Academic Requirements by Employers
Applicants to the graduate program should research the requirements for the chosen discipline of forensic science and for prospective employers in that field to become fully informed of particular requirements that may affect eligibility for employment.
In addition, applicants interested in forensic pathology or forensic psychology should be aware that practitioners in those areas typically have doctoral degrees. Therefore, the application letter should clearly reflect what the ultimate career goals are and how the degree program will help the individual reach those goals.
While the M.S. in Forensic Sciences prepares students for employment in particular fields, prospective employers may have other requirements, especially related to laboratory accreditation. To ensure high standards of quality for forensic practitioners, agencies governing laboratory accreditation may require employees to have courses not offered in the OSU forensic sciences program.
In the area of forensic DNA analysis, for example, DNA Advisory Board (DAB) standard 5.4.1 defines the educational requirements for a forensic analyst as follows:
“Minimal education requirements: The Analyst shall have a bachelor’s (or its equivalent) or an advanced degree in a biology-, chemistry-, or forensic science- related area and shall have successfully completed course work (graduate- or undergraduate-level) covering the following subject areas: biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and course work and/or training in statistics and/or population genetics as it applies to forensic DNA analysis.”¹
Of these DAB requirements, molecular biology, statistics, and population genetics are mandated courses in the DNA track; however, biochemistry and genetics are not offered. Therefore, any student entering the DNA program should either have biochemistry and genetics courses on the undergraduate transcript or plan on making up any deficiency before seeking employment.
In addition to national standards and guidelines, some states have additional requirements for positions in the forensic laboratory. For example, anyone performing a forensic alcohol analysis in California must have certain prerequisite courses, including analytical chemistry. This requirement is important to anyone hired by a California crime laboratory in the area of controlled substances, toxicology, or DNA analysis, since staffing needs may require that person also to perform alcohol analysis in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases. Although some laboratories may hire contingent on an individual’s completion of the analytical chemistry course in the first year of employment, any applicant who has already taken the course may have a competitive edge. The California requirement for this course is under review, but changes have not yet been made.²
¹ DNA Advisory Board, “Important Notice of Revised Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA”, Forensic Science Communications, Vol 10, No. 4, October 2008; also available at: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/oct2008/standards/2008_10_standards01.htm accessed 2/13/2009
² http://www.cdph.ca.gov/services/boards/farc/Pages/default.aspx accessed 2/13/2009
