Certificate Program

http://www.cs.ucf.edu/csdept/info/gccf/general.html

Course length

It usually takes four semesters to complete the five courses. Typical class schedules include two courses (CGS 5131 and CHS 5503) in the fall semester, one courses (CGS 5132) in the spring, one course (CHS 5518) in the summer, and one course CET 6887 (previously DIG 5835) in the following fall. Other electives may also be offered during the year.

Course description

The Certificate Program teaches the fundamental principles and techniques of forensic science with emphasis on digital evidence. State-of-the-art computing labs with networking hardware and forensic tools will be used for hands-on practices. The major topics are highlighted as follows:

- Digital evidence collection and examination under the constraints of science, law, and courtroom procedure.
- Legal and technical issues regarding seizing and acquiring computer evidence, and chain of custody.
- Computer network protocols and security, intrusion detection, and network forensics.
- The use of technology and scientifically trained expert witnesses at trial.
- Topics and various disciplines of Forensic Science.

Entry requirements

Any students with an undergraduate baccalaureate degree or higher can apply to this certificate program. All courses in the certificate program could be used in an MS graduate program of study with permission of that graduate program. Admission to post-baccalaureate status and to the certificate program does not constitute admission to a graduate program. A post-baccalaureate student in the certificate program who wishes to transfer to an MS program must meet regular admission requirements for that graduate program, and is subject to limitations and discretion of the receiving program. Information concerning admission application to UCF, financial support, dates and deadlines, and related forms, can be found online at UCF's Graduate Studies website.

Fees

The certificate consists of 5 courses (4 required plus one elective), 15 credit hours. All certificate program courses are graduate level courses. 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. However, non-Florida residents may apply to the online, non-FL track of the graduate certificate and pay comparable tuition under an alternate tuition model.

Contact Person

Dr. Sheau-Dong Lang
Program coordinator and instructor
lang@eecs.ucf.edu
Tel: +1 407-823-2474

Master of Science in Digital Forensics (MSDF)

http://msdf.ucf.edu/

Course length

30 credit hours

Course description

The MSDF degree program requires 30 credit hours of which at least half of the course work must be at 6000 level. You may complete the degree online by selecting appropriate elective courses. That is, there are enough online electives to complete the degree although not all electives are taught online.

Required courses (12 hours):

- 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

Restricted Elective Courses (12 hours):

Group A: (computing and technology, choose two courses, 6 hours))

- 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

Group B: (criminal justice/legal studies, choose one course, 3 hours)

- 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

Group C: (forensic science, choose one course, 3 hours)

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

Thesis Option (6 hours):

- CAP 6971, Master's thesis

Non-Thesis Option (6 hours):

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

Admissions and entry requirements

Undergraduate articulation courses may be required for students with BS and/or MS degrees in fields other than a computer-related field. The articulation courses will be determined by the graduate program director. Students without a computer-related degree must be versed in basic computing and networking knowledge and skills, including computer (PC) hardware, computer operating systems, and computer networking. Appropriate job- or training-related experience may be a suitable substitution, the suitability of which will be determined by the admissions committee. Courses taken to correct deficiencies cannot be used to satisfy minimum degree requirements. Some advanced elective courses require a programming background, specifically in C and C++, computer architecture, and parallel programming

Fees

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.

Contact Person

Dr. Sheau-Dong Lang
Program coordinator and instructor
lang@eecs.ucf.edu
Tel: +1 407-823-2474