Are you interested in a career in IT security? Our MSc in Cloud and Network Security offers the postgraduate skills and knowledge you'll need to advance your career in computer management or seek a leading technical or managerial role in a data-dependent organisation.

Key information

Award:

MSc

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

12 months

Location:

University of Bolton

Start date:

25/09/2023

Course Details

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.

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, giving you the chance 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 a series of realistic scenarios covering technical issues, proposals, and reports designed to prepare for a successful postgraduate career.

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 Internet 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 Internet 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.
Our MSc programme is supported by dedicated laboratories, servers and end hosts with industry-standard hardware and software.
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.

You are normally expected to have successfully completed an honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and have appropriate work experience.
If you have non-traditional entry qualifications and relevant experience, or a suitable portfolio of work that we consider a reasonable substitute for the qualifications we typically accept for this course, then we will be happy to consider your application.
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 may 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.

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?

As a graduate of this master's degree, you could pursue a career in network and internet security, network development, or technical support. Other possible areas of employment include network engineering, management, telecommunications engineering, and crime and computer forensics.

This postgraduate course offers valuable skills that will support you to develop 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. For some of these roles, relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. Some of these careers 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

Course fees

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £7,920 for the academic year 2023/24.

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £13,550 for the academic year 2023/24.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2022-2023 academic year: 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.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:

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:

Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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
Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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@bolton.ac.uk

Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Cloud and Network Security - 25 September 2023

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.

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English Language Qualifications

Have you completed an English Language qualification prior to application or have a valid exemption as per the list below? (The qualification/exemption must be uploaded with this application) E.g. Applicants from Nigeria/Africa must upload their WAEC or NECO certificate before the application is submitted for a prompt response and offer.

Acceptable English Language Tests – Undergraduate and Postgraduate

These tests must have been taken within 2 years of the start of the course

Test	Entry Requirements
IELTS Academic (taken within 2 years)	Undergraduate programmes 6.0 with no band below 5.5 Postgraduate programmes as per entry requirements
IELTS Indicator	Undergraduate programmes 6.0 with no band below 5.5 Postgraduate programmes as per entry requirements
PTE	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Overall score of 50 with no less than 42 in each component Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Overall score of 58 with no less than 50 in each component Postgraduate requiring IELTS 7.0 Overall score of 65 with no less than 58 in each component
TOEFL iBT Including Special Home Edition	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Overall score of 80 with the following component scores: Reading – 18 Writing – 17 Listening – 17 Speaking - 20 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Overall Score of 88 with the following component scores: Reading – 20 Writing – 19 Listening – 19 Speaking 21 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 7.0 Overall Score of 100 with the following component scores: Reading – 23 Writing – 24 Listening – 22 Speaking 22
Pearson Versant	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Overall score of 55 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Overall score of 60 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 7.0 Overall score of 65
Trinity College (Integrated Skills)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 ISE II –Distinction in each component Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 ISE III – Pass in each component Postgraduate requiring IELTS 7.0 ISE III – Merit in each component
Other qualifications we currently accept (which do not require an additional SELT)
GCSE in English Language (from a UK awarding body)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade C Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade B
Irish Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level English	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade C/C3 (20 points) Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade B/B3 (37 points)
Irish Leaving Certificate Higher Level English	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade D/D2 (46 points) Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade C/C2 (66 points)
IGCSE English as a First language (for syllabus 0500 Listening and Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade C Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade B
IGCSE English as a Second language (for syllabus 0510 Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade C Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade B
Cambridge Advanced English	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 170 points with no component below 160 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 180 points with no component below 170 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 7.0 185 points with no component below 180
International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard or Higher Level English Language (Syllabus A)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade 4 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade 5
International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard or Higher Level English Language (Syllabus B)	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade 5 Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade 6
European Baccalaureate English Language	Undergraduate and Postgraduate requiring IELTS6.0 Grade 70% Postgraduate requiring IELTS 6.5 Grade 80%

Acceptable European qualifications

English component must be obtained within the last 4 years

Country	Qualification
Austria	Reifeprufungszeugnis/Maturazeugnis at 2.0
Belgium	Diplome d'acces a l'enseignment superieur/Diplome van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs at 75%
Bulgaria	Diploma Za Sredno Obrazovanie at Grade 3
Croatia	Svjedodzba o Maturi at grade 4.0
Cyprus	Apolyterion at 15
Czech Republic	Maturitni Zkou'ce/Maturita at grade 2.0
Denmark	Studentereksamen/HF/HHX/HTX/IBB /Diplomingenior at grade 9
Estonia	Riigieksamitunnistus or Gümnaasiumilõputunnistus at 70%
Finland	Ylioppilastutkintotodistus or Studentexamensbetyg at grade 5
France	Baccalauréat (le bac) or the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at grade 12.5
Germany	Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife or Abitur or a Fachgebundene Hochschulreife at grade 2 / gut
Greece	Apolyterion at grade 15
Hungary	Erettsegi at grade 4
Italy	Diploma di Esame di Stato at grade 8/80%
Latvia	Atestats Par Visparejo Videjo Izglitib at grade 8
Lithuania	Brandos Atestatas at grade 8
Malta	Matriculation Certificate at grade C
Moldova	Diploma de Bacalaureat or Atestat de Studii Medii de Cultura Generala at grade 9
Netherlands	Diploma Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs (MBO) or Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) at grade 8
Norway	Vitnemal-Videregaende Opplaering at grade 4
Poland	Swiadectwo Dojrzalosci / Matura at grade 70%
Portugal	Diploma de Ensino Secundario at grade 14
Romania	Diploma de Bacalaureat (English with all components at B2)
Slovakia	Vysvedcenie O Maturitnej at grade 2
Slovenia	Maturitetno Spricevalo at grade 4
Spain	Titulo de Bachillerato at grade 8
Sweden	Fullstandigt Slutbetyg Fran Gymnasiesk at grade C
Switzerland	Maturitatszeugnis or Maturite Federal at grade 5
Ukraine	Aтестат про повну загальну середню освіту at grade 10

Acceptable International Regional qualifications

Must be obtained no more than 4 years before the proposed start date of the course

Country	Qualification	Grade
Bahamas	General Certificate of Secondary Education	Grade C in English
Botswana	General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level	Grade C/4 in English
Brunei	Cambridge O Level	Grade C6 in English
Cameroon	GCE O level	Grade C in English
Hong Kong	HKCEE	Grade C in English (Syllabus B)
Hong Kong	HKDSE	Grade 4 in English
Kenya	Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education	Grade C in English
Malaysia	Malaysian 1119	Grade 6C in English - IELTS 6.0
Singapore	Singapore Cambridge O Level	Grade C6 in English
South Africa	South Africa National Senior Certificate	Grade 5 in English
Tanzania	Certificate of Secondary Education	Grade C in English
Uganda	Certificate of Education	Grade 6
Zambia	Zambia School Certificate	Grade 6 in English
Zimbabwe	General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level	Grade C in English
	Caribbean Examination Council	General proficiency Grade III in English
Nigeria/Ghana	WAEC/NECO	Grade C6 in English

I confirm I hold one of the above English Language Qualifications/Exemptions before making an application. I will upload the evidence with this application.

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Thank you for your interest

Please secure an approved English language qualification and then apply for the next intake.

Question

Have you ever received a visa refusal for entry into the UK or any other country?

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Thank you for your interest

Unfortunately we would be unable to sponsor under the Student Route Visa. If you do not require a visa to study in the UK please email us for further advice: intadmissions@bolton.ac.uk

Your Funding

Do you have full funding in place to cover your full tuition fees and living costs as required by UKVI? Please click here for more information.

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Unfortunately we will be unable to continue with your application.

Question

Have you read and understood the course entry requirements and confirm that you fully meet the requirements? (Please click on Entry Requirements tab above to ensure you comply with all the requirements for this course)

You may also refer to the following pages for information about International Qualifications equivalency: https://www.bolton.ac.uk/international/your-country-entry-requirements/

For further assistance with international qualifications equivalency (paid service) – please refer to the ECCTIS website (previously known as NARIC): https://ecctis.com/Qualifications/FindTheServiceForYou.aspx

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Thank you for your interest

Unfortunately we will be unable to proceed with your application as all entry requirements must be met.

Final Terms & Conditions

Please read the following:

I understand that the university reserves the right to withdraw their offer at any stage once the quota for the course has been filled.
I understand that I will be required to pay specific fees before CAS issuance is considered by the university.
I must declare any agent or consultant at the start of my application and they must be on the list of approved agents. (We also have Branch Offices in Africa, South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia who fully manage applications in their respective regions.)
I am able to complete the course in the normal duration.
I am able to arrive on time for the published start date.
I confirm that I will be 18 years old or more on the start date of the course.
I understand that the following documents will be uploaded as part my application:
(a) Passport with at least 6 months validity before start of course.
(b) Personal statement (written by myself).
(c) CV if applicable.
(d) Previous qualifications.
(e) English language certificate or proof of exemption.
(f) Professional references if applicable.
(g) Bank Statements and TB Certificate if applicable at the CAS issuance stage.
I have read and understood all questions and answered them correctly and truthfully to the best of my ability and knowledge.

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Thank you for your interest

Unfortunately we will be unable to proceed with your application.

Congratulations

Based on the information supplied, we would like to invite you to apply for this course.

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Apply Online

The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.

How you apply is determined by your current location and what you are choosing to study:

Apply direct to the University. Links for the next available intakes of this course are shown below. Please click the link which will direct you to the online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this.
Apply via one of our approved in-country referral partners. A list of our partners may be found on the International pages of this website.
Apply via UCAS for courses starting in September only – visit www.ucas.com.

Should you have any queries please contact the International Team on +44 (0) 1204 903110 or email international@bolton.ac.uk

Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Cloud and Network Security - 25 September 2023

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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 take part in lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques. You’ll also experience laboratory and workshop sessions, as well as 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 normally 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.

Masters Project
Advanced Cloud Penetration Testing and Forensics
Global Infrastructure
Dev Ops
Research Methods

Assessment methods

Level	Assesment method
Level one	Coursework 68%, Practical exams 32%

Learning activities

Level	Learning activity
Level one	Guided independent study 83%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 17%

Disclaimer

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.