Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security
Overview
Master computer-based systems and find new and exciting ways to meet the cyber security challenges of the future as you gain 2 qualifications in just 4 years.
This vertical dual degree allows you to gain a bachelor’s and a master’s qualification in just 4 years, instead of 5. Get ready to launch into an exciting career with skills that are in high demand from some of the world’s biggest technology corporations.
The Bachelor of Computer Science will teach you how to create and analyse computer-based systems. You'll combine theory with hands-on experience and gain a deeper understanding of all aspects of computer technology.
With a Master of Cyber Security, you will look at the field from a different angle, ask bigger questions, and find new ways to tackle real and emerging cyber security threats.
You’ll develop an understanding of the global cyber security landscape, informed by industry and government experts, to find better ways to defend, adapt and lead for a resilient, more productive digital world.
Learn more about vertical dual degrees (PDF, 34.2 KB).
Program highlights
- Save time and double your opportunities when you gain a bachelor's and master’s in 4 years with a UQ vertical dual degree.
- Graduate with a combination of high-level technical skills and a global perspective on cyber security and information security fundamentals.
- Benefit from a Commonwealth Supported Place throughout the program (Domestic students).
- Flexible study options: exit early and graduate with a Bachelor of Computer Science.
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
- Cryptography
- Cyber Defence
- Cyber Security
- Data Science
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Laboratory work
- Seminars
- Workshops
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'.
See courses and program structure
View dual degree planner (PDF)
The 2025 dual degree planner is not yet available. The planner displayed is for a previous year and is a guide only.
Career possibilities
Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Cyber security analyst
- Cyber criminologist
- Digital forensics specialist
- IT auditor
- Security architect
- Policy adviser
- Cyber insurance adviser and provider
- Cryptographer
Average annual salary range
Cyber Security Analyst
seek.com.au
Graduate salary
Computing & information systems (postgraduate)
compared.edu.au
There is a lack of professionals available that meet industry need for both depth and breadth of cyber security knowledge, problem solving and at least some DevOps skills. Experience and specific skills can be acquired on the job, however, job applicants with a solid knowledge of cyber security are naturally at an advantage.
There is a lack of professionals available that meet industry need for both depth and breadth of cyber security knowledge, problem solving and at least some DevOps skills. Experience and specific skills can be acquired on the job, however, job applicants with a solid knowledge of cyber security are naturally at an advantage.
Events
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7 April
International Baccalaureate Research Skills Program
30 June
Queensland Biology Winter School, Year 11
Stories
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Stories
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Entry requirements
Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Entry score threshold
| ATAR / Rank | IB |
|---|---|
| 97 | 39.5 |
These are the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Semester 1, 2024. Entry scores are based on the most recent Semester 1 intake and are updated in April each year. Meeting the entry score threshold doesn't guarantee admission.
Guarantee your place at UQ: If you meet our guaranteed minimum ATAR you could secure an offer for your preferred program.
English language requirements
IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.
PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.
BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.
CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.
OET is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Entry score range
This table shows the range of entry scores for recent secondary students offered a place in the B Computer Science/M Cyber Sec for Semester 1, 2024
| Without adjustments | With adjustments | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest | 99.8 | 99.95 |
| Median | 98.1 | 99.95 |
| Lowest | 94.25 | 97.15 |
Who you'll study with
Here's a snapshot of our student intake for this program in Semester 1, 2024:
| Applicant background | Number of students | Percentage of all students |
|---|---|---|
(A) Higher education study | <5 | <5 |
(B) Vocational Education and Training (VET) study | 0 | 0% |
(C) Work and life experience | 0 | 0% |
| (D) Recent secondary education | ||
| 36 | 87.8% |
| 0 | 0% |
| 0 | 0% |
International students | <5 | <5 |
Total | 41 | 100% |
"<5" — The number of students is less than 5.
N/A — Students not accepted in this category.
N/P — Not published. The number is hidden to protect the privacy of students in other cells.
Need help meeting the entry requirements?
Additional application information
Majors
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
By studying cyber security, you'll learn the fundamental processes and practices to protect computing systems from attacks, damage or unauthorised access.
You'll study secure programming techniques and ethical hacking to safeguard individuals, businesses and governments against cybercrime — and you'll graduate with highly valued and employable skills.
Career paths can lead to roles such as cyber security analyst, cyber systems engineer or information security officer.
Join a growing industry
- Cyber security specialist was the #2 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- By 2026, Australia will need 18,000 more cyber security workers
- Australia’s external spending on cyber security products and services grew by 8 per cent in 2018 to $3.9 billion (Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).
In the Data Science major, you'll learn comprehensive and fundamental techniques for end-to-end processing that transforms data into information. You'll develop the skills to become one of the new breed of data science professionals.
This major will prepare you for a career in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Join a growing industry
- The rise of big data means data scientists are now some of the most in-demand professionals in the world
- Data scientist was the #7 top emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
These algorithms allow computers do things like automatically identify and harness useful data to help decision making, find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look, and predict outcomes to help authorities design effective policies.
You'll graduate with skills at the forefront of this massive growth area, as society looks for automated solutions to enhance business and our lives through the use of computing systems and data.
These skills can be applied in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Join a growing industry
- Artificial intelligence specialist was the #1 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030 (PwC research)
- New AI technologies will require highly-skilled workers who can develop and maintain complex systems and applications.
Covering the different paradigms of programming, this major focuses on the design of computer languages that can be easily used to create programs.
You'll study the craft and science of programming, and graduate with the skills to enable the construction of effective programming languages and reliable software.
Career paths often lead to roles in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Opening doors beyond tech
- Programmers write software that can be used to create websites, build computer networks, help doctors treat patients, or even drive a car
- Half of all programming roles are in finance, manufacturing, health care, and other sectors outside of the technology industry
- Coding skills can take you places — data analysts, scientists, engineers and designers all use coding.
