MSc Cyber Security (Software Security)

Official Website

Shortlist

# =134QS Subject Rankings

12 monthsProgram duration

35,500 GBPTuition Fee/year

25 Jul, 2025Application Deadline

Shortlist

Program overview

Main Subject

Computer Science and Information Systems

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

New approaches to building software, such as continuous delivery and deployment, cloud reliance for scalability, and Open Source, have led to an unprecedented speed of technological innovations. Modern software is also at the centre of our large-scale, complex and intermeshed systems that now pervade society – from energy production to finance through to healthcare and smart transportation. This new software ecosystem has also given rise to new forms of security threats, malware and system vulnerabilities. There is also now a heightened need from end-users, regulators and other stakeholders for accountability, privacy, and demonstrable and effective data protection measures from developers. The consequence is an increased worldwide demand for software security experts who are able to understand the security challenges that modern software brings and offer strong solutions to mitigate harm to valuable software-enabled infrastructures. There is a major shortage of software security experts with the skills required to protect software-intensive businesses from disruption that can have large-scale impacts on society and massive business losses.

A strong ethos of rigorous experimental and empirical cybersecurity and privacy research underpins the MSc, facilitated by a state-of-the-art testbed for studying threats and vulnerabilities related to data flows in the software and its dependencies (supply chain), critical national infrastructure (CNI) and Internet of Things (IoT). Leveraging our bespoke teaching equipment, you'll learn to apply foundational software techniques necessary to protect often interdependent software systems and will develop the skills for engineering scalable solutions. You'll be exposed to real-world problems that are practical and challenge-oriented but underpinned by rigorous research.
This MSc aims to:

Enable a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, design principles, building blocks and methods to understand and mitigate against cyber threats that impact critical and complex software systems;
Give you hands-on experience in articulating software security issues by working with devices, systems and networks utilised in realistic environments such as state-of-the-art testbeds for inter-meshed systems, CNI and IoT;
Equip you with the ability to apply these security principles in analysing cybersecurity problems and challenges from a variety of vantage points: networks, systems, human factors and risk, control systems and Internet of Things devices, reason about the security and privacy properties of underlying software and implications in large-scale and inter-meshed settings.
Enable you to apply secure software engineering principles and lifecycle to design and implement software solutions that proactively and reactively address security and privacy issues by default.
Provide you with the skills to reason critically about complex problems that require evaluation and analysis from a multi-dimensional perspective including technical, human and organisational aspects.

We also offer a related programme in Cyber Security (Infrastructures Security). Read less

Program overview

Main Subject

Computer Science and Information Systems

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Enable a deep understanding of fundamental concepts, design principles, building blocks and methods to understand and mitigate against cyber threats that impact critical and complex software systems;
Give you hands-on experience in articulating software security issues by working with devices, systems and networks utilised in realistic environments such as state-of-the-art testbeds for inter-meshed systems, CNI and IoT;
Equip you with the ability to apply these security principles in analysing cybersecurity problems and challenges from a variety of vantage points: networks, systems, human factors and risk, control systems and Internet of Things devices, reason about the security and privacy properties of underlying software and implications in large-scale and inter-meshed settings.
Enable you to apply secure software engineering principles and lifecycle to design and implement software solutions that proactively and reactively address security and privacy issues by default.
Provide you with the skills to reason critically about complex problems that require evaluation and analysis from a multi-dimensional perspective including technical, human and organisational aspects.

We also offer a related programme in Cyber Security (Infrastructures Security). Read less

Admission Requirements

PTE Academic

67+

TOEFL

88+

IELTS

6.5+

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in Computer Science, Electrical or Electronic engineering, Cyber Security, Information Security or Software Engineering. Other disciplines will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants from other related subjects are required to have studied modules relevant to the programme at minimum of 60%, or international equivalent. MATLAB, FORTRAN, Basic or Visual Basic will not be considered suitable for this programme.

Application Deadline

25 Jul 2025

Program Duration

1 Year

Starting Month(s)

Sep

Tuition fees

Domestic Students

Tuition Fee/year

18,400 GBP

Tuition Fee (Out of State)

International Students

Tuition Fee/year

35,500 GBP

Other Expenses

Scholarships

Selecting the right scholarship can be a daunting process. With countless options available, students often find themselves overwhelmed and confused. The decision can be especially stressful for those facing financial constraints or pursuing specific academic or career goals.

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QS subject rankings

Subject: Computer Science and Information Systems

Chart
Data

2013
#101-150
2014
#151-200
2015
#101-150
2016
#101-150
2017
#101-150
2018
#101-150
2019
#151-200
2020
#101-150
2021
#=145
2022
#=118
2023
#140
2024
#151
2025
#=134

Ranking criteria

Overall

66.2

Academic Reputation

57.9

Citations per Paper

82.8

Employer Reputation

H-index Citations

International Research Network

63.1

View all rankings data

# =134QS Subject Rankings

12 monthsProgram duration

35,500 GBPTuition Fee/year

25 Jul, 2025Application Deadline

Program overview

Main Subject

Degree

Study Level

Study Mode

Program overview

Main Subject

Degree

Study Level

Study Mode

Admission Requirements

Exam Scores

Important Dates

Tuition fees

Tuition Fee

Domestic Students

International Students

Scholarships

Scholarships

QS WUR Ranking By Subject

QS subject rankings

Subject: Computer Science and Information Systems

Ranking criteria

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