Master of Science in Information Security (Full-Time)

General

• At least second-class honours Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, recognised by the Senate.
  AND
• At least a credit or equivalent in English Language GCE O-level or an IELTS score of 6.0 or a TOEFL minimum overall score of 550 or its equivalent. The English Language requirements may be waived where qualifying studies in Higher Education were in the medium of English Language. Where candidates completed their higher education more than 2 years prior to their current application they will need to show that they have continued to study or work in the medium of English.

Programme-Specific

• Hold a second-class honours Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline, recognised by the Senate. Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking account of any relevant work or other experience.

The threat of IT security attacks is increasingly apparent to either individuals or organisations across the world. From hacking to phishing, scamming to grooming, and botnets to cyber-terrorism, the variety and ingenuity of exploits appear to expand constantly.

This programme will provide students with advance knowledge of information security and an awareness of the context in which information security operates. Students will be exposed to a wide range of intellectual, practical and transferable skills, enabling them to develop a flexible professional career in information security.

Students are assessed through examinations, coursework and a project.

Upon successful completion of this programme, you will be able to:

1. Apply technical and mathematical concepts and mechanisms for the protection of digital data and information
2. Analyse and explain technical concepts and mechanisms for securing network communications and infrastructures
3. Analyse and apply technical concepts and mechanisms for digital forensics
4. Analyse and evaluate technical concepts and mechanisms for the development of secure computing systems and applications
5. Critically evaluate information security mechanisms and technologies with respect to their functionality, security properties and application challenges
6. Implement or apply existing information security mechanisms and technologies in practice
7. Design, develop and analyse secure systems and applications by taking into account both technical and non-technical perspectives
8. Critically evaluate new ideas, develop own ideas and conduct supervised research in information security

Notes:

1. C = Major Core module; E = Major elective module.
2. The research project is expected to start from the end of Semester1 (e.g. topic selection, research outline, etc.). A full-term between May to July will also be available for the students to complete their project and thesis.
3. Security Lab I & II will cover the practical content of all the modules.
4. A list of suitable modules be provided to the students at the beginning of the programme. The module should be selected in consultation with the programme coordinator or relevant member of staff. Students are not allowed to select any module(s) that they had previously completed. Approval by the Programme Leader of elective module selection is also subject to call size and timetabling limitations.