Social Sciences

Master of Science in Digital Security and Forensics

The Master of Science in Digital Security and Forensics is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in digital security, forensic investigation, and cybercrime management. The programme combines digital security theory with practical forensic investigation, evidence analysis, and crime prevention application.

Core areas include digital security fundamentals, forensic investigation, cybercrime analysis, network forensics, mobile forensics, incident response, security governance, cryptography, legal and ethical aspects, research methods, and thesis or project. Students engage with both security theory and practical forensic laboratory work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology as MSc in Forensics and Security Management through the Nairobi Campus, JKUAT as MSc in Cyber Security through the School of Computing and Information Technology, and United States International University Africa as MSc in Information Security. Public and private universities offer programmes over two to three academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in digital security, forensic investigation, cybercrime analysis, network forensics, mobile forensics, incident response, and security governance. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory work, and a supervised research thesis or project.

DeKUT charges approximately KES 200,000/year for forensics and security management. JKUAT charges approximately KES 252,500/year (KES 505,000 total) for cyber security. USIU-Africa charges approximately KES 600,000/year for information security as a private university. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in computer science, IT, criminology, security studies, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as digital forensics investigators, security analysts, cybercrime investigators, forensic auditors, security consultants, and lecturers in digital security and forensics across law enforcement, financial institutions, government agencies, security firms, consulting firms, and universities.

Skills Required

Digital Security Fundamentals and Threat Defence
Forensic Investigation and Evidence Analysis
Cybercrime Analysis and Investigation
Network and Mobile Forensics
Incident Response and Recovery
Security Governance and Risk Management
Cryptography and Cryptanalysis
Forensic Auditing and Compliance
Research Methods in Digital Security
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Digital Security Fundamentals and Threat Defence
Forensic Investigation and Evidence Analysis
Cybercrime Analysis and Investigation
Network and Mobile Forensics
Incident Response and Recovery
Security Governance and Risk Management
Cryptography and Cryptanalysis
Forensic Auditing and Compliance
Research Methods in Digital Security
Thesis or Project Research

Certifications

Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE)
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

Specializations

Forensic Investigation

Focuses on forensic investigation, covering evidence collection, analysis, chain of custody, forensic tools, legal procedures, and managing forensic investigations.

Cybercrime Analysis

Examines cybercrime analysis, covering cybercrime types, investigation techniques, digital evidence, attribution, and managing cybercrime investigations.

Network and Mobile Forensics

Covers network and mobile forensics, covering network evidence, mobile device forensics, cloud forensics, and managing network and mobile forensics.

Security Management

Focuses on security management, covering risk assessment, security planning, corporate security, governance, and managing security operations.

Corporate Forensics

Examines corporate forensics, covering fraud investigation, corporate crime, compliance, audit, and managing corporate forensics.

Incident Response

Covers incident response, covering incident handling, threat hunting, containment, recovery, and managing security incidents.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 252,500
Private, up to: Ksh 342,500
Job market: Very high

