GradCert Forensic Computing & Cybercrime Investigation
Program Overview
The GradCert Forensic Computing & Cybercrime Investigation equips law enforcement officers with the skills to investigate cybercrimes effectively. It offers flexible part-time study options and emphasizes practical training, featuring continuous assessment and a final exam. Graduates gain expertise in digital evidence handling, malware analysis, and mobile forensics, preparing them for careers in law enforcement, cybersecurity, and forensics.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This program is designed for law enforcement officers, providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to investigate cybercrimes. It focuses on gathering, handling, and using digital evidence and intelligence to disrupt criminal activity, prevent crime, and secure convictions. The program is flexible enough to accommodate both experts and beginners in the field of digital forensics and cybercrime investigation.
Objectives:
- Provide high-quality forensic computing and cybercrime investigation training and formal education.
- Deliver cutting-edge, up-to-date cybercrime investigation techniques, strategies, and tactics.
- Allow students to understand and tackle emerging trends in cybercrime.
Outline:
- Structure: The program is modular and offers part-time options, allowing students to combine study with full-time work and family commitments.
- Delivery: Lectures are pre-recorded and provided online via a virtual online learning environment. Exercises, reading, assignments, and projects are conducted online and in virtual labs. Students are required to attend a UCD exam center to complete examinations and workshops.
- Schedule: All modules are examined in May each year in Dublin, Netherlands, Canada, and the USA. Optional exams are held in Dublin and the Netherlands in December for semester one modules.
Assessment:
- Methods: All modules consist of continuous formative assessment components assessing core practical skills and culminate in a written summative assessment final exam.
Teaching:
- Methods: Lectures are pre-recorded and delivered online. Exercises, reading, assignments, and projects are conducted online and in virtual labs.
- Faculty: The program is delivered by experienced academic staff from the UCD School of Computer Science (CSI) and UCD Centre for Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Investigation (CCI), as well as experts who are leaders, managers, and heads of forensic departments in law enforcement agencies and industries.
- Unique Approaches: The program collaborates with the European Cybercrime Training and Educational Group at Europol (ECTEG) to work on applied research and develop forensic tools. These tools are then transferred to students.
Careers:
- Potential Paths: Graduates work in various roles, including:
- Senior staff at Europol and INTERPOL
- Members of national and regional police forces and police training colleges
- Government ministries and agencies with law enforcement powers
- Defence forces
- Specialist cybercrime agencies
- Revenue, customs, and border protection
- Opportunities: Having this qualification adds credibility to law enforcement officers' testimony as expert witnesses.
- Outcomes: The program provides graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct forensic analysis of computers, investigate malware-based intrusions, perform mobile device forensics, and more.
Other:
- International Focus: The program has attracted over 1500 students from over 70 countries in the past 16 years.
- Research: The program emphasizes research and development of custom tools for evidence analysis.
- Future Technologies: The program aims to prepare students to tackle the forensic analysis of future technologies (both hardware and software) through the development of new applications.
GradCert Forensic Computing & Cybercrime Investigation (F007) Part Time EU fee per year - € 3864 nonEU fee per year - € 3864
