Master's Programme in Cybersecurity

 
120 ECTS credits

Study programme

In computer science, development is advancing rapidly. Therefore, the programme at Karlstad University focuses on equipping students with the ability to continuously acquire and apply new knowledge. The education also aims to provide students with in-depth competence in the field of computer science, with a specialization in cybersecurity.
Education level: Master's level

Prerequisites

General entry requirements. Upper-secondary school English 6 or equivalent, Degree of Bachelor 180 credits and 90 credits in computer science, including the following courses: Programming techniques, 7.5 credits Software development methodology, 7.5 credits Operating systems, 5 credits Computer networking I, 7.5 credits and Mathematical statistics, 7.5 credits (or equivalent courses)

More about field-specific eligibility

Course of study

Semester 1 ECTS credits
Advanced Communication Networks (Obligatory) 5
Systems modeling and simulation (Obligatory) 5
Internet Architectures and Protocols (Obligatory) 5
Internet Security and Privacy (Obligatory) 7.5
Methods in Computer Science (Obligatory) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30
Semester 2 ECTS credits
Ethical hacking (Obligatory) 7.5
Distributed Systems and Cloud Computing (Obligatory) 7.5
Software Architectures of Distributed Applications (Obligatory) 5
Wireless Systems (Obligatory) 5
Distributed Applications: Development Project (Obligatory) 5
Total ECTS credits: 30
Semester 3 ECTS credits
Privacy Engineering (Obligatory) 7.5
Usable Security and Privacy (Obligatory) 7.5
Research Project in Computer Science (Elective) 15
Optional course (Elective) 15
Total ECTS credits: 30*
Semester 4 ECTS credits
Computer Science - Master´s Thesis (Obligatory) 30
Total ECTS credits: 30

*Full-time study always equals 30 ECTS credits per semester (20 weeks).

Please note - not all programmes offer elective or optional courses.

Elective course: Students are free to choose among certain alternative courses, often depending on their choice of specialisation.

Optional course: Students are free to choose any course offered at Karlstad University or at other universities. Courses listed are examples of recommended or frequently chosen courses for a specific programme.

Future prospects

Degree

Degree of Master of Science (120 credits)

Main field of study: Computer Science

Specialisation: Cybersecurity

Tuition fees

  • Total fee: 300,000 SEK
  • Per semester / First payment: 75,000 SEK

You do not have to pay tuition fees if you are an exchange student or a citizen of a country within the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland.

Read more about tuition fees and payment.

Campus (Karlstad), 100% Options
  • Start Autumn 2026
  • Mode of study Campus (Karlstad)
  • Language English
  • Application code KAU-80761
  • Study pace 100% (Day)
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