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Digital Security Fundamentals and Threat Defence
Forensic Investigation and Evidence Analysis
Cybercrime Analysis and Investigation
Network and Mobile Forensics
Incident Response and Recovery
Security Governance and Risk Management
Cryptography and Cryptanalysis
Forensic Auditing and Compliance
Research Methods in Digital Security
Thesis or Project Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Digital Security Fundamentals and Threat Landscape
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines security fundamentals, threats, vulnerabilities, risk, security models, and managing digital security.
Forensic Investigation and Evidence Handling
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers evidence collection, analysis, chain of custody, forensic tools, legal procedures, and managing forensic investigations.
Research Methods in Digital Security
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, security research methods, and conducting digital security research, preparing students for their thesis or project.
Cybercrime Analysis and Investigation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines cybercrime types, investigation techniques, digital evidence, attribution, and managing cybercrime investigations.
Network and Mobile Forensics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers network evidence, packet analysis, mobile device forensics, cloud forensics, and managing network and mobile forensics.
Incident Response and Recovery
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines incident handling, threat hunting, containment, eradication, recovery, and managing security incidents.
Cryptography and Cryptanalysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers encryption, decryption, protocols, PKI, key management, cryptanalysis, and managing cryptographic systems.
Security Governance and Risk Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines governance, policy, frameworks, compliance, risk assessment, and managing security governance and risk.
Forensic Auditing and Compliance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers fraud investigation, audit techniques, compliance, evidence, reporting, and managing forensic audits.
Security Management and Corporate Forensics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines security management, corporate forensics, corporate crime, compliance, and managing security and corporate forensics.
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Digital Security
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers cyber law, evidence law, computer misuse, ethics, professional conduct, and managing legal and ethical aspects.
Research Thesis or Project
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis or project on a digital security and forensics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and security knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Forensic Investigation
Focuses on forensic investigation, covering evidence collection, analysis, chain of custody, forensic tools, legal procedures, and managing forensic investigations.
Cybercrime Analysis
Examines cybercrime analysis, covering cybercrime types, investigation techniques, digital evidence, attribution, and managing cybercrime investigations.
Network and Mobile Forensics
Covers network and mobile forensics, covering network evidence, mobile device forensics, cloud forensics, and managing network and mobile forensics.
Security Management
Focuses on security management, covering risk assessment, security planning, corporate security, governance, and managing security operations.
Corporate Forensics
Examines corporate forensics, covering fraud investigation, corporate crime, compliance, audit, and managing corporate forensics.
Incident Response
Covers incident response, covering incident handling, threat hunting, containment, recovery, and managing security incidents.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Digital Security and Forensics programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, practical workshops, case study discussions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover digital security, forensic investigation, cybercrime analysis, and network forensics. Digital security sessions examine security fundamentals, threats, vulnerabilities, risk, security models, and managing digital security. Forensic investigation sessions cover evidence collection, analysis, chain of custody, forensic tools, legal procedures, and managing forensic investigations. Cybercrime analysis sessions cover cybercrime types, investigation techniques, digital evidence, attribution, and managing cybercrime investigations. Network forensics sessions cover network evidence, packet analysis, network intrusion detection, and managing network forensics. Mobile forensics sessions cover mobile device forensics, mobile OS, app analysis, cloud forensics, and managing mobile forensics. Incident response sessions cover incident handling, threat hunting, containment, eradication, recovery, and managing security incidents. Security governance sessions cover governance, policy, frameworks, compliance, risk management, and managing security governance. Cryptography sessions cover encryption, decryption, protocols, PKI, key management, and managing cryptographic systems. Forensic auditing sessions cover fraud investigation, audit techniques, compliance, evidence, and managing forensic audits. Legal and ethical sessions cover cyber law, evidence law, computer misuse, ethics, professional conduct, and managing legal and ethical aspects. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis or project, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with forensic tools, security tools, evidence analysis, and incident response environments. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with EnCase, FTK, Cellebrite, Kali Linux, and forensic analysis tools. Case study discussions provide opportunities for analysing real cybercrime cases and forensic investigation scenarios. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in digital security and forensics. Guest lectures from experienced forensics investigators, law enforcement officers, and security professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis or project on a digital security and forensics topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Very high demand for digital security and forensics professionals with escalating cybercrime, digital transformation, and regulatory requirements in Kenya.
Programme offered by three universities (2 public, 1 private), providing institutional choice.
DeKUT offers interdisciplinary approach merging security, forensics, criminology, and law.
Graduates are eligible for CFCE and CISM professional certifications, enhancing global career prospects.

