Computers are central to all aspects of our daily lives; as industries ranging from communications to banking have come to rely on them, the need for improved computer security has never been greater. This course focusses on two aspects of Cyber Security: analysis and assessment of risk plus how to minimise it, and, how to extract and use digital information from a wide range of systems and devices. The course is structured so that all students cover the same introductory material, but then choose to specialise in either Cyber Security or Digital Forensics.
Students taking the course will gain an understanding of the nature of the security threats that face computer systems and the type of information that is stored on digital devices (and how it can be extracted from them). They will benefit from a broad and varied array of state-of-the-art technologies, including:
All students will take the core modules which are designed to give a comprehensive introduction to this specialist field. They will cover basic digital forensics and network security, and also cover computer system tools and the UNIX operating system. Dealing with digital evidence in a professional manner (that includes adhering to appropriate legal guidelines) is also covered. You will then follow either the Cyber Security or Digital Forensics pathway within the course (though each lead to the same named degree: the pathways are simply opportunities to specialise within the field). In addition, all students will take a Research Methods module and complete a project module.
The course offers the opportunity to examine a variety of tools available on the open market, and the use of forensic tools to retrieve data from electronic sources. It will also consider the analysis of professional and ethical issues relating to computer security and forensics, and the development of professional competencies, such as report writing and presenting evidence in court.
Teaching methods include lab-based sessions, student-led tutorials and lectures by internal staff and guest speakers from industry. Our courses are offered by friendly, highly experienced staff, and benefit from the diverse specialist knowledge and skills within the departments of the Faculty. Assessments will be carried out mostly through practical or research-based course work.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the full course document.
Core modules
Digital Forensics pathway
Cyber Security Pathway
This programme is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for fully meeting the further learning educational requirement for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status and for partially satisfying the underpinning knowledge requirements set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and the Science Council for Chartered or Incorporated Engineer (CEng or IEng) status. Note that there are additional requirements, including work experience, to achieve full CITP, CEng, or IEng status. Graduates of this accredited degree will also be eligible for professional membership of BCS (MBCS).
The BCS accreditation is an indicator of the programme’s quality to students and employers; it is also an important benchmark of the programme’s standard in providing high quality computing education, and commitment to developing future IT professionals that have the potential to achieve Chartered status. The programme is also likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
The course has two pathways, namely Cyber Security, and Forensics that can provide you with all the necessary skills for the following jobs:
On the MSc in Cyber Security course at Swansea University your studies will include themes including cryptography, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, the security and privacy of personal data, cyberterrorism, cybercrime and mobile security to name but a few. In the Cyber Security course, Swansea Computer Science takes a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, bringing together modules on diverse topics such as penetration testing, formal modelling, information security management, cryptography and AI in order to equip our students with a suitable mindset for a career in cyber security. The department's cyber security lab provides the perfect backdrop for exploring the security landscape, allowing Cyber Security students and staff to carry out experiments in network security, mobile security, and to explore threats and defence mechanisms in the context of the Internet of Things.
Our increasingly connected world presents continual new and serious security threats. From privacy violations (hacking, monitoring communications, leaking sensitive data, stealing and publishing private information) through to the drugs trade, sex trafficking and terrorism, Computer Science can provide the techniques required for mitigating such risks, in order to provide secure, reliable and trustworthy systems.
Taught component: The MSc in Cyber Security offers a range of modules, taught by internationally renowned researchers and covering topics such as: Cryptography and Network Security, Penetration Testing, Information Security Management, Embedded Systems Modelling and Verification Techniques, Web Application Development, Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and Smart Contracts, Advanced Topics: AI and Cyber Security Invention and Innovation in Computing.
Dissertation component: A further four months duration is spent undertaking a substantial research project (60 credits), which will involve using and exploring cutting edge techniques for specifying, developing, verifying and accessing systems against security criteria. Cyber Security Students will benefit from our broad range of industrial partners and internationally leading research expertise.
Possible Future Pathways: Cyber Threat Analyst - Penetration Tester PhD Researcher - Data Security Analyst Secure Web Developer - Verification Engineer.
