Forensic Science Degree Programs in Minnesota

Forensic science

Forensic science combines science and investigation in order to aid and support the prosecution or defense in criminal and civil investigations. While the profession has been widely romanticized by various TV shows, make no mistake – this job is most likely different that you expect. In contrast with popular perception, this is a highly scientific role, which often involves detailed, painstaking work. Field duties are limited to a few areas of expertise, and most often than not a forensic scientist will spend his time in the lab.

If you made it this far, though, congratulations! You’re taking the first steps in joining a very rewarding profession and itsGOV is here to guide you through what you need to know and what you need to do to join a forensic science program in Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is responsible for providing investigative and specialized law enforcement services to the law enforcement, public safety, and criminal justice agencies within Minnesota, from Minneapolis to Rochester.

The services of the BCA include: forensic laboratory analysis, criminal justice training, and criminal investigations. The BCA currently employs more than 300 individuals, including analysts, agents and scientists, through its headquarters in St. Paul, its Bemidji regional office, and through its ten field offices.

The requirements to become a CSI in Minnesota differ depending on whether the job is for a civilian or sworn officer position. Civilian CSI jobs in the state include such titles as a criminalist or forensic scientist.

Civilian CSI jobs in Minnesota generally require a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a science field such as chemistry, biochemistry, or biology, along with experience handling or working with physical evidence. Formal CSI education provides the training necessary for the following skills used at crime scenes.

Candidates also need to be able to communicate well both orally and in writing, since they will have to prepare documents about the crime scene and testify in court.

Prospective students in Minnesota can obtain associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice from schools in the state and can obtain an associate’s degree in crime scene investigation. Another option is to obtain training from one of the online schools that offer degrees in these fields.

Forensic science requirements

In addition to a well-rounded education in forensic science, chemistry, biology, or a similar field, students seeking forensic science jobs in Minnesota are often best served by completing an internship through the BCA.

The BCA Lab Epstein – Rhoads Internship Program provides college students with an internship experience that allows them to observe forensic scientists within a laboratory setting and work on an assigned laboratory project.

Eligible students in the BCA internship are in their junior or senior year of college or in graduate school and are pursuing degrees in forensic science, chemistry, biology, criminalistics, or a similar program. Forensic scientists in Minnesota are called upon to:

Process evidence for latent prints
Investigate crime scenes for physical evidence
Perform research and technology to assist with evidence processing
Fingerprint people of interest
Testify in court as an expert witness

All candidates for forensic scientist jobs in Minnesota must possess a bachelor’s degree in forensic science, biology, chemistry, physics, or criminal justice. Depending on the forensic scientist position, candidates may need to possess experience in processing crime scenes, working in forensic laboratories, or performing crime scene investigations.

New forensic scientists in Minnesota can expect to complete a two- to three-year training period before achieving the position of BCA Forensic Scientist.

Forensic science training

A degree in forensic science or a related discipline from an accredited college or university is essential for any individual who wants to learn how to become a forensic scientist. Many students pursue bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, biology, microbiology, or physics when pursuing careers in forensic science, while some students seek degree-granting schools with programs in forensic science. Another popular option for many students today is an undergraduate degree in a natural science, with a concentration or minor in forensic science.

A forensic science minor or concentration provides students with coursework related to life in the laboratory, including physical evidence collection, analysis and interpretation. As such, required coursework may include the following:

Introduction to Forensic Science Methods
Survey in Forensic Science
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic Anthropology lab
Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction
Forensic Document Examination
Forensic Fingerprint Examination
Forensic Firearm and Toolmark Examination

Forensic science salary in Minnesota

The state of Minnesota has approximately 100 people employed as forensic science technicians, according to 2012 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They are employed in positions in local and state government, in medical and diagnostic laboratories, and in psychiatric and substance-abuse hospitals.

Forensic science technicians in Minnesota earned mean annual wages of $51,740, according to the BLS. This is just below the nationwide wage average of $55,730 for forensic science technicians. However, pay can vary based on time spent on the job and the type of education that one has. Nationwide, forensic scientists earned as little as $32,200 and as much as $85,210, according to 2012 BLS data.

