Master in Cybersecurity and Strategic Studies

Cybersecurity and Strategic Studies is a master's programme taught in English at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland. The degree runs for two years, or four semesters, with the next intake starting October 1, 2026, and applications due by September 15, 2026. Also referred to as IT Cyber Security, the programme is designed for students who want to combine computer science with political science and public administration. On the political science and administration side, students study the place of cybersecurity within contemporary understandings of security, the complexity of threats in cyberspace, and the diversity of approaches used to address security in cyberspace, spanning political, legal, economic, and sociological perspectives. On the computer science side, students learn how operating systems function along with their tasks and weaknesses, basic programming structures and scripting, how web applications work and their common weaknesses, how computer networks operate and where protocols and mechanisms across the OSI model are vulnerable, principles and best practices for secure web application programming, how cryptographic modules work and how they are applied in IT systems, how penetration tests are carried out at each stage, and standards for information security management. Practical computer science skills covered include working efficiently in the Linux operating system, designing simple algorithms and implementing them in Python, and running security tests on web applications based on OWASP guidance. Graduates of this kind of programme typically pursue careers in cybersecurity analysis, IT security policy, penetration testing, and roles that bridge technical security work with strategic and political analysis of digital threats.