Modules on the Cyber Security course may include:
The Department is well equipped for teaching, and is continually upgrading its laboratories to ensure equipment is up-to-date – equipment is never more than three years old, and rarely more than two. Currently, students use three fully networked laboratories: one, running Windows; another running Linux; and a project laboratory, containing specialised equipment. These laboratories support a wide range of software, including the programming languages Java, C# and the .net framework, C, C++, Haskell and Prolog among many; integrated programme development environments such as Visual Studio and Netbeans; the widely-used Microsoft Office package; web access tools; and many special purpose software tools including graphical rendering and image manipulation tools; expert system production tools; concurrent system modelling tools; World Wide Web authoring tools; and databases.
As part of our expansion, we are building the Computational Foundry on our Bay Campus for computer and mathematical sciences. As a student on the MSc in Cyber Security, you will study at the Bay Campus in the new Computational Foundry, a dedicated £32 million building for computational studies, providing the latest labs, resources and ecosystems for world leading, interdisciplinary research.
All Computer Science courses including the MSc in Cyber Security will provide you the transferable skills and knowledge to help you take advantage of the excellent employment and career development prospects in an ever growing and changing computing and ICT industry.
94% of our Postgraduate Taught Graduates were in professional level work or study [DLHE 14/15].
Jobs include:
The main goal of MSc Cyber Security is to prepare professionally trained graduates for industry. It has been designed to offer graduates the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of cyber security as a discipline. The focus within this programme on the principles, technologies and practices of cyber security helps you to gain the appropriate skills for future PhD studies and research careers as well as to become competent practitioners. The programme comprises particular developments in security with a firm base in academic research and also offers the opportunity for you to study selected topics in advanced computer science.
Included in the programme is the opportunity to enhance industry relevant skills with study in ISO27001 Lead Implementer and Ethical Hacking. These skill areas were highlighted by past alumni and industry practitioners for inclusion in the programme. Therefore, you have the opportunity to gain additional qualifications in: Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer; and CEH v8 Ethical Hacking.
This programme meets a continued growing demand for specialists in this area by offering a way for individuals in current employment with relevant industry experience as well as recent graduates to study and enhance and develop their skills. The MSc Cyber Security programme will therefore draw graduates wishing to enhance their undergraduate studies in computing with advanced study of security to equip them for senior positions with responsibility for the IT technical and management based security of an organisation. In addition, the programme encourages those with relevant industry skills to specialise in cyber security or refine and develop their existing expertise.
This course is accredited by the British Computer Society.
It is also provisionally certified by GCHQ.
Our ISO 27001 Lead Auditor Training is Certified by the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board (PECB).
The MSc programme in Cyber Security is intended to respond to current academic challenges provided by increasing reliance on computers and networks for core business activity and to meet commercial needs for employees who are able.
Core Modules
The programme includes innovative and active learning methods. Throughout your programme, we make use of case studies so that you can apply your theoretical understanding to real-world issues. In this way, abstract concepts are brought to life through practical activities. We also use methods associated with the “flipped classroom” where content is outside the classroom leaving more time and space for activities and active learning within tutorial and lecture sessions.
The course is designed to equip graduates for senior positions with responsibility for the IT-based security of an organisation.
The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.
Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.
This programme is suitable for both newcomers to computer security and computer forensics and practitioners who wish to further their skills. It covers relevant skills, software and hardware technologies, and the more theoretical studies that underpin everyday practice. It ensures that students have a basic understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements and the international standards pertaining to computer security in different nations.
Students gain knowledge of computer crime, police and forensic methods, and the legal requirements for collecting evidence.
At the end of the programme, students are able to administer and configure business-critical distributed applications. They also gain an understanding of the threats to business networks and servers.
The programme includes hands-on training in current forensic tools as used by the police. Students can therefore contribute quickly to the well-being of corporate IT and informational assets.
Through our short course centre opportunity may also be provided to study for the following professional qualifications: Certified Ethical Hacker (EC-Council); EnCase Computer Forensics, Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Assessment.
The availability of some courses is subject to satisfying constraints that may come into effect in the year of entry. In addition, some options are negotiable, indicating that a course selection will need to be approved prior to the student undertaking the requested option.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Year 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are assessed through examinations, coursework and a project.
