Forensic science applies scientific methods to matters of law. Forensic science technicians may specialize in crime scene work or laboratory analysis, collecting and analyzing evidence such as fingerprints, bodily fluids, trace materials, and substances relevant to an investigation.
If you’d like to pursue a career in this field, read on. We’ve compiled a list of universities with forensic science or closely related programs.
It should be noted that criminology and forensic science are related but distinct fields. Criminology studies crime and delinquency, including their causes, correction, and prevention, while forensic science applies scientific disciplines to matters of law. Let’s take a look at the best forensic science schools in the world!
Top Forensic Science Schools in the World
1. University College London
University College London offers an MSc in Crime and Forensic Science through its Department of Security and Crime Science. The multidisciplinary program covers crime scene investigation, evidence interpretation, experimental design, statistical analysis, and data analysis and modeling. Students can also learn specialist techniques in areas such as forensic archaeology, digital evidence, and forensic geoscience.
Students interested in doctoral research can explore UCL’s Security and Crime Science MPhil/Ph.D. or the integrated Security Science MRes + MPhil/Ph.D. route offered through UCL SECReT. UCL lists forensic sciences among SECReT’s topics of interest.
2. Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University is a public university in the US. It is also included in our guide to public universities in the United States for international students. Penn State offers a B.S. in Forensic Science and an M.P.S. in Forensic Science through the Eberly College of Science.
The programs provide laboratory-intensive curricula and hands-on learning in crime laboratory methods and crime scene investigation techniques.
Undergraduate students can choose forensic molecular biology or forensic chemistry. The two-year M.P.S. also lets students focus on forensic molecular biology or forensic chemistry and requires a research project, paper, and presentation rather than a thesis.
3. University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis offers both undergraduate and graduate options related to forensic science. At the undergraduate level, the Department of Chemistry offers a B.S. in Applied Chemistry, Forensics. The program focuses on identifying and quantitatively analyzing scientific evidence.
UC Davis also offers a research-focused M.S. in Forensic Science with full-time and part-time options. Master’s students can choose a Forensic DNA or Forensic Criminalistics track and complete thesis research with guidance from a thesis committee.
4. Erasmus University Rotterdam
Erasmus University Rotterdam offers an MSc specialization in Forensic and Legal Psychology. This is a closely related psychology program rather than a laboratory forensic science degree. It covers topics such as criminal irresponsibility, the treatment of forensic patients, eyewitness evidence, deception detection, and legal decision-making.
The program is taught in English, runs full-time for one year, and carries 60 EC. Its curriculum includes four core courses, a master’s thesis, and an elective component that can include electives, an internship, or a larger thesis.
5. University of Leicester
The University of Leicester has a significant history in genetics and forensic science: Sir Alec Jeffreys discovered DNA fingerprinting at the university in 1984, and university researchers were involved in identifying the remains of King Richard III.
The university’s M.Sc. in Forensic Science and Criminal Justice is a 27-month, part-time distance-learning program. It teaches students to evaluate and interpret different types of forensic evidence and consider their relevance to police investigations.
6. West Virginia University
Through its Department of Forensic and Investigative Science, West Virginia University offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral options in forensic science. Its undergraduate B.S. choices are Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, and Forensic Examiner. The department also offers an M.S. in Forensic and Investigative Science and a Ph.D. in Forensic Science.
The M.S. requires at least 40 credit hours, including six credit hours of research. The Ph.D. combines advanced coursework with a flexible, research-oriented approach.
We hope that this article on forensic science schools around the world was helpful. For more information like this, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
