance of information security to their field of expertise. Some students are new to higher education and have been accepted onto the programme on the basis of relevant work experience. This variety is one of the inherent strengths of this programme and you must make sure that you take advantage of it by listening to, learning from, and communicating effectively with the people that you meet on the programme. We will discuss more about how you can do this in Networking and academic support (see p.32). On completion of the degree you should be qualified to find employment as a security expert in both industry and commerce, and the need for such experts is likely to remain very high for the foreseeable future. Indeed, the need has continually increased for many years and shows no sign of slowing. choose appropriate countermeasures to information security threats and understand the likely implications of their adoption assess the relevance and impact of new developments in information security threats, technologies and controls recognise the many trade-offs and subjective issues that need to be addressed when implementing information security within an organisation. For the MSc degree only: investigate and write a dissertation on an area relating to information security. Who teaches the programme? The ISG is responsible for the preparation of study materials and the delivery of the programme. However, in order to provide you with as broad a perspective as possible, this programme has been put together with the assistance of many external experts from the information security industry. Indeed, some Programme handbook

10 of them are themselves alumni of the MSc in Information Security. You will encounter some of them as presenters of audio lectures, writers of selected units and possibly as tutors. Short biographies of some of the people involved in this programme can be found on the virtual learning environment (VLE). Each module will provide more details about who is involved in its development, delivery and support. Each module has a Module Leader appointed by the ISG, and a network of tutors to help you with your study. You can learn more about how to access their support in Networking and academic support on p.32. How is the programme taught? The study materials we provide are designed to be computer-based and are available online through the VLE. They are also supplied on USB memory sticks to enable you to work offline. These materials use simple, interactive methods to present information and are primarily intended to be viewed on screen. Some modules also have accompanying textbooks, and all have suggested links to further reading and internet resources. More information on study materials can be found in The programme tools and materials on p.23. Each module is also supported by a series of online seminars, designed to further enhance what you learn from the study materials. Details of how these seminars work and how best to benefit from them are provided in Networking and academic support. It is vital that you appreciate that, although the study materials are an important resource, they are by no means the only resource that you are expected to use on this programme. The study materials primarily provide you with an indication of the basic knowledge that we feel you need if you are to become an information security professional. You are expected to extend and enhance this through your own private reading and discussions with fellow students. How to study (see p.17) provides some suggestions on studying effectively. How is the programme assessed? All core and optional modules on the programme are assessed by unseen written examinations in May ( unseen means that you will not know what the questions are before you enter the examination room). The project for the MSc degree is assessed separately. All assessment is double-marked and conducted by Examiners and markers appointed by the ISG. See Assessment (see p.42) for more information. How is the programme evaluated? The Information Security programme offered through the University of London International Programmes mirrors those delivered on campus at Royal Holloway. The basic structure was widely discussed with more than 30 institutions, including United Kingdom government departments, large IT companies and financial organisations. This exercise has ensured that the overall structure of the programme remains stable. To ensure that the programme is completely up-to-date, most of the modules involve significant input from recognised industry security experts, information security professionals and academics, and the content is reviewed annually. Furthermore, all of our academic staff have links with external 6 Information Security

11 organisations that are involved with information security. We work hard to monitor the effectiveness of the distance learning programme. We will be using a number of evaluation methods to obtain feedback from you about your experience on the programme and would greatly appreciate your assistance in these exercises. How much time should you allow for study? Individuals inevitably differ as to how quickly they wish to complete the programme and in the expertise that they already have, so it is difficult to be precise about how many hours you will require for your study. For individual modules, a reasonable expectation for study and examination preparation would be around 200 hours. For the MSc degree, there is a minimum registration period of two years and a maximum registration period of five years. To complete in the minimum time, most students would need to study for approximately 25 hours per week during the academic session (September April). The maximum period can be extended, subject to approval by the Programme Director. We return to this question in Planning your studies on p.13. Joining the Royal Holloway Information Security community There are a number of ways in which you can enhance your involvement with the Royal Holloway Information Security community, both during and after your studies. Visiting Royal Holloway If you are coming to London then you are most welcome to visit the ISG. You can make an appointment to meet some of the programme organisers to discuss your progress. Note that it is not always possible to meet your module or seminar tutors, since many of them are not based at Royal Holloway itself, but it should be possible to meet a number of the members of the ISG. Visits and receptions in your country From time to time, representatives of the ISG may visit your country. Occasionally we organise receptions in selected venues (which may include Royal Holloway itself ) which give you the opportunity to meet other distance learning students, members of staff and alumni. Please look out for announcements of any such events on the VLE. No academic role is attached to these meetings so you will not be disadvantaged if you cannot attend, or if no such receptions are planned in your country. Summer School weekend Although not part of the official programme, the weekend Summer School in Information Security (held during September at Royal Holloway) is open to all students. It is a valuable opportunity to meet staff, other students and alumni, and to make contacts with many speakers from the industry. Information about the Summer School will appear on the VLE during the academic session and details of previous events, including slides and videos, are available at: informationforcurrentstudents/ distancelearning.aspx Programme handbook

12 How to contact us Director of Distance Learning Information Security Group Royal Holloway, University of London Egham Hill Egham Surrey TW20 0EX Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) ISDL Administrative and technical support The information given here is about how to get assistance with problems that are affecting your progress through the programme, but which do not relate to the study of information security directly. Academic queries If you have a query of an academic nature that cannot be answered by your tutors on the VLE, you may contact the Programme Director directly or via the Programme Administrator. Please note, however, that neither can give regular advice or tuition. Programme Administrator for Distance Learning MSc Information Security Group Royal Holloway, University of London Egham Hill Egham Surrey TW20 0EX Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) Skype: is-infosec.dl ISDL [email protected] Please do not use these support facilities for any queries that require detailed knowledge about the content of individual modules that you have already registered for. Please note that some administrative queries are dealt with by Royal Holloway and others are dealt with by the University of London International Programmes. The separation is as follows: Programme-specific administrative queries relating to your studies on the Information Security programme, such as the selection of modules, allocation of tutors, problems with study materials, etc. contact Royal Holloway. General administrative queries concerning issues such as examination entry, module registration or fees contact University of London International Programmes. 8 Information Security

13 Support from Royal Holloway The ISG at Royal Holloway has a dedicated administrator whom you can with general administrative queries relating to your studies on the programme. Your messages will be confidential. Such queries might concern dates of online seminars or examinations, personal problems affecting your studies (such as language difficulties), financial or social problems or advice on further modules of study, etc. We will aim to answer your query within one working day. Before you contact user support, please make sure that you have met the recommended PC hardware and software requirements, which are given in the Student guide. If you are having trouble logging in or accessing the VLE, you can contact the programme administrator during normal office hours, which are Monday to Friday GMT (or BST), except during English bank holidays and University closing days. Support from the International Programmes The University of London International Programmes look after all general administrative matters including admissions, registration, examinations, progression, fees, graduation and transcripts. All correspondence on these matters should be through the Ask a question tab in the Student Portal: More information about these matters, and how to contact the International Programmes, can be found in the Student guide. Technical user support If you are having trouble with technical issues, such as accessing any of the study materials or discussion areas in the VLE, you can use the message facility in the VLE to get user support. Please check first to see whether other students have had the same problem. Please note that the user support service is not there to teach you how to use or set up your computer, how to use software or to troubleshoot faults with your computer or internet service provider. Programme handbook

14 About online distance learning Advantages Convenience The primary advantage of distance learning is that it allows you to study from the location of your choice. You do not need to leave your home or your family in order to complete the programme. Distance learning allows you to plan your studies around your other life commitments. Pace You can study in your own time, at your own speed. Although there will be some timetables and deadlines in place (for example, for online seminars and examinations) in general you can plan exactly when you want to go through the study materials and do the further reading. Access to materials There are many ways in which online distance learning is different from traditional classroombased teaching, and it is important that you understand how it will work. Presumably you have already anticipated some of the advantages of distance learning, otherwise you would not have joined this programme! However, there are other advantages that it is useful to be aware of. There are also some disadvantages to distance learning. Having an awareness of these will help you to study more effectively. Most importantly, we will indicate where in this handbook you can get more information about overcoming these potential difficulties. Study materials are always available. If you study on campus and you miss a lecture, you may struggle to catch up or obtain a copy of the lecture notes. With an online programme you can access the materials over and over again. Confidence For many students, the process of online distance learning helps to develop confidence. Studies have also shown that students who may be shy about offering opinions in a traditional classroom often feel less reticent about expressing themselves in an online discussion. Monitor your progress easily The study materials have been designed to provide you with frequent opportunities to assess what you have learned. Many study units include elements of self-assessment which help you to monitor your understanding of the issues under discussion. 10 Information Security