This programme is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS). On successful graduation from this degree, the student will have fulfilled the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and partially fulfilled the education requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Chartered Scientist (CSci). For a full Chartered status there are additional requirements, including work experience. The programme also has accreditation from the European Quality Assurance Network for Informatics Education (EQANIE).
Upon successful completion of this programme, students will be proficient in computer security and systems security and are in a position to follow careers in system development and administration where knowledge of security and forensics will be an asset or work in a range of specialist roles including: forensics investigators, security consultants or network management specialists.
Cyber security is a topic of growing importance, as ICT affects ever more aspects of our daily lives Businesses and government rely on ICT to an ever larger degree. Both assessing the security of existing ICT solutions and developing more secure solutions for the future pose major scientific and societal challenges.
This Master specialisation covers a broad range of topics that is important for computer security. This includes topics in computer science (software, computer networks, and hardware, esp. smart-cards and RFID), but also mathematical aspects (cryptography and security protocols), as well as organisational and management issues, legal aspects, and societal issues (in particular privacy).
The Digital Security group at Radboud University is the largest research group in computer security in the Netherlands, with a strong international reputation. Several times, research by the group made the news headlines. For example, in 2008 students revealed security flaws in the chipcard used for public transport in the Netherlands (the ov-chipkaart) and as the London Oyster card. In 2013, two researchers of the Digital Security group found security vulnerabilities in car immobiliser systems used by various car manufacturers.
This master specialisation is offered in a collaboration with the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the University of Twente (UT), through a virtual institute called the Kerckhoffs Institute (http://www.kerckhoffs-institute.org/). Mandatory courses offered at the TU/e and UT can be followed by video connections, but following optional courses at these institutes may require traveling to Eindhoven or Enschede. Such courses are always scheduled back-to-back at one location to minimise travel time. While this does incur a cost in time and travel expenses, it does offer a unique opportunity to choose courses from the broad range of specialties at the three universities.
Cyber Security is a specialisation in the Master's programme in Computing Science and available for students with a Bachelor's degree in Computing Science or Mathematics.
1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Computing Science or related area
In order to get admission to this Master’s you will need a completed Bachelor’s degree in Computing Sciences or a related discipline.
2. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in the programme, you need to have fluency in English, both written and spoken. Non-native speakers of English without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- TOEFL score of >575 (paper based) or >232 (computer based) or >90 (internet based)
- IELTS score of >6.5
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), with a mark of C or higher
ICT security is a hot topic, with excellent job opportunities. Some students join companies that specialise in security, such as security evaluation labs, consultancy companies, or ICT companies that develop security solutions. Students with security expertise are also in strong demand by the (growing) number of organisations that heavily rely on ICT security, both in the private and public sector. Finally, some graduates go on to pursue a career in scientific or industrial research.
With the proliferation of mobile and pervasive devices with network capability, along with widespread popularity of the Internet, more and more users and application providers expect services to be available anytime and anywhere.
The Master of Networks and Security (MNS) gives you the skills to manage and administer computer networks and security, and prepares you for a career in network administration or network management, or as a systems analyst, systems designer, data communications specialist, or network security engineer or administrator.
As a network and security professional, your specialised skills will always be in high demand, as well as highly rewarded.
The MNS expands your knowledge of how to design, deploy and maintain networks and application services, by combining theory with practice. You explore issues faced both by users and application providers, and devise possible solutions.
The MNS caters to students from a variety of backgrounds by including preparatory IT units. However, if you already have a degree in IT or engineering, you may accelerate your study with an exemption from these preparatory units, or perhaps choose to take further networks and security electives.
The advanced studies of an MNS include a range of topics, from network structure, design, quality of service and protocols, to information, software and network security.
The course emphasises the principles and management of computer networks and the security technologies upon which organisations rely. You will learn how to evaluate the security needs of an organisation's infrastructure and create plans to protect it against potential attacks and security breaches.
In your final semester, you may take part in an Industry Experience program, working in a small team with industry mentors to develop entrepreneurial IT solutions. Or you may undertake a minor-thesis research project, investigating cutting-edge problems in networks and security under the supervision of internationally recognised researchers.
