Study location	Estonia, Tallinn/ Tartu
Type	Postgraduate, full-time
Nominal duration	2 years (120 ECTS)
Study language	English
Awards	MSc (Master of Science in Engineering)
Course code	100946, IVCM

Tuition fee	€6,000 per year Free for EU/EEA citizens You can see available scholarship options here: www.taltech.ee/scholarships
Application fee	€100 one-time The application fee is 100 EUR per applicant, which enables to apply for 2 programmes. The application fee is non-refundable! More information here: www.taltech.ee/apply

Entry qualification

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 at Tallinn University of Technology, an applicant has to have at least 60% of the highest possible CGPA. For detailed information about requested documents and suitable qualifications, please take a look at country specific requirements. GRE General Test result must be presented as it is a preliminary requirement for applying. The required threshold score, exemption criteria and other necessary information are available here. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / Estonian. It is required to upload the official translations along with the original education documents to the online application system.

Language requirements

English To apply for the studies, an adequate proof of English language proficiency must be presented. Accepted certificates and required results are specified on our homepage. The proof of English may only be waived if a candidate has finished International Baccalaureate (IB) or European Baccalaureate (EB) programme or completed secondary or higher education taught fully in English in one of the following countries: EU/EEA member states, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom. If you have completed studies in English but not on-site in the country named above, we ask you to present an internationally recognised test indicated on our homepage.

Other requirements

A motivation letter must be added to your application. For each programme you apply to, an individual motivation letter (statement of purpose) must be inserted. Please include the following: Describe your professional goals. How does the degree programme you are applying for will support your professional profile? Why do you apply for the chosen programme? Which of the courses offered in this programme are particularly beneficial in pursuing your professional goals? 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. If you do not have previous IT experience, please explain your motivation why you decided to study cyber security. List achievements that you are very proud of. For example, this might include the development of open-source tools; published academic papers; etc. Please point out 1-2 potential research questions of your interest, about which you might consider writing your final MSc thesis. Write about some of the setbacks and failures that you have experienced at your work or academic environment, and describe how you have handled these situations. It is important to properly cite any sources (quotations, publications, ideas which are not your own etc.) used in your motivation letter, because to do otherwise would be plagiarism and result in disqualification. Online lab Online interview

More information	taltech.ee/cyber-msc

Overview

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.

Programme structure

The programme is taught jointly by the two largest public universities in Estonia. The Cyber Security 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.

MAIN SPECIALISATIONS

Specialisation in Cyber Security

The public focus on the field of cyber security is growing around the world. Estonia is well known for its eagerness to put innovative IT solutions into everyday use. It is a pioneer in electronic identities and electronic voting and enthusiastically adopts mobile technology, online banking and electronic government services. However, with so many e-solutions and such extensive use of the internet, attention also needs to be turned to the security issue.

By choosing electable courses, it is possible to specialise in one of the following aspects or a suitable mix of those:

• Organisational aspects – law, organization, psychology, standards, etc.
• Technological aspects – networking, attack/defence technology, cryptography.

Specialisation in Digital Forensics

Digital forensics is a branch of forensic science encompassing the recovery and investigation of material found in digital devices, often in relation to computer crime. The area is becoming critical for both data security and law enforcement and is involved in a complicated interplay between surveillance and counter-surveillance issues.

Specialisation in Cryptography

Cryptography is vital for the functioning of the modern interconnected world, since it is required to ensure privacy, data integrity, etc. Cryptography experts are required to develop new ways of keeping data secure, as well as making sure that the existing solutions are still strong enough.

The 2 year (120 ECTS) curriculum comprises the following modules:

General studies
Core studies
Special studies
Specialisation in one of below three directions:
I Cyber Security
- Cyber Security Technology
- Special Studies in Cyber Security
II Digital Forensics
- Cyber Security Technology
- Special Studies in Digital Forensics
III Cryptography
- Cyber Security Technology
- Special Studies in Cryptography
Free Choice Courses
Graduation Thesis

Career opportunities

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 progarmme.