Buckinghamshire New University
MSc Critical Infrastructure Security
High Wycombe, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: The MSc Critical Infrastructure Security at Buckinghamshire New University develops high-level capability to protect infrastructure against terrorism, cybercrime and activism. It examines critical national infrastructure (CNI) sectors such as energy, transport, water, healthcare, communications, finance, chemical and nuclear, and it focuses on resilience, risk management, continuity planning, security analysis and governance.
Career Outcomes: You’ll gain enhanced employment prospects and transferable analytical skills to work at higher management level. Typical roles include infrastructure security manager, resilience/risk manager, emergency planner, security analyst, cyber security specialist, continuity manager and consultant across government, utilities, transport and critical-industrial sectors and national security policy roles.
With the constant threat of terrorism; the growth of cyber-crime and the prevalence of activism, it is really important to ensure that our infrastructures are protected from attack, disruption and damage. Maintaining that protection is challenging and requires those engaged in the analysis, planning and management of it to be highly capable and knowledgeable. The MSc Critical Infrastructure programme is designed to develop high-level capability and knowledge in professionals responsible for CI protection.
Critical Infrastructure supports all societies and encompasses the ‘facilities, systems, sites, information, people, networks and processes, necessary for a country to function and upon which daily life depends. It also includes some functions, sites and organisations which are not critical to the maintenance of essential services, but which need protection due to the potential danger to the public (civil nuclear and chemical sites for example).’(UK Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure – CPNI). Whilst different countries may identify the infrastructure sectors in different ways, all of them will be deemed fundamental to the maintenance of societal stability.
The UK government’s official definition of CNI is:
‘Those critical elements of national infrastructure (facilities, systems, sites, property, information, people, networks and processes), the loss or compromise of which would result in a major detrimental impact on the availability, delivery or integrity of essential services, leading to severe economic or social consequences or to loss of life.’
Critical infrastructure incorporates chemical, nuclear, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, defence and associated industrial base, emergency services, energy, food and agriculture, financial services, government facilities, healthcare and public health, information technology, transportation systems, water and wastewater systems.
This programme is eligible for funding under the UK Ministry of Defence Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) scheme. Our ELCAS number is 1682.
Buckinghamshire New University is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and supports the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value of Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans, and military families contribute to our business and country.
Employability
What are my career prospects?
On successful completion of this award, you will find your employment prospects enhanced and your understanding of the multiple facets of CI security and resilience significantly deepened. If you’re working at manager level you will have gained the requisite knowledge and analytical skills to enable you to perform at a higher management level in your organisation.
Recent graduates or people employed outside the resilience sector are more likely to be able to obtain employment in the component industries, and current employees will be better equipped to seek promotion. All graduates will have developed transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of jobs.
