MSc Cyber Security

Study Mode Full-time
Year of Entry 2025/26
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MSc

Cyber Security

Full-time Computing

Develop the skills you'll need to protect and defend against cyber-attacks in our modern world, as well as adapting to new challenges arising through threat intelligence.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £10,620 for the course
    International/EU: £17,725 for the course

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    1 Year

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2025


Course summary

  • Develop ethical hacking skills to fundamentally understand cyber-attacks. 
  • Learn to deploy countermeasures that secure and protect computer systems. 
  • Apply and manage information security in organisational frameworks.  
  • Gain skills to undertake BSI ISO 27001 Lead Auditor certification. 

During our MSc Cyber Security course, you’ll develop your knowledge and skills to prepare for a career as a computing security professional. With accreditation from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), you can be confident you’ll graduate with the Cyber-Body of Knowledge (CyBok), industry-standard techniques that so many employers are seeking.

Accredited by
  • National Cyber Security Centre

This course is fully certified by the National Cyber Security Centre



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How you learn

At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive. 

This course explores the fundamentals in network security, where you'll learn to secure networks and detect intrusions through real-world case studies. Your tutorials and workshops will emphasise information security, covering cryptography, access control and risk management for robust cyber protection. 

The course also focuses on ethical hacking, teaching you penetration testing techniques to identify and exploit system vulnerabilities. You'll gain expertise in cyber threat intelligence and digital forensics to understand attack vectors and compile evidence for law enforcement. We’ll also prepare you for the BSI ISO 27001 Lead Auditor certification, making sure you’re ready to implement and manage information security within organisational frameworks.

Towards the end of the course, you’ll undertake a significant dissertation project where you’ll be researching a relevant topic. This allows you to tailor your learning towards a specific area – perhaps one you’re keen to pursue as a career.  You’ll be supported through your dissertation project by a supervisor, who themselves will be a domain expert. 

You learn through: 

  • Tutorials 
  • Workshops 
  • Problem-solving activities 
  • Practical projects 
  • Teamwork 
  • Reports 
  • Demonstrations 
  • Real-world case studies
  • Discussions 
  • Presentations 
  • Structured walk-throughs 

Key themes 

You’ll start by building your knowledge and skills in network security, where you’ll learn how to secure networks and detect intrusions. This progresses into information security that provides further layers of cyber protection – including cryptography, access control and risk management. 

You’ll then develop your ethical hacking / pen-testing skills to try and compromise those systems, to understand vectors of attack. This includes learning how to identify security vulnerabilities within operating systems, undertake password attacks, and exploit social engineering to gain system access. You’ll use platforms such as Hack The Box to safely practise and develop your skills in this area. 

Once the fundamentals are covered, you’ll further your understanding towards security-measure compliance by working on case studies that reflect industry scenarios. This also prepares you for the Lead Auditor certification – for example, determining whether sensitive data is being properly managed with specific reference to Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA). 

Cyber threat intelligence is another important component of the discipline, where you’ll learn about frameworks – e.g. Mitre Att&ck – and adversary behaviour to help identify attack vectors. Once attacks have happened, you’ll use digital forensics to better understand their origin, compiling evidence to help protect from future threats, and to help law enforcement agents to tackle the source. 

Course leaders and tutors

Sina Pournouri
Sina Pournouri
Lecturer in Cyber Security

Staff profile for Sina Pournouri, Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University

Your lecturer's view

Watch course leader Sina Pournouri talk about this course.

Applied learning

Work experience 

This course also has a work experience route that offers a placement in industry of up to 12 months. For further information, please see MSc Cyber Security (Work Experience).

Networking opportunities 

We’re a member of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) Academic Partner Programme. The CIISec is the only information and cyber security institution to have been granted Royal Charter status. This means you’ll be able to develop contacts within the cyber security community and with prospective employers, as well as gaining insights from  world-class speakers.  

As part of our weekly cyber lecture seminar series, we have expert guest lectures  you can network with. These has previously included talks from law enforcement agents (e.g. South Yorkshire Police and FBI), security auditors, pen-testers and digital forensics experts.  

Throughout the course, you’ll be able to develop your career through career fairs and workshops, employer presentations and visits, and by seeking guidance from professional advisers. 

Competitions

Every year, the course runs a Capture the Flag event across UK universities. Using the Hack The Box platform, you’ll be tasked in teams to hack into vulnerable machines, against increasingly hardened devices that present more challenging problems. 


Future careers

The MSc Cyber Security course prepares you for a career in: 

  • Pen testing 
  • Information security 
  • Security consultancy 
  • Threat analysis 
  • Risk management 

Previous graduates of this course have worked for: 

  • Airbus 
  • Deloitte  
  • HSBC 
  • DataGuard 
  • South Yorkshire Police 
  • Regional Cyber Crime Unit 
  • British Assessment Bureau 

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

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Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Equipment and facilities

You’ll learn through teaching in lectures, tutorials and practical laboratory sessions – using the University’s specialist facilities in the Computing and Digital Technologies.  

You’ll have access to industry-standard specialist software such as: 

  • Virtual learning cyber security platforms like Hack The Box 
  • A dedicated red-blue team cyber security lab 
  • Digital forensics tools like FTK, Encase, Axiom and Cellebrite

Entry requirements

All students

You need

• a good level of general education with good analytical skills

• an ambition to develop to a high level in the area of information security

• a degree 2.2 or above in computing or a closely-related discipline. You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more

We will consider your application if you cannot meet the above criteria but have at least one year-s direct work experience in information security or a closely related discipline.

You can apply for prior certificated credit or prior experiential credit for the course if it is appropriate. We consider any professional certification of a suitable level and other criteria related to your application. In some cases we may ask you to take an entrance exam.

Overseas applicants from countries whose first language is not English must normally produce evidence of competence in English. An IELTS score of 6.0 with 5.5 in all skills (or equivalent) is the standard for non-native speakers of English. If your English language skill is currently below an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English level.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Cyber Threat Intelligence And Digital Forensics
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Dissertation For Cyber Security And Computer Networks
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Hacking Techniques And Countermeasures
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Network And Information Security
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Research Methods And Strategies
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Standard Based Security Audit And Assessment
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course.

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Postgraduate student loans

Up to £11,222 available for Home students on most masters courses.

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Additional course costs

The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

General course additional costs

Additional costs for School of Computing and Digital Technologies (PDF, 136.3KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

You apply for this course via our online application form.

Apply for September 2025

You can also use the application form above to apply for future years of entry.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Why choose us?

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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Accommodation

We guarantee to find you an affordable place to live that’s close to campus and comes with all bills included

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Employment

95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

Where next?

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam's postgraduate opportunities and community.

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Information for international students including entry requirements by country and funding.

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