Master of Science
Digital Forensics &
Cyber Investigation

Total Credits Required: 30

• Required Core Courses: 15
  
• Required Capstone Course: 3
• Elective Courses: 12

Core Courses

• Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Foundations(3 Credits, DFCS 605)
• Collection and Examination of Digital Evidence(3 Credits, DFCS 615)
• Windows Forensics and Security(3 Credits, DFCS 625)
• Linux Forensics and Security(3 Credits, DFCS 635)
• Cloud and Network Forensics(3 Credits, DFCS 645)

Elective Courses

Take four of the following 3-credit courses:

Cybersecurity Management and Policy

• Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Foundations(3 Credits, DFCS 605)
• Collection and Examination of Digital Evidence(3 Credits, DFCS 615)
• Windows Forensics and Security(3 Credits, DFCS 625)
• Linux Forensics and Security(3 Credits, DFCS 635)

Cybersecurity Technology

• Introduction to Cybersecurity(3 Credits, CTCH 605)
• Cybersecurity Threats and Analysis(3 Credits, CTCH 615)
• Cybersecurity for Systems and Networks(3 Credits, CTCH 625)
• Cybersecurity Attack Prevention Strategies(3 Credits, CTCH 635)

Data Analytics

• Decision Analytics(3 Credits, DATA 605)
• AI Ethics(3 Credits, DATA 615)
• Data Visualization(3 Credits, DATA 625)
• Data Management(3 Credits, DATA 635)

Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation

• Advanced Log Analysis(3 Credits, DFCS 655)
• Network Intrusions(3 Credits, DFCS 660)
• Digital Forensics Case Management and Reporting(3 Credits, DFCS 665)
• Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Requirements for Digital Forensics(3 Credits, DFCS 685)
• Workplace Learning in Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation(3 Credits, DFCS 686)

Capstone Course

• Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Capstone(3 Credits, DFCS 690)

* This information is for students who enroll in the 2024-2025 academic year. For prior year requirements for this program or to review UMGC's complete program requirements for a specific academic year, visit our program catalog archive

• You must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher at all times.
• All degree requirements must be fulfilled within five consecutive years.
• Any transfer credits must have been earned within the five-year time frame to be applied toward a graduate degree.

Please review our overview of overall master's degree requirements for additional considerations.

Core Rules & Recommendations

• 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. 
• The courses in this program will have seven-day and 60-day options for the grade of Incomplete.

Accelerated Pathway

If you completed your undergraduate degree at UMGC with a major in cybersecurity technology, an accelerated  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 accelerated pathway.