Welcome to the
Kerckhoffs Institute Radboud University Nijmegen

Do you want to become a computer security specialist? Are you up to the challenge of a technical study, but prefer to study at an all round university covering a broad range of studies? Does the city of Nijmegen appeal to you?

Welcome to the Kerckhoffs Institute!

The Kerckhoffs Institute is co-hosted by the Security of Systems group, Institute for Computing and Information Sciences of the Radboud University Nijmegen. We offer a 2-year international master track in computer security (as part of our computer science master programme), in close collaboration with the University of Twente and Eindhoven University of Technology.

Goals

Our master track will give you a broad and strong background on many aspects of computer security. Towards the end of the programme, you will choose a particular specialisation topic for in-depth study. You could, for example, become a smart card expert, a network security and intrusion detection specialist, a cryptographer, or an information security analyst.

Developing secure systems and analysing the security of existing systems is a challenging task. Computer security is a topic of growing importance, as it affects ever more aspects of business, government, and our daily life as citizens. That is why security specialists are in high demand. The Kerckhoffs Master in Computer Security offers excellent career prospects in both the public and the private sector, and in academic as well as industrial research. After completing the master track, you are ready to take on one of the following job opportunities.

  • Security architect
  • Security consultant.
  • Security policy maker.
  • Industrial researcher.
  • Academic researcher (towards international PhD).

Programme

The master programme covers two years, divided into two semesters each. Each semester offers two mandatory courses, and a selection of optional courses. The courses cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: cryptography, system/network security, organisational security, privacy, data management. Courses are taught in English. Course materials are in English as well. The last semester is reserved for the graduation project and writing a master thesis. Master projects can be either internal, or external at a company for instance.

Courses are taught in Nijmegen, as well as the University of Twente and Eindhoven University of Technology. Lectures at Enschede and Eindhoven are scheduled exclusively on Mondays and/or Fridays. Students need to travel one day a week on average. Optional courses are scheduled back to back with mandatory courses to minimise such travel.

On successful completion of the programme, you will obtain a master diploma in Computer Science, with a certificate attesting you specialised in Computer Security at the Kerckhoffs Institute.

About us

The Security of Systems group of the Radboud University Nijmegen works at the forefront of computer security research. We investigate new security vulnerabilities, build tools to analyse the security of critical systems, and develop new, stronger, countermeasures. We are also actively involved in the lively debate on the effects of security measures on society at large, such as the introduction of biometric passports, or electronic voting.

In Nijmegen, the computer security master programme is embedded into the general computer science master programme, (Security thema, research (O) variant).

Admission requirements & procedures

General procedure

To register at the Kerckhoffs Master programme, you need to perform the following steps.
  • First, send a preliminary registration to the Kerckhoffs Institute. Simply send an email to info@kerckhoffs-institute.org stating your full name, date of birth, and email address.
  • register (info in dutch) as a full time computer science master student at the Radboud University Nijmegen first (for foreign students, the registration procedure is different).
  • Then register as a computer science student at the Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Twente (in order to follow the courses offered by those universities) as well. By law, these secondary registrations are free of charge. Make sure you include a "Bewijs van Betaald Collegegeld" (proof of admission fee paid) issued by the Central Student Administration (CSA) with the registration request.
  • Finally, complete your registration at the Kerckhoffs Institute by sending us info@kerckhoffs-institute.org the student numbers for each of universities you registered at, indicating which university is your primary university.
For further information regarding the registration procedure, please contact the "onderwijsburo", Mrs Resi Westerman.

CS bachelors from a Dutch university

Students with a Bachelor degree in Computer Science from a Dutch university are automatically admitted to the security master programme. Registration is of course still required.

CS bachelors from a Dutch polytechnic

Students from a polytechnic (in Dutch: HBO) with a degree in computer science will also be admitted, but need to follow extended programme with additional courses that aim to cover missing parts in their background [informatie | inschrijfprocedure (in Dutch)]. Please note that the programme does involve quite a bit of mathematics that you may need to spend time on to master.

Foreign students, or those with a different degree

Foreign students, or students with a different academic degree will be admitted on a case by case basis. A personal interview may be part of the admission procedure [additional information]. The admission procedure is described here.

Huygens scholarships

Excellent student from all countries can apply for a HSP Huygens Scholarship; for more information see this.

Further Information

For more information on the security master contact dr. Lejla Batina by phone (+31 24 3652217), email (lejla@cs.ru.nl ) and/or Dr. Erik Poll (+31 24 36252710), email (erikpoll@cs.ru.nl ) .

We look forward to meet you and work with you to make this master programme a success!