Master's degree Defense, Cybersecurity and Risk Management

The first year of the graduate program is common to all graduate-level courses.

It is designed to train high-performing professionals by providing in-depth knowledge in law, political science, geopolitics, economics, and languages, incorporating a French, European, and international perspective. Additionally, it develops essential skills in analysis, communication, international development project management, diplomacy, crisis management, security and defense, cybersecurity, and economic intelligence.

This prestigious program is designed to provide a comprehensive and diverse education. The curriculum includes:

• Law – Space law, administrative law, law of war
• Political Science & Geopolitics – Influence communication and geopolitics, geopolitics of natural resources, foreign policies and diplomacy, strategy and defense
• Economics – Markets and financial circuits

Languages:

• First Foreign Language: English
• Second Foreign Language: European language
• Third Foreign Language: Oriental language

Professional Development: Career support, ILERI conferences, operational management, cybersecurity and cyber safety, strategic intelligence, internship

Next academic intake: September 2026 in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Nice.

The MSc in Defense, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management at ILERI trains experts to analyze, manage, and resolve crisis situations and cyber threats within geopolitical and international contexts. By developing skills in economic intelligence, law, security, and geopolitics, students will be equipped to anticipate and address digital and strategic threats.

The program is structured around several skill-building modules, combining theoretical and practical coursework over one year:

► International Relations Analysis: Defense policies of major powers, intercultural management, lobbying, and international security

► Economic and Strategic Intelligence: Monitoring tools, economic intelligence, and economic intelligence law

► Risk Management: Risk mapping, cybersecurity, digital law, and security

► International Project Development: Business development and project management

► Crisis Management: Crisis management simulation and assessment of global risks

► International Partnership Networks: Partner network management, leadership, and international negotiation

Next academic intake: September 2026 in Bordeaux and Lyon.

Block 1: Designing and managing a continuous strategic monitoring system for economic, political, and diplomatic intelligence in an international context.

Block 2: Analyzing international strategic relationships and opportunities.

Block 3: Anticipating crisis situations and diplomatic tensions at the national and international levels.

Block 4: Leading international development projects.

Block 5: Detecting and managing security and defense risks in an international context (specialization)

To obtain the diploma, students must successfully complete all of the skill blocks required for certification.

This program offers a cross-disciplinary approach, combining cybersecurity, defense, and risk management within a geopolitical context. Students gain expertise in law, economics, geopolitics, and defense strategy, equipping them to address the complex challenges faced by modern organizations, both public and private.

The program is delivered by renowned experts from both academic and professional backgrounds. Students benefit from an innovative teaching approach that blends theoretical coursework with practical applications, including crisis management simulations and real-world case studies, ensuring immediately applicable operational skills.

A particular emphasis is placed on managing geopolitical risks and international crises. Students learn how to map threats, assess risks, and develop effective crisis management plans, ensuring organizational resilience and continuity during major disruptions.

The program is designed with a global perspective, preparing students to navigate multicultural and multilingual environments while analyzing complex international relations. This international dimension is further reinforced through global business project simulations and international crisis management training.

At ILERI, we firmly believe that international experience is essential for shaping future global leaders. That's why we offer first-year International Relations students the opportunity to participate in a unique and enriching study abroad experience.

Whether you choose to go abroad in the first or second semester, ILERI opens the doors to the world through our 32 prestigious university partners in dynamic and influential regions, providing numerous perspectives and opportunities.

• Study in Europe, Asia, America, or beyond
• Gain an immersive academic and cultural experience
• Expand global horizons & develop intercultural skills
• Build a strong international network

During your semester abroad, you will attend courses that are fully recognized by ILERI. At the end of the period, you will earn 30 ECTS credits, ensuring seamless academic progression without delays.

La pédagogie intègre dans les programmes des cours à distance avec les meilleurs spécialistes internationaux et des moments de Blended Learning et d’autonomie favorisant un parcours personnalisé, flexible, enrichi et à la pointe de l’innovation.

Plusieurs mises en situation professionnelles ponctuent l’année : exercice de gestion de crise, projet d’internationalisation, etc.

L’ILERI soutient un maximum d’initiatives dans un esprit de grande liberté conforme à ses valeurs : 15 associations étudiantes au campus de Paris, 12 à Lyon, 8 à Bordeaux, 6 à Nice.

Les conférences de l’ILERI visent à informer et promouvoir la discussion sur des sujets en lien avec la politique et les relations internationales.

Accueil d’apprenants étrangers, préparations en amont, révisions, etc. : la pédagogie de l’ILERI et les nouvelles technologies offrent des parcours adaptés à chaque apprenant. 

