CKQ Examines College Majors: Forensic Science

Each newsletter will provide readers with insight into a specific major that might pique your interest. This segment is all about introducing students to majors (and possibly careers) they may have never considered before. This time around, we will provide information on the Forensic Science major. Special thanks to Collegeboard.org for some of the information provided in this article.

The bevy of NCIS and CSI shows? Criminal Minds? Cold Case Files? 48 Hours: Hard Evidence? Dateline? The list of fictional and non-fictional television shows that place a lens on the work and world of forensic scientists seems to to go on and on. The forensic science major is an interdisciplinary program that applies knowledge of natural sciences, the criminal justice system, and the law to the analysis and evaluation of evidence gathered from a crime or accident scene. You might consider this major if you are good at: attention to detail; math; organizing; quantitative analysis; spacial thinking/analysis; teamwork; or have… manual dexterity; observational skills; patience; writing skills.

Let’s circle the wagons - did you know that forensic scientists, evidence technicians, crime scene investigators, and detectives all have different career paths? Contrary to popular belief (and Hollywood), one person does NOT and cannot do it all.

Typical courses in this major include: Introduction to criminal science, analytical chemistry, human anatomy, instrumental analysis, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, criminal evidence and procedure, criminalistics, crime scene investigation, statistics, care and preservation of evidence, fire investigation, toxicology, forensic anthropology, forensic entomology.

What the study of this major is like: While trace evidence may be tiny, it is often enough to establish the particulars of a crime and lead to its solution. The forensic science major teaches you how to use scientific analysis to tie pieces of evidence to particular sources. Because analytical techniques are constantly improving, forensic scientists can more easily protect the innocent and bring the guilty to justice. In fact, investigators can often crack cases that have gone unsolved for decades.

Your first two years in the BS program are typically like those of a chemistry major or a pre-med student. You take challenging courses in biology, general and inorganic chemistry, and physics, as well as college-level statistics and calculus. Since the chemistry, biology and math courses have sequencing requirements, you will likely begin them in your first semester. You will also take introductory courses in criminal justice, the social sciences, and psychology.

In your third and fourth years, you enroll in specialized lab courses, taught by or in association with forensic scientists, where you apply the scientific principles and techniques from your earlier courses to forensics. These later courses, which sometimes include independent work (such as research projects or internships), provide you with professional skills and career information. In your final year, you usually participate in a field practicum and a capstone seminar project. Although the forensic science major prepares you for direct employment as a laboratory technician, you are generally encouraged to go on to graduate school for further specialization.

Most forensic science programs have developed from existing programs in criminal justice or the natural sciences. There is considerable variation as to which areas they cover in depth. The oldest and largest programs may offer a variety of concentrations, while newer and smaller programs generally focus on one or two of the following subdisciplines:

Forensic biology, which deals with the analysis of blood and other bodily fluids, physical wounds, and body positions; DNA analysis; forensic chemistry, which examines trace evidence, such as hairs, fibers, paint, soil; forensic anthropology, which is concerned with skeletal remains; forensic entomology, which uses insect activity in decomposing bodies to determine place and time of death; forensic toxicology, which analyzes specimens of blood, urine, or tissue for drugs, alcohol, or poison. There are other specializations in such areas as computer crime, fingerprints, firearms and explosives, and footprint, tool and tire impressions.

In terms of employment, the most common options include: forensic lab technician; crime science investigator; latent fingerprint analyst; forensic engineer; forensic chemist; forensic DNA analyst; law enforcement officer.

Demand for forensic science professionals is projected to increase because of new technologies in the field, the needs of homeland security, and legislation requiring DNA and fingerprint sampling from members of certain groups. Prospects are best for those who have a strong background in the basic sciences (especially chemistry) and who are willing to relocate.

One important additional note; start your extra-curricular investigation right away, while still in high school. This is a major that you really need to be sure about. You can always get a degree in forensics beyond the Bachelor’s degree, so make sure you are strong in the sciences and math to start with, them make up your mind.

For more information on this field, please visit:

www.ifsac.org