Forensic science education can be obtained through various means such as volunteer work, academic training, laboratory experience, and graduate training. Academic training is the most common, but extended lab training and post-certification training are also important. Government organizations offer training opportunities.
A forensic science education goes beyond attending school and earning a degree or certificate. Forensic science education can be obtained in a variety of different settings and through different means, depending on your goals. These methods include volunteer work, academic training, laboratory experience, and graduate training.
Volunteer opportunities for teaching forensic science are available at the discretion of the agency making the offer. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science, for example, accepts volunteers with a stated commitment to provide the volunteer with the necessary training to fulfill the responsibilities he or she signs up for. This is a form of education, although it is not always considered in the options themselves. Volunteering at a forensic science institution can help you decide if this is the career choice you want to make or, if you’ve already started your education, provide an opportunity to grow your skill set.
Academic training is a more standard type of forensic science education. An occasional high school offers a forensic science course, and for some students, their forensic science education may start there. For most people, however, forensic science is more likely to take place at a community college, four-year college or university, or online. And even after earning an undergraduate degree or even an advanced degree, chances are your education will continue as long as you’re in the field.
Depending on your forensic science career goal, the initial training you receive after high school may or may not be specifically in the field of forensic science. It often starts with a bachelor’s degree in the natural sciences, most often biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, or physical anthropology. There are 31 colleges and universities in the United States that offer degrees specifically in forensic science, but most students and degree programs that lead to a career in forensic science do not hold this type of major at that level. The amount of education required will be determined in part by your employer and in part by the certification board if you choose to become certified, which is recommended.
Extended lab training to further your forensic science education is required by certification boards. It is also often offered by employers. Graduate and post-certification training is offered by agencies and institutions, and is the subject of conferences and workshops in which forensic scientists are encouraged to attend. Government organizations such as the FBI’s Forensic Science Research and Training Center and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) provide training opportunities.
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