MSc in Privacy, Information and Cyber Security
Skövde, Sweden
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
15 Jan 2027
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2027
TUITION FEES
SEK 155,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus, Distance Learning
* first installment: SEK 77,500 SEK (around 7000 EUR) | EU/EEA Citizens are not required to pay tuition fees
Key Summary
About: The MSc in Privacy, Information and Cyber Security at University of Skövde trains you in privacy, information and cyber security. You learn information security management, data protection, malware detection and IoT security. The programme uses interactive lectures, seminars and mandatory live sessions for on-campus and online students; sessions aren't recorded. The degree ends with a master's thesis and awards a 120‑credit master's degree in informatics.
Career Outcomes: You'll enter fields addressing cyber threats, data breaches and privacy risks. Potential roles include security analyst, data protection officer, cybersecurity consultant, and researcher/PhD candidate. It qualifies you for postgraduate studies in informatics.
Cyber attacks come in third place when the World Economic Forum lists the biggest threats against humanity in the next five years. There are also reports showing large shortcomings in society's abilities in managing and handling these threats. In our Master Programme for Privacy, Information Security, and Cyber Security you will learn to develop, shape, and become an integral part of the digital society of the future, where information security and privacy are at the forefront.
Our entire modern society relies on digital information. Corporations and governments are handling more information than ever before. A society with an increasing share of electronic information is completely dependent on systematic information security management focusing on the information itself as well as a reliable infrastructure. Changes in society put demands on IT security and data protection. Our integrity is threatened when services are personalized and all digital activities are registered and analyzed. Information and cyber security have become important requirements to face the increased online threats. Increased access to large amounts of information means that the right to privacy can be compromised or used for identity theft, among other things. Therefore, there is a need to protect personal as well as organizational information.
The Focus of Your Studies
The program offers comprehensive studies in privacy, information security, and cyber security, providing you with unique skills. During the courses of the program, you will learn how a systematic approach to information security can be implemented in an organization through various management systems. You will also learn about data protection, methods for discovering and stopping data packages containing damaging files, and the management of security risks in common solutions for the Internet of Things. The program is concluded with a master's thesis.
A majority of the teachers in the program have experience in privacy, information, and cybersecurity research and are working on ground-breaking projects so that students are exposed to the latest trends in this important and exciting area.
The program is built on interactive lectures, seminars, and assignments, and students are expected to participate during the scheduled sessions. There are several mandatory seminars throughout the program. We offer the program on campus and online, but all sessions combine online and campus students. Thus, to be successful in your studies it is important that you can attend the lectures, seminars and other sessions live as no sessions will be recorded. We made an active decision to use this approach because we believe that the subject is best explored in dialogue and we do not attempt to offer a self-paced study program.
The study programme is provided by the University of Skövde and is named Privacy, Information and Cyber Security - Master's Programme (Integritet, informationssäkerhet och cybersäkerhet - masterprogram). It comprises 120 credits and is a second-cycle programme. The main field of study is Informatics.
The program provides a broad and in-depth knowledge and understanding as well as substantial insight into the sociotechnical area of the subject area of informatics. The focus for deepening is privacy, information security and cyber security. Privacy is the science of how personal information should be protected both technically and administratively to safeguard personal integrity and not disclose sensitive information when processing personal data.
Information security and cyber security focus on the preservation of information's availability, integrity and confidentiality through a risk-based approach. The program takes a holistic perspective on these themes, which involves studying different theories, methods and techniques in the themes respectively, but also at an overall level, linking aspects of privacy with information security and cyber security and vice versa. The emphasis of the program is on data protection, information security management, network security and critical infrastructure.
The program has three main themes based on a basic and broad understanding of the subject area of informatics and important basic knowledge for the themes such as network and system administration, method and system development as well as programming. With this basic understanding, knowledge and skills in these areas are deepened through theory and practice as well as an independent project where the students themselves can formulate a problem and solution to a personal integrity, information security and/or cyber security issue. The application of analytical methods and the need for systematic information security and cyber security work with maintained personal integrity goes as a red thread through the program. The program ends with an individual degree project where the student is trained to identify and address an issue of privacy, information security and cyber security with a scientific approach.
The student has the opportunity to start from a problem from the previous courses or formulate a new question based on the lessons learned.
The following courses are included in the program
- Cybersecurity Operations G1F, 7.5 credits
- Principles of Privacy, Information Security and Cyber Security A1N, 7.5 credits
- Practicalcryptology A1N, 7.5 credits
- Privacy A1N, 7.5 credits
- Information Security Management A1N, 7.5 credits
- Cyber Security for Internet of Things and Critical Infrastructures A1N, 7.5 credits
- Project in Privacy, Information Security and Cyber Security A1F, 15 credits
- Optional course, 7.5 credits
- Optional course, 7.5 credits
- Information Security Management - Research A1F, 7.5 credits
- Digital forensics incident response A1F, 7.5 credits
- Master's Degree Project in Informatics with a specialization in Privacy, Information Security and Cyber Security A2E, 30 credits
Objectives for Master's degree according to the Higher Education Ordinance
- Knowledge and understanding
- Competence and skills
- Judgment and approach
- Local Objectives for the Study Programme according to the University of Skövde
Digitalization affects all regions, sectors, and businesses in society. The risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches has increased with the increase of electronic management. Today, there is a demand for people with skills in the areas of privacy, information security, and cyber security. This need is foreseeable for many years ahead.
Upon obtaining your degree, you will also be eligible for postgraduate studies in Informatics.
The program leads to a 120-credit master's degree in informatics. During year one, students may opt to write a thesis project for a 60-credit master's degree and subsequently apply for a 60-credit master's degree.
When? Where? How?
- Study period: 1 September 2025 - 6 June 2027
- Location: Skövde, Campus
- Pace of study: 100%