Certificate of Achievement in Digital Forensics and Incident Response

The Certificate of Achievement in Digital Forensics and Incident Response will provide students with a solid foundation in the field of cybersecurity with specialization in cyber defense techniques. The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level cyber jobs or to help them advance into mid-level cyber careers, such as cybercrime analyst, cyber incident analyst, cyber incident responder, digital forensic examiner, digital forensic technician, and vulnerability tester. Topics covered include planning and scoping a cyber incident, domestic and international cyber laws, ethics, chain of custody, incident detection and analysis, anti-forensic techniques, timeline analysis, incident containment, eradication, recovery, report preparation, and expert testimony. The program includes hands-on and technical writing assignments to help students develop their skills for the cybersecurity workforce.

Projections for the program are 60 enrolled with 30 completers annually.

The goal of the program is to help students develop the hands-on technical skills for careers in the field of cybersecurity with specialization in digital forensics and incident response. The EDD and Burning Glass Technologies predict strong growth in the field of Cybersecurity. CyberSeek shows current demand nationally at 6,600 for Incident Analysts. The courses in the program are well-rounded to help students develop soft skills as well as technical skills.

The program covers occupational skills for careers including Professional Services, Manufacturing & Defense, Finance and Insurance, Information Systems, Health Care, Public Administration, and Retail Trade. Digital Forensic Analyst, Digital Forensic Examiner, Digital Forensic Investigator, Digital Forensic Technician, Penetration and Vulnerability Tester, Cyber Crime Analyst, Cyber Crime Investigator, Cyber Incident Analyst, Computer Information Systems Manager, Cyber Incident Handler, and Cyber Incident Responder.

The program contains 6 required core courses in digital forensics and incident response to provide students with hands-on cybersecurity skills. The cybercrime course also provides students with a global view of laws and cybercrime that impacts the field of cybersecurity. Students will conduct case reviews, analyze simulated cases, and develop an understanding of the roles of the team members on the Cybersecurity Incident Response Team. Various types of cases will be reviewed including corporate, civil, criminal, federal, and international cases to provide students with a global perspective and prepare them for any type of position in public or private organizations.