CDT Programme

The CDT continues to focus on the cohort experience, with our students working collaboratively to investigate and tackle pressing issues within the Cyber Security landscape. Our multidisciplinary approach enables our students to consider these issues and their research topics from multiple perspectives, drawing on the knowledge and experience of colleagues from across the CDT.

During an intensive first year our students were introduced to many academic topics, as part of cohort based programme. Topics cover included, Cyber Security Principles (Systems and Operations), Usability, Security Risk Management, System Architectures, High-integrity systems engineering. There were also a range of courses in research methods and tools. This understanding is all placed in the broader context of courses in business processes, policy and governance, international relations, and criminology. Our students continue to have access to leading thinkers and practitioners in cyber security, through a programme of visits and field trips. A sample timetable from 2017-18 can be found here.

For their substantive research project, our students are based in one of the ten departments contributing to the CDT, undertaking supervised research in the usual manner for a DPhil. The normal duration of this project will be three years, after which out students submit a thesis and are examined in the usual way. During the three years of the individual research project, our students retain contact with the CDT and their cohort, returning for skills training, an annual conference and other events.

The CDT provision is adjusted regularly based on feedback from our students, academic colleagues and industry partners to ensure our students graduate with the most up to date and relevant skill set demanded of academic and industry alike.

There are now three ‘sister’ Cyber Security CDTs at Royal Holloway University of London, University of Bristol and UCL The CDTs share a range of events throughout the year.