Forensic Computing and Cybercrime Investigation

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The Forensic Computing & Cybercrime Investigation course is available to participants from an organisation that has a responsibility for the enforcement of national or local legislation. You may study as little as a single module taken as CPD or you can apply for University qualifications at Master of Science, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate level. The MSc is completed by building 90 credits selecting modules from the following list. All MSc students must complete either a minor or major piece of research which can be either the Case Study or Research Project.

Core Modules

MSc candidates are encouraged to take the following Core Modules as part of their first year

Computer Forensics (10 credits)

Network Investigations (10 credits)

Introduction to Programming for Cybercrime Investigators (10 credits)

Advanced Computer Forensics (10 credits)

Optional Modules

Malware Investigation (10 credits)

Mobile Phone Forensics (5 credits)

Live Data Forensics (10 credits)

Linux for Investigators (10 credits)

Advanced Scripting (10 credits)

VoIP and Wireless Investigations (10 credits)

Money Laundering Investigations (5 credits)

Open Source Intelligence (5 credits)

Investigation of Sexual Abuse of Children on the Internet (5 credits)

Case Study (10 credits)

Research Project (30 credits only available to MSc students)

The course is for members of law enforcement organisations including police, revenue and customs, government and defence forces. It is not a requirement to have a primary IT degree, but if you do not, we do look for a combination of several years law enforcement work experience and training including digital forensics. In cases where the applicant does not have enough experience and/or qualifications to enter the MSc course, they can start by taking the individual core modules, taken one by one as CPD. This way they can prove their readiness for the MSc course. The most important entry criterion for this course is to be currently employed within law enforcement. Once this is satisfied, each applicant is assessed on a case-by-case basis. A typical successful candidateis likely to have either an undergraduate degree in Computer Science or substantial professional experience in law enforcement (5 years +). However, as all candidates are individually assessed, it is still worth applying even if you dont meet the exact requirements. The Course Director reviews all applications and will provide individual feedback to each applicant (please note that the entry criteria is the same for the MSc/Dip/Cert, therefore most applicants apply to the MSc level). English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL iBT® test: 100

Accreditation

University College Dublin is a recognised awarding body meaning the university has the authority to make awards in accordance with the National Framework of Qualifications. UCD courses are quality assured in that the university has well-established quality assurance procedures and is subject to periodic reviews of effectiveness of quality assurance procedures by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). UCD qualifications are recognized both nationally and internationally. In addition, UCD has strong global connections since it is a member of several international networks and collaborations within research and education.

Many UCD Online courses offer a number of qualification points. This means that students may choose to work towards a qualification at another level. This information is provided on the course descriptor pages. For example, The Masters in Science Environmental Sustainability (Negotiated Learning) awards a MSc degree, NFQ Level 9, that requires successful completion of 90 credits. However, the qualification points for this course are listed as:

Certificate 30 credits equivalent to 6 X 5-credit modules

Diploma 60 credits equivalent to 12 X 5-credit modules

MSc Degree 90 credits equivalent to 18 X 5-credit modules

These qualification points allow students the flexibility to work towards a certificate or diploma instead of the MSc degree should that better suit their needs or lifestyle.