Crime scene investigator colleges offer the specialized educational programs — in forensic science, criminalistics, forensic chemistry, forensic biology, crime scene investigation, and related disciplines — that prepare graduates for careers collecting, preserving, analyzing, and interpreting the physical evidence on which criminal investigations and prosecutions depend. As a program-selection resource within Criminology and Criminal Justice Education, identifying colleges with strong forensic science programs requires prospective students to look beyond institutional marketing and evaluate the specific factors that determine whether a program produces graduates with the scientific competence, investigative methodology, and legal knowledge that crime scene investigation careers demand. Within the broader field of Criminology, the colleges that train crime scene investigators represent a specialized sector of the educational landscape where the quality of instruction is validated not only by academic accreditation but by forensic-specific program accreditation, professional certification examination pass rates, and the hiring outcomes of graduates in a competitive employment market that rewards actual scientific preparation over superficial forensic coursework.
Introduction
The demand for college-educated crime scene investigators has grown substantially as forensic science has professionalized and as the evidentiary standards for criminal prosecution have risen in response to advances in DNA analysis, digital forensics, and the scientific scrutiny of traditional forensic disciplines. The National Academy of Sciences’ landmark 2009 report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States called for higher educational standards, mandatory laboratory accreditation, and stronger scientific foundations across forensic disciplines — recommendations that have gradually but consequentially influenced hiring practices, educational expectations, and the institutional landscape of forensic science education (National Research Council, 2009). Crime laboratories accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) — now ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) — increasingly require analysts to hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees in forensic science or natural sciences with specified coursework, creating a direct connection between college-level educational preparation and employment eligibility (Saferstein, 2018).
The college options available to aspiring crime scene investigators range from dedicated forensic science programs accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) — the discipline-specific accrediting body administered by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) — to criminal justice programs with forensic concentrations, natural science departments offering forensic tracks, community colleges with forensic technology programs, and online programs addressing forensic topics. The variation in quality across these options is substantial, and the consequences of choosing poorly are career-limiting: graduates of programs that provide insufficient natural science training may find themselves ineligible for the positions they targeted, while graduates of strong forensic science programs with laboratory experience and professional certification enter a job market that values their preparation (National Research Council, 2009).
This article profiles the major categories of colleges offering crime scene investigation education, provides detailed institutional profiles with program links, discusses the accreditation and quality factors that distinguish strong programs from weak ones, and offers guidance for choosing the college option that best matches individual career goals within the forensic science field.
FEPAC-Accredited Forensic Science Programs
The Gold Standard for Forensic Education
The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), established by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in 2004, accredits bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in forensic science that meet rigorous standards for curriculum content, faculty qualifications, laboratory facilities, and student learning outcomes. FEPAC accreditation represents the most reliable quality indicator available for forensic science education — programs that have earned FEPAC accreditation have undergone peer review by forensic science professionals and educators who evaluate whether the program’s curriculum, resources, and outcomes meet the standards necessary to produce competent forensic practitioners (Saferstein, 2018).
FEPAC standards require that accredited programs include substantial coursework in the natural sciences — general chemistry (with laboratory), organic chemistry or biochemistry (with laboratory), biology (with laboratory), and statistics or quantitative analysis — alongside forensic science methodology courses covering crime scene investigation, forensic analysis techniques, evidence handling, and the legal context of forensic practice. Programs must maintain laboratory facilities adequate for hands-on instruction in evidence collection, processing, and analysis. Faculty must hold appropriate terminal degrees and maintain professional currency through research, publication, or forensic casework experience. The full list of FEPAC-accredited programs is maintained on the FEPAC website and should be the first resource prospective students consult when evaluating forensic science colleges (National Research Council, 2009).
Profiles of FEPAC-Accredited and Leading Forensic Science Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) — Department of Forensic Science. VCU offers one of the oldest and most respected forensic science programs in the United States, with FEPAC accreditation at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. The program benefits from its location in Richmond, Virginia, near the headquarters of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science — one of the nation’s largest and most technologically advanced state crime laboratory systems. VCU’s forensic science curriculum integrates intensive natural science training (chemistry, biology, physics) with forensic methodology, courtroom testimony preparation, and supervised laboratory experience using instrumentation that mirrors what graduates will encounter in professional crime laboratories. The program’s graduates are employed in crime laboratories nationwide and have earned a reputation for scientific rigor that makes VCU one of the most competitive forensic science programs in the country (Saferstein, 2018).
