Forensic Science Preparation at UHMānoa

(Text compiled from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences website www.aafs.org, and the UHM 2007-2008 catalog.)

Forensic Science Degrees
Coursework
Entrance Exam
What makes a strong candidate?
Additional Information
Programs Accredited by the AAFS Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission
Downloadable Brochure

Forensics is more of a field than a profession. Forensic scientists come from a wide variety of professions -- technicians, researchers, dentists, law enforcement officers, medical doctors -- to work closely with law enforcement agencies to analyze criminal cases.

Forensics scientists determine causes and time of death and presence or absence of criminal action. Specializations include forensic entomologists, who use knowledge of insects and their habitat to determine time and location of death; forensic toxicologists, who analyze body fluids for evidence of alcohol, drugs or poisons; and forensic odontologists, who compare dental records with remains to identify a body.

Forensic scientists attend crime scenes and work in laboratories, offices, and morgues. Depending on their preparatory profession, they may perform autopsies, analyze DNA and dental remains, or create toxicology reports. Forensic specialists may also be called to testify as witnesses in court trials.

Forensic scientists work for federal, state and local government, private forensic laboratories, hospitals, universities, police departments, coroner offices, and as independent consultants. Employment positions included medical examiners, coroners, and independent consultants.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) divides Forensic Science into the following ten specializations:

Criminalistics. Criminalists are trained to collect, examine, and interpret physical evidence and usually work at crime scenes. Responsibilities include examining hair, fibers, blood, alcohol, drugs, paint, glass, and flammable; restoring smeared or smudged markings; identify firearms; and comparing bullets, tool markings, and footprints. Using chemicals and instruments, criminalists separate important from irrelevant evidence. Typical foundational programs are Medical Technology, Chemistry, Microbiology, and Physics.

Engineering Sciences. Forensic engineers provide evidence for legal issues around structural analysis, including accident reconstruction, causes and origins of fires or explosions, quality evaluation of construction or manufacturing, and maintenance problems. Typical foundational programs are Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics.

General. General forensic scientists specialize in laboratory investigation, field investigation, clinical work, computer investigation, research, and other emerging forensic science disciplines. General forensic scientists are employed in numerous areas of forensic activity, including administration, archaeology, computer science, marine biology, social work, and speech science. Typical foundational programs are Law Enforcement, Information and Computer Science, Medical Technology, Chemistry, Anthropology, Marine Biology, Social Work, Psychology, and Speech Pathology and Audiology.

Jurisprudence. Prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges often work with forensic evidence and must call upon expert witnesses to give testimony in criminal and civil cases. These legal professionals must be aware of the laws and standards that dictate the admissibility of forensic evidence in court proceedings. A typical foundational program is Jurisprudence.

Odontology. Forensic odontologists identify the human remains of missing and unknown persons using their dental records. These specialists are involved in autopsy examinations and conduct bite mark analysis in cases of assault, rape, and homicide. Injury analysis concerning the presence or extent of injury or physical neglect may also fall within the scope of forensic odontology. A typical foundational program is Dentistry.

Pathology/Biology. Forensic pathologists investigate crime scenes, and perform autopsies, to determine the cause of a person’s, work closely with other forensic science professionals, including criminalists, forensic odontologists, forensic anthropologists, and toxicologists. A typical foundational program is Medicine.

Physical Anthropology. Forensic anthropologists document the age, gender, stature, race, and other characteristics of skeletal remains. Forensic anthropologists are often skilled in facial reproduction (modeling how a face may have appeared) and can estimate the amount of time elapsed since death by examining the degree of body decomposition and insect remains (entomology). Typical foundational
programs are Anthropology and Medicine.

Psychiatry & Behavioral Science. Forensic psychiatrists and psychologists are involved with legal issues such as an individual’s criminal responsibility, competence to cooperate with an attorney, capacity to abide by terms of probation, and degree of future dangerousness. Typical foundational programs are Medicine and Psychology.

Questioned Documents. Document examiners or materials specialists analyze documents and related materials, including ink, paper, toner, and ribbons. Document examiners answer questions regarding manufacturing sources, similarities or differences between documents, production dates, and date of use. Typical foundational programs are Chemistry, Physics, and History.

Toxicology. Forensic toxicologists are concerned with whether prescription or illegal drugs and/or alcohol lead or contributed to the person’s death or to a crime. There are several areas of specialization: postmortem toxicologists determine the contribution of drugs or other chemicals to the circumstances of death, while others work with law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes in which drug or alcohol use may be a factor. Typical foundational programs are Chemistry, Medical Technology, Pharmacology (Medicine), and Pharmacy.

