Overview

The issue of cyber security continues to be a major issue for both individuals and large corporations. It has been reported by the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2018 that over four in ten businesses (43%) and two in ten charities (19%) experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months.

For businesses, it is no longer a question of if a cyber-attack will occur but rather when, and as such, the demand for qualified IT security professionals has risen exponentially. Northumbria University’s part-time MSc Cyber Security has been designed to give you the skills to meet this increased demand, including how to handle security incidents, identify new and existing threats, and determine methods to minimise them.

Key facts

  • Part-time Masters degree based in Central London
  • Continue working while you study with lectures delivered on 15.5 weekends spread throughout the 2-year course
  • Build a critical understanding of governance and assurance, along with technology risk practices
  • Learn how to handle security incidents, identify new and existing threats and methods to minimise them
  • Northumbria University’s Cyber Security Master’s degrees are recognised as among the best in the country after receiving full certification from the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ
  • Northumbria University is recognised as a Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACEs-CSR) by the National Cyber Security Centre
  • Undergraduate degree not essential for entry
  • Also available full-time, or as MSc Cyber Security with Advanced Practice which includes an internship, consultancy project or research project.

NCSC certification logo

What will I study?

Incidents of cyber-crime have increased in the UK by 48% from 2013-14 according to PwC’s Global State of Information Security Survey 2015, costing the UK up to £27bn a year. While their 2016 survey has reported a significant shift in the way organisations are taking action, including their willingness to invest in security.

Our MSc Cyber Security will teach you how to handle security incidents, identify new and existing threats and determine methods to minimise them. We will also provide in-depth coverage of the fundamental concepts, principles and technologies for network security. Going beyond just theoretical theory, you will be given a practical understanding of governance and assurance, along with technology risk practices.

Our MSc Cyber Security has been awarded provisional certification in Cyber Security from the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre). This places us in an elite group of postgraduate providers which have achieved this standard.

How will I be taught and assessed?

Our MSc Cyber Security is designed to allow you to fit your studies around your working life and is assessed through modular assignments, and a final dissertation.

  • All taught lectures are delivered across 15.5 weekends spread throughout the 2-year programme.
  • For each module, you can expect 24 hours (for theoretical modules) or 30 hours (for technical modules) of overall contact time delivered through interactive workshops and face-to-face classroom sessions.
  • You will also be expected to engage in independent study, between 164 – 176 hours for each module. This will be supported by your module tutor and will consist of pre-class reading preparation, research, skills development, assessment preparation and online testing and diagnostics.
  • Assessment includes a range of assessment methods including assignments, presentations and group work.
  • Technology-enhanced learning is embedded throughout the course to guide your preparation for seminars and independent research
  • We offer extensive student support in and outside of the classroom with a dedicated student support team based in London.

Careers and further study

Cyber security has become an increasingly recurring issue for businesses, governments and the public. Recent hacks include the US presidential election, Yahoo’s ‘biggest data breach in history’ and the continual release of information by WikiLeaks, the financial cost to business is estimated to be as high as $6 trillion by 2021. Given this, businesses and governments alike have significantly invested in their cyber security systems.

With all this investment, there are a plethora of career options following completion of this course, typical roles include:

  • Threat management & forensics
  • Risk analytics & management
  • Policymakers & Strategists
  • Operations & security management
  • Engineering, Architecture & Design
  • Chief Technology Officer

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Academic requirements

  • Minimum 2:2 honours degree from a recognised university in a relevant subject (IT/Computer Science/related field) or
  • Professional qualifications that are equivalent to an honours degree

Non-standard entry requirements

  • Relevant qualifications and/or work experience will be taken into consideration where the applicant has the judged potential to benefit from the programme. Requests will be considered on an individual basis by the Programme Leader and relevant module tutors where appropriate.

If you don’t meet the academic requirements

If you do not have the required technical expertise from either previous study, professional qualifications or work experience, you may find the MSc Cyber Security Technology more suitable.

International entry equivalencies

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Please visit our entry requirements page for country-specific qualifications.

Please note that if your qualifications are not in English, we might need certified translations in order to proceed with your application.

Please note: we are not currently able to sponsor international students to study this programme. If you require sponsorship to study as an international student, this course will unfortunately be unavailable to you. For an alternative option, have a look at our full-time MSc Cyber Security programme.

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All modules on this course are core and 20 credits unless otherwise stated.

In this module, you will learn about the information governance and cyber security principles that underpin the management of an organisation’s information assets. You will critically analyse the key concepts, theories, standards and frameworks of information governance and security, including risk management.

It will enable you to evaluate an organisation’s current approach to information governance and cyber security. You will have the expertise to advise on the design and implementation of an appropriate strategy for managing an organisation’s information (ensuring all assets meet legal, regulatory, organisational and/or societal needs for information governance and

The main objective of this module is to provide you with in-depth coverage of the fundamental concepts, principles and technologies for network security. This module will provide you with a theoretical and practical understanding on two important aspects related to security namely, data security and network security.

The module will cover a number of topics including cryptography, classical systems, IP protocol security, private and public-key cryptography, cryptographic protocols, hash functions, authentication, signature schemes, email and web security, viruses, and firewalls. The concepts introduced in lectures are reinforced with the help of extensive hands-on laboratory workshops.

You will also have the opportunity to develop practical networking skills by using Cisco IOS, a configuration of firewalls, switches and routers. You will also explore the wider impact of security via a consideration of related legal, ethical and social issues.

