Bachelor in Digital Forensics

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Bachelor in Digital Forensics

Study Facts
- Area of Study
  Computing
- ECTS
  180
- NQF Level
  Bachelor's degree (Level 6 1. Cycle)
- Campus
  Kristiansand, OnlinePLUS - Oslo, Online
- Study Mode
  Full-time, Online
- Entry Requirements
  Entry Requirements
- Study Programme Leader
  Emlyn Butterfield

Introduction

Noroff University College (NUC) offers awards that specialise in the utilisation of digital technology. The objective of the Bachelor in Digital Forensics (DIFO) is to provide you with an understanding of the forensic analysis of digital systems, the methods and techniques that can be applied, and to develop you into future digital investigators and incident responders.There is an increasing level of commercial interest in this area as industry comes under more sustained cyber-attacks. Current trends suggest an expansion in the number of digital devices as society continues to increase their reliance on technology, from automobiles to implanted medical devices, which hold potential evidence of user activities. Experts are required to identify, extract, and interpret information from these types of devices.

This degree programme will help you develop the required skills to act as a digital forensic investigator/incident responder, who is competent in the collection, processing, secure handling, and analysis of digital evidence from a variety of sources. You will receive instruction on the full life cycle of a digital investigation, which will encompass the collection of evidence from a crime scene, through the analysis to the final production of a final report.Throughout your studies you build upon this developing skill set with your own research projects, resulting in a comptence ready for either employment or advanced postgraduate study.

Your studies will challenge you to develop a scientific, rigorous approach to your work. This will enable you to not only solve issues posed as part of the course but also to address unforeseen problems once employed as a digital forensic investigator, or incident responder. The field of digital forensics is ever evolving, you are on the first step towards an exciting career.

The degree programme prepares you for a career in the Digital Forensics and Incident Response industry, working with small consultancies or large organisations, including the legal sector. It also prepares you for a career in the IT sector including computer security, network management, and systems analysis within business, voluntary or public sectors. Upon graduation, students will have developed a high level of competency in a variety of specific tools and techniques, along with a solid foundation of competencies supporting lifelong learning throughout their careers. Graduates will have several key attributes:

A deep understand and practical application of a digital forensic investigative skillset.
A broad perspective of problems / issues surrounding:
- Technology,
- Human factors (socially aware)
- Procedural issues (the interaction between a and b)
A high degree of problem-solving skills.4)A high legal, ethical, and moral standard.

Aims of the Degree Programme

This degree programme aims to develop individuals with a holistic understanding of key practices, principles and procedures of digital forensics investigations and incident response. Through a blend of skills and practical experience in investigating digital systems the individuals are able to identify the who, what, where and when.

The programme develops and equips students as digital investigators with the necessary skills to process numerous forms of digital evidence. It will challenge individuals to develop a scientific, methodical, and rigorous approach to their work. This will enable them to not only solve issues posed as part of the learning but also to address unforeseen problems once employed as a digital forensic investigator and other future careers. The specialisation builds upon the practise and procedures explored in earlier courses thorough exploration of the different types of file systems and data types. Students then explore investigative practices and tools before examining novel platforms in their final year. Students will have the opportunity to further develop practical aspects of their competence in the Studio courses where they are encouraged to further explore issues raised in the programme.

Graduates will therefore have a high level of proficiency in a wide range of skills in problem-solving, digital forensics, network infrastructures, system design and development, operating and file system analysis, network security and incident response. The degree programme has been specifically designed to equip students with the practical and theoretical understanding and principles required to excel in the digital forensics’ domain.The subject material will enable graduates to go on to postgraduate study in the area and will also enable them to fulfil several distinct employment titles.

Course Model

This bachelor's degree is a full-time programme of study, based on a 40-hour per week study schedule. The degree consists of six semesters which are delivered over three academic years (each of a 10-month duration), with each year providing 60 ECTS of educational material and qualification. This results in a 30 ECTS workload per semester and total of 180 ECTS for the full bachelor’s degree, which equates to 1,500-1,800 hours of work. Table 1 shows how the distribution of ECTS across the programme.

The complete set of courses included is shown in the Course Model(s). The first year is a shared curriculum across all Computing degree programmes. Each year the programme and their courses are reviewed to ensure the degree continues to be appropriate for this fast-developing field. Some courses may span semesters and the credit value is only awarded in the semester they are completed. The courses that comprise this programme are therefore subject to minor changes each academic year. A description of the courses can be found by clicking the course name in the Course Model.

