Academic Master's Degree
Master's Degree in Cybersecurity
The Master's Degree in Cybersecurity at the College of International Justice (CI Justice) is an advanced academic and engineering programme designed specifically to elevate the technical, strategic, and governance competence of engineers and specialists workin...
Duration2 years
Credit hours60
DegreeMaster's Degree
Language of studyArabic
Terms4
About the program
The Master's Degree in Cybersecurity at the College of International Justice (CI Justice) is an advanced academic and engineering programme designed specifically to elevate the technical, strategic, and governance competence of engineers and specialists working in the protection of critical infrastructures, digital cyberspace, and information security in major organizations. The programme focuses on advanced cyber challenges, diving into Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) analysis, quantum and advanced cryptography, advanced digital forensics, offensive and defensive penetration testing, and international cybersecurity legislation.The programme spans four academic semesters (two academic years). Students study 8 advanced courses (5 compulsory and 3 elective) distributed across the first and second semesters, followed by practical application concurrently with completing a Master's Thesis during the third and fourth semesters. The programme focuses on complex engineering and governance issues—beginning with research methodologies and advanced network security, moving through cybersecurity governance and risk management, threat intelligence, and culminating in malware analysis and reverse engineering. It is distinguished by a teaching methodology relying on research seminars and advanced virtual laboratories (Cyber Ranges), fostering critical technical thinking, defensive design, and security policy formulation.
Vision
To be the globally preeminent academic and professional destination in preparing cyber defense and information security engineering leaders and experts capable of securing sovereign and national assets, countering advanced threats, and enriching technical research with original contributions.
Mission
To deliver an advanced postgraduate programme that integrates advanced technical engineering of networks and systems with legal, strategic, and governance frameworks of information security, through an interactive educational environment based on live simulation and defense laboratories (Cyber Ranges), to qualify cadres possessing high competence to protect cyberspace and counter accelerated cybercrimes.
Objectives
- Engineering and Technical Depth: Equip scholars with an advanced critical understanding of network security engineering, advanced cryptography, and cloud/virtual systems.
- Developing Rigorous Research Faculty: Qualify researchers to produce original scientific theses and technical policy papers addressing contemporary cyber issues and contributing to security knowledge development.
- Mastery of Digital Forensics and Proactive Defense: Build high competence in advanced digital forensics, malware analysis, and cyber threat intelligence.
- Comprehension of Cyber Governance and Legislation: Develop capacities in designing and applying information security governance frameworks, risk management, and compliance with international standards (ISO 27001, NIST).
- Handling Emerging Technical Challenges: Qualify graduates to secure critical infrastructures (SCADA), cloud environments, and IoT against advanced attacks.
Educational philosophy
The College of International Justice adopts the philosophy of "Cyber Defense Grounded in Technical Engineering and Strategic Governance." This philosophy transcends superficial vulnerability understanding to reach deep engineering analysis of systems, deconstructing advanced attack mechanisms, and evaluating the efficiency of defensive structures in protecting organizations.This philosophy is embodied in research seminars requiring students to critically read peer-reviewed papers and strategic technical reports. The programme also strongly focuses on practical application in advanced virtual laboratories (Cyber Ranges) and live attack simulation, while providing a flexible (distance) educational environment catering to the needs of tech and security professionals and supporting directed self-learning.
Learning outcomes
- Knowledge and Understanding: Comprehending the engineering and theoretical frameworks of network and systems security, comprehensive awareness of advanced encryption mechanisms, information security governance, and understanding the nature of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
- Cognitive Skills: The ability to critically analyze structural and software vulnerabilities, properly characterize proactive defensive strategies, and foresee future trends in digital space warfare based on threat intelligence.
- Practical Skills: Mastery of executing advanced penetration testing, conducting digital forensic investigations and live memory analysis, and managing Security Operations Centers (SOC) and cyber defense labs.
Career prospects
Career Horizons: The programme qualifies graduates to hold prestigious leadership and advisory positions such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Security Operations Center (SOC) Manager, digital forensics and incident responder expert, cyber governance and compliance consultant, and cybercrime investigator for sovereign agencies and major corporations.
