Unlocking new career opportunities with an advanced degree.

Most people think forensic science is limited to crime investigations and analyses like those seen on the popular CSI television show. While its representation in entertainment has made the field more popular and well-known, forensic science offers many specialties and disciplines that go beyond the actual crime scene, especially in the career path for a forensic scientist with a master’s degree.

So, what can you do with a master's in forensic science? Forensic science is a unique field because it integrates science and the law to help solve crimes or mitigate and prevent violence. According to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), “Any science used for the purposes of the law is a forensic science.”¹ It’s important to get the right higher education and training if you want to advance in your forensic science career, and some forensic science jobs require a master’s degree. This article will outline the levels of education necessary to enter this field and how a master’s degree can help you achieve your professional goals.

Beginning your forensic science education

Every career path in forensic science starts with a bachelor’s degree or associate degree in forensic science or a related field such as biology, chemistry, physics, crime scene technology, or computer forensics to name a few. Participating in professional internships will also help you gain additional real-world experience.

Some master’s degree programs offer concentrations or tracks that allow you to focus on a specific forensic science area such as ballistics, DNA analysis, genetics, pharmacology, anthropology, forensic pathology, or toxicology.^2,3,4,5

However, if you’re looking to advance in your current career, transition into forensic science from another career, or want to pursue leadership roles, a master’s degree in forensic science is often necessary. 

What careers involve an MS in forensic science?

The AAFS website lists the following 12 types of forensic science disciplines, all of which could provide professional growth opportunities with a master’s degree in forensic science.⁶

1. Anthropology: The identification of human remains to determine physiological traits of the deceased such as age, gender, race, and skeletal information.
2. Criminalistics: Do forensic scientists go to crime scenes? Yes, they do. Careers in this field focus on collecting evidence at crime scenes or working in laboratories to identify, interpret, and analyze physical evidence.
3. Digital and multimedia sciences: Professionals in digital forensics solve cybercrimes by capturing and examining digital devices or interpreting electronic data to uncover forensic evidence.
4. Engineering & applied sciences: Includes a large, varied group of forensic practitioners in engineering fields and related sciences who cover a wide range of incidents from railroad accidents and building collapses to product failures, and environmental contaminations.
5. General: An MS in forensic science could help you gain focused training in one of the many areas that fall under this discipline and may not fit into the other specialized categories. 
6. Jurisprudence: A master’s degree in forensic science can help you gain the expertise and advanced knowledge necessary to provide testimony in court as a field expert, advancing your network and professional reputation.
7. Forensic nursing science: A specialized area of nursing that integrates healthcare and judicial system responsibilities by providing examinations, treatments, and collecting forensic or trace evidence for sexual assault cases, domestic abuse, and child or elder abuse and neglect.
8. Odontology: This specialized discipline analyzes and identifies dental evidence in criminal cases or in situations when no other human remains are available (e.g., explosions, natural disasters, etc.).
9. Pathology/biology: Professionals in forensic pathology are responsible for determining the cause and manner of death through an autopsy or a histology. In some cases, they may also visit the crime scene to help investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. 
10. Psychiatry & behavioral science: Forensic psychologists often provide expert testimony, conduct assessments and analyses of an individual’s mental state, or create psychological profiles of criminals. They can also help law enforcement to mitigate or prevent violence by seeking to understand a criminal’s mindset and their behavioral or psychological motivations.
11. Questioned documents: Anything that involves analyzing documents in criminal cases falls under this discipline. This can include verifying authenticity and detecting alterations, handwriting forensic analysis, or determining a writer’s state of mind at the time a ransom or suicide note was written.
12. Toxicology: A forensic toxicologist detects and analyzes drugs, alcohol, poisons, and other toxic substances in the body which can also help determine the role of these substances in the cause of death.

Professional benefits of a master’s degree

Certainly, on-the-job training and practical experience are important for you to improve your forensic scientific skills and your career advancement. You may also be able to achieve your professional goals by earning advanced certification in your desired area of interest. But if your current job cannot deliver the professional opportunities or experience that you’re looking for, a master’s degree in forensic science is worth considering if you want to:

• Learn the latest, most current industry tools and practices
• Expand your professional network
• Increase your skill set or gain experience in new areas of forensic science
• Develop expertise that can increase your salary or elevate your professional reputation
• Study with current forensic science practitioners and field experts
• Move into management or leadership roles
• Start your own consulting practice
• Conduct research to advance forensic methodologies
• Work in educational roles to prepare the next generation of forensic scientists

Earning your master’s degree at Alliant International University

If you’re at a transitional stage in your life or interested in advancing your career, pursuing a master’s degree in forensic science can provide you the opportunity to focus on professional development. If you want or need to keep working while earning your master’s degree, the California School of Forensic Studies (CSFS) at Alliant International University offers online master’s degree program options that provide flexibility for the working professional. 

If you want a forensic science career that requires a master’s degree, CSFS at Alliant offers an MS in Forensic Behavioral Science for those looking to advance or move into forensic psychology roles, and an MS in Forensic Science, Investigation, & Technology for those interested in career opportunities at the forefront of forensic science investigation, analysis, and new technologies. Both programs include quality concentrations with practical, hands-on training using the latest evidence-based tools and theories. Courses are taught by faculty who are current practitioners and bring real-world experience to your classroom. Alliant also offers advanced practice certificates in a variety of forensic science subject areas, and a PhD in Psychology, Public Policy, and Law for those who want to go even further in their forensic science careers.

Although associate and bachelor's degrees are sufficient for certain entry-level positions, most high-level forensic science jobs require a master’s degree. The professional and personal benefits of earning your MS in forensic science are numerous and can provide career growth, exciting new professional opportunities, and help you become an expert and leader in the field.

Sources

1. Staff, “What is Forensic Science?” American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Accessed June 21, 2024.  https://www.aafs.org/careers-forensic-science/what-forensic-science
2. Farnen, K., “Education Required to Become a Forensic Scientist”, Chron. Updated June 29, 2018. https://work.chron.com/education-required-become-forensic-scientist-14661.html 
3. CJDS Staff, “Guide to Forensic Science Schools”, Criminal Justice Degree Schools. Updated May 23, 2024. https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/degrees/forensic-science-degree/ 
4. Drummond, R., MEd, Reviewed by: Blore, J. MS in Forensic Science – Online & On-campus Master’s Degree Programs, ForensicColleges.com. Updated December 13, 2023. https://www.forensicscolleges.com/blog/htb/how-to-become-forensic-scientist 
5. Staff. “How to Become a Forensic Scientist”, CollegeEducated.com. Accessed June 22, 2024. https://collegeeducated.com/csi-careers/forensic-scientist/ 
6. Staff, “All AAFS Sections”, American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Accessed June 21, 2024. https://www.aafs.org/