Against it

USIU-Africa (private) charges significantly higher fees at approximately KES 600,000/year.
DeKUT programme takes 3 years, longer than typical 2-year masters.
DeKUT and USIU specific forensics and security fees not independently verified.
Programme requires computer science, IT, criminology, security studies, or related background, which may limit access for non-related graduates.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public253k to 253k

253k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology253k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Private160k to 343k

160k at Kabarak University343k at United States International University Africa

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

JKUAT SCIT 505K/2yr~252K/yr. DeKUT unverified. Kabarak 160K. USIU 342K/yr. Src: jkuat, usiu.ac.ke

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. JKUAT may offer postgraduate bursaries. USIU-Africa offers financial aid for eligible students. Some security firms and law enforcement agencies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
USIU-Africa Financial Aid

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
JKUAT offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
USIU-Africa Financial Aid
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
USIU-Africa offers financial aid for eligible postgraduate students.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: DeKUT requires Upper Second in Police Science, Military Science, Criminology, Security Studies, or related fields, or Lower Second with postgraduate qualifications or two years experience. JKUAT requires relevant undergraduate degree with Upper Second Class Honours. USIU-Africa requires GPA of 3.0 in IST, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related fields, or GPA 2.5 with additional training and experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, forensic exercises, case study analyses, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering digital security, forensic investigation, cybercrime analysis, and network forensics.
Practical and Laboratory Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through forensic analysis exercises, evidence handling, incident response scenarios, and demonstrating digital security skills.
Research Thesis or Project
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis or project on a digital security and forensics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and security knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and JKUAT (public) offer MSc in Forensics and Security Management or Cyber Security. United States International University Africa (private) offers MSc in Information Security. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in digital security and forensics. Graduates are eligible for CFCE and CISM professional certifications.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and JKUAT (public) offer MSc in Forensics and Security Management or Cyber Security. United States International University Africa (private) offers MSc in Information Security. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in digital security and forensics. Graduates are eligible for CFCE and CISM professional certifications.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Digital Forensics Investigator
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 650,000
Conducts digital forensics investigations, overseeing evidence collection, analysis, reporting, testimony, and managing forensic investigations.
Security Analyst
Very high demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 650,000
Monitors and analyses security, overseeing threats, vulnerabilities, incidents, response, and managing security operations.
Cybercrime Investigator
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Investigates cybercrime, overseeing digital evidence, attribution, case building, and managing cybercrime investigations.
Forensic Auditor
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Conducts forensic audits, overseeing fraud investigation, compliance, evidence, reporting, and managing forensic audits.
Security Consultant
High demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides security consulting, overseeing advisory, assessment, strategy, implementation, and managing security consulting.
Digital Security Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches digital security and forensics at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

EnCase Forensic
SoftwarePrimary
EnCase for digital forensics, covering evidence collection, analysis, reporting, chain of custody, and managing forensic investigations.
Cellebrite UFED
Software
Cellebrite for mobile forensics, covering device imaging, data extraction, app analysis, and managing mobile forensics.
FTK Forensic Toolkit
Software
FTK for digital forensics, covering evidence analysis, data recovery, reporting, and managing forensic analysis.
Kali Linux
Software
Kali Linux for security testing, covering penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and managing security testing.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Digital forensics is just about examining computers.
Digital forensics covers comprehensive evidence collection, analysis, chain of custody, mobile forensics, network forensics, cloud forensics, and legal procedures beyond just examining computers.
This programme is only for law enforcement officers.
Digital security and forensics skills are valuable for corporate security, consulting, auditing, compliance, academia, and incident response beyond just law enforcement.
Cybercrime investigation is just about tracking hackers.
Cybercrime investigation covers comprehensive fraud, identity theft, cyberstalking, digital evidence, attribution, and legal procedures beyond just tracking hackers.
Forensic auditing is just about checking financial records.
Forensic auditing covers comprehensive fraud investigation, digital evidence, compliance, audit techniques, and legal testimony.
Security management is just about physical security.
Security management covers comprehensive digital security, risk assessment, governance, policy, compliance, and corporate security management.
Mobile forensics is just about reading text messages.
Mobile forensics covers comprehensive device imaging, app analysis, cloud data, location data, and mobile OS forensics.