Course Highlights

MSc Cyber Security is a 1-year full-time course. Here are the top reasons to study this course.

• Security of our systems is one of the most challenging topics of our time. There is an international consensus that in order to respond to the number and sophistication of threats that we face, the level of security skills we have needs to be increased.
• This forward-looking course, one of the few certified by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will give you the skills and knowledge you need in the core areas of cyber security.
• You'll learn the theories, principles, practices, and technologies of cyber security and gain knowledge and understanding of the principles underpinning effective approaches to cyber defense.
• The course emphasizes important technical material that will help you make effective cyber security decisions and addresses issues such as identity; trust and reputation; cryptography; network security; malware and intrusion detection; risk management; and the development of high-assurance systems.
• If you are interested in pursuing a career in industry or government, this course will provide you with a broad education in cyber security, which will allow you to make technically informed principled decisions.
• This course will also prepare you if you are seeking a research career in cyber security as a research skills module is a mandatory part of the course.
• York ranked 7th overall in the UK, 5th for impact, and 6th for an environment for their research in the Research Excellence Framework 2014.

Course Eligibility

Key Eligibility Requirements for MSc Cyber Security

• Class 12: NA
• Bachelors: A 2.1 (or international equivalent) or 2:1  in a Computer Science related degree, with a strong background in computer science, software engineering, or information technology.
• Minimum required percentage >60%
• Factors like university background are also taken into account.
• Students with relevant experience are also strongly encouraged to apply.
• The selection is at the sole discretion of the university.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in each component
• Other English Tests accepted as well eg. PTE, TOEFL IBT, and NCUK English Test; waivers may be applicable case by case

Course Fees

Course Fees: MSc Cyber Security - For the intake 2022-23

Note:

• The above values are approximate and are subject to change.
• The hostel charges may vary depending on the choice of accommodation opted by the student.
• The above-mentioned fees and expenses are only for the 1st Year of the course duration.

Career Prospects

Career Opportunities with this unique course at the University of York

• This course will prepare you for a career in the field of cyber security. It will also equip you with the relevant skills to undertake further research in the area.
• Previous graduates have gone on to technical roles, such as malware analysis, security design, and penetration testing, and broader roles such as risk assessment, security planning, or security consultancy.
• Some of the part-time students on this course are already working in defense, technical security, forensics, commerce, and system administration and they have used the course to specialize in a particular area or further their careers.
• Some previous students have also returned to their home countries to teach security, and others have gone on to study for a Ph.D.

Students can establish themselves as successful individuals in the fields listed below:

• Counter-Terrorism
• Cryptography
• Cyber and Digital Forensics
• Development and Code Analysis
• Incident Response
• Intelligence Operations
• Law, Legalities, and Compliance
• Network Security
• Penetration Testing
• Policy and Strategy
• Research and New Developments
• Secure Software
• Security Architecture
• Security Auditing
• Vulnerability Assessment

Students develop technical skills listed below:

• Interpret, evaluate and synthesize data and arguments from the up-to-date research literature, technical manuals, and standards specifications.
• Communicate complex technical ideas and arguments to peer specialists and general audiences, through oral presentations and written reports.
• Scope, plan, execute and manage complex technical projects.
• Assess and consider the impact of legal, social and professional issues in the development and operation of technical systems.
• Analyse the work of others in order to achieve defined goals.

Key Learnings

MSc Cyber Security from the University of York will help you develop many essential skills.

• You shall be able to apply specialist principles associated with cyber security, such as cryptanalysis, attack, authentication, identity, trust, and anonymity, in order to determine systems' security vulnerabilities.
• Post this course, you shall analyze and evaluate the technological components of current and proposed cyber systems, which include computers, algorithms, and networks, from the perspective of their security properties.
• This course shall enable you to identify, analyze and assess the range of threats to cyber systems from practical and theoretical viewpoints.
• You will evaluate and design systems-level solutions to security weaknesses in cyber systems posed by technological and non-technical (human) factors.
• Graduates of this course form reasoned judgments, based on evidence, regarding the particular legal, social, and professional issues involved in the deployment, management, and analysis of cyber security systems.
• This includes forensic analysis of attacked systems and appreciation of the regulatory and cultural constraints relevant to cyber security.
• You shall be able to explain, through oral presentations and written papers, complex technical ideas and arguments to peer specialists and more general audiences.

