The Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Security and Cloud Computing covers fundamental concepts, methods and the latest technologies on secure systems engineering, distributed application development, ubiquitous computing, network and service architectures, ubiquitous computing, and cloud and mobile computing platforms. Special attention is paid to security and privacy issues as they are critical requirements in developing and deploying services in open networks and distributed systems. The teaching methods combine theory with hands-on exercises and software development on cloud platform and mobile devices.
The Security major aims to educate professional engineers who are able to take on the most demanding R&D tasks and drive the development of future products and services. More specifically, the graduates will:
Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.
More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.
HAIC scholarships
Helsinki-Aalto Institute for Cybersecurity (HAIC) will select several HAIC Scholars from the top applicants admitted to the Security and Cloud Computing major. A HAIC Scholar will receive generous financial aid including living cost support in the form of living cost scholarships or honours student position (part-time research-related employment during the semesters). All applicants to the Security and Cloud Computing major are automatically considered for the HAIC scholarships.
The Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Security and Cloud Computing comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
The elective studies can consists of an additional major courses, possible minor, multidisciplinary courses, or studies abroad.
Engineers must be able to apply theoretical knowledge to real world engineering tasks. Therefore, the programme combines theoretical studies with continuous hand-on exercises and projects where the new knowledge is applied. Much of the students’ time is spent on group and individual assignments that train problem solving, secure system design, and software engineering skills. In the courses that involve classroom teaching, it takes varied forms from traditional lectures and exercise sessions to discussion of group projects and student presentations. All students participate in a seminar course where students learn to write a technical or research article and present their own work.
The major's compulsory courses are:
The optional courses can be chosen, for example, from the following list:
More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide.
The study environment in the programme is strongly international, and studies are conducted in multicultural groups. The School of Science offers diverse possibilities for student exchange all over the world. Exchange studies can be included in the degree e.g. as an international minor.
Other possibilities for developing one’s global competence are e.g. conducting practical training abroad, taking a summer course abroad or acting as a tutor for first-year students.
Aalto University coordinates also an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Programme in Security and Cloud Computing (SECCLO) in which part of the degree is completed at another university (KTH, NTNU, DTU, University of Tartu or EURECOM). This programme has a separate admission process.
The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field).
The graduates will have strong software development skills and other technical and professional skills that enable them to take key roles in an industrial research and development environment. Thus, they are well prepared for industrial R&D jobs, security engineering and consulting, various expert roles, and doctoral studies at Aalto University and abroad.
Typical job titles of recent graduates include:
Some examples of the companies our recently graduated alumni work for are Acelvia, Creanord, DNA, Ericsson, F-Secure, Frosmo, Futurice, Houston Inc., IBM, KONE, Likeit Solutions, MediSapiens, Nixu Corporation, Second Nature Security, Solinor, Reaktor, RELEX Solutions, Smartly.io, Vainu.io.
School of Science Master's graduates are highly successful in finding jobs corresponding to their education. On this page you can find information on job titles, job sectors and career development of our graduates.
The topics of the major are linked to ongoing research focus areas in the Department of Computer Science.
The studies include opportunities for networking with local and European companies. Many of the teachers have industry background, and our partner companies contribute to some courses and projects. The partner companies also host summer interns, and majority of the master’s thesis projects are done in industry in paid projects.
Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom of choosing elective courses across the University bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinarity environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.
These programme-specific admission requirements apply to 2023 application round which ended in January. This page will be updated for the next application round by the end of August 2023.
Security and Cloud Computing applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated according to the below Evaluation criteria. The evaluation process is described under Applicant evaluation process. In addition to the obligatory application documents, this study option asks the applicants to submit also the documents listed under Requested documents.
