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Willow Dawn Becker
Criminal Justice vs. Forensic Science
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Criminal justice and forensic science are two degrees often pursued by those with a sincere interest in and passion for the criminal justice system. Indeed, a degree in either of these fields can eventually lead to a career in law enforcement in a number of capacities, including crime scene analysis, crime scene investigation, or as a forensic science technician.
That said, while there are certain similarities between these two areas of study, there are also stark differences that any aspiring student should be aware of. As such, the following information provides an overview of the two fields of study, along with a side-by-side comparison for convenience.
Similarities, Differences, and Overlap
Very often, schools that provide a program in criminal justice will list forensic science as a specialization within the former; as such, students at such an institution can obtain a degree in criminal justice with a focus on forensic science, and obtain a comprehensive knowledge of both. In other cases, however, the degrees offered will be separate, although there may be substantial overlap between the two.
Most importantly, the study of criminal justice and forensic science focuses on the justice system as a whole. Furthermore, a significant amount of time in both fields will likely be devoted to studying crime and its numerous effects.
Beyond this, however, is where the two areas of study begin to differ. While the study of criminal justice focuses on crime, it examines the causes of crime, law enforcement responses, and prevention methods to consider and employ in the future. As such, a student pursuing a degree in criminal justice can expect to take courses in law and legal theory, law enforcement philosophies and theories, sociology and criminal behavior, and other related areas of criminology. A developed understanding of concepts within each of these subfields can help a student of criminal justice apply this to real-world situations, and perhaps even obtain future employment as a police officer or detective, an FBI agent, an immigration officer, or any other member of a law enforcement agency.
In contrast, those studying forensic science will also examine crime, yet from an entirely different perspective. This field of study focuses on applying scientific methods to understand all aspects of a crime, including the perpetrator and the causes. Those studying forensic science are certain to take courses in the physical sciences, such as biology and chemistry, as well as courses related to DNA and fingerprint analysis, crime scene procedures, and other types of forensic analysis.
Because forensic scientists routinely interact with law enforcement, students will likely also take courses on forensic case reporting and investigation techniques. Although there is no single career path for a student in this field, possible future options include employment as a forensic pathologist, toxicologist, evidence technician, or even an intelligence analyst, depending on the level of education the student pursues.
It is readily apparent that a degree in criminal justice is more focused on the theory of crime, crime prevention, and its repercussions on society, while forensic science emphasizes the physical evidence of crime and its importance as evidence. Indeed, it is possible to view a criminal justice program as more akin to a social science, wherein students focus on law and sociology. In contrast, forensic science retains similarities to a lab science program with a greater emphasis on physical evidence analysis, crime, and legal procedures related to crime scene investigation.
These two fields of study do overlap, however, in that they are both focused on crime, its effects and causes, as well as the actions that can be taken thereafter to pursue justice. Finally, while both of these fields of study are often considered synonymous with crime scene investigation (CSI), this is not the case. Indeed, while all three of these fields share significant overlap, a degree in crime scene investigation is more specific. While a CSI program may draw from both criminal justice and forensic science, those interested in working in CSI should expect to undergo additional training in investigative techniques. As such, anyone specifically hoping to work as a crime scene investigator should understand the steps to becoming a CSI before making a final decision.
Side-By-Side Comparison
The following provides a side-by-side comparison of the fields of criminal justice and forensic science, including information on future coursework, available specializations, possible career options, and more. Anyone hoping to obtain a degree in either of these two fields should become familiar with this comparison before deciding on which path to take.
| Criminal Justice | Forensic Science | |
|---|---|---|
| How do the fields define and differentiate themselves? | Criminal justice examines the theory of crime, its causes, and its effects. It generally focuses on a sociological aspect of crime when examining law enforcement and prevention. | Forensic science is a field that utilizes existing scientific methods to examine a crime and its evidence to provide information on its perpetrators and causes. |
| What department is the program typically part of within the educational institution? | This varies based on the institution; in some schools, the criminal justice program may be found within the department of criminal justice or criminology, while in others it may be housed within the school of public affairs, and in others still it may be contained within the department of political science. | The forensic science degree may be part of the department of criminal justice or criminology, although students should be expected to take courses in departments related to natural sciences and lab work. |
| What bodies of knowledge will studies focus on in pursuit of their degree? |
Overall, those pursuing a degree in criminal justice will likely encounter the following areas of study:
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While a student of forensic science will likely take classes related to criminal justice, he or she should expect to be exposed to the following subjects as well:
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| What specializations, if any, are formally available as part of the program? | In some cases, students may be able to specialize in forensic science while pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Other specializations include corrections, policing, homeland security, emergency management, cybercrime, and criminal behavior. | Sometimes forensic science itself is offered as a criminal justice specialization, although in such cases the program tends to emphasize breadth of forensic understanding, whereas standalone forensic science degrees tend to emphasize lab science related to evidence. Specializations might include DNA and serology, toxicology, or death investigation. |
| What established occupations will students be prepared for after receiving a degree? | After obtaining a degree in criminal justice, students will be prepared to work in various law enforcement positions, including as police officers, FBI agents, homeland security or immigration officers, or even border patrol officers, many of which are described in detail by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025). | A forensic science degree may allow a student to pursue employment as a forensic toxicologist, a crime scene or forensic science technician (as described by the BLS), or an intelligence officer, among a number of other vocations. |
| Are there additional educational opportunities available after pursuing an undergraduate degree in this field? | Upon obtaining an undergraduate degree in criminal justice, students may choose to pursue a graduate degree, either in criminal justice or a number of other fields, including law, philosophy, or sociology. | Myriad educational opportunities exist after obtaining an undergraduate degree in forensic science, including graduate programs in forensic science, cybersecurity, digital forensics, and related fields. Undergraduates may also go on to pursue medical degrees if they are interested in careers as forensic pathologists or forensic psychiatrists, for example. |
| What emerging occupations will students be prepared for after receiving a degree? | Because of the importance of future technology in our society, emerging jobs in criminal justice will include positions in computer forensics, as well as homeland security and private security. | Emerging positions available to those with a degree in forensic science may include cybersecurity and digital forensics specialists, as well as roles in overall computer forensics. |
| Name some schools that offer online degrees in these fields. |
The following is a list of eight schools that offer online degree programs in criminal justice: |
The following is a list of eight schools that offer online degree programs in forensic science: |
| The bottom line: what to know. | While the field of criminal justice is expansive and encompasses an extensive array of topics, students in pursuit of a degree in this area of study should expect to become intimately familiar with the criminal justice system, as well as legal theory and philosophy, methods of law enforcement, sociology, and law in general. Overall, a degree in this field prepares a student for a career in a wide range of criminal justice areas (particularly with further specialization), but most commonly in law enforcement, corrections, or homeland security. | Overall, forensic science focuses on analyzing the physical evidence of a specific crime to determine its causes and perpetrators. As such, a student pursuing a degree in this field will develop extensive knowledge of subjects such as chemistry and biology, toxicology, DNA analysis, forensic anthropology and microscopy, forensic pathology, forensic reporting, evidence collection, and evidence maintenance. A degree in forensic science will likely prepare a student for a career as a forensic analyst, crime scene technician, forensic toxicologist, DNA analyst, or other vocation related to forensic science. |
Willow is a blogger, parent, former educator and regular contributor to www.forensicscolleges.com. When she's not writing about forensic science, you'll find her blogging about education online, or enjoying the beauty of Oregon.