MSc Cloud and Network Security
Course Overview
The University of Bolton's MSc in Cloud and Network Security offers graduates with a background in networking, system administration or cloud computing the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of security and operations of computer systems. By studying for your postgraduate degree with us, you can extend your knowledge of cloud and network security while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus in the heart of the North West of England.You'll have the opportunity to study the latest methodologies and development techniques and develop a detailed understanding of computer operating systems, virtualisation and networking. Our dedicated team will support you as you acquire the capacity to adapt and learn new skills, ready to respond as the computer industry evolves throughout your career.
The programme has been designed collaboratively with industrial partners, allowing you to equip yourself with valuable professional skills and understand the ethical and environmental issues you'll encounter in your professional life.
Your coursework will be based on realistic scenarios covering technical issues, proposals, and reports designed to prepare for a successful postgraduate career. We'll also support you in gaining lifelong learning skills, which will help you take ownership of your professional development for the future, maximising your potential for success.
We also offer this course with an 18-month duration with a January start date. For details of the 18-month course, please visit our full-time MSc Cloud and Network Security: 18 months course search web page. Alternatively, to find out more and apply for our 2-year part-time course, please visit our part-time MSc Cloud and Network Security course search web page.
Highlights
- We continually monitor and update the content of our MSc programmes so they offer the best preparation for the employment marketplace.
- All our teaching staff have comprehensive industry experience, enabling them to offer practical insights to students grappling with real-world problems.
- During the course, you'll have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to scale from small infrastructure to major cloud infrastructure applications.
- We take pride in our approach to our students, taking time to give all individuals the help and support they need to succeed.
- Our commitment to providing the best possible learning environments has seen us make significant investments in our IT facilities.
Key Features
- Free or significantly reduced software is available to our students from our educational partners, including RedHat, Fedora, Adobe and Microsoft.
- You'll benefit from access to vendor qualifications from Cisco and RedHat through our unique access to the RedHat academy.
- You'll have access to our server architecture, enabling you to develop your cloud computing skills both on and off campus.
- Industry partners provide relevant, up-to-date input to our teaching and live student projects.
- Dedicated laboratories, servers and end hosts with industry-standard hardware and software support our MSc programme.
- Our lecturers take time to build strong personal relationships with all students, enabling questions to be answered quickly and easily.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- Normally, you should have successfully completed an honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and have appropriate work experience.
- We'll be happy to consider your application if you have non-traditional entry qualifications and relevant experience or a suitable portfolio of work that we deem a reasonable substitute for the qualifications we typically accept for this course.
- We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- You’ll be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Computer networks underpin almost every aspect of modern business. Their successful management and oversight are crucial to a company's success, so graduates who can fulfil this role are highly sought-after by organisations in every sector. This course is for those wishing to pursue a career in the network and cyber security industries or take a leading technical or managerial role in a data-dependent organisation.
This course covers some of the security issues that affect fixed and wireless networks and some of the solutions used to address them. It will also support you to develop key employability skills such as teamwork, time management, analysing and solving problems, retrieval of information and communication skills.
It's important to remember that the field of cloud computing and network security changes very rapidly. Technologies will change, and the global industry will adopt new developments, languages and devices throughout your career. Learning how to learn is the most important skill you can acquire.
What can I do with this qualification?
This postgraduate course offers valuable skills that will support you in developing your career. As a graduate, you'll be able to seek more senior managerial roles in the IT sector or take advantage of a wide range of other opportunities in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
You may also pursue further study in a specialist field or research at the doctoral level. If you're interested in studying for a PhD, please discuss this with our tutors, as we may be able to support your aspirations by supervising you at the doctoral level.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some examples include:
- Information management
- Digital communications
- Mobile communications
- Cyber security
- Teaching and education
- Consultancy
- Research and development
- Software project management
- Commerce
- Electrical engineering
- Quality management
- Public services and local government
- Self-employment
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £8,496 for the academic year 2025/26.
International Fees
Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £17,500 for the academic year 2025/26.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Cloud and Network Security-19 May 2025 (Course Full)
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Cloud and Network Security - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
We use online, blended and face-to-face learning and teaching methods to give you the best possible chance of success. During your studies, you'll be expected to participate in lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques. You'll also experience laboratory and workshop sessions and undertake self-directed learning, e-learning, and online sessions.
You'll have the chance to acquire and enhance your practical skills through technical introductions and support, workshop sessions, demonstrations, and activity-based assignments.
We'll provide regular written feedback on your work, with assessments usually completed by the end of each module. Assessment is varied and can include methods such as assignments, projects, exams, and presentations. Most of your overall grade will be based on coursework.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Professional Practice
- Research Methods
- Penetration Testing and Forensics
- Cloud Solutions and Implementation
- InfoSec
- DevOps
- Enterprise Network Architecture
- Project
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 83% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 17% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