Curriculum
In-depth Scientific Research Methodology & Technical Security Analysis 4 credit hours · MCYS501Advanced Network Security Engineering and Quantum Cryptography 4 credit hours · MCYS502Cybersecurity Governance and Enterprise Risk Management 4 credit hours · MCYS503Advanced Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) 4 credit hours · MCYS504
Cyber Threat Intelligence and Proactive Defense Engineering 4 credit hours · MCYS505Malware Analysis and Advanced Reverse Engineering (Elective) 4 credit hours · MCYS506Cloud Computing and Virtual Infrastructure Security (Elective) 4 credit hours · MCYS507Advanced Penetration Testing and Enterprise Vulnerability Assessment (Elective) 4 credit hours · MCYS508Industrial Control Systems and Critical Infrastructure Security (Elective) 4 credit hours · MCYS509Cyber Legislation and International Data Security Law (Elective) 4 credit hours · MCYS510
Frequently asked questions
How does the mechanism for studying the eight courses work? What is the role of Seminars?
Master's studies at our college rely on directed research methodology and deep analysis of security theories and architectures, not rote learning. The student studies 8 courses. Each course is conducted through "research seminars" relying on multiple references and recent international working papers according to scientific research standards. Studying a single course takes a minimum of 4 weeks, and may take longer depending on the student's ability and pace in completing the required analyses. After completion, a competency test is held for the course, and upon passing it, the student begins the next course in the same manner.
Is there flexibility in finishing the first-year courses if I cannot complete them on time?
Yes, the system fully considers the circumstances and professional commitments of the learners, especially information security engineers and IT managers. The student has the right to extend the study period for first-year courses for an additional period not exceeding a maximum of a second year, giving them sufficient flexibility to deeply absorb complex theories and security architectures without undue academic pressure.
What is the nature of the "Practical Application" (Virtual Course) training? Does it require on-site attendance?
The practical training in the courses (Practical Application 1 & 2) is a "virtual" course that does not require on-site attendance but aims to refine your leadership and academic skills in knowledge transfer and simplifying complex engineering and security concepts. You will be asked to restructure an undergraduate course into 12-14 lectures (distributed over the 3rd and 4th semesters), providing a written summary (Word) and recording a voice-over presentation (PowerPoint) for each lecture (lasting 10-20 minutes). This training places you in the role of a trained technical expert.
When can I start the Master's thesis? What are the requirements for the Jury and approval to defend it?
Thesis preparation (Master's Thesis 1 & 2) effectively begins concurrently with the start of practical training in the third semester, and takes from 9 months (minimum) up to two years (extendable exceptionally for a third year, provided total enrollment does not exceed 4 years). The supervisor submits a semi-annual progress report.To defend: The supervisor must submit a report on the thesis's validity for defense (evaluating your performance out of 140 marks) and propose names for the Jury committee, whose validity period is 6 months. At least 15 days must pass after the committee's approval before the defense. Most importantly: You must obtain at least 70% from both the supervisor's evaluation (out of 140) and the Jury members (in their individual reports out of 100) before being allowed to defend. Post-defense, the committee submits a final collective grade report.
What services support me as a distance learning Master's student at the college throughout my studies?
As a student at the College of International Justice, you will enjoy continuous support including:An Academic Tutor for each module: Evaluates your assignments and practical training (TMAs), provides guidance in using virtual labs, and directs you to accredited threat sources.e-Library: Comprehensive access to high-quality security and engineering databases and resources, and other university libraries.Student Support Teams and Help Centre: To answer general questions and support your study skills via an online help center.IT Support: Providing technical support and free access to Microsoft Office 365.Flexible Learning Environment: Includes discussion forums for collaborative work, a weekly study planner to schedule tasks, a tutoring booking system, and interactive Webinars.
Admission requirements
- Holding a Bachelor's degree (Licence) in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field from a recognized university.
- Appropriate language proficiency (English and handling technical terminology) to comprehend in-depth engineering references, analyze security reports, and prepare scientific research.
- The ability to commit to the intensive study system based on research seminars, virtual labs, directed self-learning, and completing technical tasks on time.
- Applicants from non-technical backgrounds may be required to pass foundational prerequisite courses in computer networks and systems programming as a condition for admission.
Tuition & fees
Application fee$145.00
Start your academic journey today
Submit your application now and our admissions team will contact you to complete the process.