Study Benefits

Amazing benefits to study MSc Cyber Security from the University of York

• Graduates of this course scope, plan, execute and manage significant cyber-security research projects and produce focused stakeholder reports.
• The MSc Cyber Security shall equip you to maintain knowledge of developments in cyber security by accessing, interpreting, evaluating, and synthesizing data and arguments from up-to-date research literature from related areas and technical manuals and standard specifications.
• The Department of Computer Science at the University of York is built to the highest specifications, the department is packed with cutting-edge facilities housed in a modern, self-contained building.
• The department houses four software labs and two hardware labs. One of the hardware labs is equipped with the Dedicated Cyber Lab Infrastructure required for several of your practical classes.
• York’s Interaction Labs provide excellent facilities for research and teaching in human-computer interaction. The Interaction Labs consist of an Accessibility and Usability Lab and a Games Research Lab, both of which are stocked with the latest technologies.
• The ‘Real-Time Systems Lab’ is the main research and development facility for the Real-Time Systems research group. Inside the lab are a range of high-performance computers, custom hardware like FPGAs, robots, and various industrial machinery.
• The Computer Vision group has a darkroom laboratory that enables us to conduct experiments in controlled illumination conditions and a second laboratory that includes a commercial 3D scanner. There is also a workshop area with CAD, soldering, and 3D printing facilities.
• Computer Science is based on Campus East. The majority of teaching on this course takes place on Campus East in the Computer Science building and Ron Cooke Hub.

Core Modules

Core Modules: MSc Cyber Security

• Wider Aspects of Cyber Security
• Identity, Trust, Reputation and their Applications
• Cryptography Theory and Applications
• Networks and Communications Security: Threats, Attacks and Countermeasures
• Malware and Other Malfeasance
• Cyber Security Research Skills
• Rigor in Secure System Development and Assessment
• Forensic Analysis of Cyber Incidents

Dissertation - Independent Study Module - Cyber Security Individual Project 

• As part of this course, you will undertake an individual project and dissertation. This takes place over the summer and is supervised by a member of the academic staff.
• It may involve working with an external organization. You will be encouraged to work with academic staff to create projects which are of specific interest to you and the staff member you are working with.
• You will be given considerable flexibility in the topics you can choose to base your project around, providing academic criteria are met.

Scholarships

The University of York offers exciting scholarship opportunities for Indian & International Students.

Be Exceptional Scholarships

• The ‘Be Exceptional Scholarships’ are awarded to international students to support them to achieve their goals at the University of York. A number of awards ranging from £2,500 to £7,500 are given as a tuition fee discount
• If you are successful, this discount will be applied in your first year only.
• There will be two opportunities in which you can apply for this scholarship. You can submit an application in either round one or round two.

To be eligible for a Be Exceptional scholarship, you must:

• Have a conditional or unconditional offer to study at the University of York
• Be paying fees at the overseas fee rate
• Intend to study a full-time postgraduate taught master's course.

Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships

• By applying to the Be Exceptional scholarships, you will also automatically be considered for the prestigious Vice-Chancellor's scholarships.
• These are a number of awards ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 for international students and are given as tuition fees discount. Open to International (including EU) students only.

To be eligible for a Vice-Chancellor's scholarship, you must:

• To be eligible for the Vice Chancellor's scholarships any applicant that applies with either shall be considered:
• An achieved or predicted grade of AAA equivalent or above from College or High School awards
• An award of a high 2.1 or above equivalent from an undergraduate degree
• An International Baccalaureate grade of 36 points or above.

NOTE-  In addition, the eligibility criteria for the Be Exceptional Scholarships also apply to the Vice-Chancellor Scholarships.

Masters Fee Discount

•  If you've completed an undergraduate degree at York, you could be eligible for a 10% Masters's fee discount.

To be eligible for a Masters fee Discount, you must:

• You will need to have either successfully completed an undergraduate degree from the University of York (applies to any year of graduation) 
• Successfully completed a period of study as a Visiting Student 
• Successfully completed a period of study on one of our short courses for partner universities from January 2022 onwards
• You need to hold an offer for entry to a full or part-time postgraduate taught course (MA, MSc, PG Dip, PG Cert and MRes) at York, including distance learning.

Competitive External Scholarships

• There are a number of external funding bodies that exist to support studies in the UK.
• Government departments, international agencies, charitable organizations, and private companies may also be able to provide financial support for certain subject areas.

Commonwealth Scholarships

• Commonwealth Scholarships are given to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage.
• As part of the UK’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth, each year around 800 students are given the chance to undertake postgraduate degrees at UK universities.
• If you are from a Commonwealth country and believe you could make a difference in the world but you can’t afford to fund your UK studies on your own, then you could be the ideal candidate for a Commonwealth Scholarship.
• Most scholarships are fully funded, which means that, as well as covering your tuition fees, you will also receive your airfare to and from the UK, and a living allowance to support you while you are in the UK.

Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

• The Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships enable Indians in the early to mid stages of their careers to spend time in the UK, helping them to achieve artistic, academic, and professional ambitions and to broaden their international contacts.

Inlaks Scholarships

• The Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation provides scholarship opportunities to young Indians with exceptional talent, to study at world-class international institutions i.e. the University of York for a full-time Master's programme.
• The Scholarships are awarded for research, training, or professional improvement and other support like internships, travel grants, or small grants.