Forensic Science Degrees

Forensic science is an umbrella term that describes the application of various fields to criminal investigations. Consequently, there is no "typical" timeline: each career within forensic science has its own unique path and educational requirements, ranging from Associate degrees to graduate or medical degrees. Training can begin at the Associate or Bachelor level, but most forensic careers require graduate degrees. In every career, higher degrees offer greater opportunities for promotion, administrative/managerial work, and new assignments, as well as higher salaries.

Coursework

Forensic scientists usually hold a Bachelor and/or Master degree in the natural and/or social sciences. Common majors include Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Microbiology, Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Computer Sciences, Medical Technology, Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology. Students planning to attend professional school must complete all of their school's "prerequisites," i.e., courses required for admission. Remember that prerequisites vary from school to school, so you must research which prerequisites you will need.

Entrance Exam

Students planning to attend professional or graduate school will need to take the entrance exam required for their school. Entrance exams may include the DAT, LSAT, MCAT, or GRE. Once you know which test(s) you will need to take, PAC has resources to help you prepare.

What makes a strong candidate?

According to the AAFS, the goal of forensic science is "the evenhanded use of all available information to determine the facts and, subsequently, the truth." Legal decisions deeply impact people’s lives and well‐being. Students interested in forensic science should continually evaluate themselves, work to improve their weaknesses, and strive to develop judgment, dependability, conscientious habits, and a solid ethical foundation.

Are you likely to become a good forensic scientist?

Forensic scientists should have:

high attention to detail
intellectual curiosity
the ability to apply scientific knowledge to solve complex real‐life problems
willingness and ability to perform laboratory work to very high quality standards
excellent oral and written communication skills
excellent note‐taking skills
the ability to write comprehensible scientific reports
a conscientious work ethic
high ethical and moral standards
demonstrated maturity (judgment, responsibility, dependability, integrity)
strong letters of recommendation from faculty and character references
experience relevant to forensic science and sufficient for an understanding of the profession

Additional Information

UHMānoa's Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for a career in forensic science.

UHM's Biology Club	www2.hawaii.edu/~bioclub bioclub@hawaii.edu
UHM's Chemistry Club	www2.hawaii.edu/~chemclub chemclub@hawaii.edu
UHM's Manoa Pre-Law Association (MPLA)	www2.hawaii.edu/~mpla mpla@hawaii.edu
UHM's Pre-Medical Association (PMA)	www.hawaii.edu/premed premed@hawaii.edu
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)	www.aafs.org
National Center for Forensic Science	www.ncfs.org
The Internet Pathology Laboratory for Medical Education (examples of cases)	library.med.utah.edu/WebPath

Programs Accredited by the AAFS Forensic Science Education Programs
Accreditation Commission

Albany State University BS Degree in Forensic Science Albany, GA asurams.edu/coshp/forensicscience (229) 430‐4864	Michigan State University MS Degree Program (biology and chemistry tracks) East Lansing, MI www.forensic.msu.edu (517) 353‐7133
Arcadia University MS Degree Program in Forensic Science Glenside, PA www.arcadia.edu (215) 572‐4140	University of Mississippi BS Degree in Forensic Chemistry University, MS www.olemiss.edu/depts/chemistry/undergraduate/bs_forensic.php (662) 915‐5143
Cedar Crest College BS Degree Program in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and Genetic Engineering with a concentration in Forensic Science Allentown, PA www.cedarcrest.edu (610) 606‐4666, ext. 3567	Ohio University BS Degree in Forensic Chemistry Athens, OH www.ohio.edu/chemistry/forensic (740) 517‐8458
Eastern Kentucky University BS Degree Program in Forensic Science Richmond, KY www.forensicscience.eku.edu (859) 622‐2908	SUNY at Albany MS Degree in Forensic Molecular Biology Albany, NY www.albany.edu/biology/forensics (518) 442‐4300
Florida International University Certificate Programs in Conjunction with the BS in a Natural Science such as Chemistry or Biology Miami, FL www.fiu.edu/~ifri (305) 348‐3917	Viriginia Commonwealth University BS Degree in Forensic Science Richmond, VA www.has.vcu.edu/forensics (804) 828‐8420
Florida International University MS Degree Program in Forensic Science Miami, FL www.fiu.edu/~ifri (305) 348‐6246	Viriginia Commonwealth University MS Degree in Forensic Science Richmond, VA www.has.vcu.edu/forensics (804) 828‐8420
Marshall University MS Degree Program in Forensic Science Huntington, WV forensics.marshall.edu (304) 690‐4363, ext. 201	West Chester University BS Degree Program in Forensic and Toxicological Chemistry West Chester, PA www.wcupa.edu (610) 436‐2780
Metropolitan State College of Denver BS Degree Program in Chemistry with a concentration in Criminalistics Denver, CO www.mscd.edu (303) 556‐2855	West Virginia University BS Degree Forensic and Investigative Science Program Morgantown, WV www.wvu.edu/~forensic (304) 293‐3169