15 Suits different types of learner The programme has been designed to give you the opportunity to learn about information security in a variety of different ways. Study materials use a combination of text and audio with some interactive activities. Online seminars and discussion areas provide you with the chance to discuss the content of the programme with fellow students and tutors. We hope that the use of different techniques means that people with different learning styles can all learn in the way that most suits them. Learning from your peers One particular advantage of online learning is that it encourages you to take the opportunity to learn from your fellow students all around the world. Your online discussions with each other take place in open environments where they remain for the duration of each course, so that you can always refer back to them for ideas and inspiration. Difficulties It would be unwise to underestimate the potential impact of problems that might occur during your studies. By making them clear to you now, we hope that you will be able to recognise them and consider how you might deal with any that may affect you. Technology One of the most obvious challenges for online learners is technology. Due to the nature of this programme, most of you are probably fairly familiar with using information technology. However, technology does not just cause problems to inexperienced users. You may encounter computer or network difficulties, or a slow or expensive internet connection may limit your access to materials. We have implemented various strategies to avoid or overcome these challenges. We have provided an Induction module so that you can familiarise yourself with the VLE before you start studying. We have specified a minimum set of technical specifications that you must accept when you enrol. We will provide the majority of study materials on a USB memory stick so that you do not have to remain connected to the internet in order to study. We provide technical support so that you can get help if you experience technical problems when accessing our website. Isolation The greatest challenge with distance learning is probably the potential for isolation and the lack of face-to-face interaction with staff and other students. We have therefore designed the programmes to offer plenty of opportunities for interaction with other people, via the VLE. It is your responsibility to use the tools and activities provided to reduce any sense of isolation you might begin to feel. We encourage you to take advantage of all opportunities to meet and work with the tutors and your peers online. Keeping motivated Any type of distance learning requires a high degree of self-motivation. It takes a lot of effort to study on your own and keeping your motivation high may be difficult over such a long period of time. It may help if you identify some short- and long-term goals to aim for during your study. Organisation Online distance learning is probably different from any other learning experience you have Programme handbook

16 had before. Unlike traditional campus-based programmes, which provide a rigid structure of lectures and seminars, distance learning only gives you fixed dates for online seminars and examinations. Nevertheless there is a weekby-week study schedule for each module, indicating which units you should ideally be studying and how much time you should spend on them. However, in order to fit study around your other commitments you will need to plan your own study timetable and decide how much you will study each week. It is best if you develop a steady commitment and apply self-discipline to create a habit of regular study. Mixed mode study You may be permitted to study one or more modules on campus at Royal Holloway, through mixed-mode study. While on campus, students may study a module by attending one day per week over a single term, or over a concentrated period of time (normally one week). Full details relating to the modules available for on-campus study and the method of application for mixed-mode study can be obtained from the Programme Director or from the website: The programmes online and on campus We continue to offer Information Security as a taught programme on campus at Royal Holloway. We regard the distance learning programme that you have enrolled on simply as a different way of teaching the same material. Indeed, all practical activities online have direct equivalents on the campus programme and in most cases the learning outcomes are identical. Is the quality of teaching the same? We believe very strongly that it is and, in fact, in some respects you gain significant advantages by studying online (see Advantages ). We develop the campus and distance learning programmes together, and keep their syllabuses as closely matched as possible. Royal Holloway and the University of London subject all programmes to rigorous and regular quality assessment to ensure that the same academic and teaching standards are maintained, whatever the mode of study. Distance learning teaching materials are regularly updated to help preserve a match with those on campus. The ISG s policy has always been that content will be updated for sound academic reasons, rather than for purely presentational ones a principle which is supported by our institutional partners in the security industry. Is the MSc degree qualification the same? It is the same syllabus, the same degree, taught by the ISG at Royal Holloway. The only difference is delivery. In our opinion, it is exactly the same. Upon completion you are awarded a University of London degree. The same degree is awarded to students attending Royal Holloway and to International Programmes students. The final diploma indicates that you were registered with the University of London and awarded a University of London degree. It also gives the name of the College which conducted the examinations. There is no reference to the fact that you studied as a distance learning student, except on the accompanying marks transcript. 12 Information Security

17 Planning your studies progress most effectively. You should consider the following aspects when planning your studies. Your progress through the programme It is possible to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in one year and the MSc degree in two years, but most students take three or four years. Table 3 on p.14 indicates the suggested routes through the programme on each of these timescales. The modules should take about 200 hours of study each, including additional reading, online seminars and examination preparation. The project is considered to be equivalent to three modules, so the entire MSc degree requires around 1,800 hours of study. The programme structure The programme is structured around a series of core and optional modules. They are listed in Tables 1 and 2 on p.14. The core modules are compulsory for all students. In addition to completing the four core modules, students should complete two optional modules (referred to later as your options ) and, for the MSc degree, a project. The academic session runs from the beginning of October to the end of April, and all modules are assessed by unseen written examinations in May. Pacing your studies During earlier phases of your education and possibly in your working life, you will have acquired your own style and method of studying. The distance learning format provides a lot of flexibility as to how you organise your study, and it is up to you to decide how to To give you an indication of how this translates into weekly study hours, we have proposed the following rough estimates of required study time. These are based on the assumption that most of you will choose to have a break from June to September, between each 35-week academic and examination session. At a fast pace you should expect to do about 900 hours of study each year, or about 25 hours per week for two years. At a standard pace you should expect to do an average of about hours per week for three years. At a moderate pace you should expect to do an average of about hours per week for four years. Both the standard and moderate paces have the advantage that you will complete the module examinations before progressing to the project stage. For this reason, you should be aware that the fast pace is really only recommended for those students who Programme handbook

18 can do their project at work, or who have sufficient flexibility to prepare for the options examinations at the same time as completing their project dissertation. Currently all modules run every year. The choice of options evolves slowly over time. However, if an option is to be closed, a substantial notice period will be given. No module is currently scheduled for closure. Pacing your modules You should be able to fit study around work and family commitments, but you must also make sure that you organise your studies within the constraints of the overall schedule of online seminars and examinations. A module normally features two or three online seminars during the academic session and it is important that you are prepared to contribute to and benefit from them. You should be aware of what you need to have studied before participating in a seminar activity. Information about seminars will be publicised on the Programme noticeboard on the VLE. Look out for announcements concerning dates, topics and requirements for online seminars after you have registered for a particular module. Table 4 (on p.15) gives a rough indication of the possible timing of support activities in any academic session. Note that exact scheduling is subject to change. Table 1 Core modules IYM001 IYM002 IYM003 IYM004 Security An introduction to Network security Computer security management cryptography and security mechanisms Table 2 Optional modules IYM005 IYM008 IYM009 IYM010 IYM012 IYM015 Secure Advanced Database Cybercrime Smart cards/ Digital electronic cryptography security tokens forensics commerce security and and other applications applications Table 3 2 years/fast 3 years/standard 4 years/moderate First year 4 core modules 3 core modules 2 core modules Second year 2 options & project 1 core & 2 options 2 core modules Third year n/a Project 2 options Fourth year n/a n/a Project 14 Information Security

19 Table 4 IYM001 IYM002 IYM003 IYM004 Option 1 Option 2 Project July Select Select Choose area of interest September Register Induction October to March Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Outline Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Submit progress report Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Seminar Submit final project April Revision Support Support Support Support Support Support May Examinations Completing the module units by the end of March will enable you to plan a revision schedule for the examinations. A certain amount of online support for examination preparation will be available in the period leading up to the examinations, so look out for announcements on the VLE about this. It is important that you make the best use of this opportunity. Just like the online seminars, it will require some preparation on your part. Rules of progression You are normally expected to complete the core modules before progressing to the optional modules. However, if you are studying at a standard pace you will proceed to the fourth core module at the same time as your two optional modules. If you are proceeding at a standard pace we recommend that you study the modules Security management, Introduction to Programme handbook

20 cryptography and security mechanisms and Network security in your first year. If you are proceeding at a moderate pace we recommend that you study the modules Security management and Introduction to cryptography and security mechanisms in your first year. The PSR states that students who first registered before 2014 must pass the core element by achieving an average of 50 per cent or more before proceeding to the project. Students first registering in 2014 or after must have attempted all four core modules, achieved at least 40% in all of them and failed no more than two of them. Failure to achieve this requirement could delay your progression to the following year of the programme. Reporting breaks of study If you are going to discontinue studying for a time you should inform the Programme Administrator and the Registration and Learning Resources Office at the International Programmes (please see the Student guide for how to contact them). You will need to tell them how long you intend to stop for and any particular problems (e.g. ill health) that have led to your decision. Even if you are taking a break, make sure to stick to the deadlines for handing in your assignments. Permission to submit your work late will be given only under exceptional circumstances. Do not wait until the deadline to let us know that there is a problem. 16 Information Security

21 How to study In this section you will find some useful advice about how to study effectively on this online distance learning programme. You can find more comprehensive advice in The Sciences Good Study Guide, which is included as part of your study pack. A number of studies on distance learning have shown that students who are well-motivated and organised are normally the most successful. If you follow the tips below, you should be able to organise your time and stay motivated. Know what is expected of you Please take great care to make sure that you are aware of what is expected of you throughout your studies. As a distance learning student you need to be particularly responsible for taking this initiative nobody is going to stand up in front of the class and remind you of an important regulation or announcement. You should: make sure that you have read and understood this handbook and the Student guide from cover to cover before you start studying make sure that you have read and understood the PSR. By doing so you should avoid a number of unnecessary problems, which can take time and effort to resolve and may distract you from your study make sure that you read the instructions for each module very carefully. Pay close attention to the learning objectives of each unit and try to complete as many of the exercises and tasks as you can pay close attention to announcements on the VLE. Make sure that you regularly check the discussion areas, whether relating to modules that you are studying or to the programme in general. Set study targets Staying motivated is one of the challenges of distance learning, so it might be a good idea to set yourself study targets. You must set your targets carefully or they may have quite the opposite effect to what you intend. You will need to work out what works best for you, but some suggestions for setting sensible study targets are as follows. Be specific for example, I will study from to every day (rather than I will study 14 hours a week ). Make them measurable for example, I will complete one unit, or I will attempt five exercises, or I will read three chapters of a book, etc. Be realistic you should make your targets challenging, but they should also be achievable targets that you know you can meet: for example, I will check the discussion board three times a week (not five times a day). Set deadlines for example, I will finish this essay by Saturday. Allow some extra time in your schedule time is always lost due to unexpected events, and you will also need to rest. By avoiding last minute scheduling you should be able to cope with such eventualities. Don t be afraid to downsize. Many students have unexpected family or work commitments or suffer illness. If you find that you cannot successfully complete as many modules as you had hoped in one year, drop the one that you are farthest behind in. There is no penalty for not taking the examination in a given module. Programme handbook

