- How long it takes
- 18 to 24 months
- full time
- Level
- Masters degree (coursework)
- University
- Leads on to
- Cyber Security Analyst
- $128,000 median pay
- Taught by
- 14 providers
- 4 states and territories
Is this course right for you?
What the Master of Cyber Security asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
Before you start
Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.
Where this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it
Cyber Security Analyst
Cyber security analysts watch an organisation's networks and systems for signs of attack, then investigate and contain the ones that get through.
What else you need
Complete security coursework and practical labs; employers assess hands-on skills and may look for industry certifications.
Median pay$128,000
Cyber Security Engineer
Cyber security engineers build and maintain the defences that keep an organisation's networks, systems and data out of the wrong hands.
What else you need
Complete security and systems coursework; employers assess practical engineering skills and experience.
Median pay$117,000 (estimate)
Cyber Security GRC Specialist
A cyber security GRC specialist works out which frameworks and regulations an organisation has to meet, then checks whether its security controls do what they claim.
What else you need
Suits governance, risk and compliance work; employers weigh knowledge of standards and organisational experience.
Median pay$117,000 (estimate)
In demand
Penetration Tester
Penetration testers run authorised attacks against an organisation's own systems to find the security weaknesses a real attacker would exploit.
A step towards this job. What else you need
Median pay$127,400 (estimate)
In demand
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.
Where you can study this course
There are 14 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Website for Curtin University (opens in a new tab)
Curtin University
Curtin University of Technology, WA
4.2from 1,745 Google reviews
What students like
- Staff are helpful and welcoming
- Support services help students through hard times
What to weigh up
- Enquiries can take a while to answer
- Website for Macquarie University (opens in a new tab)
Macquarie University
Macquarie University Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde, NSW
4.4from 1,202 Google reviews
What students like
- Lecturers care and help students understand
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Student support can be hard to reach
- Website for Deakin University (opens in a new tab)
Deakin University
Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds, VIC
4.4from 2,192 Google reviews
What students like
- Lecturers are approachable, supportive and knowledgeable
- Support services are helpful for students
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Website for Holmes Institute (opens in a new tab)
Holmes Institute
Holmes Institute Pty Ltd, VIC
3.8from 1,115 Google reviews
What students like
- Front desk staff are helpful with enrolment and fees
- Lecturers and staff are supportive and friendly
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Phone calls and emails can go unanswered
- Help can be hard to find when problems come up
- Website for Holmes Institute (opens in a new tab)
Holmes Institute
Brisbane - Holmes Institute Pty Ltd, Level 9, 119 Charlotte St, Brisbane QLD, Levels 2 & 3, 126 Margaret Street, Brisbane 4000, QLD
3.8from 1,115 Google reviews
What students like
- Front desk staff are helpful with enrolment and fees
- Lecturers and staff are supportive and friendly
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Phone calls and emails can go unanswered
- Help can be hard to find when problems come up
- Website for Holmes Institute (opens in a new tab)
Holmes Institute
Holmes Institute (York Street) (RTO Operations), NSW
3.8from 1,115 Google reviews
What students like
- Front desk staff are helpful with enrolment and fees
- Lecturers and staff are supportive and friendly
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Phone calls and emails can go unanswered
- Help can be hard to find when problems come up
Edith Cowan University
ECU City, ECU Joondalup, WA
4.3from 679 Google reviews
TAFE Queensland
Coomera, South Bank, QLD
4.1from 2,040 Google reviews
What you’ll learn
The main topics covered in the Master of Cyber Security.
- Network security
- Cryptography
- Digital forensics
- Ethical hacking and penetration testing
- Security governance and risk
Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?