This module is designed to be suitable for a variety of networking professional roles including those wishing to gain a deeper understanding of 802.11 protocols, security and enterprise deployment. You will study enterprise wireless deployment elements and methodologies. Basic RF characteristics for mobile systems. 802.11 protocol operation and technologies wireless security issues and attack vulnerabilities.

This module will provide students with in-depth knowledge of the processes used in assuring the security of information during use, sharing, storage, transmission and disposal. It will cover the protection of the integrity, authenticity, availability and confidentiality of all classes of information. The module is designed to provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring the resilience of business activities during threats and disruptive events thus enabling the assessment of potential risks to the business which could result from disasters or emergency situations.

This module will enable learners to develop a deep understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of Ethical Hacking. An essential part of a modern organisation’s e-security includes rigorous testing and analysis to determine vulnerabilities. Carrying out such work requires a special skill set, which crosses, legal issues, psychology, computer networks along with a detailed understanding of system vulnerabilities and exploits. Additionally, you will be exposed to a collection of industry-standard hacking tools and will learn how to apply these in an ethical manner to determine system vulnerabilities.

Throughout the world of science, engineering, technology and business, the ability to pursue research is seen as a requisite for continued career progression in the appropriate subject discipline. This module introduces students to the nature of research and the processes involved in carrying out research. General research approaches and methods for research will be introduced including literature searching, evaluation and reviewing. This general introduction will be followed by the inclusion of topics specifically designed to meet the requirements of the students’ programme of study.

The aim of this module is to enable you to undertake a substantial academic research project at Masters Level and present the results from this work in both written and oral forms. Your project itself will be a major piece of independent and original research centred at the forefront of your programme discipline within the wider sphere of the computer science and digital technologies field.

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The course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2023/24. We aim to run the course as advertised however, changes may be necessary due to updates to the curriculum (due to academic or industry developments), student demand or UK compliance reasons.

Tuition fees 2024/25:

  • £10,460

Please note that your tuition fees do not include the cost of course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, printing and photocopying, accommodation, living expenses, travel or any other extracurricular activities. As a Northumbria University London Campus student, you will have full access to our online digital library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.

The modules you will study do not require you to purchase additional textbooks although we recommend you allow an additional £200-250 for the duration of your studies should you choose to purchase any additional reading materials.

Your tuition fees cover far more than your time in class with our expert academics, it covers the cost of providing you with excellent services and student experience.

  • Contact time in class – typically in lectures, seminars and tutorials
  • Access to facilities, including computers, on-campus Wi-Fi, printers, vending machines, quiet study spaces
  • The support of our Careers & Employment Service who help you to become more employable, secure placements and run workshops
  • Academic support – our ACE Team run multiple sessions on academic writing, presenting, exam techniques throughout the semester, as well as 1-2-1 appointments and drop-in sessions
  • Student support services such as our Ask4Help Service. Find out more about the services available to you on our Student Support page
  • Access to online resources, including 24/ 7 Library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.

Payment plans

We offer an interest-free monthly payment plan available to all self-funded students after payment of your deposit.

Please note that self-funded students are required to pay a deposit of £2,450.

London Cost of Living Bursary

Eligible international students will receive an automatic bursary for £1,334, covering one month’s living costs in London*, applied at the Conditional Offer as a fee discount. This bursary is effective for intakes in May 2024, September 2024, January 2025 and May 2025. This offer excludes Pre-sessional English, standalone Graduate Certificate programmes and sponsored applicants.

If you receive this bursary, you may still be eligible for additional bursaries and scholarships, these will be confirmed at the Unconditional Offer stage. Full maintenance costs still need to be evidenced when applying for your visa.

This bursary is only available for international students from specific countries. Please visit our Scholarships page for more information.

*As defined by UKVI

Government Loan for Masters study

If you are a UK/Home student, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,000+ from the UK Government. Click here to find out more about the loan and whether you are eligible to receive it.

Payment plans and PGL

Early Application Discounts

Our Early Application Discount is awarded to you when you submit your application and holding deposit, before the deadlines specified on our dates and fees page. The discount is applied to your remaining fees after you pay your full deposit. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer – please contact us for more details on eligibility.

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How to find out more

Enquire now to find out more information about the course, studying with us, the application process, and to ask any other questions you may have.

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How to apply

Once you’re ready to apply, you can apply online to study the part-time MSc Cyber Security programme. This method allows you to upload your supporting documents at the time of application and automatically receive your student application number.

Apply for October 2024
Apply for October

 

We strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to allow you to complete all of the preparations needed to study your programme. Please refer to the Dates and Fees page.

You can check more information on how to apply here, including guidelines for the application forms.

Information For Disabled Applicants

At Northumbria University London we welcome applications from disabled students and are committed to ensuring an equal and accessible application journey. Your application will be considered on an equal basis to all other applications. Please contact us if you require any assistance. This website is continually optimised to adhere to accessibility best practice guidelines; tools to assist users with specific accessibility requirements have also been provided. More information is available in our accessibility statement.

 

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Course Information

Level of study:

Postgraduate

2024/25 Tuition fee:

UK/Home Fee: £10,460 (24/25)

Entry requirements:

2:2 honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognised university in a related subject or professional qualifications that are equivalent to an honours degree

Mode of study:

Part-time classroom and virtual sessions

Duration:

2 years (15.5 weekends)

Assessment methods:

Coursework

Scholarship or bursaries:

Not available

Student finance:

Available

Payment plan:

Available

Starts:

January, October

Next application deadline

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