The MSc in Cyber Security is both comprehensive and cutting edge. Providing you with an introduction to all the fundamentals, and then challenging you to creatively implement that knowledge, as a postgraduate of this course you will graduate with the tools needed to build verifiable, trustworthy software and machine learning systems.
Teaching on this course unit is organised into four themes composed of two course units each. Three mandatory themes include: Cryptography and its Applications, Secure Software Engineering and Secure System Design. You can tailor the rest of your study with optional units, selecting the remaining theme (two course units) from topics ranging from artificial intelligence, data engineering, machine learning and software engineering.
One of the most rewarding elements of this course is the Master’s Project, which enables students to carry out a substantial technical task in an area of interest. Students can choose from a portfolio of specialised cybersecurity projects that allow for more in-depth exploration and application of techniques from the taught course units.
As a graduate of this course, you will enter, or re-enter, the world of work with sought-after advanced technical skills and an enviable knowledge of emerging technologies and techniques.
Course duration 12 months (full-time)
Total self-study time Approx. 30 hrs/week (taught units) in semester 1 and 2 | 40 hrs/week (Master’s project) in the summer
Teaching time Approx. 12 hours per week (inc. pre-recorded and live lectures, and practical classes)
WHAT CAREER PATHWAYS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME?
The MSc in Cyber Security is in high demand with employers across a huge spectrum of industry. As in Advanced Computer Science, opportunities exist in fields as diverse as finance, films, and games, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, consumer products, and public services - all areas of business and society. Security plays a role in almost all areas where computers are being used, including, for example, finance, healthcare, consumer products, and public services.
Thus, students who have followed the Cyber Security MSc will be ideally placed in any of these areas, especially in positions where they need to be aware of security issues and solutions.
WHAT ROLES HAVE GRADUATES SECURED?
Our graduates have gone on to roles such as:
- Software Components Programmer
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Software Engineer
- IT Security Engineer
- Security Architect
- IT Security Administrator
…and many more!
OUR STUDENTS' MSc PROJECTS
The MSc project is one of the most exciting parts of a master’s degree — you are paired with an expert supervisor and get a chance to dive deep into a topic you’re passionate about, solve real-world problems, and bring your ideas to life. It’s where everything you’ve learned comes together, showcasing your skills, creativity, and potential to stand out in your field. Here are some projects that our MSc graduates have worked on:
🔎 IoD (Internet of Drones) Authentication
An Internet of Drones is a network of moving objects (i.e., drones) and their supporting infrastructure (e.g., base stations and remote servers). This project implemented continuous authentication of drones as they moved between infrastructures.
🔎 Enhancing Safety and Privacy in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) Direct interaction between external BCI devices and neural activity brings new risks, including the potential misuse of sensitive neural information. This project explored methods to safeguard neural data from unauthorized access and misuse, incorporating advanced encryption techniques and differential privacy.
🔎 A Privilege-Reduced C Standard Library System call filtering is a technique used to reduce the privileges of an untrusted application by limiting the system calls it can invoke. As a common interface between many applications (even those written in higher-level languages) and the operating system, the C standard library represented an ideal layer to apply privilege reduction. This project modified an existing implementation of the C standard library to minimise the system calls issued to the kernel.
Dr Mustafa Mustafa Senior Lecturer
ACADEMIC'S VOICE
The course delivers a mix of core cyber security subjects such as cryptography, formal methods and secure computer architecture, which underpin more applied aspects of cyber security such as software, network and AI security. Students will gain skills to identify potential risks as well as design and develop secure solutions for a wide range of industrial applications.
The University of Manchester Oxford Rd Manchester M13 9PL UK