Overview

A Specialized and Interdisciplinary Degree in One of the Fastest Growing Career Fields

What is Digital Forensics? Forensics, or forensic science, is the application of science to questions that are of interest to the legal system. Digital forensics is the analysis of computers and other types of digital media to determine if they have been used for illegal or unauthorized activities, or if they are the "victims" of illegal attacks. Business and industry use digital forensics to gather internal information regarding intellectual property theft, fraud, network and computer intrusions, and unauthorized use of computers and other digital media including fax machines, answering machines, personal data assistants, cell phones, etc., to assist in employee termination, and both civil and criminal litigation. Law enforcement agencies use digital forensics to gather digital evidence for a variety of crimes including child pornography, fraud, terrorism, extortion, cyberstalking, money laundering, forgery, and identity theft. The military and government intelligence agencies use digital forensics to gather intelligence information from computers captured during military actions.

Missions & Objective

The mission of the MSDF degree program is to provide a quality graduate education in the science and practices of digital forensics, and to prepare the students for digital forensics jobs and a lifetime of learning. The objectives of the program include the following:

• To give MSDF graduates the knowledge and skills necessary to participate as effective team members or team leaders in digital evidence investigations
• To prepare MSDF graduates for professional careers in digital forensics examination, forensic tool development, tool verification and validation, security and
• To prepare MSDF graduates with the knowledge and skills to pursue advanced studies and research in computer technology or computer crime-related disciplines
• To equip MSDF graduates with the communication skills, both oral and written, to become effective problem solvers as well as effective communicators when serving as expert forensic examiners and expert witnesses

Benefits & Features

In two years, students will gain the skills and knowledge to enter the exciting fields of Digital Forensics!

The Digital Forensics MS degree is comprised of 30 hours of study beyond the bachelor's degree with required, intensive specialization in topics related to digital forensics. The degree program prepares students, including working professionals, who will pursue the degree on a part-time basis to gain the knowledge and skills required to work as an examiner in the field. The program may also be taken by those who have an interest in scientific applications and research in the field, and who would like to continue to a doctoral degree program or law school after completion.

The MSDF degree is a collaborative effort between various UCF academic departments including the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Engineering Technology Department, Forensic Science of Chemistry, Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, and the National Center for Forensic Science. The National Center for Forensic Science is a State of Florida Type II Center and a member of the National Institute of Justice Forensic Resource Network of the Department of Justice, serving the needs of state and local law enforcement and forensic scientists.

• Courses are taught by experienced faculty members with diverse backgrounds in industry and academics. These educators are recognized professionals and researchers who are known internationally and nationally for their outstanding achievements in the Digital Forensic fields.
• Online lectures and web-based instruction are combined with face-to-face classes and access to lab facilities to provide flexible learning and content delivery.

Curriculum

• CGS 5131, Computer Forensics I
• CGS 5132, Computer Forensics II
• CHS 5503, Topics in Forensic Science
• CET 6887 (previously DIG 5835), The Practice of Digital Forensics
   

• CAP 6133, Advanced Topics in Computer Security and Computer Forensics
• CNT 6519, Wireless Security and Forensics
• CAP 6135, Malware and Software Vulnerability Analysis
• COP 6525, Distributed Processing of Digital Evidence
• CIS 6395 Incident Response Technologies
• CIS 6386 OS & File System Forensics
   

• CCJ 6074, Investigative and Intelligence Analysis, Theory and Methods
• CCJ 6706, Quantitative Methods and Computer Utilization in Criminal Justice or ESI 5219 Engineering Statistics
• PLA 5587, Current Issues in Cyberlaw
   

• CHS 5596, Forensic Expert in the Courtroom
• CHS 5518, Forensic Examination of Digital Evidence or CJE 5688, Cybercrime and Criminal Justice
   

• CAP 6971, Master's thesis
   

• CAP 6946 or CET 6946, Graduate Internship (3 hours)
• Choose one course from the groups listed in the restricted electives section

Course Descriptions

MSDF courses come from five academic units: School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science. Engineering Technology, Chemistry, Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, and Statistics.

EECS Course Descriptions

• CGS 5131 - Computer Forensics 1. (3 credits) This course covers legal issues regarding seizure and chain of custody, technical issues in acquiring computer evidence, popular computer file systems, and reporting issues in the legal system.
• CGS 5132 - Computer Forensics 2. (3 credits) The purpose of this course is to teach the concepts of computer system security models, fundamentals of computer networking and the layered protocol architectures, detection and prevention of intrusion and attack, digital evidence collection and evaluation, and the legal issues involved in computer forensic analysis.
• CAP 6133, Advanced Topics in Computer Security and Computer Forensics. (3 credits) Advanced topics in computer security and forensics such as cryptography, automatic intrusion detection, pattern matching and statistical techniques, firewalls, and vulnerability scanning.
• CNT 6519, Wireless Security and Forensics. (3 credits) This course provides advanced study for those students with an interest in areas such as wireless computer security, security management, cryptography, computer forensics, and related areas.
• CAP 6135, Malware and Software Vulnerability Analysis. (3 credits) Analysis of malicious code including viruses, worms, Trojans, and buffer overflow vulnerabilities encountered in software packages.
• COP 6525, Distributed Processing of Digital Evidence. (3 credits) Study of parallel and distributed processing techniques using MPI in a cluster environment, along with data mining techniques used in analyzing large quantities of digital data.
• CAP 6946, Graduate Internship. (3 credit hours)
• CAP 6971, Master's thesis. (6 credit hours)

