BSc(Hons) Intelligence & Security Systems

[Wes Mantooth]

I take it everyone is busy studying?!

Hello Mate, I posted the pre-course reading list and some additional texts worth looking at earlier in this thread. If you need any more info, just ask. I have found this thread very helpful.

 

[Dan_Brown]

I did see that - many thanks.However, there was mention of pre-course reading on a memory stick and was hoping to get a access to that if possible.How are you finding the course?

 

[Witty_Banter]

Hi Dan,
Sorry it took so long to reply to your post, I don't get on the 'net much at home cos of the kids and I don't get on much in work cos of... well, work!!

First off, there is no requirement for a telephone interview, I don't think anyone currently studying this package is from the officer cadre (I'm certainly not, I work for a living!). To qualify, you need to have served a specific amount of time and have your phase 3 quals if an OpAIC graduate or your phase 2 if you're a bit longer in the tooth (like me). This is because your time served and phase 3 training is used as qualification for the first 5 levels worth of the degree, we go straight in at level 6 because of this. If you're the Dan Brown I'm thinking of, then you've not long left the Wing - your best bet would be to phone the Wing and speak to the Accred guys, because they have all the latest gen on these qualifications and will be able to give you more up-to-date info than I can. If you're NOT that Dan Brown, but you are one of us, I still recommend contacting the Accreditation Cell in the Wing. The best number is 2186.

As for pre-course reading, there were a couple of books suggested at the start of the course but to be honest I didn't read them - I don't have the time - if you read the previous in this thread, you will see that you really need a good understanding of computers, software and all the related software issues in order to get a good grip on the coursework, specifically viruses, hacking, malware / spyware, networking, physical and software security (antivirus, firewalls, etc). I should stress that you don't need to be a whizz kid at it, but you do need to be able to understand how it all works. I'm pretty handy with google and MS Office / Windows etc, but I'm not a genius and I'm getting by ok with it all. I know that some of the guys from the IMINT side of house have really struggled with it and about half of those who started the first programme had already dropped out in the first couple of weeks - those of us from the Dark Side seem to be doing ok, though some significantly better than others.

Any more questions, please feel free to ask (but PM me if you don't get a response in a couple of days as these ping to me email account).

Happy studying!!

WB

 

[Dan_Brown]

Thanks for the reply, i do appreciate it.

 

[Dan_Brown]

telephone interview next week!

Any advice on what to go with regarding the module options?

 

[Witty_Banter]

Sorry mate I've been away this week.

Module-wise, there are 6 core modules and two optional ones. From the options you have a choice of stuff like legal application, terrorism, etc, or digital forensics (which takes up both optional modules, one for the basics and one for the advanced stuff). You won't have to choose your options until you are past the first two, so don't worry about it. you will be told the exact titles for the optional modules when you get registered, so don't sweat it too much for now mate (worry about the 5 phases of ethical hacking instead...)


WB

 

[Dan_Brown]

pm returned Jacko

 

[Dan_Brown]

well i did teh telephone interview in Nov 12, waited a week for the results - no reply. So called and sent an email - no information, no reply.

Repeated again in Dec 12, no response. EMailed to say i am away for 6 weeks, but could access emails. Returned from 6 weeks away - no reply or information.

Emailed again today to find out what is going on

 

[Wes Mantooth]

MOD Stafford, any good??

MOD Stafford, any good??

Hi there, has anybody from the first course who attended the residential week used MOD Stafford for accomodation? I'm curious to know what the Sgts' Mess is like so I can decide whether it's worth laying out for a hotel instead!

 

[Dan_Brown]

I have been accepted on the course and start September - yey!If anyone stil visits this thread can anyone help with the USB that was mentioned earlier in this thread? Anything that can help would be very much appreciated as this is the fist time i have undertaken this type of study!!

 

[Dan_Brown]

Done - 1st achieved.

Feel free to ask any questions if you anyone fancies a crack at this or is in fact working their way through it as we speak!

 

[Witty_Banter]

Congrats on making it through the Staffs Uni mystery training method!

How many of your fellow starters made it through? When I did that qual, I think at least 60% dropped out within the first 6 months (rumour has it they were predominantly IAs that didn't have enough background knowledge for the tech heavy side of it) - though I gather they have changed it significantly since my turn (the pilot course)

 

[Dan_Brown]

Hey Witty,

I honestly don't know how many made it - there was a lot of discussion on BB about how quite a few felt that the course was mis-sold to them due to the quite heavy tech side of it.

However, since then BB has been very quiet and those mentioned previously, i have not seen their names appear anywhere since! a

Speaking of BB, each student seemed to be doing their own thing - not much was actually discussed; the forums were pretty quiet to be honest

 

[SVidalis]

business as usual?

business as usual?

all,

quite a lot has changed since the early days. for starters, they employed me!

jokes aside, the course is one of the best out there. then again, I would say something like that as i am one of the instructors...

always available for directly answering any questions, formally or informally, wearing my professional hat or not.

cu in cyber

 

[Dan_Brown]

all,

quite a lot has changed since the early days. for starters, they employed me!

jokes aside, the course is one of the best out there. then again, I would say something like that as i am one of the instructors...

always available for directly answering any questions, formally or informally, wearing my professional hat or not.

cu in cyber

Ah, Dr Vidalis! Welcome to the Goat.

I can vouch for this man having been one of his students. He has a wealth of experience and knows what he is talking about.

One of his many comments:

"Disclaimer: Do not break the law when practising the commands I am discussing in these notes. I have no responsibility of your actions."

That comment piqued my interest!!

 

[Witty_Banter]

Hey Witty,

I honestly don't know how many made it - there was a lot of discussion on BB about how quite a few felt that the course was mis-sold to them due to the quite heavy tech side of it.

However, since then BB has been very quiet and those mentioned previously, i have not seen their names appear anywhere since! a

Speaking of BB, each student seemed to be doing their own thing - not much was actually discussed; the forums were pretty quiet to be honest

It was exactly the same when I did it mate. First week was full of excited guys and gals introducing themselves, trying to guess the topics and content, wishing each other good luck and planning 'coalitions' for revision etc. By the end of week 2 proper, there was a lot of questioning of logic and "FFS I don't know anything about computers!!"

By the end of the first 2 modules I think a lot of the course starters had dropped out.

The really disappointing part of this qual is how little of it I can actually put to good use - I was hoping to move into the cyber side of things, but by all accounts there aren't really any slots for us on that side because it's the RAFP remit, not ours!!!