Forensic Science Colleges Accredited Programs and Syllabus

If you are interested in a career in forensic science, you will need to earn a degree from pne of the accredited forensic science colleges. Although there are Associates degree programs, it is best to get a Bachelors or Masters degree from a university that is accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). The Bachelors degree programs usually take at five years to complete.

Before choosing an FEPAC accredited forensic science school, be sure to check out all of the available programs. Different programs have different focuses, and are aimed toward preparing people for different forensics jobs. Bachelors degrees are usually meant for those who wish to work in a lab but not supervise. The Masters program at SUNY Albany is focused on preparing people to work in DNA labs, while the forensic science degree at Cedar Crest College is more focused on crime scene investigation.

Those wishing to get a forensic science degree would do well to start preparing while they are still in high school by taking as many science classes as they can, and participating in things like debate clubs to get their oral skills up to par. If there is no Bachelors degree program in Forensics available to you, get a degree in Biology or Chemistry.

In order to gain admittance into one of the colleges that result in a forensic science masters degree, students must have taken classes such as Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Calculus, Physics, Biostatistics and Immunology. They need to have taken the GRE exam and have a Bachelors degree. Work experience in forensics is helpful. At Cedar Crest College, those accepted to the Masters program who don't have work experience need to take three extra courses: Crime Scene Reconstruction and Pattern Analysis, Trace Evidence and Microscopy, and Forensic Molecular Biology and Population Statistics.

When choosing a program for a forensic technician, you should also be sure to check that it is affiliated with a lab where you can gain experience in the different techniques you will be learning about. Most accredited programs also include a research or internship component which will be helpful to you in gaining experience while you work toward your forensic science degree.

One thing you should know before applying to forensic science colleges - you need to have a squeaky clean background. Due to the nature of the work most employers will insist that you have no criminal record and no history of drug use. You will most likely have to submit to a background check, fingerprinting, drug testing, and a polygraph test in order to get a job. Louis Zhang, Certforensictechnician dot com

Forensic Science Technician Jobs Opportunities And Salary

If you are interested in forensic science technician jobs, and have completed a degree program in forensics (or chemistry or biology with a concentration in forensics, depending on what was available to you), there are a lot of places where you can look to try to find available forensic science technician jobs.

Before starting your job search for forensic science technician jobs, it might be useful for you to go to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics website to find out what type of salary you should expect for different types of positions in different locations.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences lists forensic science technician jobs on their website. There aren't necessarily a lot of positions posted here at any one time, but it is a good place to start your search.

You can also look for forensic science technician jobs on general job search websites. However, as there are many possible titles for these jobs, you should be sure to search under all the possibilities. These include: Ballistic Expert, Ballistician, Forensic Ballistics Expert, Crime Lab Technician, Crime Laboratory Analyst, Crime Scene Analyst, Crime Scene Investigator, Crime Scene Technician, Crime Specialist, Criminalist, Criminologist, Evidence Technician, Fingerprint Classifier, Fingerprint Expert, Forensic Chemist, Forensic Investigator, Forensic Pathology, Forensic Scientist, Keeler Polygraph Operator, Latent Fingerprint Examiner, Lie Detector Operator, Polygraph Examiner, Polygraph Operator, Ballistic Technician, Evidence Technician, and Forensic Science Technician, among others.

Different forensic science technician jobs focus on different aspects of the job. You might want to concentrate on applying for the forensic science technician jobs which require the skills you have the most experience with, or enjoy the most. If you have a lot of experience with polygraph tests, it might be better to apply for a Polygraph Examiner Position rather than a more general Forensic Science Technician.

Forensic Science Technician Salary

According to Payscale.com, if you are just getting started out on your career, you can expect to make a median salary of $30,000 to $40,000 per year. Those with 10 years experience in forensic science technician jobs have a median salary of $64,998 per year, so experience definitely makes a difference in salary for this career.

Working for the federal government is also likely to pay more than working for state and local governments or a university. Location also makes a difference, with those working in some cities making much more than those in other cities. Louis Zhang, Certforensictechnician dot com