Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, Master of Science
Program Director: Professor Douglas Salane
The Master of Science in Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity (D4CS) degree program offers a balance of practice and theory through study in computer science, law and criminal justice. The program produces professionals qualified as digital forensic scientists who can apply and sustain their expertise as new technological and societal challenges emerge, who understand the scientific, legal and criminal justice context of high technology crime, and who can effectively communicate their knowledge to others.
Degree Requirements
Requirements for the degree program consist of 33 total credits for students who do a thesis and/or attain the Certificate in Applied Digital Forensic Science (CAD4SCI) which requires completion of FCM 710, FCM 742, FCM 745 and FCM 760 with grades of B or better and a grade of Pass or better on the Applied Digital Forensic Science Certification Exam. Alternatively, 39 total credits are required with the six additional credits selected from the designated Forensic and Security or Criminal Justice electives. The required capstone experience may be either fieldwork, an applied research project, or a thesis.
Required Courses
| CRJ 752/FCM 752 | The Law and High Technology Crime | 3 |
| FCM 742 | Network Security | 3 |
| FCM 710 | Architecture and Vulnerabilities of Operating Systems | 3 |
| FCM 753 | Digital Forensic Applications | 3 |
| FCM 760 | Forensic Management of Digital Evidence | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Forensic and Security Electives
Select three courses:
| FCM 700 | Theoretical Foundations of Computing | 3 |
| FCM 705/FOS 705 | Mathematical Statistics for Forensic Scientists | 3 |
| FCM 740 | Data Communications and Forensic Security | 3 |
| FCM 745 | Network Forensics | 3 |
| FCM 741 | Applied Cryptography | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Criminal Justice Electives
Select one course:
Graduate Elective
Select any course in the John Jay College graduate catalog (except FCM 708 or FCM 709), including the above electives.
Capstone Options
Select one of the following:
Fieldwork
| FCM 780 | Capstone Seminar and Fieldwork | 3 |
Applied Research Project or Thesis
| FCM 791 | Forensic Computing Research Practicum | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 33-39
Digital Forensic Science Qualifying Exam
The Digital Forensic Science Qualification Exam balances the role of theory and practice in the program of study by challenging students to prove their capacity to use computer science to address practical problems in digital forensics and cybersecurity. The exam is optional for degree students but is required to qualify for the Capstone Fieldwork Option and the CAD4SCI. A grade of Low Pass or better is required to qualify for Capstone Fieldwork and a grade of Pass or better is required to qualify for the CAD4SCI.
Students may take the exam upon completion of FCM 710, FCM 742 and FCM 760, although FCM 745 is also recommended. The exam is usually offered twice a year. Students have two chances to be graded on the exam but may withdraw once before grading without penalty.