Graduate Certificate Programs in Digital Forensics and Computer Forensics - Online and Campus
Updated: June 6, 2024
Graduate certificate programs in digital forensics are academic programs offered by accredited colleges and universities that provide qualified students who hold at least a bachelor’s degree with career-oriented training in the principles and practices associated with investigating computer hacks, malware, and other types of cybercrime. These programs are designed for college graduates and mid-career professionals who want to learn the tools and techniques of digital forensics without having to enroll in a full master’s degree program.
Students in a digital forensics graduate certificate program typically take four or five graduate courses that address practical issues in cybercrime investigations in preparation for work in the field of digital and computer forensics. While the courses completed in a graduate certificate program do not lead to the conferral of a degree, some or all of the credits earned in a certificate program may be eligible for transfer into a master’s degree program in digital forensics, cybersecurity, or a related field, if and when a student opts to pursue further graduate studies.
Digital Forensics Explained
Digital forensics is a cybersecurity specialization that focuses on uncovering and investigating unauthorized intrusions and illicit attacks on computer systems and networks, and the identification of the perpetrators of hacks, hoaxes, ransomware schemes, and other cybercrimes. Governments, businesses, and individuals turn to digital forensic investigators when they suspect they have been targeted by cybercriminals who may be engaged in identity or data theft, blackmail, or other types of disruptive, costly, and otherwise harmful and illegal activities in the digital realm. In addition, many organizations, including large corporations and law enforcement agencies, employ digital forensic specialists as part of cybersecurity teams that are tasked with preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cybercrimes and the unlawful actors who perpetrate these crimes.
The professionals who work in the field of digital forensics must be familiar with common computer operating systems, digital network and systems design, typical vulnerabilities and vectors of attacks, and the tools and techniques that are used to conduct digital investigations, identify and preserve digital evidence, and present their findings for potential legal action. In addition, like traditional detectives, digital forensic investigators learn to recognize various types of cybercriminal activity and understand the psychology and motivations of malicious actors in order to respond quickly and effectively to cyberattacks and to uncover their source.
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Michigan State University
Cyber Criminology and Cyber Security Graduate Cetrificate
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Identifying and Classifying Digital Forensics Graduate Certificate Programs
While there is no formal naming convention for graduate certificate programs in digital forensics, certificate programs with a digital forensic science curriculum are generally designated as graduate or postbaccalaureate certificate programs in digital forensics, digital forensic science, or computer forensics. Unlike undergraduate/post-secondary certificate programs, graduate certificate programs require applicants to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are open to graduate students and those who hold a master’s or doctoral degree as well. There are also post-master’s graduate certificate programs, which may also be referred to as post-graduate certificate programs, that require applicants to hold a minimum of a master’s degree. Therefore, students should review admissions requirements carefully before applying to graduate certificate programs in the field of digital forensics.
Another defining characteristic of digital forensic graduate certificate programs is that they require fewer credits and are thus comprised of fewer courses than master’s in digital forensics programs, which is why they are more affordable and less time intensive than master’s programs. Students in a digital forensics graduate certificate program are generally required to take no more than four, five, or six core and/or elective courses, a process that can be completed in roughly one year (and in some cases less) of part-time enrollment. Those courses may overlap with master’s degree programs in digital forensics, cybersecurity, computer science, and other related fields, and some or all of the courses completed in a graduate certificate program may transfer toward a master’s program in the same field if and when a student decides to pursue a master’s degree.
Digital Forensics Graduate Certificate Coursework
The courses students are required or may elect to complete in order to earn a graduate certificate in digital forensics vary by school and by program. However, most programs include coursework that covers topics in operating systems, network, and mobile device analysis; digital evidence collection, evaluation, and preservation; cyber-attack modalities and cyber defense tactics, strategies, tools, and technologies; and the laws pertaining to computer privacy and cyber investigations. Students in these programs typically learn how to use computer forensic software and scripting languages such as Python to investigate data breaches, network intrusions, insider threats, and the presence of computer viruses and malware.
The courses listed below are representative of the types of courses that are commonly offered as core requirements or electives by graduate certificate programs in digital forensics.
- Cyberattack Vectors and Cybersecurity
- Computer Forensic and Investigation Methods
- Digital Investigations
- Emerging Trends in Cybercrime
- Incident Response and Network Forensics
- Malware Analysis
- Network and Systems Security
- Scripting for Digital Forensics
Note: Many graduate certificate programs in computer forensics are also designed to help students prepare to apply for digital and computer forensic professional credentials offered by industry organizations like the International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners (ISFCE), the Information Assurance Certification Review Board (IACRB), the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council), and the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS). Students pursuing a graduate certificate in preparation for professional certification should confirm the graduate certificate program they choose provides a curriculum that will indeed prepare them for their desired professional certification.
