Course Description :
The Cyberspace Operations programme is designed to develop professionals to support manoeuvre in cyberspace, in contested operations and as part of integrated planning. The course specifically evaluates the current doctrine and planning procedures across a variety of military and civilian contexts. It also evaluates the impact of cyber on control systems, leadership and decision making in the command and control environment.
Start Month :
September
Full Time/ Part Time :
Part time
School :
CDS
Theme :
Defence and Security
Entry Requirements :
A first or second class UK Honours degree (or equivalent) ideally in a related subject. Other recognised professional qualifications or several years relevant industrial experience may be accepted as equivalent; subject to approval by the Course Director. For further and specific information please visit the course page.
English Language:
If you are an international student you will need to provide evidence that you have achieved a satisfactory test result in an English qualification. The minimum standard expected from a number of accepted courses are as follows:
IELTS - 6.5
TOEFL - 92
Pearson PTE Academic - 65
Cambridge English Scale - 180
Cambridge English: Advanced - C
Cambridge English: Proficiency - C
In addition to these minimum scores you are also expected to achieve a balanced score across all elements of the test. We reserve the right to reject any test score if any one element of the test score is too low. We can only accept tests taken within two years of your registration date (with the exception of Cambridge English tests which have no expiry date). Students requiring a Tier 4 (General) visa must ensure they can meet the English language requirements set out by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and we recommend booking a IELTS for UKVI test.
Duration:
Part-time MSc - up to three years, Part-time PgCert - two years, Part-time PgDip - two years
(For MOD status students the duration may vary, subject to annual review.)Part-time MSc - up to three years, Part-time PgCert - two years, Part-time PgDip - two years
(For MOD status students the duration may vary, subject to annual review.)
Course Format:
Overview:
The Cyberspace Operations programme is designed to develop professionals to support manoeuvre in cyberspace, in contested operations and as part of integrated planning.
Who is it for?:
Students will be UK Military and other Government personnel charged with supporting operations in cyberspace, in their current or anticipated role. These staff may also be one or more of the following:
- Managers who need to understand information risk and respond to cyber threats
- Technicians who wish to understand the operational and business context
- Procurement staff commissioning critical or sensitive projects
- Policy and planning staff interested in computer network and security operations
- Personnel interested in social media and associated concepts such as cyber mobilisation
- Those charged with accreditation and assessment of security measures.
Why this course?:
The course will specifically focus on responses to serious present and emerging threats in the information domain. The course enables the student to understand the context of the cyber domain. Whilst a technical understanding is an advantage, this course enables students from a variety of backgrounds to understand the drivers and constraints within cyber operations and how many roles need to integrate to provide an effective and cohesive operation.
The course specifically evaluates the current doctrine and planning procedures across a variety of military and civilian contexts. It also evaluates the impact of cyber on control systems, leadership and decision making in the command and control environment.
Informed by Industry
The course has an External Advisory Panel, chaired by Sir Edmund Burton, with expert representatives from government and industry, including Fujitsu, mobile phone giant EE, GSK and the MOD.
Your teaching team :
- Dr Ruth Massie
- Lorraine Dodd
- Jeremy Hilton
- Dr Oliver Buckley
- Dr Duncan Hodges
- Robert Black
- Antoinette Caird-Daley
- Rebecca McKeown
The course utilises a wide range of external speakers, many of whom are leaders in their field. Lecturing staff bring a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors and understand the issues of translating the theory of information assurance into practice across a broad spectrum of organisational contexts.
Accreditation:
It is intended that accreditation against emerging government and professional body standards will be sought, in consultation with, for example, the UK Government’s Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), Institute for Information Security Professionals and the British Computer Society.
This course is supported by the UK Government’s Cabinet Office and Office of Cyber Security and Information Security.
Course details:
The course is taught through a flexible blend of compulsory residential courses, online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) activities and interaction and project based learning.
It has three components: a taught component comprising 6 ten credit modules (PgCert/PgDip/MSc); a 20 credit module entitled Developing Cyber Thinking and Practice followed by a 40 credit work based project (PgDip/MSc); an 80 credit research project assessed by dissertation (MSc).
Individual project:
Students taking the MSc/PgDip complete a 40 credit project, focused on a work-based problem. This allows the student to develop and demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills acquired in the taught modules to a practical problem in the context of a continually changing cyber environment. Where a work-based project is problematic for an individual student, the supervisor will work with the student to identify an alternative problem solving context.
Dissertation:
Students taking the MSc must develop and demonstrate their technical expertise, independent learning abilities and critical appraisal skills by producing a clear and coherent research-based dissertation.
Assessment:
PGCert: each module is assessed via course work and a reflective portfolio. PgDip: in addition to assessment of the PGCert, PgDip students will be assessed via a large project and presentation. MSc: in addition to assessment of the PgDip, MSc students will be assessed via a dissertation
Core modules:
- Cyber Defence - Governance and Management
- Understanding Risk
- Cyber Attack - Threats and Opportunities
- Social Technologies
- Planning in the Full Spectrum Context
- Cyber in the C2 Battle
- Developing Cyber Thinking and Practice
- Dissertation
- Work-based Project
Fees and funding:
Home EU Student Fees:
- MSc Part-time £12,500 *
- PgDip Part-time £9,800 *
- PgCert Part-time £4,900 *
Overseas Fees:
- MSc Part-time £12,500 *
- PgDip Part-time £9,800 *
- PgCert Part-time £4,900 *
* Students will be offered the option of paying the full fee up front, or to pay in four equal instalments at six month intervals (i.e. the full fee to be paid over the first two years of their registration).
Fee notes :
- The fees outlined apply to all students whose initial date of registration falls on or between 1 August 2017 and 31 July 2018.
- All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period agreed at their initial registration.
- Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged and can be found below.
- Fee eligibility at the Home/EU rate is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle, EU nationals (including UK) who are ordinarily resident in the EU pay Home/EU tuition fees, all other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.
Security clearance for Shrivenham:
Some Cranfield University courses are delivered at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham which is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) site. All applicants to courses that are wholly or partially delivered at Shrivenham must complete the BPSS (HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard V4 April 2014) prior to registration on the course or must already hold a security clearance to this level or higher.
Your application and BPSS clearance application will be shared during the application process with the MOD who have ultimate discretion over whether to admit applicants to the Shrivenham site. This information will be returned by the MOD to Cranfield University after checks are completed and no copies will be retained by the MOD.
BPSS checks may involve confirmation of the following:
- Identity (e.g. Photo ID)
- Nationality and Immigration Status
- Employment/Academic History (covering the past 3 years)
- Criminal record (unspent convictions only)
Additionally, applicants are required to give a reasonable account of any significant periods (6 months or more in the past 3 years) of time spent abroad.
This may be revised from time to time dependent on national security requirements. For more details, please consult the BPSS Guidance.
It will take additional time to process your BPSS clearance application once you have completed your course application.
Inability to access the Shrivenham site as a result of failure to meet security clearance requirements will result in a withdrawal of offer, or, if already registered, a termination of registration.
Your career:
This qualification will take you on to become one of the next generation of individuals who can support manoeuvres in cyberspace, in contested operations and as part of integrated planning. Additionally, it provides you with both the theoretical and practical understanding of cyberspace within an organisation, thereby enabling you to become one of the next generation of managers.