High-achieving students who complete the research component may progress to further research study. Graduates may be eligible for Australian Computer Society (ACS) professional membership.
The course is structured in three parts, A, B and C. All students complete Part B (core studies). Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A Foundations for advanced networks and security studies or Part C Advanced practice or a combination of the two.
Note that if you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit.
PART A. Foundations for advanced networks and security studies
These studies will provide an orientation to the field of networks and security at graduate level. They are intended for students whose previous qualification is not in a cognate field.
PART B. Core Master's study
These studies draw on best practices within the broad realm of IT networks and security theory and practice. You will gain an understanding of information and computer security and IT project management principles. Your study will focus on your choice of units within Networks and Security.
PART C. Advanced practice
The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. You have two options.
The first option is a research pathway including a thesis. Students wishing to use this Masters course as a pathway to a higher degree by research should take this first option.
The second option is a program of coursework involving advanced study and an Industry experience studio project.
Students admitted to the course, who have a recognised honours degree in a discipline cognate to networks and security, will receive credit for Part C, however, should they wish to complete a 24 point research project as part of the course they should consult with the course coordinator.
The executive master’s programme in Cyber Security takes a multidisciplinary approach that helps you develop effective and sustainable solutions for cyber risks and threats.
The programme, which is for working professionals, will teach you to make connections between the technical, legal, administrative, economic and psychological aspects of digital security. Being able to look at a security problem from all angles will help you develop sound strategies to protect both organisations and individuals.
During this programme, you will learn to:
This programme is offered by Leiden University, Delft University of Technology and The Hague University of Applied Sciences and various private partners, under the umbrella of the Cyber Security Academy.
As a student in the Cyber Security programme, you will benefit from:
Are you a professional who deals with cyber security issues in the public or private sector? Do you have a background in administration, law or IT? Would you like to further your expertise in cyber security, improving your ability to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow?
This programme is designed for highly educated professionals (computer scientists, lawyers, policy makers) with several years of professional experience in and/or affinity with issues in the field of cyber security.
Masters/MSc postgraduate degree course in Cyber Security:
Computing infrastructure is now vital for communication, government, commerce, and control of our physical environment, and is a potential target of terrorist and criminal attacks. Graduates who understand the technologies and practices that underpin secure computer systems are in great and ever-growing demand.
This programme will give you the skills you need to deal with current and future cyber security threats. It provides a solid foundation for graduates to pursue a career in the software industry or research.
Cyber security is about designing systems that resist attack. As computers become ever more prevalent and ever more connected with each other, the opportunities for attackers become even greater, and the need to resist them becomes more urgent.
This is a one-year full-time degree programme for graduates in a computing-related discipline. It will allow students to obtain the knowledge and expertise to evaluate, designand build secure computer systems, processes and people that are involved in cyber security. It covers the theory and practice of designing and building secure systems and gives you a firm grounding in cryptography, network security and secure programming, as well as optional modules in topics such as hardware and embedded system security, operating systems and incident management and forensics.
The programme also gives you practical experience with technologies and toolkits for building internet-based software. All students undertake a large, personally supervised project in the final months of the course.
Our curriculum has been developed with the involvement of key individuals in the cyber security industry. As well as advising us on the skills they seek when recruiting graduates, they also contribute directly to the MSc programme through guest lectures and project supervision. In recent years, we have had guest lecturers from Microsoft, Vodafone, Siemens, IBM and Hewlett Packard.
The programme includes lectures, tutorials, exercise classes, practical work, projects and independent study.
You will gain knowledge and understanding of:
You will also attain the following skills and attributes:
The MSc in Cyber Security is a new programme, but graduates of the MSc in Computer Security have gone on to work for Companies including Accenture, IBM, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, BT and Delcam.
Our students gain the knowledge to become leaders in the field of cyber security and to shape the technologies that will be developed in the future. They are equipped to work on secure software development within the software and IT industry, or to become cyber security consultants. They may also choose to move on to PhD research.
University Careers Network
Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.
Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.
If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.
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