West Virginia University (WVU) — Department of Forensic and Investigative Science. WVU offers FEPAC-accredited bachelor’s and master’s programs in forensic science with particular strengths in latent fingerprint examination, questioned documents, trace evidence, and digital forensics. WVU’s location provides access to the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) complex in Clarksburg, West Virginia — the largest facility in the FBI’s network — creating internship and career pathway opportunities that few programs can match. The program’s laboratory facilities include specialized equipment for pattern evidence analysis, firearms examination, and biological evidence processing. WVU also offers an online master’s program that serves working forensic professionals seeking advanced credentials (National Research Council, 2009).
the University of Central Florida (UCF) — National Center for Forensic Science. UCF houses the National Center for Forensic Science, a National Institute of Justice-funded research center that provides research, training, and technical assistance to the forensic science community. The university’s forensic science program integrates with its strong criminal justice department, providing students with interdisciplinary training that combines scientific methodology with criminological knowledge. UCF’s location in Orlando provides access to Florida’s extensive law enforcement and forensic science infrastructure, and the program’s affiliation with the NCFS provides students with exposure to cutting-edge forensic research that few undergraduate programs can offer (Cohn & Farrington, 2014).
Michigan State University (MSU) — Forensic Science Program. MSU integrates forensic science education with one of the nation’s oldest and most respected criminal justice programs, providing students with both scientific training and criminological context. The program’s strengths include cybercrime and digital forensics — areas of growing importance as electronic evidence becomes central to an expanding proportion of criminal investigations. MSU’s Forensic Science Program benefits from the university’s extensive research infrastructure, its partnerships with Michigan law enforcement agencies, and its faculty expertise in both traditional forensic disciplines and emerging digital forensic methodologies (Holt & Bossler, 2016).
Sam Houston State University (SHSU) — College of Criminal Justice. SHSU operates one of the largest criminal justice programs in the nation and offers forensic science education through its College of Criminal Justice. Located in Huntsville, Texas — home of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice headquarters — SHSU provides unique access to one of the nation’s largest correctional systems and the forensic evidence processing demands it generates. The program combines forensic coursework with the college’s broader criminal justice educational infrastructure, including internship placements, career services, and faculty with both academic and practitioner backgrounds (Morn, 1995).
John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY) — Department of Sciences. John Jay offers a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science through its Department of Sciences within the only senior college in the CUNY system devoted entirely to criminal justice and forensic education. The program’s New York City location provides unparalleled access to the city’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner — one of the nation’s largest and most sophisticated forensic agencies — the NYPD’s forensic laboratory, and the federal forensic resources concentrated in the New York metropolitan area. John Jay’s diverse student body and its institutional commitment to connecting scientific education with criminal justice practice produce graduates who bring both analytical competence and cultural awareness to forensic careers (Gabbidon, Penn, & Richards, 2003).
The University of New Haven — Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences. Named for the internationally recognized forensic scientist Dr. Henry C. Lee, the University of New Haven’s forensic science programs benefit from Lee’s legacy and the college’s distinctive emphasis on crime scene investigation methodology and practical case work. The program offers bachelor’s degrees in forensic science with concentrations in biology and chemistry, and master’s programs that provide advanced specialization. The Lee College’s laboratory facilities include a mock crime scene house where students practice evidence collection and scene documentation under realistic conditions — a pedagogical resource that provides experiential training most programs cannot replicate (Shelton, Kim, & Barak, 2007).
Criminal Justice Programs with Forensic Concentrations
When CJ Programs Serve CSI Aspirants — and When They Don’t
Many criminal justice programs have added forensic science concentrations, forensic investigation tracks, or crime scene investigation specializations to their degree offerings in response to the strong student demand generated by media interest in forensic careers. The quality and career utility of these forensic concentrations varies enormously — from particularly useful programs that integrate meaningful science coursework with investigative methodology to marketing-driven additions that offer one or two survey-level forensic courses without the laboratory training, natural science prerequisites, or hands-on experience that forensic careers demand (Southerland, 2002; Clear, 2001).
Criminal justice forensic concentrations serve CSI aspirants well when they include required natural science coursework (chemistry, biology with laboratories), hands-on evidence collection and processing training, internship placements at crime laboratories or forensic agencies, and faculty with forensic science credentials or experience. They serve CSI aspirants poorly when the “forensic concentration” consists of courses on television forensic science, criminal investigation surveys without laboratory components, or forensic-themed electives that expose students to forensic concepts without developing the scientific competencies that forensic practice requires. Students should evaluate forensic concentrations by examining the specific course requirements — not just the concentration title — and comparing those requirements against the standards that FEPAC accreditation and professional certification examinations require (National Research Council, 2009).
