Computer Science

Digital forensics is the science of recovering, preserving, and analysing digital evidence from computers, networks, and other electronic devices, used in criminal investigations, civil litigation, cybersecurity incident response, and fraud detection. It requires both rigorous technical skills in computer science and the procedural discipline to ensure that evidence is handled in a way that will stand up in legal proceedings.

At Keele University this three-year full-time programme integrates digital forensics within a computer science degree, giving you the foundational knowledge in algorithms, programming, operating systems, and networks that underpins specialist forensic work. You will study the principles and practice of forensic investigation, including evidence acquisition, file system analysis, network forensics, mobile device forensics, and the legal and ethical frameworks within which digital forensic work takes place. You will develop programming skills alongside practical forensic competence, so that you understand not just how forensic tools work but the computational logic behind them.

The programme includes a sandwich year with a work placement and the option of a year abroad, giving you a full year of professional experience alongside the opportunity to study in an international context. The combination of technical training, real-world placement, and international experience significantly strengthens your position in the graduate market.

Graduates go on to careers in digital forensics, cybersecurity, law enforcement, financial fraud investigation, incident response, and risk management. The skills you develop are relevant across the public sector, including policing and intelligence agencies, as well as private sector firms in cybersecurity, professional services, and technology. Many also continue to postgraduate study in cyber security, computer science, or forensic computing.