Thesis in Digital Forensics, 15 credits

Main field of study with advanced study

The courses Introduction to Digital Forensics 7.5 credits and Applied Data Mining 7.5 credits at second cycle. Exemption of the requirement in Swedish is granted. English 6.

The course is included in the Master of Science programme in Network Forensics 60 credits and is also given as a single subject course.

The aim of the degree project is to provide students with training in independent scientific research and development work within digital forensics. During the course, students are to develop the ability to work in international research and development environments.

On completion of the course, the students shall be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• account for relevant choices of method within the main field of the project
• discuss current research and development within the field of digital forensics, taking into account technological as well as societal perspectives

Skills and ability

• independently design, execute, document and report investigations based on research within predetermined time frames
• present and defend their own project in both speech and writing in an international research environment
• relate their own project to established research within the field and apply appropriate research methods
• participate in research, innovation and development projects and independently execute delimited project assignments
• integrate knowledge, and analyse, assess and manage complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information

Judgement and approach

• critically assess and evaluate research, innovation and development work in the field of digital forensics with reference to aspects of technology as well as ethics and integrity
• make relevant assessments of their own level of knowledge and need of further knowledge
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of the subject of digital forensics, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how knowledge in the subject is used

Project work is to be executed in small teams, preferably of two students, so that the contribution of each student can be identified and assessed. The topic of the degree project is to be designed in consultation between the students and active researchers in the field. Each project team is assigned a supervisor who is an active researcher at the University with expertise in the relevant field or one adjacent to it. The topic of the degree project is to be in the field of digital forensics. The project is to be based on expertise acquired on courses in the programme. It is to provide a contribution to the research in the field. It is to be based on a clearly defined issue and executed mainly independently. It is to contain a comprehensive study of the literature that provides a good coverage of the relevant topic.

The teaching consists of ongoing supervision and compulsory project reports, seminars and peer review. The project is to be reported in a thesis written in English and presented and defended at a public seminar including a critical reviewer who is professionally active in higher education, and a compulsory project presentation at a relevant public fair, such as the UT-EXPO event or the Forensic Network meetings at Halmstad University.

The assessment is based on the results of the degree project, the written and oral reports, and the presentation and marketing of the degree project at the UTEXPO event or a similar fair. The grade is determined by the examiner after consultation with the supervisor and critical reviewer.

Supervision of independent projects is provided for no more than a year after the end of the course and to the extent decided by the relevant School. After this, the student’s project is to be graded, regardless of whether it is finished or not.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions from the specified examination format and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can e.g. be study support for students with disabilities.

Course evaluation is part of the course. This evaluation offers guidance in the future development and planning of the course. Course evaluation is documented and made available to the students.