The applications to Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences (CCIS) - Security and Cloud Computing are evaluated based on the following criteria:
| What is evaluated? | Grades of the previous degree(s) and pace of studies |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
The CCIS programme is looking for applicants with excellent study success in their previous studies. In study options where the number and quality of applications is high, this means that the applicant has achieved consistently excellent grades throughout the degree studies (very high weighted average grade or GPA). The applicant’s study success will be evaluated based on the grade point average (GPA) and grades in key courses. The time spent on the previous studies will also be taken into account. All the applicant’s previous university studies, including incomplete degrees and non‐degree studies, will be taken into consideration when evaluating study success. The minimum GPA for applicants from Finnish universities of applied sciences is 4.0. Meeting the minimum GPA does not guarantee admission to the programme. Applicants with GPA below the limit cannot be admitted unless they have other exceptional qualifications. Programme’s courses or equivalent courses completed in the open university or as non-degree studies with excellent grades may support the application. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
| What is evaluated? | Content and scope of previous studies compared to demands/contents of study option applied to |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
Applicants are expected to have a high-quality Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, communications engineering, or electrical engineering. Excellent candidates with degrees in other fields including but not limited to information systems, engineering, natural sciences, mathematics or physics will be considered if they have sufficient studies in the required areas. The required university-level studies as well as subjects that are considered an advantage for Security and Cloud Computing are defined below. Required university-level studies:
Studies in at least some of the following subjects are considered an advantage:
The contents of the applicant’s previous degree(s) are evaluated based on the courses on the official transcript of records. Relevant work experience, professional certificates and online courses can also be taken into account in the evaluation, but they do not in general compensate for the absence of university-level studies covering the theoretical foundations of the knowledge areas. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Transcript(s) of records, course descriptions |
| What is evaluated? | Recognition and quality of the applicant's previous institution |
| What we look for in an applicant? | We expect applicants to have completed their previous degree in a high-quality university and programme. The recognition of the applicant’s home university affects also the interpretation of the grades when evaluating the academic performance. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | International and national rankings of higher education institutions |
| What is evaluated? | Applicant’s suitability to the study option, motivation, commitment to the studies, and written communication skills |
| What we look for in an applicant? |
The applicant should be motivated to study the chosen subject and committed to full‐time studies with a plan to complete the Master’s degree in two years. We are looking for applicants who are able to express clearly the reasons for applying to the study option and describe why they would be excellent candidates for the study option. Studies in the Master’s programme should provide genuinely new knowledge for the applicant. If the applicant already has a Master’s degree, the motivation letter should clearly indicate why another one is necessary. In most cases, non-degree studies are recommended instead. |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Application as a whole including motivation letter |
| What is evaluated? | Work experience, other qualifications and achievements |
| What we look for in an applicant? | Beyond their academic record, applicants may have other experience, knowledge and qualifications that prepare them for the Master’s studies and distinguish them among their peers. We particularly value demanding work experience in the area of the planned studies, participation in scientific research leading to publications, entrepreneurship, and special achievements such as success in competitions (e.g. Junction Hackathon). |
| Method of demonstrating competence | Curriculum vitae (CV), recommendation letters, proofs of employment, publications, other certificates, GRE or GMAT results (if available). |
During the evaluation of eligible applications, Security and Cloud Computing applications are first evaluated based on the following (critical) criteria:
Only the applications who fulfil the requirements for these criteria will be evaluated against the full set of evaluation criteria. It is not possible to compensate for these criteria with other criteria. This means, for example, that motivation for Master level studies in this subject does not compensate for low grades or that relevant work experience does not compensate for higher education studies in the required subjects.
After the evaluation of the remaining criteria below, the best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation of all criteria.
The programme does not have a minimum quota to be fulfilled, and not all acceptable applicants will necessarily be admitted.
In addition to obligatory application documents, the applicants to Security and Cloud Computing are requested to provide the following programme-specific documents:
*) The lack of this document will adversely affect the evaluation of the application.
In addition, these additional documents add value to your application:
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As top applicants, Rina Shmeleva and Parinaz Avaznejad received scholarships for their master’s studies and now they share their study experiences
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Learning Services at Aalto University School of Science
For enquiries regarding the programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services of Aalto University School of Science
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For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services