Graduate Certificate
Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation
Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation
Graduate CertificateAT A GLANCE
- 18 credits
- Transfer exactly 6 credits
- All courses are available online
- Select hybrid courses available
TUITION
- $336 per credit hour
(Europe & Downrange)
See our Tuition Rates page for details.
Next Session Starts
June 14Develop digital forensics skills and cybersecurity knowledge in this online certificate program.
With an online graduate certificate in digital forensics and cyber investigation from University of Maryland Global Campus, you'll examine the foundations of digital forensics and become familiar with industry-standard tools and procedures used in conducting forensics investigations related to cybersecurity. Learn how to secure and validate digital evidence, recover and analyze digital artifacts, and report and present findings in legal settings.
- Courses
- Requirements
- Sequence
- Vertical Pathway
Required Courses
- (6 Credits, CBR 600)
- (6 Credits, DFC 610)
- (6 Credits, DFC 620)
Initial Requirements
- (6 Credits, CBR 600) or DCL 600
- CBR 600 or DCL 600 must be taken as the first course for the certificate.
- The required initial course is listed as part of the certificate required classes.
- You must be admitted as a UMGC student.
- You may pursue a degree and certificate simultaneously or pursue a degree after completing the certificate.
- No more than 6 credits may be earned through transfer from other schools.
- You must satisfy all required prerequisites for certificate courses. You may need to fulfill some prerequisites before beginning certificate coursework.
- You must complete all required coursework with a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all courses.
- Certificate courses may not be taken pass/fail.
- Graduate students may only complete certificates at the graduate level.
Time Limits for Graduate Certificates
You must complete the requirements for a graduate certificate within five consecutive years. The time limit is calculated from the term in which you successfully complete the first credit course that applies to the program. It does not include the introductory courses DCL 600 and CBR 600 but does include courses transferred from other institutions.
Course Rules and Program Progression
- All courses must be taken in the order listed.
- You must complete each course with a grade of B or better to advance to the next course.
- The grade of C is not available for these courses.
Vertical Pathway
If you completed your undergraduate degree at UMGC with a major in cybersecurity technology, a vertical pathway between UMGC undergraduate and graduate programs in cybersecurity allows you to earn 6 credits toward the following programs:
- Master's degrees in Master of Science in Cloud Computing Systems, Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Management and Policy, Cybersecurity Technology, or Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation
- Graduate certificates in Cloud Computing and Networking, Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Management and Policy, Cybersecurity Technology, or Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation.
To be eligible for the pathway, you must enroll in a related graduate program within two years of completing Current Trends and Projects in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity (3 Credits, CMIT 495).
If eligible, you may be awarded credit for the introductory course in the specified graduate program—either Communicating, Problem Solving, and Leading in Cybersecurity (6 Credits, CBR 600) or Decisive Thinking, Communicating, and Leading in Technology Fields (6 Credits, DCL 600T). You may only earn credit for one course through this vertical pathway.
Required Courses
- (6 Credits, CBR 600)
- (6 Credits, DFC 610)
- (6 Credits, DFC 620)
Initial Requirements
- (6 Credits, CBR 600) or DCL 600
- CBR 600 or DCL 600 must be taken as the first course for the certificate.
- The required initial course is listed as part of the certificate required classes.
- You must be admitted as a UMGC student.
- You may pursue a degree and certificate simultaneously or pursue a degree after completing the certificate.
- No more than 6 credits may be earned through transfer from other schools.
- You must satisfy all required prerequisites for certificate courses. You may need to fulfill some prerequisites before beginning certificate coursework.
- You must complete all required coursework with a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all courses.
- Certificate courses may not be taken pass/fail.
- Graduate students may only complete certificates at the graduate level.
Time Limits for Graduate Certificates
You must complete the requirements for a graduate certificate within five consecutive years. The time limit is calculated from the term in which you successfully complete the first credit course that applies to the program. It does not include the introductory courses DCL 600 and CBR 600 but does include courses transferred from other institutions.
Course Rules and Program Progression
- All courses must be taken in the order listed.
- You must complete each course with a grade of B or better to advance to the next course.
- The grade of C is not available for these courses.
Vertical Pathway
If you completed your undergraduate degree at UMGC with a major in cybersecurity technology, a vertical pathway between UMGC undergraduate and graduate programs in cybersecurity allows you to earn 6 credits toward the following programs:
- Master's degrees in Master of Science in Cloud Computing Systems, Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Management and Policy, Cybersecurity Technology, or Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation
- Graduate certificates in Cloud Computing and Networking, Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Management and Policy, Cybersecurity Technology, or Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation.
To be eligible for the pathway, you must enroll in a related graduate program within two years of completing Current Trends and Projects in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity (3 Credits, CMIT 495).
If eligible, you may be awarded credit for the introductory course in the specified graduate program—either Communicating, Problem Solving, and Leading in Cybersecurity (6 Credits, CBR 600) or Decisive Thinking, Communicating, and Leading in Technology Fields (6 Credits, DCL 600T). You may only earn credit for one course through this vertical pathway.
Program Highlights
- Refine your communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and leadership skills
- Apply cyber methodologies to cyber architectures, services, protocols, algorithms, hardware and software components, and programming languages
- Employ rigorous procedures to enable forensic results that can withstand scrutiny in a court of law
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Technology Requirements
This program's curriculum requires that you use a computer with the following:
- Microphone and speakers or headset with microphone or equivalent device
- 5 GB of free hard drive space
- 4 GB RAM or higher
- A high-speed internet connection
- Computer processor (Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64) running at speeds of at least 1 GHz
- Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X 10.6 or higher for an operating system (Linux operating systems can also be used but require more technical knowledge from the user)
Note: The higher the processor speed of your computer (e.g., 2.4–3.4 GHz), the larger the amount of available memory (e.g., 4–12 GB), and the larger the amount of available hard drive space (e.g., 5–20 GB), the better your computer will perform and the smoother your experience will be.