Educating digital forensic investigators at Newport

Digital forensics is a multi-disciplinary applied science governed by strict and rigorous rules and regulations. Individuals pursuing a career in this discipline are required to have an interdisciplinary background drawing elements of practical experience from fields as varied as sociology, psychology, forensic science, computing and the law. Despite the above, there is no professional body or QA benchmarks that specifically govern education in this science. The subject area has proved popular and where the profession has traditionally been limited to a select circle of individuals from specific industry sectors, it is now open to all. To meet this demand, many product vendors and Higher Education establishments have developed programmes ranging from short training courses to full undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. All these educational offerings promote the fact that individuals will be trained to an appropriate level, however without clear benchmark or regulatory guidance, students face the risk of being ill-equipped for the challenges presented in industry. The challenge faced by educators is to train individuals, many of whom have no prior theoretical or practical experience in the aforementioned fields, to become digital forensic investigators. This paper discusses the approach used at the University of Wales, Newport to overcome this challenge. It demonstrates how industry requirements have influenced and shaped the learning styles adopted by the teaching team in order to produce high calibre graduates that are ready to engage in a career in digital forensics.