Online Graduate Certificate in Digital and Computer Forensics
Many accredited colleges and universities now offer graduate certificate programs, including digital forensics graduate certificate programs, in fully and partially online formats. This allows these schools to extend the reach of their programs to students who do not live near the school’s campus and provides mid-career professionals who have full-time jobs with a more convenient and flexible alternative to traditional, campus-based programs.
Online graduate certificate programs offer the same training and instruction as their campus-based counterparts. Instead of attending lectures on campus, students access their class materials using learning management systems (LMSs), which is a generic term for internet platforms that support a full range of online learning and instruction, including virtual classroom sessions and live and/or pre-recorded lectures. Students can also typically contact their instructors and classmates directly through the LMS.
Online instruction that takes place in real time and that requires students to be logged on to a program’s LMS in order to view live lectures and/or participate in virtual classes is referred to as synchronous instruction. Instruction that does not have a real-time component, such as pre-recorded lectures that can be accessed and viewed at a student’s convenience, is referred to as asynchronous instruction. While both modes of online instruction are effective, synchronous instruction offers more structure but less scheduling flexibility, while asynchronous instruction provides more scheduling freedom but less structure. Students who prefer interacting with instructors and peers in real-time should look for programs that incorporate synchronous sessions. Students that need maximum scheduling flexibility and who are independent learners may want to explore programs that mainly use asynchronous instruction.
Many online graduate certificate programs offer all of their coursework via an LMS and do not require students to attend any campus-based sessions. However, some online programs integrate a limited number (one, two, or three) of campus visits into their curriculum for orientations, workshops, labs, and hands-on learning activities. GraduateCertificates.com classifies both of these types of programs as online programs. There are also blended or hybrid programs that offer a mix of online and campus-based instruction. Programs that require more than three campus visits per year are classified as blended/hybrid programs on this site and not as online programs. While blended/hybrid programs represent a more flexible and convenient option compared to fully campus-based programs, they may not be practical for students who do not live within commuting range of the school offering the program.
Examples of Online Graduate Certificate Programs in Digital Forensics
Each of the schools below offers an online graduate certificate program in digital forensics. These programs are representative examples of the types of programs that are currently offered online by accredited colleges and universities.
Boston University (BU) has an online Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics that is offered through its Metropolitan College. This program is comprised of 16 course credits that students can complete within 8 to 12 months of study. Students take required courses in areas such as organizational data communication and networks, digital forensics and investigation, mobile security and forensics, network security, and cybersecurity. This program offers a Certificate-To-Degree Pathway wherein students who successfully complete both BU’s Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics and Graduate Certificate in Information Technology, plus three additional courses can enroll in BU’s Master’s in Computer Information Systems without having to complete a separate master’s degree application (certain requirements such as GPA minimums for completed graduate certificate coursework might be in place). To learn more about this program, visit BU at www.bu.edu.
Champlain College in Burlington, VT offers an online Graduate Certificate Program in Digital Forensic Science through its Senator Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Investigation & Cybersecurity. The 12-credit program consists of four courses that are part of Champlain’s Master of Science (MS) in Digital Forensic Science degree program. Students who complete the graduate certificate program, which does not require any campus visits, can apply to transfer into the MS program with all of their credits intact. The certificate program requires applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree. For more information on the program, visit Champlain College at online.champlain.edu.
Norwich University has a Graduate Certificate Program in Computer Forensics and Vulnerability Management that it offers through Norwich University Online. The program gives students the option of pursuing a 12-credit certificate in Computer Forensic Investigation/Incident Response Team Management or a 12-credit certificate in Vulnerability Management. Both certificate tracks are comprised of two six-credit courses that overlap with an online Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity program offered by Norwich. Those credits can be applied toward eventual completion of the MS program if and when a student opts to pursue further graduate studies in cybersecurity. The graduate certificate program offered by Norwich is open to students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. An understanding of Microsoft Windows and a background in systems administration is recommended for the Computer Forensic Investigation/Incident Response Team Management track; prior knowledge of Microsoft Word, Linus, and graphic user interface (GUI) tools is recommended for the Vulnerability Management track. For more information on the program, visit Norwich University Online at online.norwich.edu.