22 Find time to study The flexible structure of the programme lets you study at your own pace. Although this offers you a lot of freedom, you may find that you work most effectively if you develop a personal study schedule that fits well with your other daily activities and commitments. Though it may seem rigid, establishing a weekly calendar to guide you through the programme and help you to use your time efficiently may prove to be very helpful. This will provide you with an idea of what you want to cover in a given period of time. It is a good idea to vary your work pattern from time to time, and to make changes to your activities in order to reduce the effects of tiredness from long sessions in front of a computer or a book. Remember to pay attention to when online seminars or online support sessions are running. It may be important that you have reached certain parts of a module at a particular time in order to benefit most from these activities. Be sure to allocate enough time for study, and let your friends and family know that you need a regular period of concentrated work. However, do make sure that you still have time for family, friends and recreation. Find a place to study Many students find that their place of study can be as important as their timetable. Everybody is different when it comes to how and where they study. Some people can study with background music on while others prefer silence; some people can read on a train while others need to be in a library. The important thing is that you find a place where you can study without being distracted. Once you have decided where you are going to study, make sure that other people know that you will be studying there and that you prefer not to be disturbed for a specified time. Discussing this practical aspect of studying with the people around you (at work or at home) can prevent them seeing it as a problem later on. Remember that although many of the activities need to be done on a computer, there are also many study activities that can be (and often are better) done elsewhere. Reading printed notes and background texts, writing exercises, and conducting projects are all examples of this. If you are going to study away from your home or workplace, remember to take all the materials and texts that you will need. Although routine can provide a great deal of support to your studies, if you are having difficulties you may find that the stimulus of a different location can trigger new ideas. You might find that a visit to a library can create a sense of academic involvement, or that using a different room in the house can relax you and aid concentration. Get involved Another extremely important way of staying motivated is to get involved with other people. While some people are happy studying on their own, most people thrive on social contact, and there is no doubt that the quality of your learning will be greatly enhanced by engagement with other people working in information security at any level. The most important way in which you can communicate with other information security people is to get involved in the online activities on the programme. Make sure that you participate in online seminars, follow the discussion areas, set up study groups, make contact with other students and share your experiences. 18 Information Security

23 Some of you may be fortunate enough to be able to pursue other social learning activities, even if only on an occasional basis, for example: If you discover that other students live close to you, you might consider arranging to meet up with them from time to time, to discuss aspects of the programme. If you are currently employed (or were previously employed) in the information security industry, you may be able to discuss issues arising from your study with your colleagues. Seeing how topics covered in the programme have relevance in the workplace can be highly motivating. If you are currently employed outside the industry, it may still be a useful exercise to try to apply the knowledge you have gained from your studies to your place of work and to discuss some of the implications that you feel might be relevant to your colleagues. If you have plans to visit London at some stage of your studies, then you might want to visit the Royal Holloway campus and talk to people in the ISG. Develop a flexible study strategy An advantage of distance learning is that it allows you to adopt a range of different study strategies, for example: When starting a module it is a useful practice to skim through the material to get a sense of what is already familiar to you and what each topic is about. You may then return to the beginning and work through the topics in the suggested order. This way you can plan your studies to spend less time on subjects that you are confident about and take longer to work through topics that are new and challenging. Studying is an iterative process: you will find that the material contains plenty of cross-references between different topics, exercises and further reading. You may prefer to read through the basic study materials first and then return to do the extra activities, but alternatively you could do the extra activities as you go along. You may find that a useful strategy is to read through a topic once, then do the exercises and further reading, and then return to the study materials again in the light of your more developed understanding of the issues concerned. With most modules it is a good idea to start with the first unit and then work through all topics in numerical order. Most of the modules have been written so that each topic builds on the knowledge and skills you will have gained in the previous ones. However, you may find that with some modules you can dip in and out, depending on your preferences and knowledge. Each module introduction will advise on how best to approach the materials concerned. Another good strategy while studying is to take written notes and to summarise your reading. This will help you recall the main points of material that you have already covered, and will be useful for revision. Organise your notes into files (written or electronic) so that you can easily find and use them whenever necessary. If you are primarily working electronically, make sure that you back up all important information! Programme handbook

24 Adapt to different teaching styles You may notice that different modules, and even different topics within one module, present the study materials in different ways. For example, in some modules you will find that you are asked to do a lot of task-based learning, whereas in others you may be doing more passive reading. Many different writers and presenters have contributed to this programme and they all have specific views of their subject and how it should be taught. We aim to give the study materials a consistent look and feel, but we have deliberately allowed the personal style of the writers and presenters to remain. Your tutors will also have different methods of running their online seminars in some cases you will have a straightforward discussion of themes from your readings; in others you may be asked to present a particular argument or a piece of writing that you have done. As with face-to-face teaching, you will need to allow yourself some time to adapt to these variations in style and technique. Deal with overlap and inconsistency You will find that the content of many of the modules will overlap in some areas. This is both inevitable (since it is impossible to completely separate out topics relating to information security) and desirable. It is extremely useful to see how people address the same topic from different perspectives, as this enhances your understanding and provides valuable context. You may also discover that different people may make comments about topics that are inconsistent with each other. There are three situations in which this may occur. The most likely situation is that the issue under discussion is a subjective one, and the two presenters have differing views. One of the most important things that you will learn on this programme is that information security is as much an art as it is a science. In many situations there is no single correct approach, and it is a learning objective of this programme that you recognise in which situations different opinions can arise, so that you can develop the skills to make your own informed judgement about the issues concerned. The two comments are made within different contexts or under different assumptions. If a point of confusion arises as a result of this, we would like to hear from you so that we can address it. One of the comments is factually incorrect. This could occur when one presenter is making a passing remark about an issue off the main topic of the unit. We try to eliminate any such inconsistencies, and would greatly appreciate hearing from you if there are any errors in the study material. Sometimes you might come across examples, references, or other material which you think is a bit dated. We aim to keep everything up-to-date, and the principles of information security are still the same despite advances in technology. In many cases older security incidents are more instructive because time has revealed much more detail about, and insight into, their causes, effects and remedies. Do further reading It is very important that you read as widely as you can in order to broaden your perspective and enhance your understanding. The subjectivity and complexity of information 20 Information Security

25 security requires that you expose yourself to as many different opinions and approaches as you have the time to explore. Some modules incorporate further reading that you either must read, or are strongly advised to. You should do this as advised on the module concerned. All modules will list a number of useful resource texts that you are recommended to explore at your leisure. Reading them will be helpful, but it may be difficult for you to read all of them extensively within a tight timeframe. The best advice here is to apply common sense. Extra reading will be stimulating, but make sure you don t lose sight of what is expected. Be selective. Remember that it may not be necessary to read a textbook from cover to cover it may suffice to read the chapters that deal with topics that you particularly wish to learn more about. Accessing further reading texts may be difficult. To alleviate this, the University provides all students with access to the Online Library (read more about accessing the Online Library in the Student guide). Even if you have access to a library, it may not contain all the books on the book lists. In this case your only option may be to purchase some of the texts in question. If you are on a tight budget you should be selective about which books to buy. Here are some suggestions on book purchasing. Pay close attention to the advice given regarding the appropriateness of a text. Consider your own personal interests. Particularly consider purchasing a text that is likely to be useful on more than one of your modules. Read book reviews and consult other students and tutors on the programme regarding particular books. Consider sharing books with other students who live close to you. Remember that while buying books can appear to be quite expensive, it is a useful investment. Some books may prove useful to you in your professional career. Careful purchasing of relevant texts is a very small percentage of the overall cost of doing your degree, and an even smaller percentage of the salary of a job that you could obtain after graduation. Secondhand books are usually easy to obtain over the internet, but it is worth checking first what updates have been made if you are considering purchasing an older edition of a book. Use the internet Information security is a rapidly evolving subject and there is no doubt that the most important resource that you will need on this programme is access to the internet. The very nature of information security as an IT discipline means that almost all relevant organisations have extremely good websites and that almost all significant topics and technologies are extensively referenced online. Conducting sensible searches for information security topics is likely to give you a very productive list of resources. However, it cannot be overstated that you really must take care to evaluate any information that you obtain over the internet, as it contains a huge amount of unreliable and erroneous information. You must learn to be selective and use your judgement in processing information obtained in this way. Much of this is common sense, but here are a number of tips on how to use internet resources wisely. Trust the information you find as much as you trust the source writer or organisation. If you have no knowledge about the Programme handbook

26 source you should treat the quality of the information with caution. Websites recommended in module resources or by module tutors are more likely to have been checked for quality of content. The same will apply to sites recommended by reliable web portals or respectable organisations. Websites recommended by fellow students are only as reliable as the student who has recommended them. You will soon know which students you particularly trust for such information. Never rely on just one website for information. Read as much as you can about a subject, and base your confidence in the information that you find on the consensus that emerges from different sources from different sectors. Note that a statement expressed repeatedly on different sites is not necessarily true: it is very common for websites to obtain information from one another without verifying it. With careful reading you should be able to notice this happening and take it into account. Where possible, always try to corroborate information you find on the internet with a more traditional source, such as books or published journals or articles. While these are not necessarily flawless themselves, in most cases they will have been reviewed more carefully than websites. The same may apply to some white papers that are available for download on the internet, although again you must pay close attention to the reputation of the source. If you need further advice on how to search the internet intelligently and how to decide what to trust, there are guides available, for example at: 22 Information Security

