Crime Scene Investigation Schools
The increasing public interest in crime scene investigation careers has given rise to more competition in the crime scene investigation industry, and without earning a degree from a crime scene investigation school, your chances of becoming a CSI may be less.
Sponsored School(s)
Most CSI employers require applicants to have earned a degree that is related to the job they are applying for; so, if you want to gain a competitive advantage, you need to pursue an education related to crime scene investigation. Crime scene investigation schools commonly offer either an associate’s degree program or a bachelor’s degree. A CSI associate’s degree is a two-year program that provides general CSI education, while a bachelor’s degree program is a four-year program that offers a more comprehensive approach to crime scene investigator education. Many schools offer a criminal justice degree with a concentration in CSI, which has become a popular option.
What Will I learn from a CSI Program?
Actively pursuing a career in CSI means that you must equip yourself with skills needed for the job. Enrolling in a crime scene investigation school will teach you to properly and systematically collect physical evidence in crime scenes; with specific classes in crime scene photography, fingerprinting, collecting blood and other bodily fluids, lifting impressions, among many others. Earning a degree in a CSI college program will also allow you to learn the different techniques in processing evidence as well as storing and preserving them. Communication is very important in the crime scene investigation field, which is why CSI schools also prepare students in writing effective evidence reports and testifying in court. If you wish to pursue a forensic science or CSI career, you can choose a specialization such as ballistics, forensics dentistry, forensics anthropology, forensics engineering, and DNA forensics. Many in the industry start in evidence collection and crime scene processing, then find their unique interests within the broader field of forensics. You can also gear your study to become a handwriting expert, a medical examiner, or a crime scene examiner.
Enrolling in a crime scene investigation university or college is your first step to entering the world of CSI. There are numerous crime scene investigation schools that offer highly-specific programs for CSI aspirants, and you can choose one that is right for you based on the accessibility of the school and its capacity to produce employable crime scene investigator graduates. If you are ready to jumpstart your career as a CSI, begin by requesting information from schools offering CSI programs, compare curriculum, online options, and employability upon graduation.