Program Overview

Forensic Science Certificate

Program Type

Certificate

Format

On Campus

Estimated Time to Complete

2-3 semesters

Credit Hours

19

The Forensic Science certification program is available to Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry majors. It is designed for students who intend to pursue a career in a crime laboratory or federal agency and prepares you for medical school if you want to become a medical examiner. Our strong curriculum follows the recommendations of the National Institute of Justice and primes you for the American Board of Criminalistics certification test.

Requirements

• A B.S. degree in Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry
• A Forensic Science internship
• The Forensic Science Assessment Test

Why Earn a Forensic Science Certificate?

Advances in technology have created a need for students in basic sciences to apply the tools of technology to a wide variety of criminal investigations.

Marketable Skills

• A thorough grounding in the natural sciences
• How to build upon this background through a series of more advanced science classes
• An appreciation of issues specific to forensic science cultivated through course work and laboratory-based instruction

Forensic Science Certificate Highlights

• UNT has one of only 35 programs accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
• You will receive instruction from nationally certified faculty members who conduct ongoing research in forensic science and have provided expert testimony in high-profile court cases.
• Our strong curriculum follows the recommendations of the National Institute of Justice and primes you for the American Board of Criminalistics certification test.
• Facilities include a criminalistics lab focusing on fingerprint, ballistic, and laser analysis, where students use the same cutting-edge equipment featured in the nation's top crime labs.

Career Outlook

A Certification in Forensic Science at the University of North Texas can lead to careers in:

• Arson investigation
• Ballistics or firearm analysis
• DNA analysis
• Drug and trace analysis

Forensic Science Certificate Courses

• Principles of Forensic Science (3 hrs)
• Criminal Investigations (3 hrs)
• Biomedical Criminalistics (3 hrs)
• Forensic Microscopy (3 hrs)
• Forensic Chemistry (3 hrs)
• Instrumental Analysis (3 hrs)