Engineering Technology Course Descriptions

• CIS 6386 - Operating System and File Systems Forensics (new course). (3 credits) The course will provide students with a practical understanding of the fundamental procedures required to correctly conduct digital forensics on Windows, Linux, and Macintosh operating systems, file systems, and associated applications.
• CIS 6395 Incident Response Technologies (new course). (3 credits) An advanced course covering topics related to computer incidents and intrusion response.
• CET 6887 - Practice of Digital Forensics. (3 credits) This is a capstone course that allows students to demonstrate the ability to combine all they have learned. Students will work on several case studies that require them to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to practical assignments.
• CET 6946 Graduate Internship or Practicum. (minimum 3 credit hours) Inclusion of an internship underscores the importance of students' applying the knowledge and skills learned during their studies in the real world. Three credit hours are required.
• CIS 6395 Incident Response Technologies (new course). (3 credits)

Forensic Science Course Descriptions

• CHS 5503 - Topics in Forensic Science. (3 credits) Topics in Forensic Science will include the history of forensic science, basic forensic science principles as applied in various forensic specialties, current issues in digital evidence, and professionalism.
• CHS 5518, Forensic Examination of Digital Evidence. (3 credits) This course will cover the nature of digital evidence collection and examination under the constraints of law and courtroom procedures.
• CHS 5596, The Forensic Expert in the Courtroom. (3 credits) A study of the uses of technically- and scientifically-trained expert witnesses at trial.

Criminal Justice & Legal Studies Course Descriptions

• PLA 5587 Current Issues in Cyberlaw. (3 credits) Advanced examination and discussion of free speech, copyright, trademark, patent and privacy issues in the online environment through interactive class discussions, online discussions, postings, case study reviews, and legal research projects.
• CCJ 6074, Investigative and Intelligence Analysis, Theory and Methods. (3 credits) This course is designed to familiarize the student with the complex analytical techniques and procedures used to support criminal investigations and criminal intelligence efforts.
• CCJ 6706, Quantitative Methods and Computer Utilization in Criminal Justice. (3 credits) Application of statistical software to quantitative and qualitative methods in Criminal Justice.
• CJE 5688, Cybercrime and Criminal Justice. (3 credits) Deals with the problem of cyber crime and the criminal use of the Internet. Includes investigation, enforcement and legal issues.

Statistics Course Descriptions

• ESI 5219 Engineering Statistics. (3 credits) Discrete and continuous probability distributions, hypothesis testing, regression, nonparametric statistics, and ANOVA.
• STA 5206 Statistical Analysis. (3 credits) Data analysis; statistical models; estimation; tests or hypotheses; analysis of variance, covariance, and multiple comparisons; regression and nonparametric methods.

Admissions

In addition to satisfying general University Graduate Admission Requirements, the Admission Requirements for both the Professional Track and Science/Computing Track are consistent with those of most M.S. programs in the United States. MSDF students will be selected on a competitive basis and must meet the following minimum requirements:

• One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
• Résumé.
• Statement of educational, research, and professional career objectives.
• Three letters of recommendation assessing the applicant's potential to do master's-level work.

Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter being studied, all candidates must pass a criminal background check prior to formal admission to the Professional Track. The candidate will pay for this background check.

Faculty

Faculty Resources and Qualifications

The MSDF program faculty members are interdisciplinary and from several different academic programs at UCF.

FAQ

How do I apply?

You apply online at UCF's Office of Graduate Studies. Follow the links Applicants -> US Applicants, then choose Apply Online! and proceed. You need to make arrangements to submit official transcripts of earned undergraduate degree(s) and other required documents and pay an application fee.

When do I apply?

The best time to apply for admission to the program is for the fall semester when the first two beginning courses are offered. Students who have sufficient background can apply to any of the three semesters during the year (fall, spring, and summer). The application deadlines are: July 15 (fall semester), Dec 1 (Spring semester), and April 15 (Summer semester). (We also try to accommodate late applications if possible.) Please use the University's Academic Calendar to find important dates and other deadlines.

What are the admission requirements?

Please use the information at http://msdf.ucf.edu/admission.html.

What is the cost for the program?

There is significant cost difference in tuition and fees between Florida residents and non-Florida residents. Please use the Current Tuition link for information about the cost for tuition and fees.

Can I take the courses online?

The Professional Track intends to have its classes online immediately; the Science/Computing Track will be online in the near future.