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Master of Science in Forensics and Security Management

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

Core areas include forensic science, security management, crime investigation, cybercrime, digital forensics, criminology, risk management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, laboratory sessions, and research.

The programme is offered by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology as MSc in Forensics and Security Management through the Institute of Criminology, Forensics and Security Studies, and the Open University of Kenya as MSc in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics. Both are public universities offering programmes through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in forensic investigation, security management, cybercrime analysis, digital forensics, and risk assessment. The programme includes coursework, examinations, practical sessions, and a supervised research thesis, with specialisations in Security Management, Corporate Forensics, and Cybercrime Investigation.

Dedan Kimathi University of Technology charges fees for a 3-year programme, with specific fees not independently verified. The Open University of Kenya charges approximately KES 93,750/year (KES 187,500 total) for MSc in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics over 2 years. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in Police Science, Military Science, Criminology, Security Studies, or related disciplines from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as forensic analysts, security managers, cybercrime investigators, corporate security consultants, risk managers, and lecturers in forensics and security across government agencies, security firms, corporate organisations, law enforcement, and universities.

Skills Required

Forensic Science and Crime Investigation
Security Management and Risk Assessment
Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Analysis
Criminology and Criminal Behaviour Analysis
Corporate Security and Loss Prevention
Intelligence Analysis and Threat Assessment
Incident Response and Crisis Management
Security Policy and Compliance
Research Methods in Forensics and Security
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Forensic Science and Crime Investigation
Security Management and Risk Assessment
Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Analysis
Criminology and Criminal Behaviour Analysis
Corporate Security and Loss Prevention
Intelligence Analysis and Threat Assessment
Incident Response and Crisis Management
Security Policy and Compliance
Research Methods in Forensics and Security
Thesis Research

Certifications

IAFS Forensic Certification
EC-Council Cybersecurity Certification

Specializations

Security Management

Focuses on security management, covering operations, personnel, physical, corporate, and managing security management.

Corporate Forensics

Examines corporate forensics, covering fraud, investigation, evidence, compliance, and managing corporate forensics.

Cybercrime Investigation

Covers cybercrime investigation, covering digital evidence, network, malware, and managing cybercrime investigation.

Digital Forensics

Focuses on digital forensics, covering acquisition, analysis, preservation, reporting, and managing digital forensics.

Criminology

Examines criminology, covering theories, behaviour, victimology, justice, and managing criminological analysis.

Risk Management

Covers risk management, covering assessment, mitigation, continuity, insurance, and managing security risk.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 93,750
Job market: 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

Forensic Science and Crime Investigation
Security Management and Risk Assessment
Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Analysis
Criminology and Criminal Behaviour Analysis
Corporate Security and Loss Prevention
Intelligence Analysis and Threat Assessment
Incident Response and Crisis Management
Security Policy and Compliance
Research Methods in Forensics and Security
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Foundations of Forensic Science and Investigation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines evidence, crime scene, analysis, documentation, chain of custody, and managing forensic investigation.
Security Management and Operations
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers operations, personnel, physical, corporate, risk, and managing security management.
Research Methods in Forensics and Security
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, forensics research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Criminology and Criminal Behaviour
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines theories, behaviour, victimology, justice, prevention, and managing criminological analysis.
Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Investigation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers acquisition, analysis, preservation, reporting, tools, network, malware, and managing digital forensics and cybercrime.
Corporate Forensics and Fraud Investigation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines fraud, investigation, evidence, compliance, financial, and managing corporate forensics.
Risk Assessment and Threat Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers assessment, mitigation, continuity, insurance, threat, and managing security risk.
Intelligence Analysis and Security Strategy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines collection, analysis, threat, assessment, strategy, and managing intelligence.
Security Policy, Law and Compliance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers policy, law, regulations, compliance, governance, and managing security policy.
Incident Response and Crisis Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines response, crisis, continuity, recovery, communication, and managing incident response.
Advanced Cybercrime and Network Forensics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers network, malware, memory, cloud, mobile forensics, and managing advanced cybercrime investigation.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a forensics and security topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and forensics knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Security Management
Focuses on security management, covering operations, personnel, physical, corporate, and managing security management.
Corporate Forensics
Examines corporate forensics, covering fraud, investigation, evidence, compliance, and managing corporate forensics.
Cybercrime Investigation
Covers cybercrime investigation, covering digital evidence, network, malware, and managing cybercrime investigation.
Digital Forensics
Focuses on digital forensics, covering acquisition, analysis, preservation, reporting, and managing digital forensics.
Criminology
Examines criminology, covering theories, behaviour, victimology, justice, and managing criminological analysis.
Risk Management
Covers risk management, covering assessment, mitigation, continuity, insurance, and managing security risk.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Forensics and Security Management programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, case studies, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover forensic science, security management, cybercrime, digital forensics, and criminology. Forensic science sessions examine evidence, crime scene, analysis, documentation, and managing forensic investigation. Security management sessions cover operations, personnel, physical, corporate, risk, and managing security management. Cybercrime sessions cover digital crime, network, malware, social engineering, and managing cybercrime investigation. Digital forensics sessions cover acquisition, analysis, preservation, reporting, tools, and managing digital forensics. Criminology sessions cover theories, behaviour, victimology, justice, and managing criminological analysis. Corporate forensics sessions cover fraud, investigation, evidence, compliance, and managing corporate forensics. Risk management sessions cover assessment, mitigation, continuity, insurance, and managing security risk. Intelligence sessions cover collection, analysis, threat, assessment, and managing intelligence. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with digital forensics tools, evidence analysis, and cybercrime investigation. Case studies provide opportunities for analysing real forensic and security scenarios. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with forensic tools, security systems, and investigation techniques. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in forensics and security and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced forensic analysts, security managers, and law enforcement professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a forensics and security topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for forensics and security professionals with rising cybercrime, corporate fraud, and security threats in Kenya.
Programme offered by DeKUT through specialised Institute of Criminology, Forensics and Security Studies (ICFOSS).
Open University of Kenya offers competitive fees at approximately KES 93,750/year for MSc in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics.
Graduates are eligible for IAFS and EC-Council certifications, enhancing career prospects in forensics and cybersecurity.

