Cyber Defence and Information Assurance MSc

This postgraduate course is delivered by Cranfield University on behalf of the Defence College for Military Capability Integration, Defence Academy.

Why this course?

The course focuses on understanding and articulating the strategic and executive-level responses to serious present and emerging threats in the information domain. You will be one or more of the following:

Managers or leaders in a cyber environment who needs to understand information risk and respond to cyber threats;

• Procurement staff commissioning critical or sensitive projects
• Policy and planning staff interested in computer network and security operations;
• Those charged with accreditation and assessment of security measures;
• Those holding the positions of, or aspiring to be, Chief Information Officers (CIO) or Chief Information Security Officers (CISO).

The course will specifically focus on responses to serious, present, and emerging threats in the information domain. The course enables you to gain an organisational view of cyber from a defence and security perspective, the domain, the drivers, and constraints. Whilst a technical understanding is of value, the course is designed to ensure that the bigger, contextual, aspects of cyber is understood thereby enabling decision making in relation to cyber to be undertaken within an organisation.

Course Delivery

The course has two component parts: a taught phase comprising twelve 10-credit modules (PgDip); (PgCert has six 10-credit modules); and (MSc only) an 80-credit research project assessed by dissertation.

The course is delivered via blended learning, with a mixture of residential and online teaching, and assessment is through coursework, group practical's, presentations and (MSc only) an individual dissertation.

Modules

Cranfield's requirement to keep their courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules they offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of their staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.

The module list is detailed below. Modules are indicative only and may be subject to change for your year of entry.

Compulsory for MSc:

Foundations of Cyber

Dissertation

Elective modules:

A selection of modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course:

Cyber Deception

Critical Networks and Cyber-Physical Systems

Cyber Attack - Threats and Opportunities

Cyber Law

Data-led Decision Support and Artificial Intelligence

Emerging Technology Monitoring

Systems Thinking for Organisational Viability

Information Operations

Incident Management

Social Technologies

The Human Dimension

Understanding Risk

Taking a standalone module as a short course

You may also elect to undertake a number of standalone modules as opposed to an MSc, PgDip or PgCert, with the associated assessment, less for the Dissertation module. In these circumstances. you will need to have previously undertaken the Foundations of Cyber module which runs once a year in September. Applications for standalone modules can be made direct to Cranfield via the web page linked above.

How this course will help your career

This qualification may take you on to become one of the next generation of managers who can understand and effectively manage and exploit the threats and opportunities of cyberspace at the organisational level. Crucially, it will also enable graduates to communicate cyber issues to senior management or executive board level.

The course is directly relevant to you if you wish to improve your knowledge and skills, or if you aspire to become a CIO or CISO.