Computing Foundation H23

This is a full-time course model, based on a 40-hour per week study schedule. The foundation consists of two semesters providing 60 ECTS of educational material and qualification. This results in a 30 ECTS workload per semester and is calculated towards a total of 180 ECTS for the full bachelor’s degree in:

Applied Data Science
Cyber Security
Digital Forensics

Course	Course type	2023 Autumn	2024 Spring
UC1PBL05 Problem Based Learning and Research Methodologies	Shared	5
UC1DMA10 Discrete Mathematics	Shared	10
UC1PR110 Introduction to Programming	Shared	10
UC1PR210 Programming and Databases	Shared		10
UC1NPR10 Network Principles	Shared		10
UC1IIS05 Introduction to Information Security	Shared		5
UC1ST110 Studio 1	Shared	5	5
Sum (60 total)		30	30

BDIFO - Digital Forensics H23

Course	Course type	2024 Autumn	2025 Spring	2025 Autumn	2026 Spring
UC2OPS10 Operating Systems	Shared	10
UC2FPP10 Digital Forensics: Practice and Procedure	Core	10
UC2FSA10 File System Analysis	Core	10
UC2DIN10 Digital Investigation	Core		10
UC2NSE10 Network Security	Shared		10
UC2ST210 Studio 2	Shared		10
UC2ISM10 Information Security Management	Shared			10
UC3ADF10 Advanced Device Forensics	Core			10
Elective Courses					15
EC05 Elective Course	Elective Course				5
EC05 Elective Course	Elective Course				5
EC05 Elective Course	Elective Course				5
UC3REC05 Data Recovery	Shared				5
UC3BDF20 Bachelor Project	Spesialism			10	10
Sum (120 total)		30	30	30	30

Programme Learning Outcomes

A Programme Learning Outcome (PLO) is essentially a statement that describes what the student has achieved upon successfully completing the degree. Each course description has its own set of learning outcomes, which contribute to the achievement of Programme Learning Outcomes. The PLOs for this degree are based on the Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (NQF) at bachelor level. The NQF levels are formulated on the basis of what a person know, can do and is capable of doing as a result of a learning process. The outcomes of the completed learning process are described in the categories: “knowledge”, “skills” and “general competences”.

Knowledge: Understanding of theories, facts, principles, procedures in subject areas and/or occupations.
Skills: Ability to utilise knowledge to solve problems or tasks (cognitive, practical, creative and communication skills).
General Competence: Ability to utilise knowledge and skills in an independent manner in different situations.

Students who are awarded a Bachelor in Digital Forensics have attained:

Knowledge

K1	Demonstrate knowledge of procedures and standards.
K2	Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of Information Security and the students chosen specialisation.
K3	To be efficient, innovative, inquisitive security professionals.
K4	Understand what constitutes a security professional.

Skills

S1	Interviewing skills and the ability to extract information.
S2	Apply a range of problem-solving and investigating techniques, and to be able to interpret the solutions appropriately.
S3	Demonstrate at a practical level of how to conduct forensic examinations of computer systems.
S4	Appropriate handling techniques for digital evidence.
S5	To be able to demonstrate excellent abstract analytical methods.
S6	Have awareness of the greater implications of their decisions and actions.

General Competence

G1	Understand the importance of team-based, collaborative work.
G2	Is socially and ethically appropriate and contextually sensitive.
G3	Understand the skills required to be a security professional.
G4	Understand the computing professional’s legal and ethical responsibilities.
G5	Demonstrate good written and oral communication.
G6	Possess good project management skills.
G7	Apply a range of investigating and communication techniques, and to be able to appropriately interpret the solutions and communicate findings.
G8	Demonstrate skills as a reflective practitioner, with the ability to critically reflect on practice in order to develop professional skills.

Teaching and Learning

Learning Activities

All study programmes use a variety of teaching and learning activities to encourage students to actively explore and apply new knowledge, along with developing skills and competencies. Each course will incorporate a range of teaching and learning methods according to which are most appropriate for that course – determined through a process of constructive alignment. The primary aim of these methods is to support the students’ learning process and facilitate the achievement of the learning outcomes. The applicable teaching and learning methods include, but are not limited to, the following:

Teacher-Led Activities (TLA)
Lectures and video lectures Online lessons Tutorials	Seminars Presentations

Teacher-Supported Work (TSW)
Practical Work Workshops	Scheduled guidance Group work

Self-Study (SST)
Research Reflection	Group work (Individual) Virtual Laboratory Work

Learning Resources

Key information for the degree is delivered in lectures, normally in one of the Campus auditoriums and as a live stream. Tutorials and supported study are delivered through laboratory-based sessions. All educational material is accessible through the LMS, which forms part of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), illustrated in Figure 1.

The LMS provides a central location for the distribution of all educational content and learning resources related to all courses throughout the program of study:

Study Plan
Course Descriptions
Lecture slides
Recorded lectures
Reading lists

Student Handbook
Tutorial exercises
Supplementary notes
Self-study material

The dates and times for all educational sessions for every course, including lectures and tutorials, can be found in the online timetabling system (TimeEdit).

