The Forensic Science Education Blog

Forensics Colleges interviewed three prominent professors on the future of their field in the wake of the PCAST report. What follows is a discussion of what aspiring forensics students can do to ensure that they’re channeling their efforts into trusted, reliable branches of this exciting field.

This guide examines the bright career outlook in forensic science and related occupations, as well as accredited educational programs, professional certification, and top employers across four high-growth forensic science subfields: trace evidence, ballistics, toxicology, and DNA.

While many assume that a degree in criminal justice leads to a career in law enforcement, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Learn more.

At any crime scene, tiny bits of information can be the difference between freedom and a life behind bars. From blood spatter patterns to DNA sequencing, forensic biology is the incredible field where crimes are analyzed at a molecular level.

When there is only half a sandwich as crime scene evidence, forensic chemists are the best source for getting real criminal data; forensic chemistry is still a relatively new field, and these professors are helping to define how chemistry may be used to gather and substantiate evidence.

Although police officers depend on forensic science to be able to accurately solve cases, not every city truly embraces forensic scientists as full members of the investigation team. Fortunately, some of the best police departments in the US are making aggressive moves to increase the access that officers have to skilled forensic professionals.

According to the APA, forensic psychology is “the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena” and the very breadth of this definition helps to explain why there are so many different opportunities and paths in the field.

From the hacking of female celebrities’ phones to the massive cyberattack on Sony that ignited geopolitical tensions, it’s clear that cybercrime is on the rise and here to stay. Like diseases which evolve to render antibiotics ineffective, the nature of these crimes adapts in response to improving cybersecurity tactics, and the sheer variety and hybrid nature of virtual thefts, denials of service, and other methods is unprecedented.

Everything from health records to personal correspondence now comes in its own digital package and can easily be transmitted to any corner of the globe with just the push of a button, and while this certainly makes things convenient for everyday activities, it can also be a convenient conduit for criminal activity.

Find a list of top online master’s degrees in forensic psychology, and learn more about their curricula and online experience.

With criminal justice being an issue that pervades all levels of society and indeed all reaches of the world, those that teach and study it have the opportunity to contribute in many different ways.

Browse our list of forensics & CSI programs based in and around Washington, DC, and learn more about the programs offered.

The massive volume of electronic data produced and stored has created new and exciting career opportunities in emerging fields like cyber security and computer forensics. Electronic Discovery (E-Discovery) is a means of combatting cybercrime, and more specifically a specialization of computer forensics that deals with collecting, producing and recovering Electronically Stored Information (ESI) as part of a lawsuit or ongoing investigation.

The job of an arson investigator is essential when it comes to determining the cause of any suspicious fire. Arson investigators may work for fire departments, law enforcement agencies, or even insurance companies. While most training was once done “on the job” the tides have since shifted towards more formal, academic training in investigative procedures and fire science.

Crime scene investigators have an impact out in the field, but also in the lab and even in the courtroom, providing testimony or expert opinion. The crime scene investigator (CSI) professors on our list come from a variety of backgrounds with many, but not all, having extensive service in law enforcement or for a police agency.