Specialty: Cybersecurity

Awarded qualification: MSc in Cybersecurity

Level of qualification: Master (M.Sc)

Length of program:  1.5 year (3 semesters)

Mode of study: part time, Bulgarian language

Number of credits: 

90 credits 

Field(s) of study (ISCED-F):  0619: ICTs, not elsewhere classified

Specific admission requirements: Completed bachelor or master degree program and after entrance exam.

Candidates take an exam - interview (for candidates who obtained a bachelor's degree in one of the following professional fields: computer science; informatics, business informatics, computer systems and technology or software engineering) and a test (for graduates of other professional fields).

Qualification requirements and regulations, including graduation requirements:  
In order to get their qualification students must be allocated 90 credits.

Graduation requirements: Development and defense of a master thesis. 

Profile of the program:

The Master's program in Cybersecurity offers specialized training in current issues of Computer science in accordance with international, European and national criteria and requirements and needs of professionals in the field of data science.

The training of students in this program is conducted in part-time mode. The subjects in the curriculum are divided into: compulsory, optional and elective. 

Program learning outcomes:

As a result of the training, students acquire:

Specific knowledge relates to: cybersecurity fundamentals (vulnerabilities, cyberthreats, cyberattacks) business process automation, cryptography, risk management, distributed and cloud computing, web technologies, programming and algorithms, critical infrastructure, steganography, etc.

The practical skills acquired by the students are oriented towards: identifying vulnerabilities, dealing with cyber attacks, risk management, designing architectures and user interface in accordance with the established regulations and regulations in the field of cyber security.

In accordance with the European framework of competences and the National Qualification Framework, the training of students in the specialty "Cybersecurity" stimulates the development of transferable competences for: teamwork, work in a digital and virtual environment, work in mixed international and interdisciplinary teams, innovative thinking and application of new technologies in the solution of various problems;

Personal competences: responsibility, independence, correctness, efficiency, initiative; communication, resistance to stress, ability to communicate with different professional groups; motivation and striving for continuous improvement of professional qualification and learning of new technologies.

Program structure diagram with credits *:

* In Varna Free University, a credit equals 30 lessons, of which 10 contact hours (lectures and seminars) and 20 hours independent work.

Examination regulations and grading scale: The regulations are specific to each course (project or task; individual or group assignments, research papers, tests, project assignment, etc.).

Obligatory or optional mobility windows: Students can participate in Erasmus student mobility, which enables them to get to know European practices and to receive training for a successful career in international teams.

Occupational profiles of graduates:

Successful graduates can work effectively as: system and network cyber security administrators, managers in the field of communication and information technologies - security managers, software applications, data management, etc., system and business analysts, system architects, system designers, etc.

Successful graduates of the "Cybersecurity" MP can work in companies and institutions, not only from the IT business, but also in structures of state and municipal administration, industry and the economy.

Access to further studies: Graduates can enter PhD programs.

Head of Department:

Antonina Ivanova, PhD

e-mail: antonina.ivanova@vfu.bg

Contacts with Department of Computer Science

Secretary: Galina Peneva

Tel.: +359-52 359572; 

е-mail: cse@vfu.bg, galina.peneva@vfu.bg

To apply for the master program contact the university admission center:  admission@vfu.bg