The Curriculum for Master in Intelligence and Cyber studies

Master's degrees are research-based higher educations within the continuing education system for adults, which aims to provide students with a practical professional experience and a previous educational background, a higher education in a specialised field or in a broader perspective in an academic or multidisciplinary field.

A Master's degree shall, on a scientific basis, provide students with knowledge, skills and competences that qualify them to be able to perform highly qualified functions in companies, institutions, etc. Each Master's degree must ensure that the student is able to use the scientific methods and concepts of the subject in connection with:

• assessment and solution of theoretical and practical issues,
• dissemination of professional issues and solution proposals to peers and non-specialists,
• management and development of complex work situations,
• self-establishment of professional and interdisciplinary cooperation, and
• own professional development.

The Master's programme in Intelligence and Cyber studies is rated at 60 ECTS, which corresponds to the work of a full-time student for 1 year, but the teaching is organised so that full-time workers can follow and complete the degree over 2-4 years.

The study board’s additional provisions:

The Master´s programme entitles you to the designated title Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies (MICS) with a possible specialisation in either Intelligence or Cyber Studies. The English term for the Master´s programme is Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies (MICS) with the referred to specialisation.Specialisation is achieved in the 2nd and 3rd semesters through, for example, the selection of specialised subjects on either intelligence or cyber, or the option of selecting from a catalogue of electives covering both specialisations.  It is also possible to combine subjects crossing over to a more general profile.

Students who do not wish to participate in all elements of the Master´s programme can be enrolled as single subject students if the entry requirements for the individual subject in question are met by the student, and if the university finds the enrolment appropriate from a practical and pedagogical point of view. 

Due to the academic progression, the single subject student is expected to have acquired the same academic prerequisites as the ordinary students when choosing subjects.

Certificates will be issued for passed single subjects. 

The Master´s programme is offered in a cooperation between the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and the Royal Defence College (FAK). The teaching is divided between the two institutions in order to take advantage of the different core competences of the two institutions. teaching and residential courses can take place at both locations.

Specialisation opportunities 

• The line of intelligence 
  

In a world characterised by uncertainty and large amounts of information, porous borders and the digitalisation of virtually all socially relevant functions the state and private actors are challenged by this. The field of intelligence and security policy is therefore a fast growing area, both as an academic subject and in a broader societal context, that extends far beyond the traditional intelligence environment. More than ever national governments, international agencies and international companies face a persistent challenge in organising themselves against a complex environment with many types of actors, threats and moments of uncertainty. The direction of intelligence prepares the students on how to control, limit and in some circumstances, exploit uncertainty. On the programme the students will work with the classical intelligence organisation and with other variations of both traditional and new forms of intelligence gathering and analysis. 

• The line of cyber

Hostile actions in the cyber domain are an increasingly present threat that could challenge the cohesive force, policy-making, economic and social foundations of any organisation, whether this be a state, public institutions or a private business. The technological development, digitalisation and increased dependence on networked systems have led to new vulnerabilities in every corner of society. The line of cyber prepares the students on how active engagement in the cyber domain can help counteract risks and exploit the cyber domain´s potential for the benefit of the individual company or organisation. The cyber line on the MICS programme builds up and strengthens the ability to apply social science approaches to cyber studies with a focus on the political, economical and social dimensions of the cyber domain. Likewise the programme will provide practical knowledge and tools on legislation in the field, cyber security and cyber awareness. 

• The line of intelligence and cyber

On the general line the subjects on cyber and intelligence are combined forming a more general profile to match the individual students professional background and interests. The student can choose between the electives and (if there is space) specialisation subjects, and workshop subjects.

The underlying educational principles at the University of Southern Denmark are Active Teaching and Learning. Teaching at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences must live up to these principles, and the students, staff and management share the responsibility of ensuring that the principles are met throughout the entire course of study. The overall goal is to improve student learning on the basis of academic competency, academic development and pedagogical innovation in a committed learning community.

The study board's comments on the local implementation of the guiding principles in relation to the programme

The underlying educational principles are enabling teaching and active learning based on the students' own practical experience. The overall goal is to increase student learning outcomes based on academic competency, academic development and pedagogical innovation in a binding learning community. The Faculty of Social Sciences and the Royal Defence College have a shared responsibility to ensure that the teaching can live up to these principles, as the students and the teachers of the Master´s programme are jointly responsible for the realisation of the principles throughout the course of study. The guiding principles are implemented at the level of education and teaching on the initiative of the individual head of studies and professional lecturer with support from the Department of Political Science at SDU and from the Department of Military Technology and the Institute of Military Operations at the Royal Defence College. The impact of the implementation for the Master´s programme as a whole is stated in the curriculum, and the importance of the planning of and conduction of teaching and examinations is unfolded in the individual course description and teaching plan.

