Choosing the right University/Degree

[Freamon]

Computer Forensics might lead to a more limited career choice - what do you do with it, other than work for the police or state? It sounds like it might be interesting, plus handy to know how to get rid of the evidence if you need to

Computer Networks and Security sounds more like a career option to me - there's more scope that I can think of to go with.

Forensics is pretty big from what I can gather - the govt draws on a lot of specialist skills from the private sector for its investigations, and governments are starting to get pretty big on cracking down on electronic fraud and cyber crime...

[TheFaQQer]

Forensics is pretty big from what I can gather - the govt draws on a lot of specialist skills from the private sector for its investigations, and governments are starting to get pretty big on cracking down on electronic fraud and cyber crime...

So what do you do if you don't want to work for the state? I guess private company that then gets called in by the state - that's where the money might be.

Or selling your services to those that don't want to get caught.

[Freamon]

So what do you do if you don't want to work for the state? I guess private company that then gets called in by the state - that's where the money might be.

Or selling your services to those that don't want to get caught.

Computer Forensics Jobs, Average Salary for Computer Forensics Skills

[SueEllen]

While I agree with that "Computer Networks and Security" sounds much more professional indeed I'm not sure that the content of this course would be that much better, both seem to be quite specialised and relatively high quality courses.

Unfortunately unless you plan on staying local to the university you are going to study at for your first job or two then you are going to find that people in the UK who do the first part of the recruitment process know f*** all about your degree subject in general and will discriminate against your degree title.

If you have seen the posts on here and in the news in the last year about Surf Science, Golf Management and Mining Engineering, you will understand where myself and other posters are coming from.

[DodgyAgent]

I thought Robotics was power electronics, which is a very hard degree to do, and one that you need to go to a top University to study

[SimonMac]

Forensics is pretty big from what I can gather - the govt draws on a lot of specialist skills from the private sector for its investigations, and governments are starting to get pretty big on cracking down on electronic fraud and cyber crime...

So what do you do if you don't want to work for the state? I guess private company that then gets called in by the state - that's where the money might be.

Or selling your services to those that don't want to get caught.

I did a bit of time with West Yorkshire Police, once all the DC/DS's in the High Tech crime unit retired after 30 years they set up private companies offering the same services but at full market rate instead.

My advice would be that its probably too late to get in on the forensics aspect, as for whats the next big thing, if I knew that I would be a millionaire by now.

I am slightly biased in this view as I never went to Uni, I worked my way up from dropping terminals on a desk somewhere, practical experience is always better than a degree. And for the 3/4 years you will be earning (albeit it at a lower wage) you will end up in probably in a slightly better place with experience, and a lot less debt.

[TheFaQQer]

I thought Robotics was power electronics, which is a very hard degree to do, and one that you need to go to a top University to study

Are you implying that Newcastle Polytechnic isn't a top university???

[TheFaQQer]

I did a bit of time with West Yorkshire Police, once all the DC/DS's in the High Tech crime unit retired after 30 years they set up private companies offering the same services but at full market rate instead.

My neighbour did a similar thing - worked in the police, left and set up his own company doing forensics with expertise in road traffic incidents. He's made his (few) million doing it, so maybe PC forensics is the way forward after all.

[SimonMac]

My neighbour did a similar thing - worked in the police, left and set up his own company doing forensics with expertise in road traffic incidents. He's made his (few) million doing it, so maybe PC forensics is the way forward after all.

No doubt there is money in it, however its hard to get into as a new started so a degree is next to worthless when stacked up against the people who have been doing it for years

[DodgyAgent]

Are you implying that Newcastle Polytechnic isn't a top university???

University of Northumbria is hardly on a par with Durham, Oxbridge, Exeter, Warwick, Nottingham, Bristol is it?