Against it

DeKUT specific forensics and security management fees not independently verified.
DeKUT programme takes 3 years, longer than typical 2-year master's programmes.
No private university confirmed offering this specific programme.
Programme requires police science, military, criminology, or security studies background, limiting 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 331 business courses

Public94k to 94k

94k at The Open University of Kenya94k at The Open University of Kenya

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

OUK 93.75K/yr (OUK fee schedule, MSc Cyber Security & Digital Forensics). Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. DeKUT may offer postgraduate scholarships. DCI and security agencies may offer training grants for security professionals. Some corporate organisations may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DeKUT Postgraduate Scholarship
DCI Training Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
DeKUT Postgraduate Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
DeKUT offers postgraduate scholarships for eligible students.
DCI Training Grant
ScholarshipKsh 300,000Kenyan
DCI and security agencies may offer training grants for security professionals.

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 discipline from DeKUT or recognised institution (GPA 3.00/4.00), or Lower Second (GPA 2.50/4.00) with postgraduate qualifications or relevant work experience of more than two years. Applicants not meeting minimum requirements may be required to appear for an interview. OUK requires relevant Bachelor's degree. 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, case study analyses, laboratory reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering forensic science, security management, digital forensics, and criminology.
Practical and Laboratory Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through digital forensics exercises, crime scene analysis, investigation simulations, and demonstrating forensics skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a forensics and security topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and forensics 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 the Open University of Kenya (both public) offer MSc programmes in Forensics and Security Management and Cyber Security and Digital Forensics respectively. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in forensics and security. Graduates are eligible for IAFS forensic certification and EC-Council cybersecurity certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and the Open University of Kenya (both public) offer MSc programmes in Forensics and Security Management and Cyber Security and Digital Forensics. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in forensics and security. Graduates are eligible for IAFS forensic certification and EC-Council cybersecurity certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Forensic Analyst
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts forensic analysis, overseeing evidence, investigation, analysis, reporting, and managing forensic investigation.
Security Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages security operations, overseeing personnel, physical, corporate, risk, and managing security management.
Cybercrime Investigator
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Investigates cybercrime, overseeing digital evidence, network, malware, and managing cybercrime investigation.
Corporate Security Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 480,000
Provides security consulting, overseeing assessment, strategy, compliance, and managing corporate security.
Risk Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages security risk, overseeing assessment, mitigation, continuity, and managing risk management.
Forensics Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches forensics and security at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

EnCase
SoftwarePrimary
EnCase for digital forensics, covering acquisition, analysis, preservation, reporting, and managing digital forensics.
Wireshark
Software
Wireshark for network forensics, covering packet capture, analysis, monitoring, and managing network investigation.
FTK Imager
Software
FTK Imager for digital forensics, covering imaging, acquisition, preview, and managing digital evidence.
Maltego
Software
Maltego for intelligence analysis, covering link analysis, visualisation, OSINT, and managing intelligence analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Forensics is just about crime scenes.
Forensics covers comprehensive digital forensics, corporate forensics, cybercrime, and security management beyond just crime scenes.
Security management is just about guards.
Security management covers comprehensive operations, risk, intelligence, policy, and corporate security beyond just guards.
Digital forensics is just about computers.
Digital forensics covers comprehensive mobile, network, cloud, malware, and memory forensics beyond just computers.
Cybercrime investigation is just about hacking.
Cybercrime investigation covers comprehensive digital evidence, network analysis, legal, and procedural aspects beyond just hacking.
Criminology is just about criminals.
Criminology covers comprehensive theories, behaviour, victimology, justice, and prevention beyond just criminals.
This programme is only for police officers.
Forensics and security skills are valuable for corporate security, consultants, analysts, and educators beyond just police officers.