What is the value of GCHQ certification

Many universities in UK are currently offering GCHQ certification as MSc in Computer Security but some university doesn't such as University of Manchester . So i want to know will it be really worth it to get admitted to those university whose courses are GCHQ certified ?

Reply 1

The National Cyber Security Centre

Official Rep

Original post by tahossain

Hi @tahossain - that's a really good question, and we're glad you asked :smile:

We've been carrying out some research with HESA over the past year or so, aimed at identifying the added value of our certification scheme.

Some of the 'headline' findings (with data to back them up) to date include the following:

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UK students with a certified Master’s degree have higher employment rates (in relevant sectors) and higher salaries than students on non-certified Master’s degrees;

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The majority of UK students choosing a Master's in cyber security, now choose to study on a Certified Master’s degree;

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We have seen an increase in applications from post-92 universities as well as more universities from all around the UK, showing that the institutions also value our certification scheme;

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In some cases, applications to a course have trebled after a given degree gained certification, allowing the university to introduce new material and justify extra investment in their facilities.

Whilst every individual also needs to consider factors such as the facilities, assessments, course structure, teaching style, campus environment and the city when choosing a university and course, a Certified degree helps with that by providing an objective assessment of the course content, the facilities and the assessments.

It's also worth pointing out that our certification scheme isn't mandatory, so the absence of a given university/course shouldn’t automatically be taken as proof that their degree isn't up to scratch - it may be that the university has chosen not to put their degree forward, for whatever reason. (Perhaps you could ask the admissions staff if they are planning to put their degree forward, and if not, why not?)

We hope this information helps, but do feel free to ask any other questions :smile: