Information Security Training

The Certificate & Diploma in Information Security

What is the Certificate and Diploma in Information Security?

Royal Holloway University of London and QCC InfoSec Training Ltd. offer a wide range of information security training courses that count as credits towards acknowledged professional academic qualifications. The training offers courses as individual ‘one-off’ modules held in small to moderate size classes. Students have all the advantages of approved academic training taken with a wide range of subjects.

What Courses Are Available?

View the Royal Holloway Web-site at www.isg.rhul.ac.uk and look under PG Cert. & Dip. Programme – Courses, for the choice of courses currently available. More are sometimes added through the year.

Is there a Starting Date or are there University Terms?

Delegates/students can start the programme at any time. Courses can be taken in any order (although if this is a new subject we recommend beginning with the Managing Information Security Foundation Course). We also recommend that the Foundation Course in Understanding Cryptography is taken before any of the option courses that have encryption as part of the subject.

This training programme, designed for part-time students, is meant to be flexible.

Can I Attend Courses Without Taking the University Degree?

Courses can be taken as individual training modules without any formal academic application. They may count retrospectively (within four years) as credits towards the Certificate or Diploma in Information Security. Anybody can choose a course, complete a simple booking form and attend one of the many courses. Completion of a course is always awarded by an Attendance Certificate which will be counted as a credit towards the academic qualifications.

What is The Certificate in Information Security?

The Certificate in Information Security is awarded by Royal Holloway University of London, it is approved by the Department of Education and is an industry acknowledged qualification. Students who qualify may either accept this award, or take it as the credit towards undertaking the dissertation for the Diploma. It is not possible to accept the Certificate and use it as the credit for the Diploma.

How Many Courses are required to Qualify for the Certificate/Diploma?

Fifteen credits (or days) from the courses available are required to qualify for assessment for The Certificate in Information Security. Of the 15 credits there are 7 that are in the compulsory foundation courses in the subjects of: Managing Information Security; Risk Assessment and Cryptography.

Are There Any Exams?

No, assessment is by three short course-work essays of approximately 3,000 words (5 pages) on course subjects to qualify for The Certificate. There are two compulsory essays related to the foundation courses and the third is from a wide choice of subjects.

What is The Diploma in Information Security?

The Diploma in Information Security (Dip. InfoSec) is a higher academic qualification awarded by Royal Holloway University of London and approved by the Department of Education and acknowledged by commerce and industry. As a higher academic award it is a qualification of educational achievement, no continuity points are required to maintain its status.

Having achieved Certificate level students will normally progress to the dissertation which is usually a work-related information security topic of approximately 30 - 40 typed pages (excluding diagrams) produced under the guidance and supervision of a tutor from the Information Security Group at Royal Holloway, University of London. This supervision is normally carried out at distance by e-mail or post. The project is required to be completed within 4 years of registration, although most students complete within a much shorter time period.

Registration for the Diploma requires a separate academic fee payable direct to Royal Holloway University of London.

Who Can Register for the Post-Graduate Certificate and Diploma?

Entry to the academic programme may be made at any time by completing an application form. Admission to the academic qualification requires either relevant industrial or work experience or a second class degree. Applications from students who possess appropriate professional or industrial experience and the motivation to succeed are strongly encouraged. The application and marking fees are £250 each, plus VAT, making a total of £500 + VAT.

What is the Cost?

Prices for individual courses will be sent to you by e-mail at your request, and discounts are available for groups, and for purchasing a 15 day set of courses. If you are paying for the training courses yourself, or you work in the public service, you will be given a discount of 20% from the course prices. Prices for training courses will not increase during your period of study – the price you pay at the start will remain the same throughout your period of study.

The cost of the Certificate and of marking course essays is covered in the University application fee.

For those students who move on to the Diploma, there is a cost of £2,000, payable direct to the University.

Who Teaches the Courses?

Tutors from the courses are chosen specifically for their subject area. They comprise of a combination of tutors from the Royal Holloway Information Security Group and industry experts.

Do Previous Credits Count?

Yes. If you have obtained previous credits with The Royal Holloway Diploma Scheme through Baltimore Technologies, and provided those courses were taken before 21st September 2001 (when those arrangements ceased), all Credits will count towards the current scheme. In addition, existing students will only be charged at a rate equal to the Certificate Fees rate.

If I Registered Previously – Do I Have to Take the Certificate Essays?

No, if you have previously registered with Royal Holloway for the Diploma, and paid the Royal Holloway fee before 21st September 2001, there is no requirement for the essays for the Certificate – you can pass straight on to the Diploma level.

When Do I have to Apply for Registration?

Application for registration as a student of the University can be made at any time, before, during or after courses have been taken.