Programs where criminal justice forensic concentrations are strengthened by institutional resources and partnerships include George Mason University (proximity to federal forensic agencies in the Washington D.C. area), Arizona State University (broad criminal justice program with technology and forensic electives), Florida International University (forensic coursework within an HSI serving diverse South Florida), and Temple University (urban location with access to Philadelphia’s forensic agencies). Students at these institutions can combine criminal justice core coursework with forensic electives and natural science courses from other departments to build a profile that approximates dedicated forensic science preparation, though this self-assembled approach requires more initiative than enrolling in an integrated forensic science program (Steiner, Wright, & Toto, 2020).
Natural Science Departments with Forensic Tracks
An alternative pathway that many prospective CSIs overlook is majoring in a natural science — chemistry, biology, biochemistry — at a university that offers forensic science courses or a forensic track within the science department. This approach provides the deepest scientific training available at the undergraduate level, producing graduates whose analytical chemistry, molecular biology, or biochemistry competencies exceed what most forensic science programs develop. The forensic context — crime scene protocols, evidence law, courtroom testimony — can be acquired through supplementary coursework, internship experience, and professional development, while the scientific foundation that this approach provides is far more difficult to acquire after graduation (Saferstein, 2018).
Universities where natural science departments offer forensic tracks or concentrations include the University of California, Davis (forensic science graduate program in the Department of Entomology), George Washington University (Department of Forensic Sciences offering master’s and doctoral programs), Boston University (Biomedical Forensic Sciences program in the School of Public Health), Penn State University (Forensic Science Program in the Eberly College of Science), and Syracuse University (Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute). These programs produce graduates with scientific depth that crime laboratories value, particularly for specialized analytical positions in DNA analysis, toxicology, drug chemistry, and trace evidence examination (National Research Council, 2009).
Community College, Online, and Certificate Programs
Community College Forensic Technology Programs
Community colleges offer forensic technology and crime scene investigation associate degree and certificate programs that provide entry-level credentials for some CSI positions and transfer pathways to four-year forensic science programs. These programs typically combine introductory forensic science courses with criminal justice foundational coursework and may include laboratory components that introduce students to evidence collection, photography, fingerprint processing, and basic analytical techniques. The cost advantage of community college programs — typically $6,000 to $15,000 for an associate degree — makes them attractive to students exploring forensic careers before committing to four-year program costs (Gabbidon, Penn, & Richards, 2003).
Grossmont College in California offers an Administration of Justice program with forensic technology coursework that provides an entry point into forensic careers within the California Community College system. Tidewater Community College in Virginia offers forensic science courses that articulate with Virginia’s four-year institutions, providing a cost-effective first step toward a forensic science bachelor’s degree at Virginia Commonwealth University or other Virginia programs. Santa Ana College offers criminal justice coursework with forensic investigation components serving Orange County, California’s large law enforcement community. Northern Virginia Community College provides criminal justice courses that can transfer to George Mason University’s criminology program, where students can add forensic electives. Miami Dade College serves South Florida’s diverse population with criminal justice and forensic technology coursework transferable to Florida’s state university system.
Students should understand the limitations of community college forensic programs: associate degrees alone are increasingly insufficient for crime laboratory positions that require bachelor’s degrees in natural sciences, and the laboratory facilities at community colleges typically cannot match those at four-year universities with dedicated forensic science programs. Community college programs are most valuable as cost-effective starting points for students who plan to transfer to four-year programs rather than as terminal credentials for forensic careers (Southerland, 2002).
Online Forensic Science Programs
Online delivery of forensic science education presents distinctive challenges because the laboratory training, hands-on evidence processing, and instrumental analysis instruction that forensic careers require are difficult to replicate in purely virtual environments. Online programs that address the theoretical and contextual dimensions of forensic science — forensic law, crime scene management, evidence documentation, forensic report writing, expert witness preparation — can effectively deliver this content at a distance. Online programs that claim to teach analytical chemistry, DNA analysis, or instrumental methods without providing physical laboratory access are fundamentally limited in the scientific competencies they can develop (Saulnier, 2015).
the University of Florida offers an online master’s in forensic science designed for working professionals who already possess scientific training and seek advanced forensic specialization. West Virginia University offers online graduate programs in forensic science that combine distance content delivery with intensive on-campus laboratory sessions. the University of Central Florida provides online criminal justice programs with forensic elective options through its established online infrastructure. Arizona State University Online offers criminology and criminal justice programs through which students can access forensic-related coursework, though not a dedicated forensic science degree (Frost & Clear, 2012).
