Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence University of Sheffield

Advance your career by studying our prestigious MSc programme, which integrates two exciting fields: Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Experts in both fields are increasingly in demand for roles such as security analysts, software developers and architects, and data analysts, and our course will prepare you for a rapidly growing industry.

Cybersecurity is vital in today’s digital landscape, due to the rising global threats to data and systems, with in-depth knowledge in security sub-areas such as cryptography, AI security, forensics security and secure software development, extremely valuable.

AI has made great strides in recent years. It underpins many tools and technologies on which we will become increasingly reliant.

This is a comprehensive course designed to equip you with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, in key areas such as cryptography, network security, penetration testing, and digital forensics, as well as the foundations of machine learning and applications in natural language processing, which underpins technologies such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

This programme is ideal for students with a good first degree in a numerate discipline, who are keen on acquiring a solid understanding of today’s cybersecurity threats and mechanisms for mitigating them in a data-driven manner.

In addition to taught modules incorporating individual and group work, a third of your study time will be devoted to an individual dissertation, where you will work closely with an academic staff member to carry out a piece of work on topics that include cybersecurity and/or AI, such as AI-based cryptanalysis or discovering covert channels via machine learning. The course's research components will develop your analytical and problem-solving skills, preparing you for doctoral studies or research-focused roles in industry.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS). The course partially meets the requirements for Chartered Information Technology Professional (CITP) and partially meets the requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng). This degree is certified by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Entry requirements for this course

Contact University of Sheffield to find course entry requirements.

View foundation and pathway programmes to help you meet academic and language entry requirements.