The course content was informed by extensive collaboration with industry, government, and key academics to ensure that what you will study is exactly what the industry is looking for in its graduate recruits. The course has grown rapidly over the last few years with over 300 on-campus and distance learning students in its ranks.

The course is perfect if you are looking to expand your knowledge of cyber security. With focused independent study, you can expand your undergraduate knowledge and move into the field of cyber security and digital forensics.

Choose flexible study

The flexible study modes mean you can work while you study, with the part-time and distance learning options. Module lectures and practical classes are grouped together into half days, to make sure that part-time students can attend. You can also switch between study modes to suit your changing needs as you progress through your studies.

The course celebrated its tenth year of delivery in 2020, including many years of being the only practical cyber security and digital forensics course in the UK to be delivered by distance learning.

Extend your knowledge

Already have knowledge of cyber security? The MSc Advanced Security & Digital Forensics course allows you to expand your knowledge gained in cyber security and digital forensics during your undergraduate studies and seamlessly transfer into independent postgraduate study. Students on the ASDF course gain an understanding across a wide range of key topics including network security, penetration testing, incident response, digital forensics, malware analysis and cryptography among others, which align closely to the NCSC and CyBOK cyber security frameworks, equipping students with the skills required to tackle future cyber threats.

Read Jamie and Charley's story to find out how they transitioned from undergraduate to postgraduate study at Edinburgh Napier.

Read Phil's story to discover how it's never too late to pursue a career in a new field.

Improve your job prospects

"

I found doing a Master Degree at Edinburgh Napier a very worthwhile experience. As a mature student with life and work experience, it offered a chance to add academic rigor and framework to underpin what I was already doing in industry, and provided a much deeper appreciation and understanding of why we do things in industry. Industry is time sensitive and often employees are simply trained to follow procedure without much regard as to why. The degree course filled that gap and really gave me a more profound knowledge, and importantly, confidence, that I could bring back to my work place.

"

- Duncan Reid, Edinburgh Napier alumni

Change your career

Build your professional network

You will build your network with other students through our amazing cyber security student society ENUSEC, interact with university cyber security and digital forensics staff and researchers, and meet guest lecturers and other industry experts through our extensive external community links.

Jamie shares why meeting key connections during his course was his highlight.

Taught by industry experts

Lead academics