Hybrid programs that combine online content delivery with periodic on-campus laboratory intensives represent the most promising model for distance forensic science education, as they provide the scheduling flexibility that working professionals need while maintaining the physical laboratory access that scientific competence requires. Students considering online forensic programs should evaluate whether the program provides physical laboratory experience — even if delivered in compressed intensive formats — or whether it relies entirely on virtual simulations that cannot develop the hands-on skills forensic practice demands (Robinson & Rudes, 2012).
Choosing the Right College for CSI Careers
Decision Factors for Prospective Students
Choosing the right college for a crime scene investigation career requires evaluating factors specific to forensic science education that general college selection guides may not address. The following decision factors, ordered by importance, should guide prospective students’ evaluations (National Research Council, 2009; Saferstein, 2018):
FEPAC accreditation is the strongest quality signal available. Programs that have earned FEPAC accreditation have demonstrated to peer reviewers that their curriculum, faculty, laboratories, and outcomes meet forensic science education standards. Students should check the FEPAC accredited program list as their first research step.
Natural science requirements determine whether graduates will have the scientific foundation that crime laboratory employment requires. Programs requiring two semesters of general chemistry with laboratory, organic chemistry or biochemistry with laboratory, two semesters of biology with laboratory, and statistics produce graduates with scientific competencies that programs with weaker science requirements cannot match. Students should examine degree requirement sheets rather than marketing descriptions.
Laboratory facilities and hands-on training are essential because forensic science is applied science — competence develops through practice with actual evidence processing, analytical instrumentation, and documentation procedures. Programs with dedicated forensic laboratories equipped with instrumentation comparable to what professional crime laboratories use (microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy, DNA analysis equipment) provide training that classroom-only programs cannot replicate.
Internship and agency partnerships connect academic training to professional practice and create employment pathways. Programs with established relationships with state crime laboratories, medical examiner offices, police forensic units, and federal agencies (FBI, ATF, DEA) provide internship access that builds professional networks and translates into post-graduation employment opportunities. Students should ask programs about their internship placement rates, partner agencies, and the career outcomes of recent graduates (Stichman & Farkas, 2005).
Faculty credentials — doctoral degrees in forensic science or relevant natural sciences, active research programs, professional forensic experience, and certification by bodies such as the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) or the International Association for Identification (IAI) — indicate that instruction will be delivered by professionals with both academic depth and practical forensic knowledge. Programs where forensic courses are taught by adjunct instructors with limited scientific credentials provide qualitatively different instruction from those staffed by faculty with doctoral degrees and professional forensic experience (Cohn & Farrington, 2014).
Certification preparation matters because professional certification — particularly the IAI‘s Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CCSI) credential and the ABC‘s Fellow of the American Board of Criminalistics (F-ABC) — is increasingly required or preferred by hiring agencies. Programs that align their curriculum with certification examination content, that track their graduates’ certification pass rates, and that provide explicit certification preparation support position their graduates more competitively than those that treat certification as an afterthought.
Career Outcomes and Employment Considerations
The ultimate test of a forensic science college’s quality is what happens to its graduates — whether they secure positions in crime laboratories, medical examiner offices, police forensic units, or federal agencies, and whether their educational preparation proves sufficient for the scientific demands of the positions they hold. Prospective students should ask programs about their graduates’ employment rates, the types of agencies where graduates are hired, and the career trajectories of alumni at five and ten years post-graduation. Programs that track and publicize this outcome data demonstrate confidence in their educational effectiveness; programs that cannot provide outcome data may lack the institutional infrastructure or the positive outcomes necessary to support transparency (Steiner, Wright, & Toto, 2020).
The geographic location of a forensic science program affects employment outcomes through proximity to hiring agencies, internship access, and the professional networks that geographic proximity facilitates. Programs located near state crime laboratory headquarters — VCU near the Virginia Department of Forensic Science, WVU near the FBI’s CJIS complex, SHSU near the Texas Department of Criminal Justice — provide internship and networking access that programs in areas without major forensic agencies cannot match. However, because crime laboratories exist in every state and forensic positions are distributed nationally, graduates of strong programs can compete for positions regardless of where they studied, provided their scientific preparation meets the minimum qualifications that hiring agencies specify (Saferstein, 2018).
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook provides current data on forensic science technician employment, including median annual wages, projected employment growth, and educational requirements. Prospective students should consult BLS data to develop realistic expectations about salary, job availability, and the competitiveness of the forensic employment market in their target geographic area. The forensic science job market is smaller and more specialized than the general criminal justice job market, meaning that graduates must be willing to relocate for positions and that the quality of their educational preparation carries more weight in a competitive hiring process where qualified candidates may outnumber available positions (National Research Council, 2009).