Apply to this programIn-depth Scientific Research Methodology & Technical Security Analysis
MCYS501 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: Serving as the cornerstone for building master-level research and analytical capabilities in cybersecurity, this is the first course students take. It covers foundational philosophical and logical methodologies in technical and engineering research, transitioning the student to rigorous practical application using empirical security analysis tools and programmatic hypothesis testing. The student trains intensively in using analytical models to evaluate vulnerabilities, perform log analysis, and apply empirical research techniques in malware discovery. The course also emphasizes practical and academic skills for drafting rigorous technical research papers and security Policy Papers, starting from selecting an original research topic, precisely formulating the technical problem and hypotheses, gathering data from virtual environments and threat centers, culminating in intensive practical training on preparing and drafting Thesis Proposals according to global academic standards. Students learn how to formulate defensive recommendations based on objective and empirical analysis. The course is studied through research seminars and practical labs according to scientific research methodology.
Advanced Network Security Engineering and Quantum Cryptography
MCYS502 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course represents an advanced foundational and critical study of network security engineering and modern cryptographic protocols. It transcends basic concepts to deeply analyze wide area network (WAN/SD-WAN) architectures, secure routing protocols, advanced firewall engineering, and network intrusion detection systems. It studies deeply advanced symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms, Post-Quantum Cryptography architectures, and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). It also analyzes communication channel protection strategies in large enterprise environments and distributed corporate networks. The course is studied through research seminars and virtual labs (Cyber Ranges).
Cybersecurity Governance and Enterprise Risk Management
MCYS503 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: The course provides a precise institutional analysis of information security governance frameworks and cybersecurity risk management at the corporate and major organization level. It deeply studies global ISO standards (ISO/IEC 27001:2022), NIST Cybersecurity Frameworks, and how to align cybersecurity with strategic business objectives. It critically analyzes quantitative and qualitative cybersecurity risk assessment methodologies, calculating Return on Security Investments (ROSIs), and building local and international regulatory and legal compliance policies. It also discusses the role of boards of directors in overseeing cyber risks and business continuity. The course is studied through research seminars relying on references and corporate case studies.
Advanced Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR)
MCYS504 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course offers an advanced and detailed study of Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) operations. It analyzes the precise rules for seizing digital evidence and maintaining the chain of custody in accordance with international legal and judicial standards. It deeply studies live memory forensics techniques, persistent file system analysis, network investigation and malicious packet interception, and cloud forensics. Students also train in managing major breach incidents, containing advanced persistent threats (APT), and producing court-admissible technical reports. The course is studied through research seminars and applied digital labs.
Cyber Threat Intelligence and Proactive Defense Engineering
MCYS505 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course provides an advanced critical and applied study of gathering, analyzing, and operationalizing Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). It studies strategies for identifying Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups, analyzing Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), and attack frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK Framework). It transcends traditional defense to focus on Proactive Defense, Threat Hunting, and Deception Technology. The course also dedicates significant space to studying the deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning in automating security anomaly detection and predicting attacks before they occur. The course is studied through research seminars and live threat analysis labs.
Malware Analysis and Advanced Reverse Engineering (Elective)
MCYS506 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course provides an in-depth applied study of Malware Analysis and deconstruction via Reverse Engineering. Students study static and dynamic analysis of viruses, trojans, ransomware, and spyware in sandboxed environments. Researchers train in disassembling binaries using advanced disassemblers (Ghidra, IDA Pro), understanding evasion, obfuscation, and encryption mechanisms used by hackers to bypass defense programs, culminating in designing precise detection rules (YARA Rules). The course is studied through research seminars and interactive reverse engineering labs.
Cloud Computing and Virtual Infrastructure Security (Elective)
MCYS507 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course addresses complex security challenges in cloud computing environments and Infrastructure as Service (IaaS) and Platform as Service (PaaS) platforms. It deeply studies the Shared Responsibility Model in major clouds like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It analyzes security vulnerabilities in container configurations and orchestration systems like Kubernetes, cloud API security, and Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM). It also discusses secure cloud migration strategies and ensuring data sovereignty and privacy in the cloud. The course is studied through research seminars and applied cloud labs.
Advanced Penetration Testing and Enterprise Vulnerability Assessment (Elective)
MCYS508 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course provides a specialized, advanced study of offensive security penetration testing methodologies in wide enterprise networks. It studies lateral movement strategies, Active Directory attacks and privilege escalation, and bypassing advanced defense mechanisms (EDR/XDR Bypass). Students train practically in executing sophisticated simulation attacks to evaluate enterprise infrastructure readiness, and how to draft technical and advisory reports for risk management. The course adheres to strict ethical hacking standards. The course is studied through research seminars and virtual offensive labs (Cyber Ranges).
