Forensic Science Basics

If you want to have a degree where one needs a great eye for detail and a great sense of craftiness, then a forensic science degree may work for you. Even though the description of the degree sounds more like fashion school than it is coming from the college of criminal justice, this degree is simply intense, adventurous, and can be very rewarding upon completion.

CSI Degree: Far from the Television Shows 

There are a lot of things that you can come up when it comes to the idea of Crime Scene Investigation and a forensic science degree. You may come up with shows like Law and Order, the 3 Types of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or Criminal Minds. You may think that you’ll be living out your life as Jack Bauer on 24 or as Horatio in CSI: Miami.

However, this is not really the case when it comes to Crime Scene Investigation. You’ll actually be spending hours upon hours in the crime scene to gather evidence, days in the laboratory analyzing pieces of evidence one by one, and weeks questioning every person who is involved in the crime that you are investigation for. Unlike the 24-hour period that comes with these crime dramas, a career in crime scene investigation is not as glamorous as you may see it on television shows, but is just as intense and as promising in real life.

Requirements for a Career in Crime Scene Investigation

Getting recognized as part of the field of crime scene investigation is very simple. All you have to do is to enroll in a four-year forensic science degree course, with an expertise in a certain area of crime scene investigation. You may specialize in criminal justice, or in areas such as science, where you are responsible for the analysis of evidence.

After completing your degree from a reputable university, college or school, you may then pursue an internship in order to increase your experience in the field of crime scene investigation. One of the most practical places to have an internship is your local police department. Through an internship in your local police department, you can have a feel of the crimes that are being committed in your area and what are the things that you can do as a forensic science degree holder to prevent these crimes or at least, to solve them.

Forensic Science Degree Career Opportunities

Basically, there is only one area where a degree that is in relation to crime scene investigation will work. A person who holds a degree in forensic science and some pertinent experience can enter the field of criminal investigation. You can then be referred to as a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) or a Scene of the Crime Officer (SOCO), depending on the area that you are living in.

Forensic Science Degree Disadvantages

Even if the field of Crime Scene Investigation seems promising, there are a few things that lean toward the disadvantage of a forensic science degree as a way to enter the field of Crime Scene Investigation. For one thing, a Crime Scene Investigator may choose to enter the field of CSI through the use of his Bachelor’s Degree in Science, with a major in either Chemistry or Biology. Moreover, not all of the people who have completed a degree in forensic science end up as Crime Scene Investigators themselves; there are a number of these people who have not pursued a career in CSI and opted for another area of expertise, therefore entering a career that is very different from the education that they have pursued and finished.

Salary Expectations for a Forensic Science Degree Holder

But for those who are successful in pursuing their degree in forensic science and has entered the area of Crime Scene Investigation, there seems to be a sense of reward when it comes to the salary that one can get. A Crime Scene Investigator may rake in a small amount of money in a year, to the tune of $30,000 dollars. But, a Crime Scene Investigator who is an expert in his or her field and has gained enough professional experience can hope for a six-figure salary accumulated throughout the year.

As you can see, a degree in forensic science can help you go places in the field of Crime Scene Investigation and Criminal Justice. However, the same degree can also work against you, especially if you are uncertain upon entering college. Therefore, all of those people who would like to pursue a degree in forensic science to become a Crime Scene Investigator should follow these steps and have the passion for solving crimes so that they can be successful in their goal of becoming a recognized part of the elite team of CSIs around the country, if not the world.