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Studies & Degrees in Forensic Science

Forensic science is the application of scientific principles and methods to assist criminal and civil investigations and litigation, in the definition used by The Pennsylvania State University. Forensic scientists collect and analyse physical evidence, such as fingerprints, body fluids, DNA, fibres, drugs and digital traces, and explain their findings to investigators and courts.

It is a laboratory science first. Students build a foundation in chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics, and then study criminalistics, forensic chemistry, forensic biology, crime scene investigation and the legal framework for evidence. The Máster Universitario en Ciencias Forenses of the Universidad de Murcia, for example, trains students in separation techniques, spectroscopy, microscopy, statistical analysis and methods of blood and DNA analysis, and in presenting evidence as an expert witness. Programmes may specialise in an area such as toxicology, pathology or DNA.

Qualifications and levels

  • United States. The usual route is a four-year Bachelor of Science. At Penn State, the Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science requires a minimum of 122 credits with the Forensic Molecular Biology option and 123 with the Forensic Chemistry option. Community colleges offer two-year associate degrees, which the US Bureau of Labor Statistics says may be sufficient for some positions. At master's level, the Master of Science in Forensic Science of Florida International University is designed for science graduates and includes a research project and a thesis. The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences accredits bachelor's and master's programmes in forensic science, or in a natural or computer science with a forensic science concentration.
  • United Kingdom. Universities offer BSc (Hons) degrees. London Metropolitan University teaches its Forensic Science BSc (UCAS code F410) at its Holloway campus, with work on poison and drug analysis, fingerprints and DNA profiling and final-year modules such as Crime Scene to Court and Forensic Trace Evidence. The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences runs an educational accreditation scheme for programmes with a significant amount of forensic science content that are delivered by a recognised higher education institution and taught in English.
  • Spain. Official degrees follow a fixed structure: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Forensic science is often a master's specialisation after a science degree. The Murcia master's degree is taught at the Facultad de Biología, face to face and in Spanish, lasts one year, has 60 ECTS credits and offers 25 places. Criminology is a separate route: the Grado en Criminología y Seguridad of the Universidad de Cádiz belongs to the social and legal sciences, has 240 ECTS credits over four academic years and is taught in Spanish.

Where to study forensic science

SpainExchange lists 73 active schools for forensic science. The United States has 36, the United Kingdom 11, Spain 8, Australia 3 and Ireland 2, and there is one each in Austria, India, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia and Switzerland.

Examples in the United States are The Pennsylvania State University, Florida International University in Miami, the University of North Texas in Denton, Hofstra University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Chaminade University of Honolulu. In the United Kingdom they include London Metropolitan University and Cornwall College, in Spain the Universidad de Murcia and the Universidad de Cádiz, and in Australia Bond University. Kathmandu University in Nepal and Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria are also listed.

Careers

Graduates work in police and government forensic laboratories, in private testing laboratories, and as crime scene examiners. Penn State also names insurance companies, homeland security agencies and the judicial community. Technicians often specialise in either crime scene work or laboratory analysis, receive on-the-job training before they handle cases independently, and may be called to testify in court.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 20,100 forensic science technician jobs in the United States in 2025, of which 64% were in local government and 27% in state government. It projects employment to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,800 openings a year. Hiring rules differ by country, and many posts are in the public sector, so check the entry requirements of the service you want to join.

Frequently asked questions

Is forensic science the same as criminology?

No. Forensic science applies natural science to physical evidence in a laboratory or at a scene. Criminology studies crime, offenders and security from the social and legal sciences. The Cádiz criminology degree, for example, is classed in the social and legal sciences branch.

Which degree do I need to work in a forensic laboratory?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, forensic science technicians typically need at least a bachelor's degree, in a field such as physical science, biology or forensic science.

Does accreditation matter?

It is a useful quality check. In the United States FEPAC accredits forensic science programmes at bachelor's and master's level, and in the United Kingdom the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences accredits programmes with substantial forensic content. Ask each school which accreditation its programme holds.

Can I study forensic science in Spanish?

Yes. The Máster Universitario en Ciencias Forenses of the Universidad de Murcia is taught in Spanish and has 60 ECTS credits in one year.