Master of Science in Forensic Science - Digital Forensics
The M.S. Forensic Science - Digital Forensics degree is a research-oriented, graduate degree program. Students must complete a minimum of 36 hours of graduate level work, including a core of 30 hours and six hours of thesis research or three hours of graduate capstone plus an additional three hour guided elective.
Admission into the Graduate Forensic Science Program is for the Fall semester only. Priority Admission will be considered for completed applications received in the Forensic Science Institute by April 15. Regular Admission will be considered after April 15, but before the first day of school in the Fall semester or until capacity is reached.
Forensic Science Requirements for Admission
- Completed UCO Graduate Application;
- Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts from each institution attended with all degrees posted. All transcripts must be from an accredited institution. A bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science, Natural Science, Management Information Systems, Software Engineering, or similar degree. Undergraduate transcripts must show a minimum 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA and completion of nine undergraduate hours and other prerequisites (if any), as determined by the graduate program advisor: FRSC 3043 Crime Scene Processing; STAT 2103 Introduction to Statistics for the Sciences; and FRSC 2503 Introduction to Forensic Science. These courses may be completed during the first year of graduate college at UCO.
- Applicants must satisfy one of the following to be considered for admission: 1) A GRE score with a preferred minimum 50th percentile ranking (quantitative and verbal sections), 2) 2+ years of professional experience in Digital Forensics/Information Security or similar field, or 3) An undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or greater in a relevant degree program.
- A 1-page description of an area of interest in forensic science research.
Other Requirements
- Plan of Study. File a Plan of Study with your advisor and the Jackson College of Graduate Studies by the end of the first semester during which you will complete your 12th hour of graduate work. The plan must be signed and dated by the student and the graduate advisor before it can be considered official;
- Academic Standards. Meet the following course work standards: (a) Overall GPA of 3.00 or higher; (b) no more than six hours of "C;" and, (c) no more than six advisor-approved hours from traditional correspondence courses;
- Completion of 36 credit hours; and,
- Thesis or Capstone Project. Enroll in six hours of Thesis (FRSC 5990) and complete an acceptable thesis and successfully defend it in public, two paper copies of the thesis and one electronic copy to the library through Proquest and the thesis’ title page, original signature page, summary and abstract page to the JCGS or enroll in three hours of Graduate Capstone (FRSC 5930) plus an additional three hour guided elective.
- Final Requirements. Apply for graduation through the JCGS by advertising deadline.
Career Opportunities
Forensic Science - Digital Forensics career opportunities include:
- Digital Forensics Examiner for Law Enforcement, Intelligence Agencies or Corporations
- Data Recovery Specialist
- IT Security
- Computer Scientist/Forensic Examiner
Community Opportunities
Take advantage of these opportunities in the Metro which may spark your interest and even boost your resume.
