Master of Cybersecurity

Join a growing industry tasked with protecting critical IT infrastructure and information.

Cybersecurity is an essential component of a modern, prosperous and safe society.

Like many other nations, Australia is suffering from a cybersecurity skills shortage.

These particular skills are essential in our connected, technology-enabled world1.

Taught by industry professionals and world-class lecturers, you will develop the skills and expertise required to assess, design and implement enterprise wide cybersecurity.

In a final year Cybersecurity Exercise you will devise and implement a defence strategy for a complex enterprise environment.

1Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, A cyber-smart-nation

Entry requirements

Entry to this program is competitive and will be assessed by the Program Director. Applicants will normally have completed a Bachelor Degree in Information Technology with a UniSA equivalent GPA of at least 5.0.

Applicants who have completed a Bachelor Degree or higher in any discipline may also be considered for entry based upon their IT expertise gained through formal tertiary studies and/or relevant work experience. These applicants are required to submit a detailed curriculum vitae.

You will study a range of core and technical courses including network infrastructure, security governance, web and cloud security, and cybersecurity risk and compliance. You will also complete two capstone courses:

Security Architecture: apply cybersecurity defence strategies and security testing techniques to a complex IT environment and develop presentation methods for communicating technical topics to a lay audience.

Professional Project: work in a structured project team, gaining practical experience in contemporary cybersecurity techniques and practices.

For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects and contribute to online discussion forums. So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12 – 26 hours of study when at university and 14 – 28 hours of independent study per week.

Your studies at UniSA will incorporate both practical, professionally-focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:

Research institutes and centres

UniSA is home to several research centres:

• Advanced Computing Research Centre
• Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
• Institute for Telecommunications Research
• Phenomics and Bioinformatics Research Centre
• Defence and Systems Institute

Your career

The cybersecurity field is flourishing and the need for specialists is increasing.

In April 2016, the Australian government launched a $230m Cyber Security Strategy with 33 initiatives aimed at improving defences and creating a 'cyber smart nation'. It addresses our nation’s “shortage of cyber security professionals” and states that we must “build our nation’s stock of cyber security skills, which are becoming increasingly essential for life and work in our connected world”.

Careers to consider:

• cybersecurity consultant: understanding vulnerabilities and threats; performing threat and risk assessments, and mitigation strategies; developing network system architecture and design; auditing, acceptance testing and compliance; ability to work in a close team
• information security analyst: reporting and recommendations to prevent security incidents; security control monitoring; implementing new security technology, methods and techniques; championing security best practice; reviewing systems for security risks and compliance issues
• system security engineer: engineering, implementing and monitoring security measures to protect computer systems, networks and information; configuring and troubleshooting security infrastructure devices; communicating with internal stakeholders as quickly as possible about security incidents and mitigation strategies
• system security architect: identifying and defining system security requirements; designing computer security architecture and developing cyber security designs; preparing and documenting standard operating procedures and protocols; developing solutions and security tools to help mitigate security vulnerabilities

Applying to study with us:

• go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
• you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application

Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, tech zones, and areas that simulate real work environments. You’ll also find student gyms and campus sport activities to keep you active. We also offer flexible study options, with online resources available for accessing lecture recordings, virtual classrooms, library resources and learning support.

Adelaide has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation or private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages for plenty of options. If you need somewhere to live, our new student accommodation by urbanest is on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, a perfect location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.

Our student support services can make your life at university easier. We provide a full range of support services including academic and personal counselling. You can also access a range of services through our students association, USASA. When you become a UniSA student you can contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and any other questions you might have.

We have six campuses in metropolitan and regional areas, each with advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments.

You will also benefit from our culture of innovation and startup community. We’re helping IT entrepreneurs and innovators turn their ideas into startup enterprises with a bright future. Through the Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC), the University’s startup incubator, you have access to programs (such as Venture Catalyst), services and expertise including:

• Workshops
• One-on-one mentoring
• Office space for startups and entrepreneurs
• Access to a global pool of expert advisers
• Small funding stipends
• Events to kick-start ideas and competitions like hackathons

Is this program suitable for information technology professionals?

Yes, this program is designed to produce graduates with specialist cybersecurity knowledge, skills and competencies. Developing cybersecurity expertise not only benefits from, but requires, a strong information technology background either gained through formal education and/or work experience. Please refer to the formal entry requirements for further details.

Can I do more than one course at a time?

Yes. Usually a full-time load is 36 units. To achieve a full-time load in the Master of Cybersecurity, like many other postgraduate degrees at UniSA, you will need to successfully complete four, 4.5 unit courses per semester. If you decide to reduce your course load, and it is less than 75% of a full-time load, you will be deemed to be a part-time student.

How much time will I need each week?

For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for the scheduled lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals (or the online / intensive mode equivalent). Plus, you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects and to contribute to online discussions. As a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate a total of 10 hours per week, per course.

How much contact will I have with the teaching staff and my fellow students?

Students studying internally will have many opportunities to work alongside fellow students during scheduled course components such as workshops, seminars and practicals and will have opportunities to meet with teaching staff on campus.