Koulutustarjonta

Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Security and Cloud Computing

Studies in Security and Cloud Computing give students a broad understanding of the latest and future technologies for secure mobile and cloud computing systems.

Aalto University / hands working on a laptop / phography Aino Huovio

Tutkinto:

Diplomi-insinööri

Hakuaika:

1.12.2020 – 4.1.2021

Opetuskieli:

englanti

Kesto:

2 vuotta, täysipäiväinen

Hakukelpoisuus:

Soveltuva alempi korkeakoulututkinto

Koulutusala:

Tekniikka

Laajuus:

120 opintopistettä

Korkeakoulu:

Perustieteiden korkeakoulu

Lukuvuosimaksut:

EU/ETA-alueen ulkopuoliset kansalaiset, €15000/v (maisteriopinnot)

Lue lisää

HAKUOHJEET

About the studies

Study objectives

Studies in Security and Cloud Computing give students a broad understanding of the latest and future technologies for secure mobile and cloud computing systems. Students will gain both practical engineering knowledge and theoretical insights into

secure systems engineering,
distributed application development,
network and service architectures, and
mobile and cloud platforms.

The programme combines theoretical knowledge and security expertise with product development skills.

Career opportunities

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 Application Developer, Frontend Engineer, GIS Software Developer, Information Security Specialist, IT Specialist, Security Consultant, Software Developer, Software Engineer, Software Security Architect.

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.

Qualification

Graduates of the programme will graduate with a Master of Science (Technology) degree (diplomi-insinööri in Finnish).

Post-graduate studies

The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field).

Tuition fees

The tuition fee is €15 000 for non-EU/EEA students. Further information is available on Scholarships and Tuition Fees page (aalto.fi).

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.

Content of the studies

The major 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.

The studies are closely bound to the research conducted by the teachers, for example, on the Internet of Things, pervasive and ubiquitous computing, cloud platforms and services, mobile platform security, and network security. 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 mobile devices and cloud platforms.

As learning outcomes, the students of Security and Cloud Computing major will

have the theoretical understanding of information security and practical skills necessary for designing and analyzing secure computing systems;
understand the architectural principles of distributed services and applications.

They will also be able to design, analyse and implement distributed, mobile and cloud computing systems.

Structure of the studies

The Master's degree (120 ECTS) is composed of studies in the major (40-65 ECTS), possible minor (20-25 ECTS), elective studies (25-35 ECTS), and the Master's thesis (30 ECT). Elective studies may include a minor subject.

Students can select their minor either from the other majors in the Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences or from the other Master’s programmes offered by Aalto University. The elective studies can consists of an additional major courses, additional minor, multidisciplinary courses, or studies abroad.

Further information on the Security and Cloud Computing curriculum can be found in student portal Into.

Thesis

Students are required to complete a Master's thesis, which is a research assignment with a workload corresponding to 30 ECTS credits. The topic of the thesis is agreed upon by the student and the supervising professor. Master's theses are typically written for a company or for one of the research projects of the department(s) in question.

Internationalisation

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. Students of the Security and Cloud Computing major have also the opportunity to take the second-year studies in ITMO University in St. Petersburg, Russia, and complete a double degree graduating from both Aalto University and ITMO.

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.

Research focus

The topics of the major are linked to ongoing research focus areas in the Department of Computer Science at the Aalto University School of Science.

Study-option-specific application instructions

Applicants to the programme must meet the general eligibility and language requirements that are common to all Master's programmes in the field of science and technology.

