Program Overview

Forensic Science Biology Degree

Program Overview

The Forensic Science Biology Degree is a Bachelor of Science (B.S.Bio.) program designed to enable students to begin careers in crime laboratories where they will apply the latest scientific techniques to uncover evidence. The program also prepares students for medical school if they want to pursue careers as medical examiners.

Program Details

• Program Type: Major
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 4 years
• Credit Hours: 120

Program Objectives

The Forensic Science program strives to:

• Assure a complete and rigorous curriculum designed to develop undergraduate students' understanding of the field of forensic science, critical thinking, and laboratory experience
• Review and update scientific content and forensic techniques to ensure the incorporation of current forensic practices in the curriculum
• Involve students in active inquiry and scholarship, developing a research mindset and desire for continuation within the field
• Foster learning in a community environment through research and internship opportunities
• Encourage student involvement in professional societies to enhance appreciation of chosen field

Marketable Skills

• Oral and written communication
• Data collection and analysis
• Teamwork
• Basic scientific computational competencies
• In-depth knowledge of biological sciences

Program Highlights

• Facilities include a new criminalistics lab focusing on fingerprint, ballistic, and laser analysis.
• The strong curriculum follows the recommendations of the National Institute of Justice and primes students for the American Board of Criminalistics certification test.
• Students learn from nationally certified faculty members who conduct ongoing research in forensic science and have provided expert testimony in high-profile court cases.
• The program is one of only 35 accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, meeting or exceeding high standards for excellence in education.
• Faculty members work closely with students to help find an internship that fits their interest area. Internships are available in crime labs, crime scene investigations, forensic anthropology, forensic chemistry labs, and forensic DNA/genetics labs.
• Students use the same cutting-edge equipment featured in the nation's top crime labs.

Career Outlook

Forensic scientists work in crime laboratories as forensic chemists and biologists. Their jobs may include:

• Applying principles and techniques of the physical and natural sciences to the analysis of the many types of evidence that may be recovered during a criminal investigation
• Providing expert court testimony. An expert witness is called on to evaluate evidence based on specialized training and experience, then express an opinion as to the significance of the findings
• Participating in training law enforcement personnel in the proper recognition, collection, and preservation of physical evidence

Other specialized forensic science careers outside the crime laboratory include:

• Forensic pathology
• Forensic anthropology
• Forensic entomology
• Forensic psychiatry
• Forensic odontology
• Forensic engineering

Program Courses

• Principles of Forensic Science (3 hrs) Designed to reinforce knowledge of forensic techniques and skills critical to evidence preservation and collection. It will also provide students with an understanding of professional ethics in forensic science and courtroom techniques.
• Forensic Microscopy (3 hrs) Introduction to microscopic analysis with emphasis on the fundamentals necessary for identification and characterization of trace evidence materials such as glass, hair, fibers, explosives, soil, paint, and biological samples.
• Forensic Molecular Biology Laboratory (3 hrs) Experiments in evidence processing and forensic DNA analysis. Lectures and exercises include DNA extraction techniques, DNA quantification, PCR amplification of polymorphic nuclear and mtDNA loci, and fragment analysis utilizing capillary electrophoresis.
• Biomedical Criminalistics (3 hrs) Survey of the various forensic sciences with emphasis on direct examination of human remains and directly related biological evidence; e.g., anthropology, pathology, odontology. Students learn how cases arise, i.e., how remains are located, recovered, and processed.
• Forensic Science Analysis (4 hrs) Designed to provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of today’s crime laboratories and investigative techniques used in the proper collection, preservation, and analysis of evidence.
• Forensic Chemistry (3 hrs) Analytical chemistry applied to forensic science. Statistics and error analysis of drugs and physical evidence. Identification and analysis of forensic evidence through absorption and transmission spectroscopy, chromatography (TLC, HPLC, GC), electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and atomic emission and analysis.