Study Workload

The student workload has been carefully considered for each course to include an appropriate combination of activities suitable for the subject area.

Information and details about a specific course can be found in the respective Course Description. However, each course comprises a selection of lectures, tutorials, and other appropriate sessions. These are timetabled based on a full-time study schedule of 08:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday.

At the start of each academic year, a Study Schedule is published and made accessible. It contains the planned start and end dates for all courses in the degree. The schedule also includes dedicated study time to work on projects and extra-curricular sessions, including seminars, workshops, and guest speakers from industry. If the schedule is updated, students are promptly informed.

Reading List

Reading lists for a study programme, and especially for a course within a study programme, is annually revised. In some cases, where the field is rapidly changing, the reading list may be complete closer to course start-up. The reading list will be shared close to semester start, or upon request by contacting the Study Programme Leader.

Assessment

Grading of Assessments

Each course in the programme of study comprises of several graded (summative) assessments, where students can demonstrate their achievements and abilities. Information about assessments for each course is provided via the course pages on the LMS. When assessments are released, students are encouraged to always read through the instructions fully and carefully, to ensure the greatest chance of success. If anything is unclear, please contact the relevant Course Leader as soon as possible.

A course is successfully completed once the student has obtained a passing grade for that course. Every assessment has a specific completion deadline comprising a date and time. Work can be submitted any time up to the stated deadline. Students must be able to clearly demonstrate the extent to which they have met the learning outcomes of that course in order to pass. Students will encounter a variety of assessments, which may be used for formative and summative purposes, to ensure that students meet or exceeded the PLOs.

Specific assessment strategies for each course, and instructions for submitting course work, are detailed in the LMS course pages. Please see the regulations available on www.noroff.no/en.

Assessment
Formative	Continuous Assessment Online Test Interactive Online Test
Summative	Presentation of Practical Work Portfolio of Work Projects Online Exams Reports Term Paper Oral Test

Grading Scale

Both formative and summative results may be assessed as Approved / Not approved, Pass / Fail or A-F.
Assessments are graded according to the standard university grading scale, illustrated in the table below.

Grade Letter	Quality Indicator	Definition
A	Excellent	An excellent performance, clearly outstanding. Shows a high degree of independence.
B	Very good	A very good performance, above average. Shows a certain degree of independence.
C	Good	An average performance, satisfactory in most areas.
D	Satisfactory	A performance below average, with significant shortcomings.
E	Sufficient	A performance that meets the minimum criteria, but no more.
F	Fail	A performance that does not meet the minimum criteria.

Entry Requirements

For general admission it is required to document the following criteria as passed:

Higher Education Entrance Qualification, and
Candidates must be able to document proficiency in the English language.
Language requirements by Samordna Opptak

Special admission requirements:
In addition to the general admission requirements, it is required to document the following:

Mathematics R1 (or S1+S2)

For admission on basis of prior learning and work experience:
Admission based on prior experience requires a written application for evaluation. Applicable candidates must be at least 25 years of age in the year of admission.

For candidates with foreign education the requirements for Higher Education are:

The country must be recognized by NOKUT, specified in the GSU-list.
Candidates must be able to document proficiency in the English language.
Language requirements by Samordna Opptak

For further information, please see the admission requirements: https://www.noroff.no/en/admission/admission-requirements

Campus and Online Study

All students follow the same progression according to their education plan, irrespective of whether they study online or on campus. All students study the courses at the same time, with the same delivery and workload, following identical assessment strategies for every course. At the study level no distinction is therefore made between campus and online students. All students are required to engage in live education sessions (such as lectures) and undertake all required educational activities.

Students are encouraged to interact with each other via online forums and chat systems, enabling discussions to take place involving both online and campus students. Each student cohort is therefore a single learning community, concurrently engaging in all educational activities irrespective of actual physical location. Throughout all educational sessions course staff actively encourage participation from campus and online students simultaneously, and do not focus solely on those who are physically present.

This tight integration of campus and online ensures students will be part of a cohesive learning community throughout their study. As a result, this also means that should students personal situations change during their studies, and they must change their mode of study from online to campus (or vice versa) this can be done with little to no disruption to their studies.

Opportunities for Further Studies

Undertaking some period of study at an international educational institution can result in many benefits to those who take part, including:

Language and general competence in the destination country and culture
Development of personal and professional networks in other parts of the world
Personal growth and holistic development.

All students are eligible to apply to undertake a period of study at an international university. All international study opportunities are subject to the application processes and admissions requirements of the international institution, in addition to an evaluation of the suitability of the proposed study exchange within the students’ study at NUC. Full details of international study opportunities and the application process is available to all students within the LMS.

Accredited

April 19th, 2012

Last revision date:

June 2023