27 The programme tools and materials Here we will introduce you to the various tools and materials that we provide to you. We will explain what your study pack contains, the basic features of the VLE and the structure and format of the computer-based study materials. What to expect and when Please make sure that you have received the materials listed below and that you take the time to examine their contents. Programme handbook The handbook that you are now reading gives practical advice on how to study, how to solve problems and where to go for advice and help. You will also find information on how to access and use the VLE and how you progress through the programme. Student guide to the International Programmes The Student guide is available on the International Programmes website and is a very useful source of information about practical aspects of your programme, such as how to access the Online Library or enter for examinations. PSR The PSR contains the rules by which your programme is run (see p.1). You should read this document carefully. Project Guide (MSc only) This is an excellent resource to guide you through the Project stage of the programme. You will be sent this guide when you complete your core studies. It can also be downloaded from the Project area within the VLE. The Sciences Good Study Guide We have provided each student with a copy of The Sciences Good Study Guide (SGSG). This guide is specially designed by The Open University for students studying by distance learning and gives very valuable tips on studying on your own and getting the most from your programme. It is especially useful for people who have been away from formal study for some time or who are not familiar with the British system of academic education. You can use it as an introductory workbook or as a reference whenever you want to refine your learning techniques. It will help you to develop study strategies which suit your needs. We strongly recommend that you look through the SGSG and familiarise yourself with its contents so that you know what it contains and can go back to it when the occasion arises. The SGSG has a lot of useful tips for successful study use it. Textbooks If you have registered for any modules that involve compulsory reading, then the relevant textbooks will have been included in your study pack. Please read the introduction to any modules that you have registered for in order to make sure that you have received the correct textbooks. USB sticks You should have received USB memory sticks containing the study material for the modules that you have registered for. This will allow you to study without connecting to the internet. Password and username These enable you to log in to the VLE. Please keep a record of this information in a safe place. If you forget your password but know your username, use the International Programmes Student Portal to reset your password (read more about the Portal in the Student guide). If you forget your username, please contact us via our web form: Programme handbook

28 The virtual learning environment The virtual learning environment (VLE) is like a virtual classroom that the University uses to deliver the programme via the internet. It has everything you need to study and to help you manage your learning. The VLE will allow you to: access your course materials take part in discussions with your tutor and other students receive notices, seminar dates, project support and other programme-related information ask questions regarding the administration of the programme The Online Library As we have already mentioned, reading widely is very important on the Information Security programme, but getting to a library with sufficient resources may be difficult. The first place to go to access library resources remotely is the University of London s Online Library, which has a homepage dedicated to Information Security students to enable you to access the most relevant resources quickly. Read the Student guide to find out more about how to use it and what kinds of resources it can offer, or go straight to the Information Security gateway at: php?group=info seek help for technical problems that you encounter. There is a range of other tools available within the VLE, such as a calendar and your own personal profile. The VLE user guide explains how to get started using the VLE and how to explore its functionality. This guide can be found on the Portal homepage: You should not normally need to install any software in order to work online you just need to connect to the Portal via the internet. In order to work offline you simply use or copy the USB stick. 24 Information Security

29 Structure of the study materials In the PSR, the MSc degree is described as having three elements. They are the Core element, the Options element and the Project element. The Postgraduate Diploma consists of the Core element and the Options element. These elements form the basis of your module choices and progression through the programme. Modules The Information Security programme is made up of a number of modules. The Core element comprises four modules, which are compulsory. You must also choose two modules from a list of options, which make up the Options element. You can see all the module choices on p.14. Each module is a collection of units on separate topics that are related by a common theme. They come in different forms; some are more technical, others are more discursive. Some are more theoretical, others are based on case studies or applications. The programme structure and the assessment criteria have been carefully designed to ensure that you study an appropriate range of modules and acquire a broad range of skills. Modules have a number of common properties, relating to their delivery mode and how they are assessed. Each module will be available online from late September to the end of May over a period of 35 weeks and will have its own online seminar activities. Modules are normally examined in the last three weeks of May. It is important to understand the structure of a module. The diagram on p.26 indicates how modules are structured, and the following sections describe each of the components of a module. Units Each module is divided into a number of units. The material presented within a unit roughly corresponds to three hours worth of lectures if you were studying on campus. Since campus modules tend to have around 33 hours of lectures, this means that every distance learning module has approximately 11 units. However, this does not mean that you are only expected to spend three hours on each unit! Studying distance learning material is a quite different experience to sitting in a lecture. In fact, it can be a much more rewarding one. The time you spend studying a unit will very much depend on how closely you engage with the material. Take your time, and develop a system that works best for you. Each unit contains much more than just the contents of the lecture. It also contains tasks, exercises and opportunities for further reading. These are all activities that campus students tend to perform outside the lecture. You should therefore plan to spend considerably more than three hours studying each unit. Don t forget that you will also need time to prepare for the examination. On some modules you will see that a unit has been given a weight. This is because we have chosen to base distance learning units around specific topics. Thus, when the material on a specific topic does not contain sufficient material to merit the status of a full unit (weight 1.0), we have made it a half unit (weight 0.5). On some modules you may even find unit weights of 1.5 or 2.0. When you are planning your study you should note the weight assigned to a given unit and allocate your time accordingly. Programme handbook

30 Module Unit/Audio unit Unit/Audio unit Unit/Audio unit Unit/Audio unit Welcome unit Module units Supporting units Section Section Section Online seminars Module discussion area Section introduction Screens Excercises Tasks Summary Quiz There are two types of unit on this programme: A normal unit is a unit that is based primarily on text. An audio unit is a presentation (typically in PowerPoint) accompanied by an audio commentary. We have most commonly used audio units when the speaker is external to Royal Holloway and is recognised as an outstanding expert in their field. Some audio units also contain video of the speaker. Sections Most units are broken into sections. They represent the self-contained topics that are discussed within a unit. There are typically between three and ten sections in any unit. The length may vary and you are not necessarily expected to spend equal amounts of time on each one they are simply a way of structuring the study material. What does a module contain? A module is effectively a package that consists of a number of components. Most modules feature the following: Welcome unit An introductory unit that explains how the module is structured and provides special instructions that you need to be aware of before starting to study. Module units The main part of the content is provided by a set of around 10 normal or audio units. Supporting units Some modules feature special supporting units with supplementary information that you might need in order to understand parts of the module content. For example, the Introduction to cryptography and security mechanisms module includes a mathematics unit that provides basic notation and an explanation 26 Information Security

31 of some of the mathematical ideas that are required. Online seminars These are tutor-led discussions that are held at specific times via the VLE. These seminars are not assessed. However, familiarity with the content of seminars may be required for the examination. Module discussion area This is dedicated to the module and is made available via the VLE. What does a normal unit contain? A normal unit consists primarily of screens of text, but there are at least two ways in which it is a much richer experience than reading printed matter. 1. It is presented in a number of different formats that provide more variety and encourage closer, more active engagement with the material. 2. It is supported by audio, interactive images, links and tasks. Note that it is possible to print off the majority of the text in a unit and study it in a more conventional way. There are some limitations to this approach: it has been written specifically for viewing on-screen, so you will lose some value, and sections containing audio clips or flash animation may not have text equivalents. We recommend that you study the materials on screen at least once before using text equivalents. The majority of normal units feature most of the following components, but you may find that in some units not all of them appear. Unit introduction The unit introduction sets the unit in context within the rest of the module. It contains a high-level overview of the contents of the unit, and may contain special study instructions. It also lists the main learning outcomes that you are expected to achieve as a result of studying the unit. It features a section menu to allow you to link directly to the start of each section. Section introduction This is normally the first screen. It contains a short, high-level overview of the section and may contain some preliminary activities that you should perform before starting the section. It also contains a list of the titles of the main screens within that section. Screen A screen is a basic page of text. In most cases a screen is dedicated to a very specific topic within the section, and the screen title will indicate what this is. It may also contain exercises and tasks. Exercise Exercises are optional activities that enable you to explore the unit topics a bit further. There are four different types (although some feature elements of more than one): 1. Reflective exercises, where you are asked to look back at the unit and collate material or summarise arguments. 2. Discursive exercises, where you are asked to consider issues that were raised in the unit and provide your opinion or thoughts on them. 3. Investigative exercises, where you are asked to explore a topic further and seek out more information about it. Programme handbook

32 4. Practical exercises, where you are asked to conduct a particular activity. You may choose to do these exercises alone, or in groups. Due to the fact that many of them involve open questions, you may find that solutions are not always provided. See individual modules for advice on how best to obtain feedback on your exercises. In some units, exercises are distributed among the screens, while in others they are listed at the end of the unit. While it may be appropriate to conduct the exercises as you encounter them, in other cases you may wish to return to them later. The choice is yours. Task In contrast to an exercise, a task is an activity that you are expected to perform before proceeding with the rest of the material. Normally a task specifies exactly what you are expected to do. You should take as long as you need to complete a task. Please apply common sense to this. Some tasks have very obvious outcomes, and it should be fairly clear how much time is needed to complete them. Other tasks are quite open-ended. In the latter case, the maxim of the more you put in, the more you take out will normally apply. Some tasks have no answer provided. Other tasks are accompanied by prompts that direct you to a screen where possible solutions are discussed. To make the most of this you should not visit the answer screen until you have finished the task. Summary This is an important screen that brings the discussion in the unit to a close and emphasises the main points that you should have taken from the material in the unit. Quiz Many units have a short quiz associated with them, to allow you to assess how much of the unit you have understood. A quiz normally consists of up to 10 multiple-choice questions concerning issues raised by the unit. The quiz questions are just a tiny sample of some of the issues that you should have understood, and are not an attempt to cover all of the main points. After you have selected your answers, you will receive automated feedback on 28 Information Security

