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Studies & Degrees in Network Security

Network security is the part of computing that keeps an organisation's networks, and the data that travels across them, safe. Cisco, a maker of network equipment, defines it as the combination of policies and technologies that protect systems and digital assets from unauthorised access, misuse and disruption. In practice it is taught as one branch of cyber security, next to application security, cryptography and digital forensics.

Students first learn how networks work: protocols, routing, switching, operating systems and server administration. On that base they learn to defend them with firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, network segmentation, virtual private networks (VPNs) and protection against denial-of-service attacks. Most programmes add ethical hacking (testing a system by attacking it with permission), incident response, forensic analysis and the legal rules on data protection and security.

Qualifications and levels

Network security is seldom the name of a first degree. Students usually reach it through computer science, computer engineering or telecommunications and specialise later.

  • Bachelor's degree. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, and security is a set of courses or a specialisation inside a computing degree. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that information security analysts typically need a bachelor's degree in computer and information technology or a related field, such as engineering or mathematics.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits, and several universities offer one in cyber security. In the United Kingdom, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) certifies bachelor's, integrated master's and master's degrees and degree apprenticeships in cyber security and closely related fields, and publishes the list of certified courses.
  • Vocational training. Spain has an official specialisation course in cyber security for information technology environments (Curso de especialización en ciberseguridad en entornos de las tecnologías de la información). It is at higher vocational training (FP de grado superior) level and lasts 720 hours. Its modules are cyber security incidents, hardening of networks and systems, secure deployment, forensic analysis, ethical hacking and cyber security regulations. Applicants need a higher technician qualification in a computing or telecommunications field, for example the one in network systems administration.
  • Short courses and industry certificates. Online courses of a few months introduce the subject or prepare for a vendor certificate. According to the BLS, many employers prefer candidates who hold an information security certification; some certifications are aimed at entry level and others at experienced staff.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists three active schools for network security: two in Spain and one in France. The two Spanish schools teach online, so the place of study matters little, and they teach in Spanish.

SEAS, Estudios Superiores Abiertos, in Zaragoza, offers an online Curso de Ciberseguridad of 150 hours and 6 ECTS credits. It covers cyber intelligence, ethical hacking and forensic analysis and leads to a university's own qualification (título propio) issued by the Universidad San Jorge, not to an official degree. Formación Universitaria, based in Seville, is a distance-learning institution with courses in computing and communications. In France, SUPINFO is a computing school founded in 1965. Its three-year bachelor's programmes include specialisations for cyber security administrators and cyber security auditors, and its five-year programme has a cyber security track; the school describes these as professional titles registered in France at RNCP level 6 and level 7. The directory lists SUPINFO's Rennes campus, but the school's website currently names campuses in Caen, Lille, Lyon, Paris and Tours and a distance-learning campus, so check where the programme runs before applying.

Technical vocabulary and most vendor documentation are in English, whatever the language of instruction, so a working reading level of English is useful everywhere.

Careers

Graduates work as security analysts, network and systems administrators with security duties, penetration testers, incident responders and security auditors. The BLS describes the daily work of an information security analyst: monitoring the organisation's networks for breaches, maintaining firewalls and encryption software, checking systems for vulnerabilities and preparing reports on attacks. Most analysts work for computer companies, consulting firms or business and financial companies, and they are sometimes on call outside normal hours.

Many analysts start in an IT department, often as a network and computer systems administrator, and move into security with experience. The outlook for the two jobs differs in the United States. The BLS projects employment of information security analysts to grow 21 percent from 2025 to 2035, while employment of network and computer systems administrators is projected to decline 4 percent over the same period. These figures describe the US labour market only.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to work in network security?

Usually, but not always. The BLS states that analysts typically need a bachelor's degree, although some enter the occupation with a high school diploma plus industry training and certifications. In Spain the vocational route through higher FP and the 720-hour specialisation course is an official alternative.

Is network security the same as cyber security?

No. Network security deals with the protection of networks and the traffic on them. Cyber security is wider and also covers software, data, users and legal compliance. Most study programmes carry the wider name and include network security as a core part.

Can I study network security online?

Yes. Two of the three schools listed here teach entirely online. Check which qualification the course gives: an official degree, a university's own qualification or a certificate from the school.