A côté des programmes de cours, l’ILERI et le réseau Compétences et Développement proposent une large gamme de modules en ligne permettant d’approfondir les thèmes abordés au fil du cursus. 

En partenariat avec les 13 grandes écoles et centres de formation du réseau Compétences et Développement, une palette d’activités en ligne est offerte à la curiosité des Ilériens et Ilériennes. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@improbablesrencontres/video/7285794971318275361

To join the MSc in Defense, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management for either the first or second year, applicants must submit an application file.

Once the application is accepted, candidates will proceed to the admissions exam, which consists of both written and oral assessments.

For more information and preparation details, visit our Admissions page.

► Application file review: 2 to 15 days

► Admission decision after exam: 10 days

► Program enrollment after admission: Between 10 days and 11 months, depending on the exam date

Admissions exam fee: €75

► First-year lateral entry: €10,500*

► First-year for ILERI Bachelor graduates: €10,050

► Second-year tuition: €10,600

*Additional fees may apply for Study Abroad programs for one semester abroad.

Second-Year Work-Study (Alternance)

► Admissions exam fees waived

► Second-year tuition: €10,600*

*Excludes VAT if fully self-financed. If funded through CPF, Pôle Emploi, employer, or regional programs, VAT (20%) applies.

Students from Paris and Lyon campuses are eligible for CROUS scholarships.

ILERI is committed to making higher education accessible.

Each campus offers merit-based scholarships for students who do not qualify for CROUS aid, ensuring fair and tailored financial support.

The Master's degree in Risk Management offered by ILERI aims to train professionals capable of facing the various challenges of the contemporary world. Students acquire cross-functional and strategic skills that enable them to operate effectively in high-pressure environments. These skills include:

Threat analysis: knowing how to detect weak signals, map risks, and understand geopolitical, technological, and economic dynamics.

Crisis management: learning how to lead a crisis unit, establish response protocols, and coordinate stakeholders in real time.

Cybersecurity and information protection: mastering the technical and strategic basics of securing information systems, preventing cyberattacks, and managing incidents.

Strategic monitoring and economic intelligence: developing tools for anticipation, intelligence, and decision support.

Communication and leadership: knowing how to convey clear instructions in stressful situations, working in project teams, and adopting a decision-making stance.

These skills are developed through courses, practical cases, group projects, and role-playing exercises, in line with real-world situations.

It is essential to understand the three main approaches that structure the discipline:

1. Preventive management

This aims to anticipate threats before they arise. It includes assessing vulnerabilities, implementing prevention plans, and analyzing scenarios. It is a strategic pillar, particularly in the defense and cybersecurity sectors.

2. Curative management

This is applied once the risk has materialized. The objective is to limit negative impacts: securing data after a cyberattack, deploying emergency measures, managing crisis communication.

3. Evolutionary management

This involves adapting security measures and risk management policies over time, in line with technological, geopolitical, or social developments. It requires constant monitoring and a high degree of strategic agility.

These three approaches are integrated into the training program to develop profiles capable of thinking about risk from a 360° perspective.

Digital threats have multiplied, affecting all sectors, from public administrations to private companies. Today, cybersecurity is central to state sovereignty and organizational resilience.

Among the major challenges are:

The proliferation of attacks (ransomware, phishing, denial of service)

The security of critical infrastructure (energy, transportation, healthcare)

The protection of personal and industrial data

The rise of geopolitical cyber conflicts

The automation of cyber threats through AI

As part of this program, students are trained to understand, anticipate, and counter these threats through an approach that combines strategy, monitoring, digital law, and technical fundamentals.

Because we live in an era of constant uncertainty. Pandemics, cyberattacks, hybrid conflicts, energy crises, disinformation: threats are multiple, systemic, and often unpredictable.

For businesses, institutions, and governments, ignoring risk is no longer an option. It is now necessary to identify, prioritize, and respond to risk methodically. This training program meets this requirement: it trains decision-makers to protect assets, people, and systems in a globalized and unstable environment.

Risk management is also a lever for competitiveness and governance. It ensures business continuity, reassures partners, protects an organization's reputation, and optimizes decision-making.

Choosing this type of training means choosing a rapidly expanding sector where expertise is sought after and valued. It also means embarking on a meaningful career path: protecting, securing, and anticipating crises.

This type of program is designed for those who want to combine strategic thinking, concrete action, and engagement in the major issues of our time: security, sovereignty, and resilience.

At ILERI, the MSc in Defense, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management stands out for its dual approach: academic and practical. It provides the keys to thriving in complex environments, whether in the public sector (ministries, armed forces, institutions) or the private sector (companies, consulting firms, NGOs).