33 whether they are correct. This includes a short discussion of the various options that you were asked to choose between. You should not attempt the quiz until you feel that you are ready to move on to the next unit. You do not need to attain any particular score in the quiz to progress, so do not take your score too seriously. In some cases you might even dispute the answer, or have some arguments as to why other options are possible. This is fine, as long as you are confident that you can argue your case! However, you should judge your understanding of the unit on the basis of how easy you found the questions, and on how satisfied you were with the arguments in the answer. If you found answering the questions very difficult and do not understand the answers, then maybe you have not mastered the content of the unit. What does an audio unit contain? An audio unit is built around a two- to three-hour recording of a live campus presentation. There are many ways in which this experience can be even more rewarding than if you had been there. An audio unit provides a considerable amount of extra support material that helps to place the presentation in context and indicates opportunities for further study. It can be quite easy to lose track of the structure of a live presentation an audio unit imposes structure by breaking the presentation into meaningful sections. Each audio unit contains information that helps you to look out for issues in advance of them being discussed during the presentation as the presentation has already happened, you can benefit from hindsight. The presentation within each audio unit has been carefully edited to streamline the information and to remove the breaks and delays that inevitably occur when a presentation is given to a large campus audience. The greatest benefit of all is that you can listen to the presentation at your own pace. You can stop it, replay sections, take a break, etc. You may find that live presentations are never quite the same again! In response to student feedback, we have included the following to enhance the audio lectures further. For each audio unit we also provide a PDF of the slides used in the lecture, so that you can access them more conveniently offline or for revision purposes. For the same reasons you will also be provided with the full audio content of the unit in a single file on a USB stick. Audio units include some of the same features as normal units. In particular, they normally include unit introductions, section introductions, exercises and a quiz. There are, however, some features that are unique to audio units. Meet the speaker Each audio unit commences with a short biography of the presenter. When the presenters are external to Royal Holloway, we will normally also include some information about the organisation that they represented at the time. Issues to look out for The main content of an audio unit is the presentation. This is divided into sections, just like a normal unit, and each section starts with a guide that includes a number of issues to look Programme handbook

34 out for. These are not intended to be difficult questions that you will have to work hard to answer. Rather, they are questions that will be addressed during the slides in that section. Their sole purpose is to help you extract some of the important lessons from the audio. Questions from the audience Perhaps the only disadvantage of watching a pre-recorded presentation is that you do not have the opportunity to question the presenter. Where possible, we have included some of the best questions (and answers) from the live audience. In addition, we try to provide as many opportunities as possible for you to raise your own questions from these presentations, and in some cases we may be able to direct them to the presenters involved (see individual modules for more information about how best to do this). How is information presented within a screen? Please read the following information carefully, as this will help you to make the most of the study materials by explaining how information is presented and what some of the icons mean. Note that this list is not intended to be exhaustive, and also that many modules will not feature all of these ways of presenting information. Text reveal box In a text reveal box you will see a list of topics in boxes on the left and a large blank box on the right. When you select the topic on the left, information relating to it will appear in the box on the right. The purpose of this is to present relatively large amounts of information in a compact and structured way. Reveal table In a reveal table you will see a table with some missing entries. By following the instructions you will gradually be able to complete the missing table entries in a sequential way. Question and answer A question and answer session is indicated by a box featuring one or more questions. When you select the question, the answer will appear in the box below. Questions that are posed in this way are meant to be questions that you pause and think about before looking at the answer. To get the most from them you should not reveal the answer until you have had time to think about the question. Figure A figure is a diagram. Figures are presented in many different ways on different units. Some figures are static, some are labelled, and others are animated (in which case you will be provided with a prompt that explains how to activate the animation). Detailed figures may include an option to enlarge them or to see further information. Prompt A prompt consists of a couple of sentences appearing in bold that invite you to perform a specific action (opening a window or visiting a resource, for example). Read This indicates a source (in most cases part of a book, but sometimes an article) to read on a particular topic. You are recommended to read this source unless it is clearly marked as an optional activity. Read more A Read more instruction links you to more material on the current topic. By selecting this 30 Information Security

35 link you will normally find that a new screen opens in a separate browser tab. It is important to follow Read more instructions they are not optional. The Read more links are presented in this way to enhance the presentation and structure of the information appearing on the main screen. Examples In cases where the task is quite difficult, your module leader may provide an example or possible answer so that you can get a clear understanding of what is expected before you attempt the task. In such cases you will see a See example or Possible answer button. Simply select this and an example will appear in a new window. Text equivalent The text equivalent button will link to a text equivalent of a Flash animation. Using the study materials Each unit can be thought of as a guide that directs you through an amount of module content. At various stages, the text unit will suggest that you stop reading and conduct some other activities, such as reading another source book, listening to an audio clip or performing a specific task. Exactly how you choose to use this material, and how much time you spend conducting activities, is really up to you. As mentioned before, we strongly advise you to view the material at least once on screen. You may then choose to print off the slides and use the single audio file, or you may choose just to take your own notes as you proceed through each unit. Viewing on screen will probably also be useful for revision purposes, especially when material can be gradually revealed, allowing you to test your comprehension of the topics covered. If you discover any errors in the study materials we would be very pleased to hear from you. Programme handbook

36 Networking and academic support Covering missed issues. Discussing study material with others often brings to light issues and subtleties that you might not have picked up on when studying on your own. Seeing the big picture. Comparing the views of other people, especially on subjective issues, helps you to get a better understanding of all the complexities of a subject and the different opinions about it. There will be times when you will want someone to talk to about the content of the programme. In fact, we strongly suggest that you make a conscious effort to try to talk to as many people as you can about it. To a large extent, the quality of your experience on the programme will depend on the amount of contact that you have with other students and tutors. We will do what we can to help you in this respect, but it will be primarily up to you to take advantage of what is available. In this section, we look at how you can most effectively use the available resources to get help with understanding information security and related programme content. Obtaining academic support While you may choose to study this programme entirely on your own, there are many reasons why it is a good idea to try to communicate with other students as often as you can. Benefiting from experience. In an area like information security, there is no substitute for having experience in the field. You may have no such experience, or only have experience in a limited area. Interacting with others allows you to learn from people who have valuable experience in other areas. Others may also be grateful to share your own experience in topics that you are familiar with. Joining a community. Interacting with other people and sharing information is normally a very positive experience that allows you to become part of an online community. In this way, you will meet likeminded, interesting people who can help you to overcome isolation. In many cases it will lead to the establishment of friendships and contacts who may be beneficial to you both during and after your studies. We now look at each of the different ways in which you can engage in online networking and communication on this programme. These are: online seminars module tutors module discussion areas peer-to-peer support Student Cafe. 32 Information Security

37 When using these, please make sure that you follow good online communication practice. There is some general netiquette guidance in the Student guide, so we recommend that you read it. For Information Security in particular you should also take the following into account. Language Note that you should make all posts to discussion areas and the Student Cafe in English. If you wish to communicate with a fellow student in another language then we request that you conduct such a discussion privately by . Name You should include your name at the end of any communication. Some packages automatically add a signature file (some text that is always added to the end of the message). If you use this facility, keep your signature file short: about four lines are considered appropriate. Attachments It is possible to include attachments in most forms of online communication (this includes postings to discussion areas). During online seminars your tutor may ask you to post answers to tasks. Please only attach files that have been created in widely used applications otherwise your tutor and peers may not be able to read them. You might find it useful to install CutePDF Writer on your computer. This free software enables you to convert documents into PDF files. Viruses You have registered for a programme about information security so do we have to say anything more about viruses? Please take care to use basic virus hygiene controls on your computer, and check attachments and anything you download for viruses. If you think you ve got a virus, then try to find out if you got it from an attachment or program, and warn the person who sent it to you. Do not assume that everyone you have sent to has caught the virus. Remember that it would be very embarrassing if you were the source of a computer virus on any courseware. Make sure that it does not happen! Think twice While we want to encourage you to use discussion areas and post to online seminars as much as possible, don t be too hasty always check what you have written before posting a message. Make sure that your contribution is relevant and on-topic. For example, try to avoid the classic post I agree, and adopt a more informative I agree because. Online seminars Online seminars are regular, formal discussions that will be moderated by a tutor. The discussions are asynchronous, which means that they are not live events so you don t have to be online at the same time as the other participants. You contribute to the discussion at a time that suits you. We strongly recommend that you check discussions regularly over the scheduled seminar period (preferably at least once a day) to read messages from other participants and follow the development of the discussion. The use of online seminars varies between modules, but as a general rule you will be expected to participate in either two or four online seminars for every module that you study. The online seminars will take place on set dates and will last for a set amount of Programme handbook

38 time (typically days). You will receive schedules for the online seminars when you register for a particular module. You will be given detailed instructions about each seminar before you join it. Your tutors will pick out some key themes or skills that they wish to discuss with you and you will be expected both to prepare for and to participate in the discussions. Please note that your tutors have chosen each seminar topic for a reason: it may be crucial to your understanding of a particular topic and will generally involve exploring an examinable issue that is not covered in detail in the study materials. Your tutor s role is to facilitate the online seminars and make sure that you get the maximum benefit from them. This means that they will work with you to help you to reach the right conclusions, but they will not simply give you the answers to the questions that are posed. Why do we have online seminars? Online seminars are a key part of the programme and are an alternative to a tutorial session on campus. The amount that you can learn from participating in them should not be underestimated. They are designed to build on and reinforce the themes that you are reading about, and to make you reflect on and analyse the study materials. They provide you with an opportunity to check that you have understood the theories and concepts you are studying. When you don t understand, your tutor can provide you with feedback and explanations that can help you. Online seminars provide an organised opportunity for you to learn from your fellow students. They give you the chance to discuss and explore some of the key themes from each module with a range of people that have different backgrounds, knowledge and perspectives. We hope that by participating in the seminars on your very first module, you will have the confidence and experience to gain maximum benefit from online activities throughout the remainder of the programme. Why are they timetabled? Setting dates is necessary in order to guarantee that students will be addressing the same issue at the same time, and that a tutor will be present to guide the discussion for the duration of the seminar. Online seminars normally run for a day period, thus allowing sufficient time for you to contribute when it suits you best, but over a short enough time that the discussion remains focused and dynamic. If you cannot participate in an online seminar for any reason, don t worry: it will remain accessible for you to read when you are next able to return to your studies. If you wish to continue discussions beyond the end of an online seminar, or run your own discussions outside the seminar period, you may do so. The only difference is that such discussions are not formally part of the programme, and that they may not receive such close attention from a tutor. You are, however, strongly encouraged to use online seminars as a model for your own peer-to-peer discussions (see the following sections on learning from your peers). How do I make the most of online seminars? To put it simply, you can make the most of the seminars by preparing and participating to the best of your ability. Do not be afraid to put forward your thoughts and opinions this 34 Information Security

39 is an opportunity for you to learn and to get feedback on your ideas. You are not expected to have all the answers, but you are expected to take online seminars seriously. Please make sure that you understand the technical operation of the discussion areas within the VLE and that you follow good online communication practice when posting messages. Do I have to participate? In general you do not have to participate in online seminars. They are held to help you and to enhance your understanding of the programme. After all, you do not have to read all the study materials, or read all the resources, or ask any questions of your tutor. It would be foolish, however, not to make use of these resources, and online seminars are no exception. Note that all students can access online seminars, but some students do not participate. The maxim the more you put in, the more you get out is particularly true here. By participating (posting messages) in an online seminar, you can enrich the discussion, have your own ideas commented on by others and direct discussions onto issues that you are particularly interested in. By far the most important reason to participate is that you will definitely gain a better understanding of the topic than if you remain a quiet observer of the discussion. How are they supported? When you register for each module, you will be allocated to a group with its own seminar tutor. Seminar discussions will remain private to each group until the seminar expires, at which point they will be made public and hence readable by all students taking the module. It is quite likely that you will have a different seminar tutor for each module that you register for. Note that the role of seminar tutor is different from that of module tutor. The role of your seminar tutor is to guide and moderate your online seminars during the support period for that module. You should consider them to be the leader of the discussion that takes place during the online seminar. This means that they will be reading your posts and directing and commenting on the activities within the seminars. They are not able to help you with more general programme queries those should be directed to the support office. You should interact with your seminar tutor only: during the support period of an online seminar concerning the topic under discussion through the seminar itself. On the other hand, please do not: ask your seminar tutor questions that have nothing to do with the seminar topic these should be directed to the module discussion area (or occasionally to the module tutor see the next section) your seminar tutor directly ask your seminar tutor for administrative or technical support ask your seminar tutor questions relating to other modules, unless they are of direct relevance to the issues under discussion in the online seminar. Use the support facilities for those modules to have such questions addressed. Module tutors Each module is supported by one or more module tutors. They will support the module from the start of the session to the time of your examination (including when seminars are not running). Programme handbook

40 Module tutors will assist your study of the module in two different ways. 1. Monitoring the discussion area The most important role of module tutors is that they will be monitoring information posted to the module discussion area. This does not mean that they will post to it regularly, but they will try to answer specific questions that are posted there. We discuss the module discussion area shortly. 2. Answering academic questions By posting a question to the module discussion area, all students can benefit from the answer. Occasionally, you may also wish to ask your own private module-related questions, and to do this you should use the Ask a tutor function. You will be instructed on how to do this when you register for each module. You should: use this service selectively please use the module discussion area in the first instance restrict questions to those concerning module-specific content only. On the other hand, please do not: ask the module tutor administrative and technical support questions ask questions relating to other modules. Questions will normally be answered within five working days of receipt by the module tutor. Module discussion areas Each module has its own module discussion area, which is dedicated to that module and open to all students who have registered for it. They are intended for academic, topic-related discussions. Although staff will not be leading any discussions here, the module discussion areas are monitored, which means that tutors will be checking regularly to ensure that posted information is correct and that discussion board protocols are being observed. They may also post messages if they feel that discussions require input from them. Module discussion areas provide you with an opportunity to discuss your ideas and thoughts with your peers in a relaxed environment. If you are having problems understanding a particular point, you can use this forum to ask your peers for help, just as you might ask fellow students on campus. The module discussion area is part of your campus. You should feel free to post module-related information or questions to the module discussion area. It is preferable to do this rather than each other because a greater number of people will benefit from, and be able to contribute to, the discussion. 36 Information Security

41 You can also use these areas to post answers to exercises for feedback from fellow students and tutors. It can also be used to share information such as useful links related to module content. Your peers may not always be able to post replies immediately, so remember to check the board regularly. As with online seminars, please make sure that you understand the technical operation of the discussion areas within the VLE and that you follow good online communication practice when posting messages. Summary of moderated support If you have an academic query, the following steps should apply. 1. Post your query to the relevant module discussion area (e.g. unit or seminar area). 2. If (1) does not produce a satisfactory response, post your query to Ask a tutor. 3. If (2) does not produce a satisfactory response, the query direct to the Module Leader. 4. If (3) does not produce a satisfactory response, please contact the Programme Director. If your query is of an administrative nature, please contact the Programme Administrator or the relevant International Programmes department (read the Student guide for more information). Peer-to-peer support Although you are a distance learner, it is important to remember that you are part of a learning community, just as you would be if you were studying on campus. We encourage you to work with and support each other as much as possible. The material you will be studying and the VLE have both been designed to give you the opportunity to get to know your peers and to share ideas with them. It is your responsibility to take this opportunity and exploit it to your advantage. There are several ways in which you can use the programme s infrastructure to engage in learning activities with your peers, as follows. Discussion areas These should be your primary method of obtaining peer-to-peer support. You can share your questions, answers, thoughts and experiences relating to a module in this environment. You are, of course, free to establish your own relationships and communicate directly with your fellow students. We encourage you to have as many discussions as you can within the discussion areas, but we also recognise that there is considerable value in communicating in a more private way through the use of . In this way you can explore certain topics in smaller study groups. If you do use private communications or study groups to assist your learning, we encourage you to share the results of this by posting summaries or issues you encountered to the module discussion areas, so that they are accessible to others. Student Cafe As well as the module discussion areas, there is a general discussion area that you are welcome to use called the IS Student Cafe. It is not monitored by tutors. The IS Student Cafe can be used for activities such as: Programme handbook

42 holding general discussions that do not relate directly to any specific module on the programme sharing general resources concerning the programme discussing general distance learning study issues socialising with other students. Please try to avoid using the IS Student Cafe for module-specific discussions that would more appropriately be held on a module discussion area. Remember that, since the Cafe is not monitored by tutors, you should not expect tutors to respond to questions that may be posted there. There is also the general Student Cafe, which is open to all students (not just those studying Information Security), which is probably the closest thing to a Student Union on your distance learning campus! External support Wherever possible, you should take the chance to talk to others about what you are studying, whether they are working in information security or know little about it. Talking to all sorts of people and trying to explain some of the things that you have learned may help you to understand more about the new concepts and ideas that you have come across. Likewise, their feedback may clarify what you have not understood and help to develop your skills in making structured arguments. There are also other ways of extending your knowledge in your area of professional interest. You may, for example, consider joining a professional organisation to establish contacts or to receive newsletters and invitations to seminars, conferences and exhibitions. You could subscribe to relevant mailing lists and websites. You may also find it useful to have access to general journals (on management, information technology, etc.) which will keep you informed and up-to-date on background information that is useful for the study of information security. Look out for recommendations in module resources and from fellow students. Be both imaginative and selective in your choices. Your responsibility Any form of education requires the student to make a certain level of commitment in order to be successful. Online distance learning may be more flexible than an on-campus programme but it still requires you to take responsibility for your own learning. You must be committed and you should use the academic support tools at your disposal to their full potential so that you have a rich and positive learning experience. For example, failing to contribute to an online seminar is the equivalent of missing a lecture or tutorial and it will have an impact on your learning. You should also remember that your tutors are there to guide and facilitate your learning, not to do it for you. 38 Information Security

