Advanced Master® Cybersecurity of Complex Systems for Industry and Defense
In a context where the industrial and defense sectors are facing a surge in cyber risks, amplified by the digitization and interconnection of systems, there is a growing demand for experts capable of working in highly critical sectors with significant regulatory constraints, such as the defense industry, aerospace, energy (nuclear, oil and gas, power grids), transportation, critical infrastructure, and public bodies and operators of vital importance (OIVs).
The required skills go beyond technical expertise: strategy, governance, cyber intelligence, incident response, and leadership are essential for a high-level cybersecurity professional working with the complex systems of today and tomorrow.
To train these cybersecurity experts for Industry and Defense, this Advanced Master's® program, jointly awarded by Centrale Méditerranée and the French Air and Space Academy, relies on close collaboration with experts in the field, particularly the Cyber Defense Command (COMCYBER) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
CPF (Personal Training Account): Application pending with France Compétences for the certified title "Expert in Cybersecurity of Complex Systems for Industry and Defense (MS)"
Interested in applying ? AM® CyberSCID brochure – Application file
Goals
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- define and implement cybersecurity policies;
- analyze risks and propose appropriate protection strategies;
- manage projects to secure industrial systems and critical infrastructure;
- supervise or coordinate teams of technical experts;
- conduct technological and regulatory monitoring;
- participate in the management of security incidents and cyber crisis situations.
Career prospects
Possible career paths include:
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO);
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) within a company;
Security Operations Center (SOC) Manager;
Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT/CSIRT) Manager;
Security Architect;
Cybersecurity Consultant;
Cybersecurity Operational Expert or Analyst.
Program
(subject to change)
Ensuring cybersecurity governance for a complex system (industry, defense)
- Cyber law and regulations
- International relations and cybersecurity
- Cyber intelligence/monitoring
- Illustrative practical exercises
- Systems mapping
- Risk analysis
- Cyber threats and methods of operation
Ensuring the protection of a complex system (industry, defense)
Cryptography and information security
Software and operating system security
Implementation of a secure architecture
Ensuring the defense of a complex system (industry, defense)
AI and data mining for cybersecurity
Detection mechanisms and tools
Attack response
Remediation
Managing a team and a cybersecurity project for complex systems (industry, defense)
- Cybersecurity governance of a complex systems project
- Regulatory, standards, and ethical compliance of the project
- Multidisciplinary approach in a cybersecurity context
- Security audit
Conferences, site visits, and external certifications
- Various conferences (Healthcare, etc.), professional feedback sessions
- Visits to industrial sites and critical infrastructure
- CCNA preparation
Industrial project
Professional thesis
Who is this training for?
This Advanced Master’s® program is designed for science or technology graduates, with or without professional experience, who wish to acquire expertise in information systems security.
Applications are accepted from students holding one of the following degrees:
- Master’s degree (BAC+5) from an engineering school or university.
- RNCP Level 7 qualification (formerly Level I).
- Bachelor’s degree (BAC+4) (Master 1 degree or certificate of completion of 240 ECTS credits), for candidates with three years of professional experience related to the program.
- Foreign degree equivalent to the French degrees listed above.
As an exception:
- Bachelor’s degree (BAC+4) without experience (Master 1 degree or certificate of completion of 240 ECTS credits) or Bachelor’s degree (BAC+3) with three years of professional experience related to the program.
A basic understanding of network operation, programming languages, the use and administration of information systems, as well as automated industrial systems and embedded systems is required.
In practice
The 468-hour in-person student training program is structured around teaching modules covering cybersecurity risk analysis, industrial and embedded systems security, complex systems security architecture, cybersecurity governance, and crisis management.
The teaching methods combine lectures, tutorials, case studies, application projects, and simulations, fostering the acquisition of operational skills.
All the concepts necessary for developing the expected skills are addressed sequentially throughout the training program. The modules run from mid-September to the end of March, at an average pace of 25 hours of in-person instruction per week.
This period is followed by an internship of approximately six months, during which candidates prepare their professional thesis in an operational context, allowing them to apply and further develop the skills acquired during the training.
The training offers a refresher module in computer science and automation to harmonize the skills of the participants, as well as a discovery module of choice of major application sectors, such as Defense or energy and transport, in order to allow them to understand the cyber challenges of these fields.
Several professional tools used in operational cybersecurity environments are employed in the training. For example, Mercator is used for system mapping, Agile Risk Manager and/or EGERIE Risk Manager for risk analysis and management, and Cyberrange is used to work on secure architectures, detection mechanisms, and tools.
Continuous assessment and multiple-choice quizzes throughout the various modules.
Writing of a professional thesis and defense before a jury of experts.
An outstanding faculty: professors, industry experts, consultants, and top-level specialists from both academia and operational backgrounds, readily available to expand your network.
A program offered jointly by two leading engineering schools: Centrale Méditerranée and the French Air and Space School (École de l’Air et de l’Espace).
A program recognized and accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), guaranteeing quality and relevance.
A mixed civilian/military cohort, fostering a unique and enriching approach to cybersecurity challenges.
An active learning approach enabling the acquisition of technical and methodological skills and the application of theoretical knowledge through numerous practical exercises (hands-on projects, supervised industrial projects, use of educational platforms and high-performance software tools, site visits, conferences, expert testimonials, etc.).
An unprecedented strategic partnership between Centrale Méditerranée, the Air and Space School, the Cyber Defence Command and the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission, serving to train leaders capable of meeting the challenges of the industrial, defence and security sectors.
Degree Program
Full-time, in-person instruction
Fees:
Students/Individual registrations: €10,000.
Employees of the Ministries of the Interior and the Armed Forces: please contact us.
Companies and organizations: please contact us.
Alumni and partners: please contact us.
Application processing fee: €80 (no fee for employees of the Ministries of the Interior and the Armed Forces).
Some optional travel related to electives will be at the student’s expense.
This program is not eligible for scholarships.
Practical information:
Start date: mid-September
468 hours of in-person instruction + professional placement
Location: Salon-de-Provence (90%) and Centrale Méditerranée (10%)
Regulations, established by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, exist to ensure that students with disabilities have access to adapted material and practical conditions during their studies and/or examinations.
You can contact the disability liaison officer to learn about the measures implemented at the French Air and Space Academy: referent-handicap@ecole-air.fr
The Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) process allows individuals to obtain all or part of a certification (diploma, professional qualification, or professional certificate) based on their professional experience, whether salaried, self-employed, volunteer, or otherwise.
Anyone with professional experience related to the targeted diploma or certification is eligible for VAE. Certifications registered with the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP) are accessible through VAE.
Validation of Acquired Experience allows individuals to obtain an engineering degree from the French Air and Space School (École de l’Air et de l’Espace) or a Specialized Master’s® degree (if registered with the RNCP), based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired through professional experience.
The VAE process for the Specialized Master’s in CyberSCID is managed by Centrale Méditerranée; you can find more information here.