Table 1. Crime Scene Investigator College Options by Program Type
| Program Type | Examples | Degree Levels | Science Depth | Lab Training | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEPAC-Accredited Forensic Science | VCU, WVU, UCF | BS, MS | High (chem, bio, organic) | Extensive dedicated forensic labs | Crime lab analysts, CSI careers requiring strong science |
| Forensic Science (non-FEPAC) | U of New Haven, John Jay, SHSU | BS, MS | Moderate to High | Program-dependent | CSI with investigative emphasis, interdisciplinary careers |
| Natural Science with Forensic Track | GWU, BU, Penn State, UC Davis | BS, MS, PhD | Very High | Science department labs | Lab analyst specialization, forensic research, advanced positions |
| CJ with Forensic Concentration | George Mason, ASU, FIU, MSU | BS | Varies (evaluate carefully) | Limited unless supplemented | Students wanting CJ breadth with forensic exposure |
| Community College Forensic Tech | Grossmont, Tidewater CC, NOVA | AA/AS, Certificate | Basic | Introductory only | Cost-effective start; transfer to 4-year programs |
| Online/Hybrid Forensic | UF Online, WVU Online, UCF Online | MS (mostly) | Varies | Limited or intensive format | Working forensic professionals seeking advancement |
Conclusion
Choosing the right college for a crime scene investigation career is one of the most consequential educational decisions an aspiring forensic professional can make, because the specific scientific training, laboratory experience, and professional preparation a program provides — or fails to provide — directly determines whether its graduates are qualified for the positions they seek. The landscape of CSI colleges spans a wide range from FEPAC-accredited forensic science programs that meet the highest standards of forensic education (Virginia Commonwealth University, West Virginia University, University of Central Florida) through criminal justice programs with forensic concentrations of varying quality, natural science programs with forensic tracks that provide the deepest scientific preparation, community college programs that serve as affordable entry points, and online programs whose utility depends on whether they provide physical laboratory experience or merely virtual exposure to forensic concepts. Prospective students who evaluate programs based on the quality indicators outlined in this article — FEPAC accreditation, natural science depth, laboratory facilities, internship partnerships, faculty credentials, and certification preparation — will identify programs that produce the scientific competence, investigative skill, and professional credential that crime scene investigation careers demand. Students who choose based on marketing appeal, television-inspired expectations, or convenience alone risk investing years and thousands of dollars in programs that leave them underprepared for one of criminal justice’s most scientifically demanding career pathways.
References
- Clear, T. R. (2001). Has academic criminal justice come of age? Justice Quarterly, 18(4), 709–726. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418820100095071
- Cohn, E. G., & Farrington, D. P. (2014). Publication productivity of criminologists. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 25(3), 275–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2014.921730
- Frost, N. A., & Clear, T. R. (2012). New directions in correctional research. Justice Quarterly, 29(5), 619–649. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2012.667141
- Gabbidon, S. L., Penn, E. B., & Richards, W. A. (2003). The status of Black criminologists in the discipline’s top-ranked journals and doctoral programs. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 14(2), 237–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250300085761
- Holt, T. J., & Bossler, A. M. (2016). Cybercrime in progress. Routledge.
- Morn, F. (1995). Academic politics and the history of criminal justice education. Greenwood Press.
- National Research Council. (2009). Strengthening forensic science in the United States: A path forward. National Academies Press.
- Robinson, M. B., & Rudes, D. S. (2012). The top 20 reasons students dislike studying CJ and criminology. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 23(2), 201–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2011.606367
- Saferstein, R. (2018). Criminalistics: An introduction to forensic science (12th ed.). Pearson.
- Saulnier, A. (2015). Online and face-to-face course delivery. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 26(2), 166–185.
- Shelton, D. E., Kim, Y. S., & Barak, G. (2007). A study of juror expectations and demands concerning scientific evidence. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 9(2), 331–368.
- Southerland, M. D. (2002). Criminal justice curricula in the United States. Justice Quarterly, 19(4), 589–601. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418820200095381
- Steiner, B., Wright, E. M., & Toto, S. (2020). What matters in doctoral education in criminology and criminal justice? Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 31(2), 153–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2019.1705987
- Stichman, A. J., & Farkas, M. A. (2005). The pedagogical use of internships in criminal justice programs. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 16(1), 145–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250500082278
Related Articles
- Crime Scene Investigator Schooling
- Education Requirements for a Crime Scene Investigator
- Criminology Schools and Colleges
- Criminology Schooling Options
- Applied Criminology Programs