Based on the competence profile, the Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies is particularly focused on teaching forms that ensure the transfer of the learned from the learning situation to the master's student's own practice and the intelligence or cyber-related challenges that he or she faces in his or her day-to-day work within public authorities, relevant institutions or in private companies.

The teaching is supported as much as possible by action learning principles and based on the participants' own cases and problems. Teaching and testing/examinations will link specific issues and key challenges from the participant's own environment to theory and concepts that can help structure and strengthen the work with specific intelligence or cyber-related issues. This form of teaching presupposes that the participant is motivated to work actively with his own practice during the course of the programme, which can thus also lead to an expectation that the teachers, to the best of their abilities, are able to understand the practical challenges that the master student faces in his or her daily work.

Professional and societal connection

The Master´s programme is rooted in a strong and prioritised security policy research environment, focusing on socially relevant issues and the consequences of rapid change at a national, international and global level. The Master´s programme thus reflects on the actual development of society and an increasing need for new knowledge-building and new competences within both the government and the private sector.

An Advisory Board has been set up to advise the Master´s programme´s studies management:

• by contributing to visions of the future and to the development of strategies that reflect societal development and needs;
• on changing competency requirements in intelligence and cyber-related matters
• by asking critical questions about the overall content and structural planning of the Master´s programme, and
• by generally dealing with internal and external evaluations of the Master´s programme and also by proposing new measures to the Master´s programme.

The professional competency goals of the Master´s programme is evident under the section The structure of the programme

The applicant must have at least two years of relevant professional experience after the qualifying exam. Emphasis is placed on the relevance of the applicant's professional experience as a whole to the master programme.

The applicant should have English language skills that are adequate enough for English language teaching to be followed and read, and also be able to understand the English-language curriculum.

See § 2.3 for details. 

Master's degree is a self paying programme as in accordance with the rules of the Ministerial Order on Part-Time Courses at Universities (part-time ministerial order). There is a charge for participation in the teaching, including tests and other assessments.

Information on payment, pricing structure and what the payment covers can be found under www.sdu.dk on the study side of the Master´s programme. See also under the section Forms of assessment for provisions around test trials and payment.  

The university may terminate enrolment when the payment no longer covers this. 

Students enrolled as single subject students will pay the current price for the subject.

According to the Master's ministerial order, access to the master programmes is subject to the completion of at least one of the following relevant  educational qualifications:

• Master degree
• bachelor's degree,
• professional bachelor´s degree, 
• diploma training completed as a regulated course, or 
• foreign education at the same level. 

Applicants must have at least 2 years of relevant professional experience after completion of a qualifying education. 

The university may enroll applicants who do not meet the conditions above but who, on the basis of a specific assessment, are deemed to have equivalent educational qualifications, including applicants who have completed a diploma as a flexible course. The university may establish that the applicant shall submit additional tests no later than before the commencement of study.

The study board´s additional provisions:

Below are examples of further education that give access to admission to the MICS programme, subject to relevant work experience:

• Professional bachelor´s degree within the areas of public administration, IT, bachelor of engineering, communication, security, strategy and economics.
• Bachelor´s or a full time Master´s degree within the areas of political science, law, psychology, language, economics, physics, mathematics, computer science and software development.

The educational institution can grant access to the Master´s programme in MICS for those applicants who do not meet the educational requirements, but who, based on a correct professional assessment are deemed to have the necessary prerequisites to be able to complete the programme with. Such a concrete assessment can include a motivational application including a biography and if possible a personal interview together with/ or an additional test. The additional test must be passed. 

An exemption from the work experience requirements is not possible. 

Language proficiency when tendering in English

Applicants must be able to document their English skills in accordance with SDU´s applicable language requirements  https://www.sdu.dk/da/uddannelse/kandidat/adgangskrav/sprogkrav.

The Study Board’s additional provision:

A Master's degree constitutes an independently rounded programme. The Master´s programme allows for ample flexibility as well as specialisation along the way. In addition to this teaching will be conducted either online or as focused teaching days and residential courses.

