Forensic Scientist Associate Degree

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 the tools needed to interview effectively.

Our graduates may qualify for the following positions:*

• Crime Scene Investigator
• Forensic Science 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 innovative interviewing techniques.

Employment:

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

Crime Scene Investigator: As a crime scene investigator 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. You 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 crime scene investigator 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.

Forensic Technician: As a forensic science 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 science 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.

Field 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.

*Individual state requirements may vary. Based on the state in which you choose to seek employment, the potential requirements for state agencies and employers may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pass a state exam, if applicable
• Pass a drug test, if applicable
• Submit to a background check, including criminal convictions/parole history

Any questions regarding the minimum requirements for your state may be obtained from ICDC College, or through our referrals to state-specific agencies.

Failing to meet the minimum requirements in the state in which you choose to seek employment, and any previous misdemeanor convictions or periods on parole, may diminish or prohibit your opportunities for employment in this field. Further, any previous felony convictions will most probably prohibit employment in this field.

The Forensic Scientist Associate Degree program is available at the online campus only.

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

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

• Crime Scene Investigations
• Criminal Law, Law and Evidence
• Criminal Profiling and 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:   $37,593.50
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 DEBT/ON-TIME GRADUATION RATE FOR COMPLETERS/ PLACEMENT RATE:

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.