Cyber courses granted full certification from UK Government

The UK’s lead technical authority on cyber security has given De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s cyber security courses a prestigious certification.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – has fully certified DMU’s MSc in Cyber Security and MSc in Cyber Technology in recognition of their excellence in providing students with a broad foundation of skills.

The courses have been developed with industry experts to address the unprecedented demand for cyber security expertise. 



Students work on modules exploring malware analysis, cyber threat intelligence and pen testing over the duration of the course. There is an optional one-year placement to build industry contacts and gain experience. 

Dr Ali Al-Bayatti, Associate Professor and subject group leader of Cyber Security, said: “I believe this certification lends massive support to our course materials, tools and teaching methodology.

“It will help prospective students to make the right choice when looking for a highly-valued qualification that will give them the edge when seeking a career in cyber security, and also employers to achieve their goals of receiving the best training that suits their career pathway, and develop their cyber skills.” 

Chris Ensor, NCSC’s Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, said: “I am delighted that De Montfort University’s two Masters courses are now fully certified by the NCSC, demonstrating our shared commitment to developing the cyber security talent pipeline.

“Offering a certified degree helps prospective students make better informed choices about the quality of courses available and employers can rest assured that graduates will be well-taught and have valued industry skills.”

Cyber security is one of the fastest-growing careers in the country with vacancies often outstripping available talent. This certification recognises the importance of education in improving the economy and the country’s defences against cyber threats. 

DMU’s cyber courses are developed with its Industrial Advisory Group, a group of companies including Airbus, BT, Deloitte and Rolls-Royce to ensure that its teaching is relevant to the workplace. 

DMU has also been recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR) thanks to its pioneering research in incident response and cyber threat intelligence, and industrial control systems. It is the only ACE-CSR in the East Midlands.