The crime scene investigation certificate enhances professional readiness for roles in law enforcement agencies, forensic units, and investigative services, and complements a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, forensic science or related disciplines. It is designed to assist students wishing to become civilian investigators or sworn law enforcement officers in investigating, documenting and collecting evidence from the scene of crimes. This certificate provides a foundation in crime scene management.
Emphasis is placed on the accurate preservation and presentation of physical evidence, with training that prepares students to effectively communicate their findings to other criminal investigators and in judicial proceedings.
Program Requirements
The certificate program has four required courses: ANTH 101, ANTH 557, CJ 191 and CJ 341 (or FS 298). The student may then choose from the following elective courses for total of 21 credit hours. A grade of C or better is required for each course and an overall program grade point average of 3.000 is required for the certificate.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ANTH 101 | Biological Anthropology 1 | 3 |
| ANTH 557 | Human Osteology | 3 |
| CJ 191 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CJ 341 | Criminalistics and Scientific Crime Detection | 3 |
| or FS 298 | An Introduction to Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation | |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select 9 credit hours from the following | 9 | |
| Forensic Anthropology | ||
| Criminal Evidence: Mock Trials | ||
| Forensic Photography | ||
| Crime Scene Reconstruction | ||
| Basic Bloodstain Pattern Analysis | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |