I’m doing a Bachelor of Computing Science (Honours) at the University of Technology Sydney, majoring in Cybersecurity and Networking. I’ve finished three years, including a semester on exchange in Beijing and two short international programs, and I have one subject left, which I’ll do part time in the first half of 2027.

How the degree has gone

Year 1: foundations

Semester 1: Programming 1, Mathematics 1, Discrete Mathematics, Introduction to Information Systems

Semester 2: Mathematics 2, Database Fundamentals, Business Requirements Modelling, Communication for IT Professionals

First year was a mix of maths, programming, and the “how IT actually works in an organisation” side of things. Discrete maths was the one that ended up mattering most later on: logic, sets, proofs, and graphs come back constantly in theory of computing, cryptography, and compilers.

Year 2: building things, then breaking them

Semester 1: Programming 2, Computing Science Studio 1, Web Systems, plus two short international programs (below)

Semester 2: Information Security Management, Network Fundamentals, Theory of Computing Science

This is the year it started to feel like a cybersecurity degree. Network Fundamentals and Information Security Management were my first proper look at how systems are connected and how organisations protect them, while Theory of Computing Science (automata, grammars computability) turned out to be great preparation for the compilers subject I did later in Beijing.

Two short programs in this year counted together as one subject:

Year 3: exchange, then security

Semester 1: Exchange at Beijing Institute of Technology. Compiler Principles and Design, Computer Graphics, Fundamentals of Digital Circuits, Data Structures and Algorithms, Machine Learning Fundamentals

Semester 2: Cybersecurity, Privacy Preserving, Technology Research Preparation

Coming back from Beijing straight into the security-heavy part of the degree has been a really good combination. Cybersecurity is the core subject for my major, covering attacks, defences, and how to think like someone trying to break in. Privacy Preserving looks at how personal data leaks and how to protect it, while using real-world data breaches as examples to learn from. Technology Research Preparation is about designing a proper research project, working in a group as a precursor to the Technology Research Methods subject (honours).

What I’m focusing on

The plan is to head into penetration testing or security engineering. The degree has given me the networking, systems, and theory side, and I’m filling in the hands-on part with CTFs, personal projects, and teaching. At Code4Fun, I’m building a beginner cybersecurity course for kids, which turns out to be a very good test of whether you actually understand something.