Industry Snapshot
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.
Additional Program Information
- Experience Recommended for Success
- Technology Requirements
- Student Organizations
- We recommend a background in computing and programming; if you need to improve your computing skills, we recommend you take
(0 Credits, ASC 605); if you have not taken programming courses, we recommend you take
(0 Credits, ASC 609). - We recommend
(0 Credits, ASC 601) if you'd like to improve your graduate writing skills.
This program requires that you use a computer with the following:
- Microphone and speakers or headset with microphone or equivalent device(s)
- 5 GB (gigabytes) of free hard drive space
- 4 GB RAM or higher
- A high-speed internet connection
- Computer processor (Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64) running at speeds of at least 1 GHz
- Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X 10.6 or higher for an operating system (Linux operating systems can also be used but require more technical knowledge from the user.)
Note: The higher the processor speed of your computer (e.g., 2.4–3.4 GHz), the larger the amount of available memory (e.g., 4–12 GB), and the larger the amount of available hard drive space (e.g., 5–20 GB), the better your computer will perform and the smoother your experience will be.
Computing Club
The Computing Club provides a dynamic environment where members can work collaboratively, share innovative ideas, enhance their career-readiness, and gain marketable experience in their respective fields. It is available to graduate or undergraduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff members. Students and alumni can join the Computing Club group on CareerQuest.
Cyber Competition Team
The Cyber Competition Team represents UMGC at various cybersecurity events and tournaments nationwide. Being a member of the team gives students an opportunity to develop their cybersecurity skills and network with other students. The team is open to undergraduate and graduate students and alumni through a tryout process. Email jesse.varsalone@umgc.edu or visit the cyber team webpage to learn more.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computing & Technology Disciplines)
Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for the computing and IT disciplines, is designed to promote the computing and information sciences and to encourage the enhancement of knowledge in the field. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the computing and information science disciplines. Membership is by invitation only.
Undergraduate membership is open to students majoring in one of the computing disciplines who have completed at least 45 credit hours towards their degree, including 30 or more credits at UMGC (in graded coursework) and at least 15 credits from information technology and computer science courses. Undergraduate students need to have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all coursework taken from the information technology and computer science courses.
Graduate student membership is open to students pursuing a master's degree in cloud computing systems, cyber operations, cybersecurity management and policy, cybersecurity technology, data analytics, or digital forensics and cyber investigation; a master's degree in information technology with a specialization in database systems technology, informatics, information assurance, software engineering, or systems engineering; or a legacy master's degree in cybersecurity. Graduate students must have completed at least 18 resident credits towards their degree at UMGC, with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher.
For more information, please email upe@umgc.edu.
- We recommend a background in computing and programming; if you need to improve your computing skills, we recommend you take
(0 Credits, ASC 605); if you have not taken programming courses, we recommend you take
(0 Credits, ASC 609). - We recommend
(0 Credits, ASC 601) if you'd like to improve your graduate writing skills.
This program requires that you use a computer with the following:
- Microphone and speakers or headset with microphone or equivalent device(s)
- 5 GB (gigabytes) of free hard drive space
- 4 GB RAM or higher
- A high-speed internet connection
- Computer processor (Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64) running at speeds of at least 1 GHz
- Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X 10.6 or higher for an operating system (Linux operating systems can also be used but require more technical knowledge from the user.)
Note: The higher the processor speed of your computer (e.g., 2.4–3.4 GHz), the larger the amount of available memory (e.g., 4–12 GB), and the larger the amount of available hard drive space (e.g., 5–20 GB), the better your computer will perform and the smoother your experience will be.
Computing Club
The Computing Club provides a dynamic environment where members can work collaboratively, share innovative ideas, enhance their career-readiness, and gain marketable experience in their respective fields. It is available to graduate or undergraduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff members. Students and alumni can join the Computing Club group on CareerQuest.
Cyber Competition Team
The Cyber Competition Team represents UMGC at various cybersecurity events and tournaments nationwide. Being a member of the team gives students an opportunity to develop their cybersecurity skills and network with other students. The team is open to undergraduate and graduate students and alumni through a tryout process. Email jesse.varsalone@umgc.edu or visit the cyber team webpage to learn more.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computing & Technology Disciplines)
Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for the computing and IT disciplines, is designed to promote the computing and information sciences and to encourage the enhancement of knowledge in the field. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the computing and information science disciplines. Membership is by invitation only.
Undergraduate membership is open to students majoring in one of the computing disciplines who have completed at least 45 credit hours towards their degree, including 30 or more credits at UMGC (in graded coursework) and at least 15 credits from information technology and computer science courses. Undergraduate students need to have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all coursework taken from the information technology and computer science courses.
Graduate student membership is open to students pursuing a master's degree in cloud computing systems, cyber operations, cybersecurity management and policy, cybersecurity technology, data analytics, or digital forensics and cyber investigation; a master's degree in information technology with a specialization in database systems technology, informatics, information assurance, software engineering, or systems engineering; or a legacy master's degree in cybersecurity. Graduate students must have completed at least 18 resident credits towards their degree at UMGC, with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher.
For more information, please email upe@umgc.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
This program is designed for those who want to develop skills and competencies in the analysis of digital evidence. This may lead to positions tracking cyber intruders or digital evidence within government and private organizations as well as law enforcement.
This program focuses on the investigation area of a cyber attack and collecting evidence from digital assets of other specific activity. It will help you develop your competencies in finding, accessing and analyzing digital evidence left on a variety of devices from computers to smartphones and tablets. The program will require that you become adept with network, computer, and digital analysis technologies at an intermediate level.
Suzan L., Guam, MS in Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation