Bachelor's Degree Specialization in Computer Forensics

Among other career opportunities, graduates with our Computer Forensics Specialization may consider careers such as a Computer Digital Forensic Investigator^{†, ††} and a Computer Programmer.

^†Applicants for jobs in the justice administration field may be subject to pre-employment screenings such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, drug and/or alcohol testing, physical and/or psychological examinations and credit checks. Unsatisfactory screening results may disqualify an applicant for a position in the justice administration field. Additional government-required training programs may be necessary to obtain employment in this field.
^††Employment in this occupation may require years of relevant experience.

Computer forensics is the practice of recovering data from a device, often for the purpose of uncovering evidence of criminal activity. The practice itself is reactionary, meaning that it only takes place after an incident has occurred and is not concerned with preventing the incident itself.

Computer forensics jobs typically serve one of two purposes. They either assist with an investigation or help people and companies recover data that has been lost. In the first instance, a computer forensics specialist will be given access to a suspect's personal device, such as a laptop, desktop or smartphone. Once they have the device, they begin using a variety of skills, such as programming, hardware knowledge and software knowledge, to locate valuable data. In a law enforcement case, they will ideally uncover data that is of value to the prosecution and can be presented in a court of law. In order to do this, the data must be recovered in a very particular manner that does not violate the suspect's rights.