Frequently Asked Questions

Forensic scientist is a general term for an expert in a particular field that examines evidence for the purpose of presenting his/her finding in a court of law. You should visit the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), which has a wealth of information including “choosing a career.” The field of forensic science is very diverse as are the educational requirements. The majority of forensic scientists work in crime laboratories in the general area called criminalistics. The relative percentages of the fields represented by the AAFS are as follows: Criminalistics (32.1%); Pathology (17.9%); General (11.2%); Toxicology (10.4%); Odontology (8.3%); Anthropology (5.2%); Questioned Documents (5.2%); Engineering (3.4%); Psych./Behavioral Science (3.3%); Jurisprudence (3.1%).

The International Forensic Research Institute, based in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, coordinates a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. At the undergraduate level students can complete a Forensic Science Certificate which accompanies a bachelor’s degree, normally in chemistry or biology, and there is also a B.S. in Chemistry with a Forensic Science Concentration. At the graduate level there is an M.S. in Forensic Science, a report option M.S. in Forensic Science for practicing forensic scientist and students can also complete Ph.D. in Chemistry or Biology working on forensic-related projects. These forensic science programs are designed for students in the natural sciences and, while students may minor in other areas such as criminal justice, these programs are not appropriate for criminal justice majors.