Concentration in Digital Forensics and Incident Response
Program Goal
The curriculum is designed to provide students with knowledge, application-based training, and relevant certifications necessary for an advanced career in digital forensics and incident response. Core coursework will educate students in foundational and advanced concepts, evidentiary procedures, tools, and legal considerations of digital forensics and incident response. Students will study advanced digital forensics methods in areas such as mobile and Internet-of-Things (IoT) device recovery, advanced video, and media recovery and analysis. Coursework will expose students to computer network forensics, incident response, and penetration testing.
The curriculum provides students with an opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge to advanced digital forensic case analysis, testimony, and leadership preparation. Students will develop a practical understanding of crime laboratory structure and function, emphasizing legal procedures and evidence rules to forensic science as well as ethical practices, bias, quality assurance, and forensic expert testimony in a courtroom setting.
As with all concentrations within the MS in Forensic Science, the proposed concentration will require students to complete a directed research project (FRSC 793); an intensive research project mentored by either full-time faculty or collaborating practitioners in crime laboratories throughout the country and world. The direct research project will allow students the opportunity to further specialize in a specific area of digital forensics or incident response and apply their coursework training to practical and real questions at the leading edge of digital forensic science research. The curriculum is designed to meet admissions and curricular requirements as a Digital Evidence degree program through the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC).
Currently DFIR concentration is not FEPAC accredited but the application for FEPAC accreditation for DFIR accreditation will be submitted soon.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to apply basic scientific principles and laboratory procedures to forensic science.
- Students will demonstrate capabilities, use, potential and limitations of forensic laboratory theory and techniques.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to perform (report and orally present) independent research in an area of forensic science.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of legal procedure, rules of evidence, ethical and professional duties, and responsibilities of the forensic scientist.
- Students will be able to assess and interpret scientific data, uncertainty and bias in forensic science practice.
- Students will be able to evaluate and analyze hardware, software, and data-focused digital evidence, along with incident response, using current standard practices, and recommend alternative analysis methods where necessary to improve result outcomes.
Admission Requirements
Core Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Bachelor’s degree in a discipline appropriate to the concentration, including forensic science, or a degree with equivalent course work
- An undergraduate GPA that exceeds 2.9 on a 4.0 scale (Most students entering the forensic science graduate program have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on undergraduate work.)
- Assessment of prior course work and/or relevant laboratory experience (where applicable)
- Three letters of recommendation pertaining specifically to the student’s potential ability as a graduate student in forensic science
- Personal statement
Applicants are required to select a concentration and will be considered only for that concentration. If course work deficiencies are identified, students may be required to take additional foundational courses beyond those required for the concentration.
Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to the M.S. in Forensic Science general admission requirements, applicants to the Digital Forensics and Incident Response concentration must have completed the following:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic or a Natural Science, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Business or Information Systems, Information Technology or equivalent coursework (30 upper-level credits in the above majors).
- Completion of sixteen credits in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business/Systems Security, including six (6) credits in a programming language.
Degree Details
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FRSC 565 | Scientific Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| FRSC 570 | Forensic Science Seminar (one-credit course repeated for three credits)1 | 3 |
| FRSC 580 | Applied Statistics for Forensic Science1 | 3 |
| or BIOS 544 | Graduate Research Methods II | |
| or STAT 543 | Statistical Methods I | |
| FRSC 660 | Toolmark Examination | 3 |
| or FRSC 661 | Analysis of Pattern Evidence | |
| or FRSC 662 | Firearm Identification | |
| FRSC 670 | Forensic Evidence and Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| FRSC 677 | Professional Practices and Expert Testimony | 3 |
| FRSC 793 | Directed Research in Forensic Science | 3 |
| Digital forensics and incident response concentration courses | ||
| FRSC 525 | Introduction to Digital Forensics1 | 3 |
| FRSC 530 | Advanced Forensic Computer and Storage Device Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 531 | Hardware Forensics and Advanced Acquisition | 3 |
| FRSC 610 | Forensic Video and Multimedia Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 611 | Cybersecurity, Networking and Ethical Hacking for Forensic Applications1 | 3 |
| FRSC 612 | Advanced Forensic Mobile and IoT Device Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 613 | Applied Forensic Digital and Multimedia Analysis | 3 |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
1 Courses required during the first fall semester upon entry in to the program. The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 42.
Recommended Course Sequence/Plan of Study
Year One
Fall Semester
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FRSC 525 | Introduction to Digital Forensics | 3 |
| FRSC 570 | Forensic Science Seminar | 1 |
| FRSC 580 | Applied Statistics for Forensic Science | 3 |
| FRSC 611 | Cybersecurity, Networking and Ethical Hacking for Forensic Applications | 3 |
| Term Hours | 10 |
Spring Semester
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FRSC 530 | Advanced Forensic Computer and Storage Device Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 565 | Scientific Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| FRSC 570 | Forensic Science Seminar | 1 |
| FRSC 612 | Advanced Forensic Mobile and IoT Device Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 793 | Directed Research in Forensic Science | 1 |
| Term Hours | 11 |
Year Two
Fall Semester
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FRSC 531 | Hardware Forensics and Advanced Acquisition | 3 |
| FRSC 570 | Forensic Science Seminar | 1 |
| FRSC 610 | Forensic Video and Multimedia Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 670 | Forensic Evidence and Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| FRSC 793 | Directed Research in Forensic Science | 1 |
| Term Hours | 11 |
Spring Semester
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FRSC 613 | Applied Forensic Digital and Multimedia Analysis | 3 |
| FRSC 661 | Analysis of Pattern Evidence | 3 |
| FRSC 677 | Professional Practices and Expert Testimony | 3 |
| FRSC 793 | Directed Research in Forensic Science | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 10 |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 42.