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The programme provides students with core skills in wide aspects of the security of information systems and specialised skills in the chosen specialisation. Students get a unique chance to study under high-level Cybersecurity practitioners from Estonian universities, industry, law enforcement, CERT and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.
Listen to the interview with Dr. Adrian Venables, the Programme Manager of the Cybersecurity Master’s programme: Soundcloud or Spotify.
Key Features
Study Programme
Degree: Master of Science in Engineering (MSc)
Duration: 2 years
Faculty: School of Information Technologies
Study Load: 120 ECTS (view curriculum)
Mode of Study: Full-time study
Study Information
Language: English (view English language requirements)
Tuition Fee: €6000 per year, free for EU/EEA citizens
Scholarships: Different options available
Admission: General admission guidelines
Location of Studies
Tallinn (TalTech) and Tartu (University of Tartu)
Note that at least 24 ECTS worth of courses taught must be taken in both universities.
Admissions
The number of study places of MSc in Cybersecurity for international students is 30. The candidates are admitted based on the admission points and ranking.
The maximum score for the motivation letter, online lab, online interview and the supporting information in your DreamApply application form (=CV) is 20 points. An applicant who receives 16 points or more is admitted automatically. The rest of the applicants are expected to get their admission results by 11th of June 2024, the latest.
Candidates who get less than 10 admission points or fail to get at least 5 points in either of the subsections, will not be accepted to the programme.
Please find the programme specific admission requirements below:
Bachelor's degree or equivalent in IT or ICT (degree in other field is accepted only if the candidate has at least 1 year work experience in IT).
In order to qualify for the studies in Tallinn University of Technology an applicant has to have at least 60% of the highest possible CGPA.
In order to apply, a candidate is required to upload a Test-taker Score Report of the GRE General Test to the DreamApply application system with the necessary threshold scores:
- Verbal Reasoning at least 145
- Quantitative Reasoning at least 150
- Analytical Writing score at least 3.0
This is a prerequisite for qualifying and has to be fulfilled latest by the application deadline.
Candidates who have obtained a full Bachelor's degree in EU, EFTA or OECD member state are waived from the GRE requirement.
Please see more information about our GRE General Test requirement here, including the exact eligibility criteria for being exempted from this prerequisite and how to order the test result electronically to TalTech.
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Please include the following:
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Describe your professional goals. How does the degree programme you are applying for will support your professional profile?
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Why do you apply for the chosen programme? Which of the courses offered in this programme are particularly beneficial in pursuing your professional goals?
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Describe your previous experience and competencies related to IT — e.g. your works and projects, skills you have mastered at training courses or by yourself, online IT courses you have passed, free and open-source software projects you have participated in, list of Github, Bitbucket and other social coding repositories, etc.
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If you do not have previous IT experience, please explain your motivation why you decided to study cybersecurity.
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List achievements that you are very proud of. For example, this might include the development of open-source tools; published academic papers; etc.
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Please point out 1-2 potential research questions of your interest, about which you might consider writing your final MSc thesis.
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NB! It is important to properly cite and reference any sources used in your motivation letter (quotations, publications, ideas etc. that are not your own). Additionally, AI-generated text is not acceptable as the purpose of the motivation letter is to show the applicant’s genuine motivation. Neglecting the aforementioned principles will result in the disqualification of your application.
Motivation Letter and Online Lab grading scale: 1–10 points. Candidate must collect at least 5 points.
A good Internet connection is recommended in order to access the virtual lab. The virtual lab is cloud-based so no special hardware or software is required. More detailed information will be sent to your email after the preliminary evaluation.
Motivation Letter and Online Lab grading scale: 1–10 points. Candidate must collect at least 5 points.
The aim of the interview is to understand your academic potential, motivation and suitability for your chosen course. For this reason, the interview will include some technical questions.
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Questions are composed to assess your:
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problem-solving abilities;
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intellectual flexibility and analytical skills;
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assimilation of new ideas and information.
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Topics that are covered during interview
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Interviews are discussion-based, mainly academic and program-related:
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personal motivation and information provided in the written application;
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engagement with the cyber security area;
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algorithms and scripting/programming;
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cryptography;
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network security;
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digital forensics;
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security management & strategies;
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legal and ethical aspects of cyber security;
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potential project idea for thesis topic.
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The length of an interview is 20-30 minutes and will be conducted by the specialists in the programme you have applied for.
Grading scale: 1–10 points. Candidate must collect at least 5 points.
Overview
The programme is taught jointly by the two largest public universities in Estonia. The Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics studies are concentrated in Tallinn, while the specialisation in Cryptography is concentrated in Tartu. Upon successful completion of the programme students will receive a joint degree signed by both universities - TalTech and the University of Tartu.
CURRICULUM OUTLINE (120 ECTS)
- General studies – provide the student with the opportunity to learn more about information technology, entrepreneurship and/or Estonian language and culture.
- Core studies – give the student the core cyber security knowledge on management, technology, as well as human and legal aspects.
- Special studies – students will study Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics and Cryptography with the option to choose specialist courses in these subjects.
- Free choice courses – this module aims to let the students choose to study topics according to their interests and/or specialisation.
- Graduation thesis – a scientific project that allows to apply theoretical knowledge to solving practical problems in the field of IT and Cybersecurity.
Future Career
The programme conveys the specialist knowledge and professional skills needed on a career path leading to high-end technical roles (e.g. security analyst, architect or research engineer; security incident handler or a digital forensic expert in a law enforcement agency) or managerial roles (e.g. project/team leader or technology officer).
The studies are also an excellent addition to a previous background in legal studies or law enforcement, leading to unique career opportunities. Great networking possibilities and collaboration with leading specialists in the field will present graduates with a range of career opportunities. The studies can also be continued at doctoral level. The direct follow-up curriculum at TalTech is Information and Communication Technology (IAQD) PhD programme.
More to discover
Every TalTech student’s story is unique. How you choose to take advantage of the opportunities to learn, grow, and flourish is up to you. Many of our locally grown students are also making the impact of their degree felt both locally and globally, becoming leaders in their field and taking up opportunities to work across Europe and overseas.
Ask Us
TalTech international admissions office
TalTech international admissions office provides general advice to prospective Bachelor’s and Master’s degree applicants and their advisers about applying to and studying at TalTech.
Contact TalTech admissions office
Student counsellor at School of Information Technologies
Student counsellor at School of Information Technologies can help you
with questions about the study programme.
Emily Ridal
emily.ridal@taltech.ee