An Analysis of the Curriculum Components of Computer Forensics Undergraduate Courses in the United Kingdom

Abstract A typical undergraduate curriculum of study in Computing contains a broad range of modules. Computer Forensics is a specialised area of Computing and if specialised modules are being introduced into a typical Computing subject curriculum then one or more of the more traditional subject modules must be removed or modified to provide space to accommodate the new material. This paper investigates the opinions of academic members of staff from several UK institutions on which Computing subject areas should be included in specialised curricula in Computer Forensics. It builds on work done during the third Annual HE Academy Workshop on Teaching Computer Forensics, where delegates were asked to contribute to an undergraduate curriculum design exercise. The delegates were mostly academic lecturing staff from HE institutions around the UK and they were primarily involved in the delivery of Computer Forensic courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They were asked to design an undergraduate BSc (Hons) course in the subject area of Computer Forensics by selecting six modules for each level of a three year undergraduate BSc (Hons) course. There were no constraints on module selection apart from having to select six modules at each level from a list of module titles based on current modules used in UK universities. The paper summarises the results and comments upon principles of design for curricula in this particular subject area.