The Master´s programme ends with a Master´s thesis on a self-selected subject. The Master´s programme can also be completed with a Certificate Project after completing subjects totaling 30 ECTS-points, as the certificate course consists of 35 ECTS-points in total. A certificate course cannot include merited subjects from other Master´s programmes.

The Master´s programme is structured in a way resembling that of a "tunnel principle", where in the first semester the students have the choice of 3 basic subjects (the first basic subject is mandatory for those wishing to take either the full Master´s programme or the certificate project of 35 ECTS-points). Together they build on a broad knowledge of the historical and institutional development of, and the practical challenges within the field. The second semester focuses on practical and craftsmanlike issues and methods, either within the field of intelligence or cyber. The semester ends with a practical foresight analysis workshop. In the third semester there is the possibility of immersion in electives, preparation of the Master´s thesis as well as an Intelligence simulation workshop. The fourth semester focuses exclusively on the Master´s thesis

The Master´s programme consists of the following elements:

Mandatory subjects see below.

• Basic subjects in cyber and intelligence (3 x 5 ECTS- points), basic subject 1 From Cold War Espionage to Cyberwars is mandatory for all those who aim to complete the full master programme.
• Practice based specialisation course within either intelligence or cyber (10 ECTS-points) - specialisation subject + at least one elective within specialisation is mandatory, if specialisation is preferred.
• Practical workshop - based courses ( 2x 5 ECTS- points)
• Electives within both specialisation subjects ( minimum 5 ECTS-points)
• Preparation of the Master´s thesis (5 ECTS-points) - mandatory subjects for all those who aim to write a master´s project
• Master´s thesis (15 ECTS-points) - mandatory
• Optional certificate project (5 ECTS-points) after completion of courses totaling 30 ECTS-points - this subject is mandatory if the certification course is requested.

1st semester (autumn) The Master´s programme begins with three basic subjects. Basic subject 1 introduces the key concepts and the historical development, which focuses on the institutional and legal basis for managing the cyber and intelligence field at a national and international level. This subject is recommended at the beginning of the programme. In basic subject 2, the many challenges associated with strategic planning and decision-making in a changing world are examined. In basic subject 3, the focus is on the ethical, legal, political and methodological / practical issues and dilemmas associated with cyber and intelligence activity. 

In the 2nd semester (spring) the Master´s programme becomes more practical oriented as the students choose the specialisation subjects in either intelligence, cyber or a combination hereof.

In the 3rd semester (autumn) there is the possibility for further specialisation through the selection of a research-based elective in either intelligence or cyber, as well as a practical intelligence simulation exercise based on a cyber scenario. For the students who wish to take the full Master´s degree, the 3rd semester will also include a preparatory course for the Master´s thesis, where the use of theory, method and research design is taught. For those students wishing to finish with a Certificate Project then individual guidance will be offered for the Certificate Project.

4th semester is dedicated to the Master´s thesis, of which is a major written assignment, that must document skills in applying scientific theories and methods in a professionally defined topic. The Master´s thesis offers a great opportunity to make it´s own mark on the course of study. An example of this is the possibility of writing a business-based theses in cooperation with the participant´s workplace.

Flexibility

The Master´s programme is characterised by the possibility of and amount of flexibility there is for adaption of individuals wishes and the need for specific skills. The Master´s programme´s course will therefore to a large extent be dependent on the choices made by the student and are based on: 

• whether the Master´s programme is studied as a full Master´s course over 2, 3 or 4 years
• whether individual courses are chosen which may end with a Certificate Project
• whether intelligence or cyber is chosen as the specialisation subject
• whether only the English-language subjects of the programme are chosen

A large part of the Master´s programme is offered online, while the practical elements are based on presence, either in the form of entire teaching days or as residential courses. It is recommended that, where possible, one participates in the join activities in either Copenhagen or Odense. Each semester starts with a teaching day where all of the semester´s courses are introduced and where interdisciplinary social activities are held with networking opportunities. 

An exam is passed when the assesment is passed, or the grade 02 or higher is obtained. Passed exams cannot be retaken. The Master's program is passed when all exams are passed.

The Faculty´s additional provision:

As a general rule, the grade 00 can be included in the assessment of partial tests. If the overall test is passed, partial tests with the grade 00 cannot be retaken. In courses, where the grades 00 and -3 cannot be included in the assessment of the tests, all partial tests must be passed with minimum 02, in order to pass the course, if this is the case, it will appear from the course description.  

The Study Board’s additional provision:

A weighted average of the programme is not calculated. 

