Overview

The MSc Information Security Management aims to develop your technical competencies in information assurance, incident management, information governance alongside the enhancement of your leadership skills and ability to contribute to the development of organisational information security strategies, board-level risk and crisis management strategies.

The Programme is designed specifically to enable you to update, extend and deepen your knowledge in Information Security and related Management and wider digital leadership and information security subjects, in order to enhance and accelerate your career opportunities. The MSc will enable you to develop and enhance your learning capability and to make sense of the need to continually improve your professional practice and career development in the areas of Information Security and related management issues.

Key facts

  • Designed for those wishing to develop or accelerate a career in Management of Cyber Security, including policy development and the management of remote teams
  • Work-related assessment wherever possible, designed to deliver impact in your organisation
  • Learn how to protect the integrity, authenticity, availability and confidentiality of all classes of information including cyber security risk assessment
  • Explore contemporary Information Security Management issues that consider the implications of if its impact and the alternative strategies that could mitigate or avoid its consequences
  • Delivered over 2 years in Part-Time mode – up to 14 weekends with supporting online or face to face tutorials as required
  • Structured professional practice support for career development or transition, including a career review and development plan

What will I study?

The MSc Information Security Management Programme is designed specifically to enable you to update, extend and deepen your knowledge in Information Security and related Management and wider digital leadership and information security subjects, in order to enhance and accelerate your career opportunities.

The programme aims to develop you as a modern, well rounded and outward-looking professional capable of taking responsibility for and effectively leading cyber security and technology projects and people, capable of making good decisions and improving the performance of yourself, your people, your areas of responsibility and your organisation.

By completing the MSc in Information Security Management you will be able to demonstrate capabilities in the areas of Digital Leadership, Information Governance and Cyber Security, Information Assurance and Cyber Risk Management, Contemporary Issues in Information Security Management, Digital Forensics and Incident Management, Research Methods for Professional Practice and Computing and Digital Technologies Project.

There is a growing demand for specialists who able to combine the softer skills of communication and leadership to develop organisational information security strategies, board-level risk and crisis management strategies. This demand is creating a shift at a mid to senior-level towards the management of information security and progressively the management of geographically dispersed technical specialists working in large complex projects. The ability to demonstrate these capabilities in the workplace is central to your career development and progression and in support of this, the development of your personal professional practice is embedded into the programme.

How will I be taught and assessed?

  • You’ll be taught using a range of methods such as workshops, tutorials, directed study and discussion forums.
  • You will be encouraged by your tutor to integrate your work practice in the module content and development of assessments.  By following this approach there are opportunities to connect learning delivered during the module to your role and vice versa.
  • For each module, you can expect 24 hours (for non-technical modules) or 30 hours (for technical modules) of overall contact time delivered through interactive workshops and face-to-face classroom sessions.
  • You will also be expected to engage in independent study, between 170-176 hours for each module. This will be supported by your module tutor and will consist of pre-class reading preparation, research, assessment preparation, skills development and online testing and diagnostics.
  • The assessment for this programme is 100% coursework.
  • Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research.
  • We offer extensive student support in and outside of the classroom with a dedicated student support team based in London.

Careers and further study

Increasingly managers in a senior position find that they have become accountable for information security management in their organisation, particularly with GDPR,  as the scope of their role creeps to include risk handling, management of cyber technologists and governance.

This MSc has been designed to ensure that graduates have a foundation in a range of information security competences such as information assurance, incident management and the information governance knowledge to support senior managers, in order to bridge the technical gap and contribute to organisational strategies and contingency planning.

You may be working in a variety of organisation types including the IT sector as a departmental or senior manager with responsibility for maintaining information security.

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Academic entry requirements

  • Minimum 2:2 or above from a recognised university in any discipline (except Cyber Security)
  • Professional qualifications that are equivalent to an honours degree

Non-standard entry requirements

  • Relevant qualifications and/or work experience, such as CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, (ISC)2 , Amazon AWS or any other related certifications, will be taken into consideration where the applicant has the judged potential to benefit from the programme. Requests will be considered on an individual basis by the Programme Leader and relevant module tutors where appropriate.

International entry equivalencies

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Please visit our entry requirements page for country-specific qualifications.

Please note that if your qualifications are not in English, we might need certified translations in order to proceed with your application.

Please note: we are not currently able to sponsor international students to study this programme. If you require sponsorship to study as an international student, this course will unfortunately be unavailable to you. For alternative options, have a look at our full-time programmes.

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All modules on this course are core and 20 credits unless otherwise stated.

In this module, you will learn about the information governance and cyber security principles that underpin the management of an organisation’s information assets. In doing so you will critically analyse the key concepts, theories, standards and frameworks of information governance and security, including risk management. This will enable you to evaluate an organisation’s or the one in which you work, their current approach to information governance and cyber security and to advise on the design and implementation of an appropriate strategy for managing an organisation’s information assets to meet legal, regulatory, organisational and/or societal needs for information governance and cyber security.

In this module, you will develop new knowledge and skills in leadership in a digital context.  These capabilities are essential for your career development as they enable you to become competent at the visioning, development and deployment of technological strategies and responses to challenges and opportunities in complex organisational environments.

This module will provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the processes used in assuring the security of information during use, sharing, storage, transmission and disposal. This is a specialist module and is designed to provide you with an understanding of how to create a comprehensive framework for ensuring the resilience of business activities during cyber threats and disruptive events. This will enable you to assess potential cyber security risks to the business alongside how to mitigate disasters or emergency situations.

As a professional working in information security, it is imperative you maintain an up to date knowledge and understanding of contemporary research and practice, this is the focus of this module.