But computers are also digital systems, which require discrete inputs and outputs, while mathematical analysis often relies on continuous functions. Therefore, careful approximations are needed to allow computers to analyse complex mathematical functions.
You'll study algorithms for mathematical analysis and graduate with skills used in various scientific endeavours, including in hospitals and university medical research, as well as large pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies across the public and private sectors.
Join a growing industry
- Help solve the complex scientific problems of the future using mathematical analysis
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy
- Data engineer was the #8 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Driven and taught by some of the brightest researchers in the industry, you’ll apply theory to real-world systems, as well as undertake internships or research projects with leading Australian companies and government agencies.
You'll learn how to:
- conceptualise, design, and build secure IT systems
- expertly review and evaluate cyber security information.
Learn what it takes to protect systems, data, organisations and people against a variety of cyber-attacks.
In this field of study, you'll learn how to:
- conceptualise, design, and build secure IT systems
- identify, analyse, and prevent cyber threats to an organisation.
A number of our courses are taught by world-renowned AusCERT experts. And as many of our staff have research connections all around the world – from Singapore, Japan and Taiwan to NZ, Switzerland, Germany and the USA – we can set you up with opportunities to collaborate with leading minds.
Majors
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
By studying cyber security, you'll learn the fundamental processes and practices to protect computing systems from attacks, damage or unauthorised access.
You'll study secure programming techniques and ethical hacking to safeguard individuals, businesses and governments against cybercrime — and you'll graduate with highly valued and employable skills.
Career paths can lead to roles such as cyber security analyst, cyber systems engineer or information security officer.
Join a growing industry
- Cyber security specialist was the #2 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- By 2026, Australia will need 18,000 more cyber security workers
- Australia’s external spending on cyber security products and services grew by 8 per cent in 2018 to $3.9 billion (Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).
In the Data Science major, you'll learn comprehensive and fundamental techniques for end-to-end processing that transforms data into information. You'll develop the skills to become one of the new breed of data science professionals.
This major will prepare you for a career in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Join a growing industry
- The rise of big data means data scientists are now some of the most in-demand professionals in the world
- Data scientist was the #7 top emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
These algorithms allow computers do things like automatically identify and harness useful data to help decision making, find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look, and predict outcomes to help authorities design effective policies.
You'll graduate with skills at the forefront of this massive growth area, as society looks for automated solutions to enhance business and our lives through the use of computing systems and data.
These skills can be applied in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Join a growing industry
- Artificial intelligence specialist was the #1 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report)
- AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030 (PwC research)
- New AI technologies will require highly-skilled workers who can develop and maintain complex systems and applications.
Covering the different paradigms of programming, this major focuses on the design of computer languages that can be easily used to create programs.
You'll study the craft and science of programming, and graduate with the skills to enable the construction of effective programming languages and reliable software.
Career paths often lead to roles in government departments, consultancy or private sector organisations.
Opening doors beyond tech
- Programmers write software that can be used to create websites, build computer networks, help doctors treat patients, or even drive a car
- Half of all programming roles are in finance, manufacturing, health care, and other sectors outside of the technology industry
- Coding skills can take you places — data analysts, scientists, engineers and designers all use coding.
But computers are also digital systems, which require discrete inputs and outputs, while mathematical analysis often relies on continuous functions. Therefore, careful approximations are needed to allow computers to analyse complex mathematical functions.
You'll study algorithms for mathematical analysis and graduate with skills used in various scientific endeavours, including in hospitals and university medical research, as well as large pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies across the public and private sectors.
Join a growing industry
- Help solve the complex scientific problems of the future using mathematical analysis
- The digital technology sector is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia’s economy
- Data engineer was the #8 emerging job of 2020 (LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report).
Fields of study
Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:
Driven and taught by some of the brightest researchers in the industry, you’ll apply theory to real-world systems, as well as undertake internships or research projects with leading Australian companies and government agencies.
You'll learn how to:
- conceptualise, design, and build secure IT systems
- expertly review and evaluate cyber security information.
Learn what it takes to protect systems, data, organisations and people against a variety of cyber-attacks.
In this field of study, you'll learn how to:
- conceptualise, design, and build secure IT systems
- identify, analyse, and prevent cyber threats to an organisation.
A number of our courses are taught by world-renowned AusCERT experts. And as many of our staff have research connections all around the world – from Singapore, Japan and Taiwan to NZ, Switzerland, Germany and the USA – we can set you up with opportunities to collaborate with leading minds.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$7,435
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
$7,435
2025
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $53,760
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
AUD $53,760
2025
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
If your senior schooling is from outside Australia, you can submit your application to UQ. Or, if you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security is 2481.
Find out more about applying for undergraduate study
If your senior schooling is from Australia
Submit your application to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre if you're an international student who is currently studying:
- Australian Year 12 (in Australia or another country), or
- the International Baccalaureate in Australia.
The QTAC code for the Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security is 733411.
Applying through QTAC
All domestic applications should be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
The QTAC code for the Bachelor of Computer Science / Master of Cyber Security is 733411.
Important dates
If you’re studying Year 12 in Australia, go to the QTAC website to check the closing date for this program.
If you’re applying to UQ, the closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
- To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
To check the closing date for this program, go to the QTAC website.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Admissions schemes
Applying to university can be both exciting and daunting, which is why we’ve tried to make the process as simple as we can.
We have several schemes in place to improve your chances of getting a place at UQ.
Pathway options
A rank or score doesn’t determine your potential.
If you're not offered a place in your first-choice program – or if you don't meet the entry requirements – you still have a number of options.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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