Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree

Earn your Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree and join an exciting field that combines science, criminal investigation and law enforcement by working as a civilian Forensic Scientist or Crime Scene Investigator. ICDC College’s Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree online program trains you to solve crimes and help serve justice through the collection and examination of physical evidence. If working with evidence to support criminal investigations sounds exciting, then this new degree program from ICDC College may be right for you!

The Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program teaches students the fundamental theories of criminal justice, criminal and civil law, and science. Students will learn the technical skills needed to work in the forensic science field, such as how to collect and analyze crime scene evidence like blood splatter patterns, fingerprints, tire tracks, shoe impressions, and more, using science to answer questions that support investigators and prosecutors.

Your Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree curriculum includes these courses:

• Fingerprint Analysis and Footwear Impression
• Blood Stain Evidence, DNA and the Criminal Justice System
• Practical Shooting Scene Investigation
• Forensic Investigation of Explosives
• Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime
• Death Investigations

In ICDC College’s online Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program you will learn from experienced professionals who are experts in the field. As an online student, you still benefit from one-on-one interaction with professors and fellow students. Additionally, you can take advantage of ICDC College’s Academic Advising Services and Online Career Services.

The path to your new career as a Forensic Scientist is easier than ever, so call today and begin your education in forensic science! Once the enrollment process is complete, you will be provided with the tools you need to succeed, including online coursework, textbooks, and a new Netbook computer* – all included in the cost of your tuition. Your next step is to log in and learn, at your convenience – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from any location.

Career Services assistance is provided by ICDC College upon completion of the program.

Graduates of ICDC College’s Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program will be qualified candidates for civilian positions in coroner’s and medical examiner’s offices, as well as in research, forensic and crime labs at federal, state and local agencies as forensic specialists and technicians.

ICDC College offers its graduates an employment preparation course prior to graduation. This assists them in finding sources of employment, preparing an effective resume and with interviewing techniques.

Some positions for which our graduates may qualify*:

• Crime Scene Investigator
• Criminalist
• Forensic Technician
• Crime Scene Technician
• Forensic Identification Specialist

Career Services assistance is provided by ICDC College upon completion of the program.

ICDC College offers its graduates an employment preparation course prior to graduation. This assists them in finding sources of employment, preparing an effective resume and interviewing.

Employment:

Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree graduates may be eligible for the following civilian positions:

Crime Scene Investigator: As a crime scene investigator (CSI) you would locate, identify, collect, classify, prepare, preserve and analyze a variety of physical evidence from crime scenes to support the investigations branch of law enforcement. The CSI may also be required to take measurements and photographs of evidence at the scene, as well as create scaled drawings and assist the coroner at death scenes. A CSI sometimes attends autopsies to collect evidence and photograph examinations. Creating written reports of investigations and evidence findings are typically a requirement of this job.

Crime Scene Technician: In the technician role you would work at the crime scene to identify and recover evidence such as latent fingerprints or palm prints, traces of body fluids and DNA samples, and other physical specimens for lab analysis. In this role you would typically be responsible for documenting the crime scene through photos, sketches and diagrams. Writing up reports of all evidence findings is generally required for presentation in court, and the crime scene technician is sometimes called upon to give courtroom testimony.

Criminalist: In this position you would collect and preserve evidence, and perform testing and analysis of physical substances associated with a crime scene. Your task might include analyzing body tissue for the presence of drugs and narcotics, alcohol or poisons; comparing handwriting, printing, and photographs; researching and comparing serial numbers; identifying and comparing fingerprints, shoe prints, foot and palm impressions, and tire treads.

Forensic Technician: As a forensic technician you would work in a laboratory, helping to process evidence collected from crime scenes to support investigators and law enforcement. Your duties might include testing the physical, chemical, serological and bacterial properties of body fluids, water and beverages, food products, wastes, soils and construction materials. A Forensic Technician typically prepares and screens fluids and materials for the presence of contaminants or foreign substances. The technician must accurately prepare chemical reagents and biological media according to standard formulae and solutions, always monitoring expiration of reagents. Some biochemical tests and analyses may require the use of electrophoresis and chromatography.

Forensic Identification Specialist: In this role you would typically assist in collecting physical evidence from a crime scene such as hairs, fibers, fluids and fingerprints for comparison, processing and analysis. Evidence collection for analysis includes making impressions of shoe prints, tire tracks, and other items found at the scene. A forensic identification specialist also documents a crime scene using diagrams, photography, and videography. Additionally, a forensic identification specialist is sometimes asked to serve as an expert witness in court.

The Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program is available at the following campus:

• Online

Completing the courses in ICDC College’s Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program will give you a strong understanding of the fundamentals of the field.

Some of the courses from the Forensic Scientist Associate’s Degree program are:

• Crime Scene Investigations
• Criminal Law, Law & Evidence
• Criminal Profiling & Investigation
• Fingerprint Analysis and Footwear Impression
• Blood Stain Evidence, DNA and the Criminal Justice System
• Practical Shooting Scene Investigation
• Forensic Investigation of Explosives
• Computer Forensics and Cyber Crime
• Death Investigations

OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION:

The occupations this program prepares students to enter by name and SOC code:
Forensic Scientist Technician 19-4092.00; Police Identification and Records Officer 33-3021.02

LINKS:

The links to the occupational profiles on the Department of Labor’s O*Net are:
http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-4092.00
http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.02

COSTS:

Tuition and Fees: $37,667.50
Books and Supplies: included w/ tuition
On campus room and board: N/A

PROGRAM LENGTH:

The program is designed to take 93 weeks to complete.

MEDIAN LOAN, PROGRAM COMPLETION AND PLACEMENT RATES

This program is new. Therefore the number of students who graduate, the number of students who are placed, or the starting salary you can earn after finishing the educational program are unknown at this time. Information regarding general salary and placement statistics may be available from government sources or from the institution, but it is not equivalent to actual performance data.