This module is designed to allow you to explore a contemporary information security management issue that is relevant to you or the organisation in which you work. The aim of the module is to allow you to explore this question and consider the implications of if its impact as well as the alternative strategies that could be considered to mitigate or avoid its consequences.

The inclusion of this module within the programme provides a valuable and authentic opportunity to contribute to the improvement of an organisation’s ability to respond to issues that it faces from the environment in which it operates. You will be encouraged to research widely, involve relevant stakeholders and deepen your thinking on developing practical strategies to address your chosen issue.

This module will provide in-depth and research-informed knowledge on incident management to mitigate against cyber-attacks that could lead to loss of or disruption to, an organisation’s operations, services or functions. In addition, you will develop competencies to complete a literature review, critical thinking and reflection skills, this will prepare you to contribute to the development of a professional organisation, hence further improving your career prospects.

This module is designed to ensure you have the skills and knowledge to complete a postgraduate research project which is relevant to Information Security Management and career or future aspirations. As such, in the early part of your studies, you will work closely with careers and professional development specialists to consider your career or future learning opportunities post completion of your degree. You will subsequently develop a career plan and reflective log considering how your learning from the programme can accelerate the achievement of this plan.

The aim of this module is to support your study, language and communication skills for academic purposes in the study in your chosen discipline. The module is designed to enable you to become an independent learner. The module is supported by a teaching and learning plan which outlines the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed study and independent reading. Interactive seminars will be tailored to address some of the specific issues that you meet within your discipline.

Directed learning will require a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the e-learning platform. You will be expected to identify those skills which you need within your programme, and to develop these independently through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading and reflection.

The aim of this module is to enable you to undertake a substantial academic research project at the Masters level and present the results from this work in both written and oral forms. Your project itself will be a major piece of independent and original research centred at the forefront of your programme discipline within the wider sphere of the computer science and digital technologies field.

You will experience the full life cycle of a research project from initial conception and development of a research proposal, through a critical review of the literature, planning, design, implementation and analysis of your main research project, to final evaluation, reflection and dissemination. You will be expected to consider and address the professional, ethical, legal and social issues related to this academic research project. You will also be expected to apply your expertise, project management and practical skills within your particular domain of computer science and digital technologies and demonstrate critical and innovative thinking and problem-solving within a research environment.

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The course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2023/24. We aim to run the course as advertised however, changes may be necessary due to updates to the curriculum (due to academic or industry developments), student demand or UK compliance reasons.

Tuition fees 2024/25:

  • £10,460

Please note that your tuition fees do not include the cost of course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, printing and photocopying, accommodation, living expenses, travel or any other extracurricular activities. As a Northumbria University London Campus student, you will have full access to our online digital library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.

The modules you will study do not require you to purchase additional textbooks although we recommend you allow an additional £200-250 for the duration of your studies should you choose to purchase any additional reading materials.

Information for international students

Northumbria University is committed to providing the best possible experience to all our students. To ensure you secure your place with us, we require our international students to pay a deposit towards their fees. More information can be found here.

Your tuition fees cover far more than your time in class with our expert academics, it covers the cost of providing you with excellent services and student experience.

  • Contact time in class – typically in lectures, seminars and tutorials
  • Access to facilities, including computers, on-campus Wi-Fi, printers, vending machines, quiet study spaces
  • The support of our Careers & Employment Service who help you to become more employable, secure placements and run workshops
  • Academic support – our ACE Team run multiple sessions on academic writing, presenting, exam techniques throughout the semester, as well as 1-2-1 appointments and drop-in sessions
  • Student support services such as our Ask4Help Service. Find out more about the services available to you on our Student Support page
  • Access to online resources, including 24/ 7 Library with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals.

Payment plans

We offer an interest free monthly payment plan available to all self-funded students after payment of your deposit.

Please note that self-funded students are required to pay a deposit of £2,450.

Scholarships

For more information on scholarship opportunities, please contact us today.

Government Loan for Masters study

If you are a UK/Home student, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,000+ from the UK Government. Click here to find out more about the loan and whether you are eligible to receive it.

Payment plans and PGL

Early Application Discounts

Our Early Application Discount is awarded to you when you submit your application and holding deposit, before the deadlines specified on our dates and fees page. The discount is applied to your remaining fees after you pay your full deposit. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer – please contact us for more details on eligibility.

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How to find out more

Enquire now to find out more information about the course, studying with us, the application process, and to ask any other questions you may have.

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How to apply

Once you’re ready to apply, you can apply online to study the part-time MSc Information Security Management. This method allows you to upload your supporting documents at the time of application and automatically receive your student application number.

We strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to allow you to complete all of the preparations needed to study your programme. Please refer to the Dates and Fees page.

You can check more information on how to apply here, including guidelines for the application forms.

Information For Disabled Applicants

At Northumbria University London we welcome applications from disabled students and are committed to ensuring an equal and accessible application journey. Your application will be considered on an equal basis to all other applications. Please contact us if you require any assistance. This website is continually optimised to adhere to accessibility best practice guidelines; tools to assist users with specific accessibility requirements have also been provided. More information is available in our accessibility statement.

 

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Course Information

Level of study:

Postgraduate

2024/25 Tuition fee:

UK/Home Fee: £10,460 (24/25)

Entry requirements:

Minimum 2:2 (second class) honours or equivalent from a recognised university in any subject (except Cyber Security)

Mode of study:

Part-time classroom and virtual sessions

Duration:

2 years (14 weekends)

Assessment methods:

Coursework

Scholarship or bursaries:

Available

Student finance:

Available

Payment plan:

Available

Starts:

Next application deadline

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