Course Summary
Cybersecurity is an essential need for a modern society in which information technology and services pervade every aspect of our lives. Cybersecurity has the fastest growth rate among all areas of IT, with the labour market encountering a severe workforce shortage in this field. The aim of this programme is to provide learners with essential expert technical knowledge, competence and skills of the most important technical concepts of cybersecurity and how they are applied in areas such as device, network, cloud, web and application security.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
The College operates a Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) scheme meaning applicants who do not meet the normal academic requirements may be considered based on relevant work and other experience. This may be assessed using a portfolio of learning, demonstration of work produced, and an interview. The programming ability of the applicant will also be assessed. Non-English-speaking applicants must demonstrate fluency in the English language as demonstrated by an IELTS academic score of at least 6.0 or equivalent.
Laptop Requirement This programme has a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy. Specifically, students are expected to successfully participate in lectures, laboratories and projects using a portable computer (laptop/notebook) with a substantial hardware configuration. The minimal suitable configuration is 8GB of RAM (16GB are recommended); a modern 64-bit x86 multi-core processor (Intel i5 or superior); 250+ GB of available space in hard disk; WiFi card; and a recent version of Ubuntu, macOS, or Windows.
It is the responsibility of each student to ensure their computer is functioning correctly and that they have full administrator rights. NCI IT cannot provide support for these personal devices.
Some students may be able to avail of the Student Laptop Loan Scheme, subject to eligibility.
Application Details
Application: Apply online at www.ncirl.ie
Start Date: September 2024 (Full-Time & Part-Time). January 2025 (Full-Time).
Fees
€4,700 per annum. €9,400 total fee. (Fees revised annually).
Full-Time:
EU Fee: €6,800 total fee. (EU/Ireland applicants). (Fees revised annually).
Spread the cost with our direct debit plan.
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Linguistic
The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.
Career Progression
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity is awarded by QQI at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). Students who successfully complete this course may progress to a major award at level 10 on the NFQ. Students may also elect to exit early with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Cybersecurity at level 9.
Career Prospects
Several reports indicate shortage of skills and strong demand for cybersecurity professionals. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs identified cybersecurity as a high-growth area that requires significant support for skills development. The State of the Cybersecurity Sector in Ireland 2022 Report indicates that there are almost 500 companies offering cybersecurity services or have employees in internal cybersecurity roles, and 83% of companies expect to grow their cybersecurity team over the next 12 months. This field has the fastest growth rate following roles: information security analyst, secure application developer, cybersecurity tester, risk analyst / consultant, cyber incident responder, cloud security analyst, security researcher, etc.
Duration
2 years; 4 semesters with a final internship/practicum.
Delivery: Blended - Livestream with some on-campus stream classes , scheduled in advance.
Indicative Timetable: Two evenings per week, 18.00 - 22.00 and every second Saturday.
Full-time Schedule
1 year; 3 semesters with a final internship/practicum.
Delivery: Campus – Classes will take place face-to-face on campus.
Indicative Timetable: Students need to be available 09.00-18.00 Mon – Fri. Class days and times vary.