This module will focus on the professional and business aspects of Forensic Computing. To this end, students will normally attend professional activity sessions within Staffordshire Police Digital Forensics team. Normally some part of the student’s time on the module will be spent engaged with work and activities within Staffordshire Police’s Digital Forensics team. The exact nature of this work and time involved may vary from year to year. Work with Staffordshire Police will require appropriate clearance being obtained. If for whatever reason you do not obtain clearance, then a program of suitable and equivalent professional activity, coupled with and case study experience, will be used to achieve the learning outcomes of the module.

This module explicitly focuses on significant elements required for the achievement of STAFFORDSHIRE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES.

Personal & Career Development and reflection, Business/organisation context and Forensic Computing global commercial developments, business start-ups and development, Entrepreneurship.

Legal, ethical, security and standardisation issues for Forensic Computing professionals, Professional body requirements and codes of conduct, the need for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Globalisation Issues and the Forensic Computing Professional.

Organisational context of professional work - Management structure and teams, Types of organisation, Financial context, Human Resource Management Issues, Project Management, Recruitment processes, skills and issues.

Cellebrite UFED mobile forensics system and processes

No specific texts are required. Students will be expected to read around the subject to obtain a broad understanding of the need for professionalism within the industry and knowledge of the business sector.

Isolated Forensic Analysis Lab

Case Studies

Learning/Briefing session at Staffordshire Police HTCU

Cellebrite UFED mobile forensic system

1. Critically analyse the management, working and organisation of a forensic computing laboratory and its functions
(KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING, ANALYSIS)

2. Critically analyse and evaluate the role of a forensic computing expert within the UK legal system and within the IT Industry
(KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING, LEANRING, ANALYSIS, REFLECTION)

3. Demonstrate systematic understanding of and critically evaluate professional, legal and ethical issues relevant to forensic computing professionals and communicate these issues and implications
(KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING, REFLECTION)

4. Demonstrate professional writing skills and presentation in the support of the other learning outcomes
(COMMUNICATION)

5. Demonstrate professional competence through coverage of the syllabus within the Cellebrite UFED mobile phone analysis course
(KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING, LEARNING)

26 hours of lectures and 26 hours of tutorials.

Practical tasks and workshops will be used to re-enforce and apply theory to encourage an analytical and problem based approach. Student developed seminars will be used to enhance understanding where appropriate. Professional skills will be further developed through coverage of the Cellebrite mobile forensics syllabus.

Normally, some part of the student’s time on the module will be spent engaged with work and activities within Staffordshire Police’s Digital Forensics team. The exact nature of this work and time involved may vary from year to year. This experience would come out of the independent study hours. Work with Staffordshire Police will require appropriate clearance being obtained. If for whatever reason you do not obtain suitable clearance, then suitable professional activity and case study experience would be used to achieve the learning outcomes of the module.

Knowledge Base Article (word Count 1200) - 20%. This will be used to assess learning outcomes 1 to 4.

Evidence Gathering and Analysis (word Count 5000-6000) - 80%. This will be used to assess learning outcomes 1 to 4.