Computer forensics education and training is an up and coming area of study that is interesting and applicable to our current legal world. If you choose this study path, you can look forward to finding the root of hacker attacks, collecting computer evidence for court cases and protecting business assets and reputations.

Computer forensics education and training is available in many forms including online computer forensics training as well as computer forensics education programs through major universities and community colleges.

To determine if computer forensics training is right for you:

1. Determine how much time you have to put towards your computer forensics training. Would an online course of study fit your schedule better? Can you commit to computer forensics courses on a full-time basis?

2. Create a budget to adequately cover your computer forensics courses and expenses. Figure in tuition, books, travel costs and room and board if you go away to a school.

3. Factor distance into your decision. You many find hard drive evidence training closer to home, but you may find better education for computer forensics if you travel to a university setting.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find your next computer forensics class through a computer forensics training directory

Instead of hitting Yahoo or Google, find your next computer forensics class through an industry directory.

I recommend: Check out The Electronic Evidence Information Center for an alphabetical listing of educational institutions that offer courses and degree programs in digital and computer forensics. Go to World Wide Learn to not only find university options but descriptive industry information as well.

Take online computer forensics training

For ease and flexibility of time, consider taking your next computer forensics education and training course through an online institution.

I recommend: Check out what Gatlin Education Services has to offer for online computer forensics training. Find computer forensics training from InfoSec Institute. Look at the multitude of online courses from CompuForensics.

Study computer forensics education on a campus

For those looking to go away to college, you can easily find schools with computer forensics education majors.

I recommend: Champlain College out of Burlington, VT, offers a Computer & Digital Forensics major. The University of Rhode Island, Dept. of Computer Science offers undergraduate through PhD levels of computer forensics education programs. Marshall University Forensic Science Center offers degrees with an "Emphasis in Computer Forensics." You can work towards an Associate in Applied Science in Computer Forensics from Community College of Beaver County.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking at universities with computer forensics training, speak with both their faculty and their students. A school may be ranked as one of the best computer forensics education programs, but if their students don't feel that the experience has been rewarding for them, you might consider a different school.