Computer Forensics Degree

As computers become more and more entrenched in the lives of modern citizens, their vulnerability becomes more and more evident. Business and individuals now use email as their predominant form of communication and the internet has reached all the corners of the globe, resulting in crimes committed in the virtual world becoming one of the most dangerous prospects facing nations around the globe. The field of computer forensics has grown over the last decade as the need for individuals who are educated in combating computer crimes has increased. A computer forensics degree may be a new field, but it is an important one in our increasingly technological world.

Computer forensics is devoted to battling a wide range of crimes from those against children to file loss on a computer as a result of hacking or damage. Individuals pursuing a computer forensics degree need to be proficient with computers as well as attain a decent level of knowledge about criminal justice as a large part of a computer forensics investigators job requires them to appear in court and testify in some cases.

Unlike some other newer career fields, computer forensics degrees are available at varying levels including Associate’s degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, and Master’s degrees. These degrees can be achieved at schools ranging from technical and vocational schools to community colleges and public universities and colleges. While not every school will offer a specific computer forensics degree, there are a wide variety of degrees that serve as a stepping stone into the computer forensics field. These degrees include but are not limited to the following:

• Associate of Arts – Computer Forensics
• Associate of Arts – Criminal Justice
• Bachelor’s (BIT) Computer Forensics
• Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice – Cyber Crime
• Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice – Crime Scene Investigation
• Master’s (MIT) Internet Security
• Master’s in Cyber Security
• Master’s of Forensic Sciences – Security Management
• Master’s of Forensic Sciences – High Technology Crime Investigation

The level of education an individual pursues will affect the jobs they can achieve upon graduation. An Associate’s degree, combined with an internship, is often enough education to be hired by a police department to work as their computer forensics investigator. This provides an individual a good base to then pursue a Bachelor’s degree. Those who achieve a Master’s degree will find more job openings and greater salary in the career field.