Computer Networks Engineering
Entry requirements
A minimum of 2 A Levels required if studying only A Levels, but can be used in conjunction with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
Access to HE Diploma
60 Credits with 45 M Level Credits and 15 P Level Credits
HNC (BTEC)
HND (BTEC)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
In combination with other qualifications
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
T Level
UCAS Tariff
From a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Extended Diploma or OCR Extended Diploma. For detailed information on accepted qualifications, please view our Course Entry Statement (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/documents/course-entry-requirement-statement.pdf) Solent University is a proud champion of widening participation. For further information about our contextual offer, please visit our website (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/what-next/contextual-offers).
In combination with other qualifications
About this course
Computer networks play a pivotal role in all organisations, and very few businesses survive without one – meaning well qualified network engineers are in high-demand. This degree will support you to develop an in-depth understanding of the major components and principles underpinning computer network technologies – ready to start a fascinating career as a computer network engineer.
In partnership with the Cisco Networking Academy, the course will equip you with the practical skills required to design, implement, secure and manage computer network systems for business and industry – ranging from small businesses to large scale enterprise levels.
The course also has embedded industry-recognised professional qualifications including CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, Cisco Cybersecurity Essentials, Cisco CyberOps and PCAP Python to equip you with the practical and technical skills in high-demand by industry.
Throughout your studies, you will be working in our high-tech computer networking labs with industry standard facilities; featuring a wide variety of equipment including Cisco routers and switches, CCNA and CCNP bundles, multi-vendor network devices and high-performance servers. The lab machines are also equipped with a multitude of academic and commercial software including Cisco Packet Tracer, OPNet, VMWare, Open NMS, Wireshark, and GNS3 in Windows and Linux environments. The lab machines can also be configured flexibly to implement and test computer networks, and learn advanced technologies such as software-defined networks, cloud computing, virtualisation and the ‘Internet of Things’.
Your future employability is a key focus, and in addition to professional qualifications there are a broad range of transferable skills such as project management, problem-solving and communication skills embedded throughout – helping you to become highly employable. After completing the second year, you will also have the option to spend a placement year in industry to develop your practical skills further. Previous students have completed placements and been employed in companies such as British Aerospace, Cisco, Juniper, and IBM.
The course is delivered by a team of passionate, friendly and research-active qualified academics who work at the forefront of the field. Our academics are also fellows of the Higher Education Academy as well as Cisco certified instructors.
Industry-recognised professional qualification such as CCNA Routing & Security, CCNA Security, PCAP Python, Cisco Cyber Security Essentials.
**What does this course lead to?**
Recent course graduates have gone on to various roles in network infrastructure and system support organisations including; Cisco Systems, IBM, Juniper, Symantec Security UK, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Electra networks, QinetiQ, Quostar, VeriFone, TalkTalk, Rackspace, Vodafone and Peer 1 Hosting.
The course leads to the role of a network engineer and its various specialised forms such as:
System Support Analyst
Network Security Analyst
System Architects
Penetration Tester
Network Systems Consultant
IT Support Engineer
Product Support Engineer
**Who is this course for?**
This course is ideally suited to those with a passion for computing, wishing to develop the skills to support, research, design, deploy and maintain computer systems and networks.
Modules
YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Problem Solving through Programming
Introduction to Networks and Security
Network Applications
Introduction to Databases
Routing and Switching
Cyber Security Essentials
YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Networks Systems Automation
Network Engineering
Network Security
Research Methods Project
Enterprise Networks
Network Implementation
YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Dissertation Project
Computer Systems and Architecture
Industrial Consulting Project
Choose 2 options from the following:
Cyber Ops
Cloud Computing and Virtualisation
Network Management
Internet of Things
PLEASE NOTE - not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year.
Assessment methods
You will be assessed through a mixture of group and individual coursework, report writing, presentations, time-constrained class tests, online tests, portfolios, practical demonstrations and project work
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries
The Uni
Solent University (Southampton)
Department of Science and Engineering
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Computer science
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Computer science
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
There are a lot of computing courses out there, and they vary a lot in content, modules and the way they work with employers, so individual courses can have very different outcomes. This is a course where you really need to get a good grade — employers really pay attention to the class of your degree and a low grade will serious hit your prospects. But you can get a job on pretty much any industry in the country with a computing degree - and organisation with an IT system and a web site needs graduates in this discipline - and many employers report difficulty in finding graduates. So most students do get jobs, and starting salaries are good, particularly in London. If you want to find out more about the prospects for a computer science course at a particular institution, it's a good idea to go on open days and talk to tutors about what previous graduates went on to do.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Computer science
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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