University of Portsmouth
Cybercrime (Distance Learning) MSc
University of Portsmouth

Course modalities offered

Key Course Facts

Salary

Salary of all UK Graduates of

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £22481 £20177 £23660
25-75 percentile range £20119 - £25653 £15142 - £24804 £17699 - £30158

Course Description

As more people and services look to digital technologies, the risks and threats of cybercrime continue to grow. This has exposed a shortfall in experienced cybercrime investigators. Study our MSc Cybercrime and join the next generation of cybercrime researchers and investigators.

With an MSc in Cybercrime, you'll gain the skills needed to meet the demand for experienced cybercrime investigators and help make the online world a safer place.

On this course, you'll focus on the acts of cybercrime and the criminals behind them.

You'll discover the motivations and behavioural aspects behind cybercrime and other online deviant behaviours such as harassment and bullying, to find out what leads people to harm others on the web.

The critical and analytical knowledge you develop will ready you to act as a link between traditional police officers and technological forensic investigators.

You'll take a global approach to cybercrime and investigate the international cooperation needed to tackle it.

You’ll also have opportunities to collaborate with specialists in the cybercrime field, through The University of Portsmouth's Cybercrime Awareness Clinic, and our affiliations with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), local constabularies and regional organised crime units.

What you’ll study

This course will give you the skills to pursue a career in combating cybercrime.

On this course, you'll:

Take a holistic approach to cybercrime, developing critical thinking around responses to technological, human, legal and management perspectives

Investigate sociological and criminological aspects of cybercrime, identifying offender characteristics and the main victims of cybercrime

Collaborate with experienced personnel such as members of Hampshire Police and the Crime Commissioner’s Office on your dissertation/major project

Explore debates surrounding the causes of cybercrimes, digital investigations and the methods and motivations of cybercriminals

Assess new harms online such as bullying, harassment and technology-facilitated sexual violence, as well as potential shortfalls in legislation

How you're assessed

All assessments for this course are based on coursework submitted online. Your performance is assessed through coursework including:

Academic essays

Briefing papers and reports

Blog posts

Narrated presentations

A dissertation

You can also test your skills and knowledge informally before assessments via online quizzes, group discussions, peer review activities and virtual seminars.

Tutors will provide feedback on practice and formal assessments so you can improve your work for the future.

Career prospects and opportunities

After graduating from MSc Cybercrime, you’ll have the technical skills necessary to pursue a career in helping preserve cybersecurity and the critical thinking and social awareness needed to understand online behaviour.

With your specialist knowledge, you could become a central player in organisations such as the police, as cybercrime is an ever-evolving sector that demands someone with a firm grip on the subject.

Your skills will be particularly in demand within law enforcement and local government, where you can benefit from our connections with the Hampshire Police and National Crime Agency. With the skills and expertise you’ll gain on this course, you could go on to a career as a:

Behaviour analyst

Information security officer

Risk management analyst

Intelligence analyst

Police officer/investigator

Researcher

Discover key terms that industry professionals need to know with our Cybercrime glossary:

All assessments for this course are based on coursework submitted online. Your performance is assessed through coursework including: **Academic essays** **Briefing papers and reports** **Blog posts** **Narrated presentations** **A dissertation** You can also test your skills and knowledge informally before assessments via online quizzes, group discussions, peer review activities and virtual seminars. Tutors will provide feedback on practice and formal assessments so you can improve your work for the future.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic)

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

Cambridge English Advanced

**Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015**

An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 176

Cambridge English Proficiency

Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 176.

TOEFL (iBT)

91 with a minimum of 24 in Reading, 23 in Listening, 25 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.

PTE Academic

An overall score of 61 with a minimum of 61 in each skill.

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Cybercrime (Distance Learning), MSc, if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

A minimum of a second-class honours degree in a relevant subject (Social Science, Humanities or Management subject). Information Technology related subjects will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with equivalent professional experience in a relevant organisation (cybercrime, cybersecurity or related) will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Costs

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of University of Portsmouth in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of University of Portsmouth in related subject specific rankings.

Social Studies & Humanities

    • #54 
    • #401 
    Social Sciences
    THE World University Rankings by Subject
    [Published 26 October, 2022]
    • #53 
    • #451 
    Social Sciences
    NTU Rankings by Subject
    [Published 11 July, 2023]
    • #40 
    • #50 
    Sociology
    CUG The Complete University Guide - By Subject
    [Published 08 June, 2023]

See all 29 university rankings of University of Portsmouth

About University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth is located on the United Kingdom’s only island city, Portsmouth. This public university, which was previously known as Portsmouth Polytechnic, forms part of the University Alliance, an organisation whose aim is to promote growth and innovation in the UK by putting an emphasis on links with business and industry.

List of 234 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Portsmouth - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Portsmouth

undergraduates:
18085
postgraduates:
5005
Total:
23090
Number of students enrolled in courses of subject “Computer and Information Security”: Academic year - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
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