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Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation

The digital transformation of society is creating new challenges and new opportunities, both for criminals and for criminal investigators. Today forensic and cyber investigators must collect and analyze digital evidence from a diverse landscape of technically complex sources. Our Master program gives you a wide range of practical skills needed for an exciting career in digital forensics and cyber investigation.

What makes this program unique?

  • Leverages BFH's expertise in software and hardware to create unique digital forensics modules,
  • Creates a balance between digital forensics and cyber investigation topics,
  • Expanded digital forensics coverage of topics including storage, memory, operating systems, applications, malware analysis, networks, cloud, social media, encryption,
  • Hardware forensics coverage of topics including mobile devices, IoT, automobiles, drones, industrial control systems, medical devices, chip-off and JTAG,
  • Emphasis on cyber investigations covering cybercrime reconstruction, attribution, intelligence, botnets, cyberfraud, digital payments and virtual currencies, data theft, data analytics
  • The taught modules are designed in one-week blocks to facilitate remote and employed students,
  • The MAS is taught in English by internationally recognized experts in the field.
     

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Master of Advanced Studies (MAS)
  • Duration 5 semesters
  • Application deadline 24 March
    23 September
  • ECTS credits 60 ECTS-Credits
  • Costs from CHF 34,000
  • Teaching language English
  • Location Biel, Aarbergstrasse 46 / Online
  • School School of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Next session Spring semester 2025
    Autumn semester 2025

Contact

MAS in Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation

Content + Structure

Portrait

The digital transformation of society is creating new challenges and new opportunities, both for criminals and for criminal investigators. Today forensic and cyber investigators must collect and analyze digital evidence from a diverse landscape of technically complex sources. Our Master program gives you a wide range of practical skills needed for an exciting career in digital forensics and cyber investigation.

Objectives

Graduates from the MAS Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation will understand the fundamental concepts of modern digital forensics. They will have the skills to collect and analyze digital evidence from a variety of sources, and have the ability to conduct complex cyber investigations.

All about Cyber@BFH

The master program is organized into 4 taught semesters (CAS) and a final master’s thesis semester. The program comprises 60 ECTS credit transfer points, 12 ECTS credits per semester.

Modules

  • CAS DFCI Fundamentals
  • CAS DFCI Advanced
  • CAS DFCI Specialist 1
  • CAS DFCI Specialist 2
Masterplan Weiterbildungsangebote und Module (PDF, 953 KB)

 

Master's Thesis

The research and write-up of the Thesis requires one full semester of work. This includes:

  • choosing a thesis topic
  • writing a thesis proposal
  • finding a Thesis advisor
  • conducting the research project work
  • writing up the dissertation
  • the Thesis defense

The master’s thesis is started after completion of the first four semesters (16 modules total). The expected workload for completing the master thesis is minimum 360 hours. Depending on the external examiner/expert, the dissertation and thesis defense may also be in German or French. During Semester 5 students may also attend elective modules that were unavailable during semesters 3 and 4.

  • Direct instruction
  • Inquire-based learning
  • Research project work
  • Master’s thesis

Title + Degree

Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in «Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation»

Requirements + Admission

The MAS DFCI is designed for two groups of professionals:

  • Experienced forensic investigators who want to increase their technical skills in digital forensics and cyber investigations.
  • Experienced engineers and technicians who want to transition into the field of digital forensics and cyber investigations.

As a rule, a university degree and practical experience are required for admission. 
People with a high vocational training can apply, provided they have suitable professional experience and prior scientific and methodological knowledge. 

Legal foundations - Bern University of Applied Sciences

Infoevent and Study guidance

Contact

Prof. Dr. Bruce Nikkel

  • Co-Leiter Institut ICE
  • +41 32 321 63 77
  • Show e-mail

Miriam Patwa

  • Studienkoordinatorin Weiterbildung
  • +41 31 848 58 68
  • Show e-mail

Study Guidance for Continuing Education

Location

Classes are held at Aarbergstrasse 46 in the new building of the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB), which is withing easy reach of Biel/Bienne railway station.

A location with many advantages

  • Classrooms within two minutes walking distance from Biel/Bienne railway station
  • Ideal train connections from Bern’s main railway station (every 15 minutes) and from Bern Wankdorf (every 30 minutes)
  • State-of-the-art infrastructure in the new SIPBB building
  • Various catering options in the immediate vicinity
  • Innovation and networking events

And that’s not all! Biel/Bienne is…

  • an innovation hotspot,
  • a university city,
  • an industrial and service city with numerous major players in the watchmaking, mechanical engineering, precision engineering and medical technology industries and major representatives of the communications and telecommunications sectors,
  • bordered by Lake Biel and its wide range of sports and leisure facilities,
  • a city that embodies bilingualism,
  • a town with a vibrant cultural life.

Biel Aarbergstrasse 46 (Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne)

Biel, Aarbergstrasse 46

Bern University of Applied Sciences

Engineering and Computer Science
Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne
Aarbergstrasse 46
CH 2503 Biel