Best Forensic Science Schools

Getting a degree in forensic science usually takes about four years, and from there, you can go on to study more specialized areas of forensics, like DNA or firearms, in order to get your master’s degree or even doctorate. However, even with just the most general forensics-related degree, you have a number of options when it comes to career paths. Here are some of the most popular and more interesting types of jobs you can do if you want a career as a forensic science tech:

Laboratories and Law Enforcement

Many forensic science techs work in laboratories, specializing in certain fields to help analyze a crime scene. This is what you’ll most commonly see on television shows, with a team of scientists working to put the pieces of the crime puzzle together. You could work in a lab specifically dealing with forensics, or in more rural areas, some police forces have their own forensics specialist who does the lab work for all cases. You can also work in this career path in the military or receive special training to apply for a job with the FBI.

Education

If you get your doctorate in forensic science technology, you can become a teacher yourself. Working with a forensic science program, you’ll likely teach in your specialty, preparing new students for the job.

Forensic Art

Forensic art is a highly specialized area, but one that has helped to crack cases around the world. Forensic artists recreate faces from skulls and minimal information, work with computer programs to virtually age a picture, create composite images, make animations to help recreate a crime, and do other kinds of imagine to help solve crimes.

Forensic Psychology

One of the most invaluable skills a forensic science tech can have is the ability to profile. With a degree in forensic psychology, you’ll learn about profiling, which can help narrow down your criminal, as well as other skills, relating to interviewing and understanding the motives of crimes.

Environmental Forensics

Environmental forensics is a growing field. This type of forensics is highly involved with chemistry, as well as biology, but deals more with the scene of the crime than with people. Environmental forensic science techs typically get involved with cases dealing with pollution and large corporations.

Forensic Nursing

Not every crime victim dies. When this is the case, forensic nurses are invaluable, as they can provide better care and more insight to the crime than typical nurses. Forensic nurses will talk to patients, record evidence of the crime found on a person, administer rape kits, and otherwise make sure that care for the patient doesn’t conflict with solving the crime.

Pathology and Toxicology

If you want to work in forensics, one of the specialties you can pursue is in pathology and toxicology. These fields deal highly with anatomy and biology, and will have you studying disease, drugs, and toxins in the body. This is an alternative career to becoming a coroner, though in many cases, the coroner does take on the role of pathologist and toxicologist.

These aren’t by any means the only career paths you can take with a bachelor’s degree in forensic sciences. Your specialty can lead you to many different jobs, so it is important to always continue with your education so you qualify for better positions with more responsibility.

Top Online Forensic Tech Degree Programs

Forensic science, or forensics, is a rapidly growing field of criminal investigation whereby forensic technicians employ their technical skills in the field. To become a forensic scientist, students must obtain at least an associate's degree in fields such as criminal investigation, forensic psychology, criminal justice, and more.

BS in Forensic Psychology BS in Crime Scene Investigation Crime Scene Tech Certificate	Kaplan University — At Kaplan University, students can get a forensic science degree in three different concentrations: forensic psychology, crime scene investigation, and crime scene tech. No matter which program you choose, Kaplan will quickly prepare you for a career in forensic science.
BS in Justice & Forensic Science	American InterContinental University — AICU's justice and forensic science program is designed to be a fast-track course that will help anyone segue into a job as a crime scene forensic science analyst after only one year of schooling.
BS in Crime Scene Investigation	South University — South University offers a bachelor's degree in crime scene investigation that allows students to study at their own pace as they work their way toward becoming a criminologist or forensic scientist.
AS in Crime Scene Evidence	Rasmussen College — Rasmussen offers an associate's degree in crime scene evidence that will teach its students investigative skills such as fingerprint analysis, technology used at crime scenes to solve crimes, and more.
MS in Forensic Psychology	Walden University — Walden University offers their master's in forensic psychology degree program fully online. Students of this program will gain insights into how forensic psychologists work with the legal system on reducing criminal behavior within a community. A graduate of this program is well-equipped to become a psychologist in a correctional institution, mental health center, psychiatric facility, child welfare agency, and more.
MA in Forensic Psychology	Argosy University — For those looking for a quick and affordable way to further a career in forensics, the master's degree in forensic psychology offered by Argosy University is worth looking into. With flexible class hours over an online platform, Argosy is suited for ambitious professionals.
AS in Criminal Investigations	Everest University Online — The criminal investigations degree from Everest University is offered online for busy adults who may already have other commitments that keep them out of class during normal hours. The flexible program will give students the skills they need to begin a criminal investigative career after graduation.
AA in Criminal Justice	University of Phoenix — The nation's top online university now offers an associate's degree in criminal justice, providing an affordable option to students seeking quality education in the field of forensic science.
BS in Forensic Investigation	Ellis University Online — The bachelor's degree in forensic investigation from Ellis University will empower students with the skills they need to be able to reconstruct crime scenes using special investigating technology and techniques.
BA in Social Science/Criminal Justice	Ashford University — The social and criminal justice bachelor's degree program at Ashford University is designed to enhance a student's understanding of the criminal justice system and is worth looking into for anyone interested in advancing a career in law enforcement, criminal justice, or forensics.
BSPS in Forensic Science	Duquesne University — Duquesne's forensic science degree program is entirely online, allowing flexibility for students who may not be available for class during normal hours. Despite being wholly online, graduates of this program will still be just as prepared for a career in criminology or forensic science.
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