Forensic science schools in Minnesota

Bachelor’s programs in Minnesota

University	Walden UniversityMinneapolis, Minnesota, Forensic Psychology B.S.
Duration	4 years
Type	Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees	$ 58,030 per year
Program link

Examine the social and psychological factors that shape the development of criminal behavior. Explore a range of assessment methods and techniques and discover how they assist in criminal profiling and predicting criminal behavior and victim outcomes. From child custody to personal injury to violent criminal cases, the B.S. in Forensic Psychology program focuses on how to gather relevant psychological data and prepare critical background information. The students can prepare for greater career opportunities as you change your world and the world of those affected by criminal behavior. The core modules are:

Introduction to Forensic Psychology
Cross-cultural Psychology
Human Development: Childhood and Adolescence
Social Influences on Behavior
Psychological Disorders
Methods in Psychological Inquiry
The Criminal Mind
Forensic Interviewing and Investigation
Forensic Assessment
Criminal Law
Courts and Judicial Processes
Contemporary Criminal Justice Systems

Graduates of this program will be prepared to: describe current issues, problems, and trends in the field of forensic psychology;apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation; use forensic assessment strategies, including interviews and observations, to solve problems related to forensic psychology; apply psychological theory and research to provide successful interventions for personal, social, and organizational issues in the realm of forensic psychology; describe the role of ethical behavior in promoting social change in a variety of settings; demonstrate the ability to use guidelines and standards of the profession to communicate information about psychological processes in various forensic settings; discuss the importance of diversity and multicultural issues when evaluating and intervening with forensic psychology populations; develop a strategy for personal and career development in the field of forensic psychology.

University	Hamline University, Minnesota, Criminology and Criminal Justice B.S.
Duration	24 months
Type	Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees	$16,200 per year
Program link

Hamline’s criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) major provides students a social science approach to the study of crime. The required courses provide a broad foundation in crime and justice, and social research methods to understand criminal justice policy and interventions. Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ) majors develop a working knowledge of the key components of the criminal justice system. Students learn how policy impacts both the institutions and individuals working within the system. Majors gain a solid methodological foundation to critique policy and correctional interventions being used by professionals today. Hamline University is unique in offering students the opportunity to complement their CCJ major with a forensic science minor. The core modules are:

Crime and Justice in America
Introduction to Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Methods
Constitutional Issues in Criminal Procedures
Theories of Criminal Behavior
Capstone and Internship in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Juvenile Delinquency
Punishment, Corrections and Society
Policing in America
Criminal Law and Practice
Courts and Sentencing
Crime Policy Evaluation
Survey of Forensic Science
Victimology
Addictive Disorders
Approaces to Conflict Response

Creativity and innovation in teaching and learning are the hallmark of Hamline University, home to more than 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students. At Hamline, students collaborate with professors invested in their success. They are challenged in and out of the classroom to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, while cultivating an ethic of civic responsibility, social justice, and inclusive leadership and service.Students pursuing a major in criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) and a certificate in forensic science complete an internship that enables them to connect theory and practice and gain valuable professional work experience. The location of Hamline in the Twin Cities offers students diverse opportunities for exceptional internships in crime labs and medical examiner offices, and local, state and federal criminal justice, law enforcement, legal, social service agencies.Hamline is the top-ranked university of its class in Minnesota, according to U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges”. Founded in 1854, Hamline also is Minnesota’s first university and among the first coeducational institutions in the nation. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Hamline is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and offers courses and degree programs in Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Master’s programs in Minnesota

University	Hamline University, Minnesota, Criminal Justice and Forensic Science
Duration	24 months
Type	Full time, Part time
Tuition and fees	$16,200 per year
Program link

The Forensic Science Certificate prepares students with majors in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry to work in forensic science laboratories, and students with majors in anthropology, biochemistry or biology to work in medical examiner’s offices and other medico-legal forensic science workplaces.

The forensic science certificate is designed for students pursuing a career in venues such as local, state, or federal forensic science laboratories, medical examiner/coroner offices. The forensic science certificate at Hamline is interdisciplinary by design and exposes students to the application of scientific principles and analytical methods to criminal and civil investigations.

The Forensic Science Certificate is also available for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a natural science. The core modules are:

Principles of Genetics
Principles of Cell Biology
General Chemistry I and II
Survey of the Forensic Sciences
Forensic Science Internship
Forensic Science Seminar

Students pursuing a forensic science certificate who already have completed a natural science degree can transfer a maximum of two courses, with grades of C or better, from prior college work to apply toward the certificate.

Relevant courses from other colleges will be considered through petition to the director of the program. No course in which the grade received is less than a C may be used to meet certificate requirements. If a Hamline course is repeated to meet this Forensic Sciences certificate grade requirement, the repeated course credit will be changed to zero and the resulting grade will be excluded in the grade point average computation.

The grade point average of all courses taken in the certificate must be 2.7 or higher and the cumulative GPA of all Hamline courses taken must be 3.0 or higher. Violation of the Hamline University Student Honor Code may result in suspension from the Forensic Sciences Certificate Program.

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Forensic Science Degree Programs in Minnesota