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Deakin University

Master of Cyber Security (Professional)

  • Delivery: Face to Face
  • Study Level: Postgraduate
  • Duration: 24 months
  • Course Type: Master's

Become a cyber security specialist with advanced knowledge of the detection, mitigation and management of cyber threats in our increasingly digital world.

Course overview

Protecting digital systems requires more than technical knowledge. Deakin University’s Master of Cyber Security (Professional) prepares you to evaluate risk, develop secure solutions and help organisations respond to sophisticated and constantly evolving threats.

You will develop advanced capabilities across network and application security, digital forensics, ethical hacking, secure coding, analytics and cyber security management. Your studies also address governance, regulation, compliance and the role security plays across organisations and society.

At Waurn Ponds, research-informed teaching and collaborative learning help connect technical concepts with professional application. Advanced electives allow you to broaden or deepen your expertise before completing your choice of a team project, eligible professional placement or research project.

The two-year course prepares graduates for security-focused opportunities across government, defence, banking, telecommunications, health, science, agriculture and retail. It is professionally accredited by the Australian Computer Society and recognised internationally through the Seoul Accord. Students interested in further research may select the Research Project option and eligible additional research electives.

CSP Subsidised Fees Available

This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.

Key facts

Delivery
Face to Face
Course Type
Master's
Duration
More Information
Can be studied part time
24 months (Full time)
Price Per Unit
From $4,300
More Information
The estimated fee is determined by individual units of study and the year the course was commenced.

From $1,192.125 (CSP)
More Information
You may be eligible for CSP where the government pays part of your fees. Fees are determined by individual units of study and the year the course was commenced.
Campus
Waurn Ponds
Intake
November, 2026
February, 2027
June, 2027
October, 2027
Units
More Information
You may be required to complete 0 credit point units throughout your course. The university will confirm this as part of your enrolment.

The unit total reflects the number of units required for course completion, not the total credit point weight. Some units may be double- or triple-weighted, so the number of units you complete may be lower.
16
Fees
More Information
FEE-HELP loans and HECS loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university program.
FEE-HELP, HECS, CSP

What you will study

To earn the Master of Cyber Security (Professional), you must successfully complete units totalling 16 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 1 credit point.

Course structure overview

  • Core units (8 credit points)
  • Electives (4 credit points)
  • Professional studies (4 credit points)
Core units

Fundamental cyber security studies

  • Identity, Access Management and Physical Security
  • Analytics for Security and Privacy
  • Cyber Security Management
  • Computer Networks and Security

Mastery cyber security studies

  • Computer Forensics and Investigations
  • Ethical Hacking
  • Application and Communication Protocol Security
  • Secure Coding
Electives
Professional studies

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be considered for admission to this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

  • Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in a related discipline.
  • Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline and at least two years of relevant work experience, or part-time equivalent.

Related disciplines and relevant professional experience may include the broad field of information technology.

Academic history, work and life experience and individual circumstances may also be considered. Meeting the minimum academic and English language requirements does not guarantee admission.

Mandatory student checks

If you select a unit involving work-integrated learning, professional practice, community placement or interaction with the community, you may be required to complete a police check, Working with Children Check or other mandatory checks. Requirements will be confirmed in the relevant unit information.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree completed in a recognised English-speaking country.
  • An IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent.
  • Other accepted evidence of English language proficiency.

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

  • Develop, evaluate, implement, and manage cyber security solutions for complex systems, organisations, platforms communication channels, and data, based on industry-accepted standards and best practice.
  • Design, develop and implement advanced cyber systems and software, and associated policies and procedures for optimal use to withstand emerging attacks/threats in cyber space.
  • Assess the role of cyber security in the context of modern organisations and society to add value.
  • Communicate in professional and other contexts to inform, explain and drive sustainable innovation through cyber security and to motivate and effect change by drawing upon advances in technology, future trends and industry standards, and by utilising a range of verbal, graphical and written methods, recognising the needs of diverse audiences including specialist and non-specialist clients, industry personnel and other stakeholders.
  • Identify, evaluate, select and use advanced digital technologies, platforms, frameworks, and tools from the field of cyber security to generate, manage, process and share digital resources and justify digital tools selection to influence others.
  • Questions assumptions and seeks to uncover inconsistencies and ambiguities in information and judgements, critically evaluates their sources and rationales, to inform and justify decision making in the field of cyber security.
  • Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of cyber security and apply expert, specialised cognitive, technical, and creative skills from cyber security to understand requirements and design, implement, operate, and evaluate solutions to complex real-world and ill-defined computing problems.
  • Apply reflective practice and work independently to apply knowledge and skills in a professional manner to complex situations and ongoing learning in the field of cyber security with adaptability, autonomy, responsibility, and personal and professional accountability for actions as a practitioner and a learner.
  • Work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary environments to achieve team goals, contributing specialist knowledge and skills from cyber security to advance the teams objectives, employing effective teamwork practices and principles to cultivate creative thinking, interpersonal adeptness, leadership skills, and handle challenging discussions, while excelling in diverse professional, social, and cultural scenarios.
  • Engage in professional and ethical behaviour in the field of cyber security, with appreciation for the global context, and openly and respectfully collaborate with diverse communities and cultures.

Career outcomes

Graduates may pursue roles such as:

  • Business continuity or information technology security engineer
  • Cyber security specialist
  • Cyber security manager
  • Development, security and operations developer
  • Information security auditor
  • Infrastructure specialist
  • Incident response analyst
  • Operations support analyst
  • Penetration tester
  • Security analyst
  • Security architect
  • Security consultant
  • Security operations centre analyst
  • Security operations manager
  • Security systems developer or programmer
  • Security systems manager
  • Threat intelligence analyst
  • Governance, risk and compliance specialist
  • Security operations centre manager
  • Digital forensics specialist

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $9,537 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $34,400 (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

  • The number of units studied.
  • Choice of units.
  • Credit from previous study or work experience.
  • Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

  • Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
  • Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
  • Reviewed and adjusted each year.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.