Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity

The Master course of study Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity has been discontinued as per Winter Semester 2024/25. However, its specialized courses are now all integrated in our regular Cybersecurity (M. Sc.) Master course. A new "Founder's Lab" three-semester course series helps you creating and refining your own startup idea. On top, the great startup support of CISPA and Saarland University help you in acquiring funding, protecting your IP, get access to entrepreneurs and founders, and much more. Go with Cybersecurity!

The Master's Program Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity teaches advanced techniques and state-of-the-art research in Cybersecurity and enables students to apply and put this knowledge into practice by developing a cybersecurity project, write a proof of concept, and develop a market-ready product.

The course of study consists of three parts:

• ⅜ of the course of study consist of courses and seminars on cybersecurity and computer science that teach abilities for scientific work as well as in-depth foundations and relevant research results. In optional and elective courses, students can set a personal focus and specialize further. In particular, students can use study content to turn current research results into an entrepreneurial startup; a lecture series establishes contacts between students and researchers and their ideas.




• ½ of the course of study consists of a founder’s project including a related Master's thesis, in which students work in groups for three semesters on a startup idea from cybersecurity, with the goal to actually create a startup during or after their studies. The students thus learn how to realize current research results in a user- and market-oriented fashion, and they acquire important qualifications such as social competence and responsible team work. Presentations and demonstrations (“sales pitches”) in front of mentors, founders, and investors, challenge the students' technical and social skills in order to refine the startup idea further. In the final Master#s thesis, students can highlight their own personal contribution towards the startup project. The final presentation of the startup project can also decide on further investments.




• ⅛ of the course of study consists of complementary courses, in which students acquire further qualifications for startup creation, including startup courses, business administration, an application domain, or soft skills.

By combining these three parts, the course of study prepares for demanding, innovative, and responsible activities in transferring recent research results in the areas of cybersecurity and computer science towards users and markets. While the course of study primarily aims towards creating a startup, the acquired capabilities will allow for research and development activities in a multitude of work contexts.

The program structure spans four semesters:

• Semester 1: Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (30 ECTS). Lecture Series "Perspectives of Cybersecurity" on current research topics. Find your scientific mentor and form small groups of 2-4 students.




• Semester 2: Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (15 ECTS). Cybersecurity Project: first prototype, internal sales pitch (15 ECTS).




• Semester 3: Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (15 ECTS). Cybersecurity Project: Refine your prototype, sales pitch in front of an external audience (15 ECTS).




• Semester 4: Master's Thesis: based on your project, typically, a description of your contribution to the proof of concept. (15 ECTS). Cybersecurity Project: Proof of Concept, Business plan, Sales pitch in front of investors and supporters. (15 ECTS)