43 What to do if you get into difficulties stressed repeatedly throughout this handbook, the best way that you can avoid this problem is through positive engagement with fellow students and tutors on the programme, via the VLE. In the unlikely event that all your best efforts to do this have failed, then you should contact us for further advice. Your family doesn t understand Ideally your family and friends are behind you all the way and, in theory, they are very supportive. But small difficulties can quickly build up into genuine problems. The following is some advice on what to do if you encounter serious difficulties during your studies. The most important thing is to address problems early, to seek support if you need to, and not to panic! Most types of problem that you may encounter are not unique and many other students may have been faced with similar difficulties in the past. At the end of the chapter you will find information about advisers of studies. Their main role is to provide a single, personal point of contact for you to use if you find yourself in difficulties and need to discuss them with someone who has personal experience of the programme. You feel isolated Isolation is one of the most common problems that distance learning students face. As we have Probably the best way to avoid this is to negotiate time for studying and time for family and friends and keep to it. When a problem arises, you need to go back and review the arrangements you have made. Are you keeping your side of the bargain? What compromise could you make to keep everyone happy? When examinations are approaching, you need to explain to everyone that you need to spend more time studying, but then plan to spend extra time with them when the examinations are finished. Your employer isn t supportive If you are combining work and study you may find that your employer is initially supportive, but is later reluctant to allow you sufficient time off to study or to attend examinations. This can lead to conflicting and stressful pressures on your time. If your employer is supportive of your studies (perhaps even paying your fees), then it is definitely in their interest to help you to succeed. The most important thing you can do is to make it clear to your employer exactly how much time you will need and at what periods of the year you are particularly under pressure. Gently remind your employer of the Programme handbook

44 advantages to the organisation of having you complete the programme and apply your new skills and knowledge for the benefit of all. Plan your needs carefully in advance with their cooperation: for example, ask them well in advance for any time off that you may require to concentrate on your studies. Planning your studies may also involve making arrangements to catch up on work. Balancing study and work may be challenging. Sometimes your study time may have to be reduced to accommodate problems at work, but in exchange it may be possible for you to ask for compensatory time later. Some of you may have less cooperative employers, or may even have chosen not to inform your employer that you are studying this programme. If so, you may simply have to consider taking lighter study loads and also be prepared to sacrifice some of your holidays or leisure time in order to complete your studies. You can t find the time to study Finding the time to study and maintaining study schedules can be a real problem for some students. This is where, as a distance learning student, you may have to work hard to improve your personal discipline and efficiency. If you have problems finding time to study, review your weekly schedule to see if you can make some small changes in lifestyle that could result in an extra few hours for study. For example, could you use your commute? Could you use your lunch hour? Another way of recovering some time is to try to study more efficiently. There are no prescriptive rules for efficient study because it comes down to your own personality and study skills. However, many of the study skills discussed earlier in this handbook (see pp.17 22) should help you to become more efficient with your time. You fall behind If you fall behind the pace at which you have chosen to study this programme, or something unexpected happens that puts you seriously behind your study schedule (such as work commitments, an illness or an accident), then you have several options. Revising your schedule is one option. This might involve delaying when you take an examination or adjusting your entire study schedule to a slower pace perhaps deciding to take an extra year to complete to programme, for example. If you have fallen behind because you did not give yourself a fixed study schedule or set yourself specific goals, you should try to do this now. Having prearranged deadlines and milestones might give you the impetus and discipline you need to finish. If you do find you are having difficulties and are not sure what to do, then contact us for advice. You don t understand the study materials If you don t understand the materials, you may be able to get help with your question from one of your peers by using an online discussion forum, as you might when studying on a campus. If other students cannot help, you can always get in touch with your tutor. Sometimes it s simply that you have let yourself get too tired and you just need a rest so take a break, get some fresh air and come back to it later. Depending on the subject, you might be able to move on to the next topic or course and then return to the troublesome one later. Maybe it s a question of lacking the background knowledge in a particular area, in which case you probably need to go back to study that subject for a while to get up to speed. 40 Information Security

45 Reporting breaks of study Please read the advice on p.16 about what to do if you need to take a break from studying. Advisers of studies As a registered student you will be assigned a staff member to contact if you need advice during your studies. Soon after you start the programme your adviser will get in touch with you to provide you with their contact details. As you have seen, there are other channels for administrative, academic and technical queries, but there may be a few occasions when you need more personal help from an individual member of the teaching staff. Where possible, we will assign you to the same adviser for the entire duration of your studies on the programme. Programme handbook

46 Assessment The Project for the MSc degree is assessed by a dissertation and a two-hour unseen written paper. The results of this are combined with the results from the taught modules to determine your qualification for the MSc degree. Please read the PSR for a precise statement of the requirements for passing the MSc degree or Postgraduate Diploma. About examinations The majority of the assessment on this programme is by examination, so it is extremely important that you understand what you need to do and how best to study for an examination. You should: know the PSR plan for examinations study regularly Quite reasonably, many students worry about their examinations and whether they will pass or fail. Just the thought of examinations, writing a project or being marked in any way can be terrifying! Don t panic most students do succeed. You will certainly need to work hard, but if you do then you should pass. So how do we assess your work? You will find full details of the procedures in the PSR. The general assessment of this programme is fairly straightforward. Each taught module (core and optional) is assessed by a single two-hour unseen written examination. The results of the taught modules are used to determine your qualification if you have registered for the Diploma. read the essential study materials and external resources revise effectively make use of the opportunities for feedback practise a previous examination paper under examination conditions. How are examinations marked? To ensure that our assessment of your work is fair, we use three different methods. 1. Examination scripts are graded by two different internal markers. 2. Markers do not have access to your personal details ( blind marking ). 3. A selection of all marked work is sent to External Examiners. These are academics from other universities, whose job it is to check the standards of marking at Royal Holloway. These Examiners are 42 Information Security

47 independent and report back to the University of London. Examination standards The standard of the examinations for the programme is the same as that for students studying on campus. Royal Holloway s academic staff are involved in the same way in setting question papers and marking scripts. No concessions are made for distance learning students. You need to be reasonably confident that you have the ability to succeed in an examination before entering for it. Remember that if you have to resit a paper, your mark for that module will be capped at 50 per cent. Revision guidance In this section we provide some advice on how to prepare yourself for examinations. You will also find useful tips on revising for examinations in The Sciences Good Study Guide. Make time After working through a module, you should allow enough time for revision. Try not to make too many social engagements in the weeks before the examination period. Concentrate first and foremost on revision. Make a revision timetable. Set yourself the same amount of revision for each of the main subjects on which you will be examined. Try to stick to this schedule: do not spend lots more time revising the subjects you like best or find easiest. Likewise, do not spend all your time on the subjects you find most difficult. Finally, make sure that you don t spend every minute on revision! Short breaks will refresh you and prevent you getting completely obsessed. Be aware of question styles You should prepare yourself for the styles of question that are likely to be asked in the examinations. This can be done by looking at previous examination papers and carefully reading any advice provided by module leaders or tutors (especially in cases where there may be a change compared to previous years). Note that question style is likely to vary from module to module. In general there are two different types of question and you should be aware of the extent to which these are likely to be asked in any specific examination: short answer questions: these typically focus on technical content, factual knowledge and an explanation of concepts that have been covered in the study material. essay questions: these are more openended and give you the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of a topic and your ability to analyse issues relating to information security. You should not try to guess what questions are likely to be asked in the examination. Some of the study units may never have been assessed before (they may be new or significantly revised). Also, while examination papers often cover similar topics from year to year, future questions may vary in the way that they are phrased and this can change an easy question into a very difficult one. A new Examiner may have a different style of writing questions and may place a different emphasis on the module topics. Practise If you are not familiar with the British system of taking written examinations, then it is particularly important that you practise writing examination answers under time constraints. Previous examination papers can be useful for Programme handbook

48 this purpose. Set yourself two hours to do the practice examination, with no distractions and no notes or other such resources (unless your module indicates that you will be allowed to take these into the examination with you). This will help you to learn how to manage your time in the examination and may help to identify areas of knowledge in which you need to revise more. See individual modules for advice on how best to obtain feedback on answers you have written to past examination papers. Note that even if you are familiar with taking written examinations, if you normally use a computer to write then it might be worth practising the ancient art of writing things down on paper! Taking written examinations can be physically tiring for those of us out of practice with this particular form of exercise. Prepare for the examination It may seem obvious, but make sure that you know in advance exactly where and when the examination is being held! Take enough time to find out exactly where the examination takes place and how to get there. If you have to travel a long way, catch an earlier train or bus than necessary, so that you can be certain you will be there on time. Make yourself familiar with the building. Students have been known to go to the wrong place and try to sit the wrong paper! You may have some distance to travel to the Examination Centre and may have to plan for the necessary overnight accommodation. Get a good night s sleep beforehand and try to relax the evening before. Make sure that you arrive in plenty of time for the examination, so that you are relaxed. Take a watch with you. Make sure that you have suitable pens and pencils and that your pen has sufficient ink for the duration of the examination. Be aware that notes and mobile phones cannot be taken into the examination hall, even if your mobile phone is switched off. Although the Examination Centre will normally have an informal arrangement for looking after such items, you will probably remain responsible for their safety. How to do well in examinations Doing well in examinations is mostly a matter of how much you have learned and understood, but it is also a matter of examination technique. Examinations are a good test of your ability to organise yourself and to think carefully under pressure. You will find other useful tips on doing well in examinations in The Sciences Good Study Guide. Read the instructions carefully Make sure that you read the examination instructions carefully and that you know exactly what you are being asked to do. Pay particular attention to the number of questions that you are expected to answer, and which parts of the examination are compulsory or optional. The easiest way to fail an examination is not to answer enough questions. Each question not answered will automatically be awarded zero marks. If you are asked to answer three questions, but you only answer two, you will have to produce very good answers in those two just to pass. So, the first priority is to check the number of questions you have to answer and to allocate sufficient time to each of them. Think first and make a plan In any examination you should spend some of your time just thinking and planning not writing answers at all. In a two-hour examination, for example, you should perhaps spend the first 10 minutes studying the whole examination paper carefully, reading the 44 Information Security

