Entry requirements

2:1 Honours degree in a relevant subject (eg, Computer Science or a closely related discipline) or international equivalent in Computer Science or a closely related discipline. A solid foundation in programming and knowledge of data structures and algorithms, in particular, knowledge of object-oriented programming will be a strong asset.

We want to recruit students with intellectual curiosity who want to develop their skills in analysing the security vulnerabilities of systems and designing secure systems. To join this programme, you should:

enjoy thinking about systems the way an attacker would
be capable of logical thinking, to design systems that avoid security flaws
enjoy programming (preferably in object-oriented languages)
be capable of working hard on difficult projects
be willing and able to contribute to group work
have the ability to set your own goals and manage your time
be self-critical and be able to evaluate your own performance fairly
have good communication skills and be able to explain your ideas in presentations and in writing

Months of entry

September, October

Course content

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.

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 Cyber Security Masters/MSc 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.

This is a one-year full-time degree programme for graduates in a computing-related discipline. It will allow you to obtain the knowledge and expertise to evaluate, design and 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.

Why study Cyber Security Masters/MSc at Birmingham?

The programme has received full certification by GCHQ and the University has been officially recognised by NCSC-EPSRC as an ‘Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research’ (ACE-CSR) by the UK government; an accolade that is a testament to the School’s first rate research and work.
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 through guest lectures and project supervision.
Companies including Microsoft, Vodafone, Siemens, IBM and Hewlett Packard come onto campus to talk directly to our students.