MSc in Software Design with Cybersecurity (L9, 90 ECTS)

The Master of Science in Software Design with Cybersecurity is a high-level programme with 90 ECTS. It is intended for IT professionals who wish to gain specific skills in Software Design with Cybersecurity.

This programme has 12 contact hours per week and at least 12 hours of self-directed learning are necessary per week. This programme also has a work placement or industry focused dissertation so that students can directly apply theory to practice.

Programme Content
• Network Security
• Computer Security
• Security in the Enterprise
• Intro to Cryptography
• Security in the Enterprise
• Object Oriented Programming 1 & 2
• Continuous Build & Delivery
• Agile Design & Testing

This programme will be delivered primarily online.

Students may have to attend TUS Athlone Campus in person for examinations.

The course will provide students with both theoretical and practical skills to understand and respond to computer security threats in the modern enterprise. Over the course of the programme, students will gain a broad range of competencies, including an understanding of risk assessment algorithms and mechanisms, which equips them for a wide variety of security career roles. Students will develop skills in both network and computer security – the combination of which will enable them to create a security bedrock of information technology infrastructure on which enterprise can conduct business.

This activity will be supported by developing key security technology competencies in the student cohort. The course will provide a student with a thorough introduction to cryptography developing an understanding of cryptographic algorithms and mechanism. This will, in turn, inform the development of skills in the key areas of network security and computer security – the combination of which provides the security bedrock for the enterprise information technology infrastructure on which the enterprise conducts its business.

Software development is an enormous growth area in ICT engineering. Over 900 software companies are currently in operation in Ireland employing more than 24,000 people. Ireland’s reputation as a centre of software excellence is unrivalled in Europe. It is home to multinational and indigenous firms generating €16 billion of exports annually. The sectors wide-ranging activities include software development, R&D, business services and EMEA/International headquarters.

Partner companies have indicated a clear need for cyber security skills that remain as yet unfulfilled by the current supply of graduates at a national level. All of these companies gave input to identifying the types of skills needed and hence to the course content. In some cases, this was expressed as broad areas such as the need for students to give a holistic perspective on security as it pertains to business – these needs have been taken into account in the specification of the Security in the Enterprise module. All stressed the fundamental importance of cryptography. The set of roles covers all the roles in the security value chain from product design through deployment, enterprise risk management through incident handling and recovery. The companies also detailed the type of practitioner skills they needed for these roles and emphasised the importance of combining theory and practice.

Possible roles available to graduates of this programme include:
1. Security Architect (SA)
2. Security Risk Analyst (SRA)
3. Security Operations Analyst (SOA)
4. Security Platform Engineer (SPE)
5. Secure Software Developer (SSD)

The 2024-2025 programme has not yet opened for applications.

If you would like to receive notification when applications open for the next intake then please submit your details on the Register Your Interest form by clicking the Register your Interest Button on this page.

This programme will provide students with both theoretical and practical skills to understand and respond to computer security threats in the modern enterprise. It will arm them with a broad range of competencies to successfully engage in many different security career roles in the enterprise.

Students will be given a comprehensive insight of the role and practice of security in the enterprise that will enable them to holistically understand the security context and to relate the security processes and lifecycle to the business activities of the organisation and to hence identify and prioritize security activities.

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Programme Delivery

Two evenings per week online (TBC)

This is a Springboard+ Funded Programme.

This programme will be fully funded for eligible unemployed applicants.

Eligible employed applicants will be 90% funded. They will have to pay 10% directly to TUS. The 10% payable is €690.