49 instructions and selecting the questions that you are going to answer. By choosing your questions first you avoid panicking when you have answered one or two questions and don t know what to do next. Then, before you answer each of the questions that you have chosen, spend a few minutes developing a plan. Your plan should include how long you are going to spend on the major parts of each question, and when to move on to the next question. Also allow five or ten minutes at the end to check through your answers and perhaps add more detail where you think it is most likely to improve your marks. Once you start writing, you can change your plan if you think it necessary. Time for reading and planning is built into the examination. Similarly, take care over the order in which you answer the questions. Starting off with the easiest can seem the best solution. It does, however, have one big disadvantage the examination gets worse and worse as you go on. In an examination where you have to answer three questions, some people prefer to answer the second-best question first of all, then tackle the easiest question. This way you should be feeling good when you come to the most difficult question. It s up to you. Read each question carefully Surprisingly few students do this well. Most marks in examinations are lost through failure to answer the question properly. First, read each question carefully, then go back and read the instructions again. Remember that when you see a question in an examination paper that seems familiar, check first exactly how it differs from the question you have seen before small differences can be important. Many students get caught out and just write answers to the questions they have revised, failing to check whether these questions were actually asked in the examination. Check and double-check. Pay attention to the marking scheme Every examination paper will ask you to answer a certain number of questions, and marks will be allocated to each question. It is very important to note how many marks are available for each part of each question and to devote time to answering them in proportion to the marks involved. Spending time perfecting a three-mark question at the expense of beginning a 10-mark question is a bad mistake! Do not assume that the number of marks reflects the number of points you should make, unless you have been specifically advised that it does. Three marks do not always mean that only three issues have to be identified. Pay attention to any advice issued by module leaders or tutors in advance of the examination on the marking schemes for their module. Structure your answer A good answer is not just a list of everything that you know about a subject, but a careful argument, with a clear structure, that addresses the particular question that has been asked. Concentrate on getting the structure right and making sure that you have a clear, well-ordered argument. If the question is an open one, sum up the main points for and against the position you are taking and explain the arguments on both sides. Present your answer clearly and concisely You don t have much time in an examination, so make your points clearly and concisely. You will not get marks for repeating the same point in many different ways, but you will get marks for complete coverage of all relevant issues. Programme handbook

50 If necessary, use bullet points to present lists of relevant information. It constantly amazes Examiners how some very long answers can contain almost no information and some very short answers can contain almost everything! Be legible All students are reminded that the Examiners place great importance on legibility (being able to read your handwriting) in examinations. Any script deemed illegible by the Board of Examiners will be assigned a mark of zero and a fail result will be given. This will count as an attempt at the examination. Royal Holloway will not transcribe illegible scripts, so if you have poor handwriting due to medical or learning difficulties you should apply for special examination arrangements in the usual way. See the Student guide for information about how to do this. If English is not your first language You may worry that you will read and write more slowly than your peers. Even if this is the case, remember that you get good marks for writing clear, critical and well-organised answers (see the above remarks on being concise). Note that it is not normally a requirement that your answers are in fluent, well-punctuated English. It is necessary, however, that Examiners can understand the points that you are making. Try to avoid complex and colloquial English phrases and jargon. Write simply and clearly. If you are running out of time Remember to keep checking the time and, if necessary, revising your initial examination plan. If you find that you have spent too much time on early questions, don t panic. Adjust your plan to address the remaining questions as effectively as you can. If you really are running out of time then it may be wise to look ahead at questions that you have not completed for relatively easy parts that you can quickly answer. It is surprising how many marks you can pick up in a short time by choosing carefully what to answer. In an essay-style question you may be able to list a number of relevant issues, and then try to expand on them as well as you can in the remaining time. The MSc degree project Students on the MSc degree are required to carry out a compulsory project towards the end of the programme. Full details on the requirements of the project and how to plan, conduct and write the project dissertation are provided in the project guide. This will be sent to you when you register for the options, to help you plan ahead and prepare for the project stage. Aims of the project A project is a major individual piece of work. If it is of an academic nature, it should demonstrate your understanding of, and ability to reason about, a particular topic. Alternatively, the project may document your ability to deal with a practical aspect of information security. The objective of the project is to write a comprehensive dissertation on your chosen topic. On completion of the project you should have demonstrated the ability to: work independently on a security-related project, for which you have defined the objectives and rationale apply knowledge about aspects of information security to a particular problem, which may be of an engineering, analytical or academic nature produce a well-structured dissertation, including introduction, motivation, analysis, and appropriate references to existing work. 46 Information Security

51 Selection of your topic After registration for the project you will be allocated a project supervisor who will give you advice on choosing your topic and who will monitor your progress. However, it is your responsibility to define and plan the project. You are encouraged to seek placements with industrial sponsors for the duration of your project, should that be relevant to your intended topic. Timetable In summary, the milestones for the project process are as follows: 1. As soon as possible after 1 July, submit to the Programme Director an intention to register for the project in the coming study session, including an indication of your possible areas of interest. Your ideas can be quite vague at this stage, but it helps us to arrange a suitable supervisor for you in order to ensure a prompt start to your project after registration. Informal negotiations to plan the project with your supervisor can begin over the summer. 2. Formally register for the project by contacting the Programme Director before 1 September. You will subsequently receive formal notification of the appointment of your supervisor. 3. Agree with your project supervisor on an acceptable project description as soon as possible and no later than 31 October. 4. Submit an interim project report for approval by your project supervisor by 31 January of the same study session. The supervisor will confirm whether or not they recommend that you proceed to complete the project in the current session. 5. Register for the project examination by 1 February. 6. Complete the dissertation and submit it to the University by 31 March of the same study session (full details of the submission process are given in the project guide). 7. Sit the project examination at the specified time in May. You should look out for notices on the VLE announcing seminar activities that are designed to provide guidance on developing a project plan, conducting your project and writing up your project dissertation. Interrupting or failing the project If you fail the project and wish to re-take it you have the following options. Keep the same topic and make another attempt with no further supervision. An examination re-entry fee will apply. Keep the same topic (or choose a related topic) and make another attempt with reduced supervision. A reduced project fee and an examination re-entry fee will apply. Start again with a new topic. The resumed project fee will be 50 per cent of the project module fee. For details on examination re-entry fees and module fees, please refer to the fee schedule which is published on the International Programmes website. If you start the project in one academic year but do not complete the formal assessment by 31 March in the same academic year, you are deemed to have interrupted the project. An interrupted project can be resumed the following academic year and, depending on how much supervision you have already Programme handbook

52 received, there will be a limited amount of supervision when the project is resumed. If you interrupt your project in two successive years you will have used up all your allocated supervision and have the following options. Keep the same project topic and make another attempt with no further supervision. Keep the same project topic (or choose a related topic) and make another attempt with reduced supervision. The fee will be 50 per cent of the project module fee. Start again with a new project topic. The full module fee for the project will apply. Results Examination results are posted anonymously on the International Programmes website on a date which we will advertise. This is usually around the end of July. You will receive written confirmation of your results in August together with registration or graduation details for the following year. Merit/Distinction The MSc degree and Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded with a merit or with a distinction to any student who performs to a sufficiently high level in the assessed elements. Full details of the requirements for awards with merit or distinction are described in the PSR. What happens if I fail an examination or project? In the event that you fail an examination or the project at your first attempt, you are entitled to one further attempt in the following academic session. Please consult the PSR for full details of resubmission requirements (pay particular attention to those concerning resubmission of project topics and supervision). 48 Information Security

53 After you graduate It may seem a long way off now, but when you complete your programme you will become an alumnus of the ISG. We have an active and growing body of alumni employed in the information security professions throughout the world. There are several active alumni chapters globally as well as in London. Please look out for announcements about how to keep in touch with the Royal Holloway information security community after graduation. the MSc programme. If you would like more details about conducting a research degree with the ISG then you should contact the Director of Graduate Studies via the ISG website ( You can also obtain application forms for Royal Holloway s PhD programme directly from the Royal Holloway website: Graduation ceremonies Graduates of the MSc degree will be eligible to attend the presentation ceremony held early each year in London or at one of several other ceremonies held elsewhere by the University of London. Further information about the University of London presentation ceremony can be found in the Student guide. Alternatively, you can choose to graduate in December at Royal Holloway with your oncampus peers. Research degrees at Royal Holloway If you have enjoyed the MSc degree programme you may feel that you would like to take the next step and go on to conduct research in information security. Royal Holloway offers higher research degrees in the form of an MPhil or PhD. Unfortunately you cannot study either of these degrees by distance learning. A research degree such as a PhD involves original research under expert supervision. This research results in a thesis, which should be an independent contribution to knowledge. It involves a great deal of independent research in an area that is of particular interest to you. This typically involves three years full-time work. Research degrees require commitment and would normally require at least a distinction on Programme handbook

54 All programmes offered through the University of London International Programmes are developed by academics at the University of London s constituent Colleges. Assessment is the responsibility of academics at these Colleges. Currently these include: Birkbeck, Goldsmiths, Heythrop College, Institute of Education, King s College London, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway, Royal Veterinary College, School of Oriental and African Studies, and UCL (University College London). For further information on the range of programmes we offer, please visit our website or contact us at: Student Advice Centre, University of London, Stewart House 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) Web: enquiries.londoninternational.ac.uk Follow us on: (student blog)