IT security

Faculty Applied Computer Sciences and Biosciences
Course of studies IT security
Degree Bachelor
Academic degree Bachelor of Science
Start Winter semester
Regular study period 6 Semesters
Further qualification Cybercrime/Cybersecurity (M.Sc.)
Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) (M.Sc.)
Category computer science
Type of study full-time studies
Course language german
Description is a field of study in the study program Applied Computer Science
Admission restriction No
Tuition No
Credits 180
Accredited Yes  /  Information on accreditation
Application portal Online application

Objective

Blocking the entry gates for criminals.

Nine out of ten companies were victims of cyber attacks in 2020/2021, according to Bitkom. The damage: around 225 billion euros - twice as much as two years earlier. And the trend is rising. In particular, extortion attempts using ransomware are exploding. But this damage is not only monetary. Espionage endangers entire companies because intellectual property is stolen.

Protecting data better is the order of the day. At Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, we have been researching how to do this for years. Our vision is to prevent sabotage and theft, and to make attackers' heads spin. In doing so, we go beyond the current methods of IT security. The Internet is still a place of copies. With blockchain, we make it a place of originals and enable business without lawyers, without notaries, without paper.

What does it take? You. It's true that investments in information technology security are on the rise. But experts who understand their craft and, for example, break new ground with blockchain applications are rare.

Career prospects

Top salary with guaranteed employment.

Germany needs nearly 800,000 additional IT professionals by 2026, according to consulting firm McKinsey, which predicts six-figure salaries after just a few years on the job.

But money is by no means everything. Those who choose to study in the field of IT security have a wide range of professions to choose from due to their broad specialized knowledge, which brings new challenges and variety every day. Mittweida graduates of the study of IT security work, among others, as

  • IT security officers and IT security managers in companies and authorities of all kinds,
  • White hat hackers and penetration testers at specialized IT security service providers,
  • Developers for blockchain applications,
  • Software architects for security applications,
  • Web and software developers,
  • System, network or firewall administrators,
  • auditor for security-critical systems.

Of course, you can continue to deepen your knowledge after completing your bachelor's degree. In Mittweida, two master's degree programs are open to you for this purpose: Cybercrime/Cybersecurity and Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)

Structure

Computer science studies with a clear focus.

One thing first: If you decide to study IT security in the Applied Computer Science program at Mittweida University, you don't have to know how to program when you start your studies. That's exactly what the bachelor's program is for, where you can learn to work with Java, C++ and C#.

There is a huge selection of computer science courses throughout Germany. Often, the contents are so broad that interested students do not see a clear profile for their future career. This is exactly why we have developed the IT Security degree program. After a solid introduction to computer science with fundamentals of computer and operating systems as well as networks and blockchain and distributed systems, the study focuses on the integrity, authenticity and confidentiality of data. Cryptography, security management and data protection, virus technology, and network security and signature are some of the topics you will deal with in detail.

The creation of secure authentication procedures, data and access protection guidelines, and the use of blockchain technology are not only taught theoretically in lectures at Mittweida but also in practical exercises on the computer, putting the knowledge directly into practice. In projects, you will work on the challenges that await you in your professional life, so that as a security expert you will be able to uncover weaknesses and develop suitable solutions independently and in interdisciplinary project teams. 

Application and admission

You are interested?

The Bachelor's programme starts in the winter semester (from October). To have a chance of getting a place, you must apply in good time. You can find all information about the application deadlines here. The programme is admission-restricted because we have more applicants than places. Therefore, a selection process takes place to find the most suitable applicants.

Register at hs-mittweida.de/bewerben. As soon as you have submitted all forms and supporting documents, you will take part in the selection process for the degree programme. If you get a place, you can enrol online.

You can begin your studies in Mittweida if you have

  • the general higher education entrance qualification or
  • a subject-related higher education entrance qualification (for the relevant subject area) or
  • the entrance qualification for a university of applied sciences.

All information about application deadlines and the required documents can be found here.

If you do not have any of the mentioned degrees, look here for more information.

There is a separate application deadline for international students. Please click here for more information.

A previous internship is not required. You should have basic knowledge in using a PC (incl. current operating system). Programming skills are useful, but not absolutely necessary. In addition, a good knowledge of mathematics and English is an advantage.