The Faculty´s additional provision:

In exceptional cases, the faculty may authorise oral master's defence to be held outside the University of Southern Denmark

The Study Board’s additional provision:

A student may, where specific circumstances justify this, be allowed to hold exams on a Danish representation or other pre-determined places abroad, where the representation agrees. Applications for this must be submitted to the study board. For more information, please refer to the programme website at SDU.dk 

The Study Board’s additional provision:

For written assignments, the given result is primarily based on an assessment of the academic content. The impact of the student’s spelling and writing skills on the grade is limited, unless there are considerable marked deviations from the usual academic language. This is especially relevant for major written papers.

Disciplinary measures may be taken in cases of cheating in exams or disruptive behaviour during exams, cf.Rules regarding disciplinary measures for students at the University of Southern Denmark.

If a task is rejected or a test is cancelled due to documented irregularities, a retest shall be charged afterwards if the course of events resumes. For further information, please refer to the training website under "General rules for payment".

The Study Board’s additional provision:

The student has 3 attempts to pass an exam. The payment covers participation in the course once and potentially 3 exams to be held within a year of study. For the master project, special regulations applies, the payment covers 2 exam attemps; the ordinary exam and a reexam.

The 3 exam attempts consist of:

1. The exam immediately following the course or module's completion.
2. The corresponding re-exam (if you do not pass the ordinary exam).
3. The next ordinary exam, to be held within one year of the first ordinary exam

If the student does not meet the prerequisites set by the university to participate in the examination, an examination attempt has been used. A prerequisite can, for example, be participation in the teaching lessons and will be evident in the subject description. 

It is only possible to participate in the re-examination if the prerequisites set by the university are met. If the student does not meet the prerequisites set by the university to participate in the examination, then an examination attempt has been used. 

Prerequisites for participation in examinations that have been met before the first ordinary examination must not be repeated at a possible new examination attempt. 

The Study Board may, in individual cases, grant credit transfer for courses from another master's degree. Please refer to Section 16 of the Master's Order and the Study Board website on merit in SDU.dk

The Study Board’s additional provision:

Merit is granted upon application to the Study Board and applied for through the application portal SPOC. Single subjects from SDU and FAK´s Master´s programmes offered part time can be approved by the head of studies beforehand. Master subjects (full degree) and courses cannot be merited into MICS cf. the Master´s Order regulation on merit. Subjects from other Master´s programmes (part time) must be applied for via The Study Board. No certificate can be issued on the basis of merit.

The study board's assessment, which is always individual, includes several factors, including the scope and level of the syllabus in the subject in question, the professional relevance of Master of Intelligence and Cyber studies as well as the topicality of the subject. Maximum credit transfer for the whole programme is 20 ECTS-points.

1. Written home work: Date of delivery
2. Written home assignment with bound subject/questions provided: The day of issue of the subject/question
3. Written place test is the day itself
4. Oral on the basis of written product is the date of delivery of the written product
5. Oral examination is the day of the test itself, but the first day of the examination if the test runs over several days;

The programme is organised over 2 years and must be completed within a maximum of 4 years. The programme also provides ample flexibility since the programme can be followed over a 4-year period or, if applicable, can be completed with a Certificate Project after completing courses corresponding to 30 ECTS. Application for an extension of the programme is done by the Study Board 

The Master´s thesis in Master of Intelligence and Cyberstudies constitutes 15 ECTS, and is described in the course description. The Master´s thesis can be offered full-time by decision of the Board of Studies. The Master´s thesis completes the programme. If a line of specialisation is chosen then the Master´s thesis must be written within the specialisation.

When choosing a line of specialisation, this will be stated on the diploma with an addition to the title: Master in Intelligence and Cyber Studies with a specialisation in Cyber Studies / Intelligence.

Electives are offered on the programme, primarily in the autumn semester, but these can be placed flexibly throughout the programme. Electives can also be included in the 30 ECTS- points that must be passed, if there is a desire to write a certificate project after the 30 ECTS-points have been passed. 

Single subjects at SDU and FAK´s other Master´s programmes offered part time can be approved by the head of studies as single subjects before commencement of the subject/subjects. Workshop subjects can also be derived and replaced with electives. Subjects from other part time Master´s programmes must be applied for through The Study Board. Merit for this is met by the Board of Studies for EVU. There can be applied through SPOC. 

According to this Ministerial Order § 21 and § 25 in the Ministerial Order on Part - time courses, the university´s adjudications may be brought to the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education when the complaint concerns legal questions.