Overview of MSc Cyber Security (Online)
Save £1,000 on your tuition fees!*
Cyber security is one of the biggest concerns for organisations around the world, which will grow as the capabilities of cyber criminals, and the AI tools they use, continue to advance.
We’ve developed our part-time, NCSC accredited MSc Cyber Security (Online) programme to empower working professionals with experience or qualifications in a related field to elevate their expertise and advance their careers.
*Cannot be used in combination with any other fee discounts.
What will I learn?
You will be taught by cyber industry experts who will help you to:
- Build a critical understanding of governance and assurance, including technology risk practices that are vital to today’s volatile cyber security market
- Learn how to identify new and existing cyber security threats, manage security incidents, and determine how to minimise them
- Explore the fundamental concepts, principles, and technologies used in network security
- Gain in-depth knowledge of relevant technologies such as network security; information governance and security; wireless networks; information assurance and risk management; and ethical hacking
There will also be an optional on-campus session for each module for students who are able to attend.
Explore the course modules below, and if you’re new to cyber security our MSc Cyber Security Technology (Online) programme may be of interest instead.
WHY STUDY WITH US
Certified by the NCSC
Northumbria University’s Cyber Security Masters degree is fully certified by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ.
Industry-specific skills
Our courses are developed with expert and professional body input, ensuring you learn up-to-date and career-focused cyber security knowledge and skills.
Career opportunities
Cyber security affects businesses and organisations of every size and having an industry-certified MSc Cyber Security could open the door to various roles in practically any industry.
Study online with support
Study this part-time degree online to fit your studies around your commitments.
You can access support and guidance from your course tutor whenever you need.
Teaching
The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Blackboard will be used for this programme which will provide you with electronic reading lists to guide your preparation for seminars and independent research.
On this programme, modules will be split into weeks and further broken into smaller, manageable units. Your tutor will make weekly announcements to indicate which tasks need completing.
Teaching takes place through online tutorials, lectures and practicals using a combination of video, text, interactive tasks and concept check activities. You will be assessed through coursework, which includes presentations and projects where you can collaborate with other students in study groups which will be organised at the start of term. There are no exams on this programme.
There will also be an optional on-campus session for each module for students who are able to attend.
All modules on this distance learning programme are core modules and worth 20 credits, unless stated otherwise.
The course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2026/27. 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.
Modules on this programme are delivered on a carousel basis, meaning the order in which you study them may vary depending on your intake. The year in which you undertake each module may therefore differ from the structure shown above. Your individual module schedule will be confirmed by our scheduling team.
Academic requirements
United Kingdom
- Minimum 2:2 honours degree from a recognised university in a relevant subject (IT/Computer Science/Cyber Security/related field)
- Professional qualifications equivalent to an honours degree, e.g. CISSP, Ethical Hacker, CompTIA+
Non-standard entry requirements
- Relevant qualifications and/or work experience will be taken into consideration where the applicant has been judged to have the potential to benefit from the programme. Requests for non-standard entry will be considered on an individual basis by the Programme Leader and relevant module tutors where appropriate.
English Language requirements
- GCSE English grade A-C
If you don’t meet the academic requirements
If you do not have the required technical expertise from either previous study, professional qualifications, or work experience, you may find our MSc Cyber Security Technology (Online) degree more suitable.
Careers & outcomes
What opportunities do I have after completing my studies?
After completing your degree, you will be prepared to meet the educational requirements of the BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT) for the purposes of meeting the further learning requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional.
Typical careers and roles for cyber security Masters graduates include (but are not limited to):
- Risk analytics and management
- Operations and security management
- Threat management and forensics
- Engineering, Architecture, and Design
- Chief Technology Officer
2026/2027 tuition fee: reduced to £10,250 (save £1,000 when you enrol on our January 2027 intake (original cost = £11,250)*.
For self-funded students, we have an interest-free payment plan to help spread the cost of your tuition fees following your initial deposit payment.
Find out more about payment plans, student loans and other discounts on our Finance page.
*Cannot be used in combination with any other fee discounts.
Additional costs
Access to a laptop/PC and a reliable internet connection is required for this online distance learning course.
What’s included in your tuition fees?
Alongside the cost of running this online programme, your tuition fees also cover the cost of providing a range of student services including:
- Online contact time in class – typically in lectures, seminars, and tutorials
- Careers and Employment Service support who can help you improve your employability, secure placements, and run workshops – you will continue to have access to this support for up to 2 years after you graduate
- Academic support – our ACE Team run multiple sessions on academic writing, presenting, and exam techniques throughout the semester, as well as one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions
- Student support services, such as our Ask4Help Service – visit our Student Support page to find out more
- Online resource access – this includes our online library, available 24/7 with over 400,000 e-books and 50,000 electronic journals
- Access to campus facilities (should you wish to visit our London campus), including computers, Wi-Fi, printers, quiet study spaces , and more
Apply now
Save £1,000 on your tuition fees!*
We offer multiple intakes, enabling you to apply to study when you’re ready.
Our online application portal allows you to upload your supporting documents at the time of application and your student application number, which you will need throughout the application process, will be automatically generated and issued to you.
Please note that we are not currently able to sponsor International students to study online programmes at Northumbria University London. For more information about our full-time on-campus programmes please visit the course pages on our Northumbria University London site.
If you have any questions about studying with us, take a look at our frequently asked questions to find out more.
We strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to allow enough time to complete all the preparations needed to study your programme. Please refer to the finance page for more information.
View more information about the application process and how to apply, including guidelines for the application forms.
*Cannot be used in combination with any other fee discounts.
Apply for January 2027
You will be directed to a QA Higher Education portal to set up an account and complete your application.
The NCC accreditation was probably one of the main factors of me to choose it as a choice of study. Because the NCC is like the Bible for us in the cyber security industry. So the fact that I was going to study a course that is accredited by NCC, that I would use them in day-to-day at work, was a no brainer.