The required background for the Security and Cloud Computing major:

mathematics (linear algebra, calculus, probability theory, statistics, and discrete mathematics)
good programming skills
algorithms and data structures
databases
theory of computation
computer networks
software engineering

Knowledge of the following areas is considered an advantage:

additional knowledge of mathematical methods
operating systems
web software and online services
advanced algorithms
mobile applications
artificial intelligence
verification and testing
information security and cryptography
distributed computing
embedded systems
concurrent programming
advanced computer networking
project and team work

The documents requested from all applicants are listed here. In addition, applicants to the CCIS programme are requested to provide the following study-option-specific documents:

Motivation letter*
- The motivation letter should be written in English. The maximum length of the motivation letter is about 4000 characters. There are no specific instructions for the content of the motivation letter except for the general advice that you should write a separate motivation letter for each study option you apply to.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)*
At least one original recommendation letter
- The recommendation letter should preferably be from a university professor, lecturer or a thesis instructor who has supervised the applicant’s studies. There are no specific instructions for the contents of the recommendation letter. The letter should comment on the applicant’s suitability and aptitude for the programme. Recommendation letters written by work supervisors are accepted as well in case some time has passed since graduation.

*) The lack of this document will adversely affect the evaluation of the application.

In addition, these additional documents add value to your application:

Short course descriptions of courses taken in the relevant subject areas (see "Study-option-specific eligibility requirements")
Work certificates and certificates of other relevant achievements
Copies of any publications
Official transcript of records for other university studies which are not included in the mandatory part of the application (e.g. incomplete degrees, exchange studies, non‐degree studies)
GRE or GMAT test results, if available

General instructions on study-option-specific documents

All additional application documents described above should preferably be submitted in English. If some other language than English, Finnish or Swedish is used in them, the applicant must provide precise, word-for-word translations of them.

Upload the documents to your online application form in pdf-format. Name the file(s) according to format: Name of the document-Lastname-Firstname (e.g. CV-Lastname-Firstname.pdf). Maximum file size is 1.0 GB.

The study-option-specific documents must be uploaded for each study option separately, even if you use the same document (e.g. CV). Please check carefully the study-option-specific document requirements for each study option you apply to.

The deadline for the study-option-specific application documents to be uploaded to your application form is 11 January 2021 at 15.00 (3 pm, GMT +2).

The applications must first meet Aalto University’s general eligibility requirements. Applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated and ranked according to the process described below.

The applications are first evaluated based on the following, critically important criteria:

Academic performance
Relevance of previous studies

Only the applications that meet the requirements for these criteria will be evaluated further using the criteria below:

Recognition and quality of institution
Suitability
Other areas of competence

The best applicants will be selected based on the joint evaluation of all the above criteria. The programme does not have a minimum quota to be fulfilled, and not all eligible applicants will necessarily be admitted.

Academic performance

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.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s)
Criticality	Critical

Relevance of previous studies

What is evaluated?	Content and quantity of previous studies in relation to the applied study-option-specific requirements
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 background knowledge, as well as areas of knowledge that are considered an advantage, are defined in "Study-option-specific eligibility requirements". 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.
Evaluated documents	Transcript(s) of records, course descriptions
Criticality	Critical

Recognition and quality of institution

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
Criticality	Not critical

Suitability

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
Criticality	Not critical

Other areas of competence

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, recommendation letters, proofs of employment, publications, other certificates, GRE or GMAT results (if available).
Criticality	Not critical

Contact information

For enquiries regarding the application process, required compulsory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services at [email protected].

For enquiries regarding the study-option-specific application documents, HAIC scholarships or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services at Aalto University School of Science at [email protected].

Aalto-yliopisto on rohkeiden ajattelijoiden yhteisö, jossa tiede ja taide kohtaavat tekniikan ja talouden. Koulutamme muutoksentekijöitä ratkaisemaan yhteiskunnan suuria haasteita ja luomaan hyvinvointia.

Student Ekaterina Shmeleva from School of Science standing at Otaniemi campus / photo Aalto University, Matti Ahlgren

"Olen onnellinen siitä, etten päätynyt muualle" - HAIC-stipendiaatit erittäin tyytyväisiä opintoihinsa Aallossa

20.10.2020 Uutiset

Julkaistu: 7.9.2018
Päivitetty: 26.11.2020