MSc in Network and Information Security with Management Studies
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
GBP 9,860 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no application deadline for postgraduate courses
** home full-time: £9,860 | international full-time: £16,200
Key Summary
About: The MSc in Network and Information Security with Management Studies at Kingston University covers cryptography, network, mobile and information security, secure authentication, access control, intrusion detection, policies and user education. You’ll study threats like malware, social engineering, data leakage and zero-day attacks, use a state-of-the-art cyber lab for ethical hacking, penetration testing and sandbox experiments, and complete a project/dissertation. The cyber pathway is accredited by the British Computer Society and is an NCSC Certified Master; you can combine technical study with management modules.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter roles such as ethical hacker, cyber security engineer and security consultant worldwide.
Why choose this course?
Cyber security, the umbrella term for computer, network and information security is of increasing importance – new legislation, technologies, vulnerabilities and threats necessitate frequent system updates.
This course offers a critical awareness of current developments and future trends in cryptography, network security and mobile/wireless security. You will explore techniques and technologies to combat threats such as malware, social engineering, data leakage or zero-day attacks, based on understanding secure authentication mechanisms, access control, intrusion detection, information security policies and user education. A project/dissertation will enable you to study an area of interest in depth; it can be an excellent selling point.
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- The cyber pathway of this course is fully accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and is a fully-certified NCSC Certified Master, which is a sign of national excellence. You may also combine this course with management studies, setting your knowledge in a management context.
- You can use a state-of-the-art cyber lab, with specialist cyber security tools, resources and equipment. This enables you to work in a safe sandbox environment for practical experiments with malware, penetration testing, port scanning and other ethical hacking activities.
- You may combine this course with management studies, setting your knowledge in a management context.
Accreditation
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society (BCS) accredits this course. This means that you can gain some exemption against BCS professional examinations, leading to Chartered membership and CEng, IEng or CSci status.
Please note: the programme delivered at our partner institution overseas is not currently accredited by the BCS.
The Faculty is a long-time member of BCS. For many years we have hosted meetings of the local BCS Kingston and Croydon Branch, contributing to members' continuing professional development programmes.
Course Content
You will gain a critical awareness of the current developments and future trends in cryptography, network security and wireless security, starting from the mathematical principles behind cryptographic algorithms and moving on to secure network protocols.
As security and dependability are inextricably linked, the course also covers dependable and highly available architectures. Techniques and technologies to combat threats will be explored, from secure authentication mechanisms, through firewalls, to information policies and user education to combat social engineering and data leakage.
The Management Studies route will set your technical knowledge in a management context.
The full MSc course consists of an induction programme, four taught modules, and a project dissertation. Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module first time with no reassessments. It is the responsibility of individual students to find a suitable paid placement. Students will be supported by our dedicated placement team in securing this opportunity.
Please note, optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Work placement scheme
Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University enable students to take the option of a 12-month work placement as part of their course. Although the University supports students in finding a placement and organises events to meet potential employers, the responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. You may find securing a professional placement difficult as they are highly competitive and challenging, but they are also incredibly rewarding. It is very important to prepare and apply yourself if this is the route you wish to take. Employers look for great written and oral communication skills and an excellent CV/portfolio. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.
Network and Information Security MSc with Management Studies
Core modules
- Cryptography and Applications
- Network and Information Security
- Business in Practice
- Advanced Data Communications and AI
- Project Dissertation
Optional modules
- Advanced Network Systems and Applications
- Cloud Computing and Networking
- Mobile Security
Professional placement
- Professional placement
Teaching and assessment
Guided independent study (self-managed time)
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.
Support for postgraduate students
As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services.
Your workload
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 180 credits across a year (typical for a postgraduate course) would equate to 1,800 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- 18% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
How you will be assessed
Type of assessment
Core pathway:
- Year 1: Coursework 61%; exams 38%; practical 1%
Management pathway:
- Year 1: Coursework 65%; exams 30%; practical 5%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
Feedback summary
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Class sizes
You will be part of an intimate cohort of 20-40 students which provides dedicated academic guidance and advice as well as the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes; you may therefore be taught alongside postgraduates from other courses.
Being awarded a scholarship is a great achievement
A scholarship not only provides financial support. It also offers a rich student experience unlike any other.
At Kingston, you'll become part of our international scholars community, giving you the opportunity to:
- attend our annual scholars' event alongside senior staff and academics
- boost your career prospects through valuable networking opportunities
- meet other scholars from around the world
- enhance your CV and impress future employees with your award
- work as a TAP ambassador for Kingston University, with opportunities to contribute to marketing material and in-country activities.
Boost your employability
Many companies are actively recruiting security specialists and the major software houses are training their coders in security. In fact, it can be hard to get a job with a large company, even as a software developer, without some appreciation of security.
This means graduates of our Network & Information Security course are in high demand. They have progressed to work at corporations such as Google, ECS and Lloyds, in roles such as ethical hacker, cyber security engineer and security consultant.
Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education
Kingston University is committed to promoting excellent cyber security education. As such the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment has established the Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education and Culture.
Careers and recruitment advice
The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing has a specialist employability team. It provides friendly and high-quality careers and recruitment guidance. This includes advice and sessions on job-seeking skills such as CV preparation, application forms and interview techniques. Specific advice is also available for international students about the UK job market and employers' expectations and requirements.
The team runs employer events throughout the year, including job fairs, key speakers from industry and interviews on campus. These events give you the opportunity to hear from, and network with, employers in an informal setting.
Links with business and industry
To ensure your studies are kept up to date and answer the needs of business, our courses are created and reviewed in consultation with an advisory board of key industry experts and senior academics. The Board also provides input and advice on our research portfolio.
Members of the board are from organisations, such as Google, Microsoft, easyJet, games developer Colossal. The board also includes Chief Information Officers from local government. Our Advisory Board therefore represents the diverse spectrum of industries and public sector organisations that make up the jobs market for our graduates.