Industrial Control Systems and Critical Infrastructure Security (Elective)
MCYS509 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course examines the cybersecurity of operational technologies and critical infrastructures, such as power grids, power plants, oil and gas sectors, and smart transport systems. It analyzes the technical architecture of SCADA, ICS, and PLC systems, and vulnerabilities inherent in legacy protocols not designed to withstand modern cyberattacks. It studies intrusion detection strategies in operational technology (OT Security) without disrupting vital operations, and designing fail-safe defensive architectures. The course is studied through research seminars relying on advanced references.
Cyber Legislation and International Data Security Law (Elective)
MCYS510 4 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course provides a precise analysis of the international and national legal framework governing cyberspace and data security. It deeply studies cross-border cybercrime conventions (such as the Budapest Convention), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and sovereign national cybersecurity laws. It analyzes legal complexities regarding cross-border jurisdiction in state-sponsored cyberattacks, rules of cyber engagement in international law, and corporate legal liability upon customer data breaches. The course is delivered via research seminars based on advanced references and legal papers.
Practical Application 1 (Virtual Course - Part 1)
MCYS511 5 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: The student is assigned an undergraduate virtual course (e.g., Cybersecurity Fundamentals or Network Security) as applied practical training. This course aims to enhance the student's abilities in knowledge transfer and advanced presentation skills for complex engineering and security concepts in a simplified and rigorous academic manner. The student must design a teaching structure for the first half of this course, dividing it methodically into six or seven concise lectures. For each lecture, the student prepares a comprehensive written summary in Word format, detailing the objectives and scientific content based on rigorous technical analyses and references. This summary is accompanied by a video recording where the student presents the lecture using a presentation program (PowerPoint). The presentation must be scientifically accurate, focused, and objective, lasting between 10 and 20 minutes per lecture. This practical training evaluates the student's competence in strategic technical information summarization, academic and executive presence, and presentation skills essential for cybersecurity engineers and experts.
Master's Thesis 1 (Preparation and Proposal)
MCYS512 9 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course represents the actual start of work on the master's thesis, commencing concurrently with the practical training. In this section, the student begins the research and preparation phase under direct academic supervision from a specialized professor. The student first focuses on precisely crystallizing an original research problem in the field of cybersecurity, security engineering, or digital forensics. The student gathers references, sources, and recent academic/technical literature (such as research papers published in global security conferences, threat reports, and engineering standards). Subsequently, the student formulates the theoretical and conceptual framework, and determines the scientific and technical methodology (whether experimental, developmental, or analytical) to be adopted to reach conclusions and test security hypotheses. The student submits the research Proposal for approval by the college board. They begin drafting the preliminary chapters or theoretical framework of the thesis, laying a solid and coherent foundation for the in-depth technical research to be completed in the fourth semester.
Practical Application 2 (Virtual Course - Part 2)
MCYS513 5 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: The student completes the applied practical training on the virtual course started in the third semester. The student divides the remaining part of the course into another six or seven concise lectures. For each lecture, the student prepares a comprehensive written summary in Word format, accompanied by a video recording where the student presents the lecture using a presentation program (PowerPoint). The recording for a single lecture must not be less than 10 minutes and not more than 20 minutes. This course contributes to consolidating the student's executive presentation skills, successfully completing the requirements for academic knowledge transfer, and confirming their ability to analyze and present complex security theories and architectures with extreme clarity and professionalism.
Master's Thesis 2 (Completion and Defense Preparation)
MCYS514 9 credit hours Intermediate
•Academic Description: This course represents the second and final half of the work on the master's thesis, continuing concurrently with Practical Application 2. In this section, the research and applied work started in the third semester is completed. The student writes the analytical and applied chapters, conducting experiments or security tests, and discussing technical results objectively. Crucially in this phase is the student's ability to extract profound security insights and conclusions, and provide practical recommendations and Defensive Frameworks derived and grounded exclusively on the results of their study to support decision-makers and CISOs, followed by drafting the comprehensive conclusion. The final draft of the thesis is prepared for methodological and scientific review and auditing by the supervisor, in preparation for submission to the discussion and arbitration committee to obtain final approval for awarding the Master's degree in Cybersecurity.