Find the right UMGC degree, concentration, or certificate for your professional and educational goals. Use the compare option to decide between multiple programs of interest.
Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation
Graduate CertificateThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2024-2025 academic year.
With an online graduate certificate in digital forensics and cyber investigation from ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ, 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.
Program Highlights
Required Courses
- (3 Credits, DFCS 605)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 615)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 625)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 635)
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help you prepare for a career as a cybersecurity first responder or cybercrime analyst.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
We recommend that you have recent work experience in information technology, computer networks, or databases.
Total Program Credits
12
Transfer Credits
Exactly 6
Format
- All courses available online
Tuition Per Credit
- $694 per credit (in-state)
- $694 per credit (out-of-state)
- $336 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.
Cyber Operations
Graduate CertificateThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2024-2025 academic year.
With an online graduate certificate in cyber operations from ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ, you'll learn the essential aspects of cyber operations, risk analysis, cyber defense, and cryptography. You'll also learn how to build defenses as an integral part of a computing system and how to detect and defend against vulnerabilities and intrusions on a variety of platforms.
Program Highlights
- Prepare for success: Refine your skills in communication, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning.
- Perform risk assessment: Identify a risk to an organization and facilitate appropriate responses.
- Identify intrusion methods: Investigate digital artifacts for the presence of malware and malicious code.
- Meet security goals: Design systems based on security design principles and add layers of protection.
- Analyze security controls: Use defense-in-depth approaches to minimize risk in an enterprise setting.
- Gain hands-on experience: Practice skills associated with the cyber threat kill chain.
Required Courses
- DCL 600
- COP 610
- COP 620
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help you prepare for a career as a cyber defense analyst, forensics analyst, or incident responder; cyber operator; or secure software assessor.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
Ideally, you should have recently completed an undergraduate degree in computer science or a related discipline. You are expected to be familiar with cybersecurity and computer science concepts and be comfortable developing code in at least one programming language.
Experience performing cybersecurity tasks in a work environment would enhance the learning experience, as well as experience in information technology, computer networks, or cybersecurity. Strong writing skills are encouraged in this program.Â
Total Program Credits
18
Transfer Credits
Exactly 6
Format
- All courses available online
Tuition Per Credit
- $544 per credit (in-state)
- $659 per credit (out-of-state)
- $336 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.
Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation
Master of ScienceThese program requirements are for students who enroll in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Program Highlights
- Develop investigative skills:Â Employ procedures for results that withstand scrutiny in a court of law.
- Evaluate digital evidence: Assist public and private organizations in detecting data breaches.
- Analyze data scenarios: Identify malicious software, network activity, and intrusion.
- Identify responsible parties: Conduct hands-on forensic searches to identify intruders and methods.
- Gain hands-on experience: Use state-of-the-art tools and technologies in a lab-intensive environment.
- Prepare professional reports: Present digital forensics results in a court of law as an expert witness.
Required Courses
This program requires a total of 30 credits. You’ll take 15 credits of core courses, 12 elective credits, and a 3-credit capstone.
Core Courses
- (3 Credits, DFCS 605)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 615)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 625)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 635)
- (3 Credits, DFCS 645)
Elective Courses
Take four 3-credit elective courses (outlined under Select Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation Elective Courses) for a total of 12 credits.
Capstone Course
- (3 Credits, DFCS 690)
Career Preparation
This program is designed to help prepare you for work in government organizations, the private sector, and law enforcement agencies in the areas of computer and digital crime. Potential job titles within specific digital forensics and cyber investigation careers include cyber defense forensics analyst, cyber defense incident responder, systems security analyst, law enforcement/counterintelligence forensics analyst, and information security analyst.
Experience Recommended for Success in the Program
We recommend having a background in computing and programming for this program. Strong writing skills are also encouraged.
Total Program Credits
30
Transfer Credits
Up to 12
Format
- All courses available online
- Select hybrid courses available
Tuition Per Credit
- $694 per credit (in-state)
- $694 per credit (out-of-state)
- $336 per credit (military)
- Other fees may apply
Admission Requirements
This program follows standard UMGC admission requirements.
Military-Specific Details
This program does not have military restrictions. It is available to all eligible civilian and military-affiliated students.
State-Specific Details
This program does not have state-specific restrictions.