Are you interested in helping law enforcements officials to solve crimes? Are you interested in learning techniques used by forensic experts in the field to investigate crime scenes? Then forensic chemistry offers you an exciting pathway to enter the forensic field.
Forensic job opportunities
Forensic chemists help analyze physical evidence collected during a crime scene investigation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the forensic science field is a high demand field with 11% growth expected job openings in 2021-31, which is indicated as much faster than the average. Further, starting salaries in the field are very competitive with a median pay of 62k/year at entry level. An undergraduate degree with a forensic chemistry will make students more competitive whether they want to enter the job market directly or pursue a higher degree in forensic field.
Forensic Chemistry Pathways
Chemistry program at Georgia College offers students two pathways to get exposure in the forensic field. Our chemistry majors get the opportunity to obtain a BS degree in chemistry with a forensic chemistry concentration. In addition to all pre-requisite courses, students will be taking two capstone courses in forensic chemistry and will get hands on experience with a forensic chemistry lab. In addition students will have the opportunity to conduct forensic related research with our dedicated chemistry faculty. Students will also be exposed to different forensic chemistry related activities offered by the department.
Non-chemistry majors get the opportunity to obtain a forensic chemistry certificate by completing all pre-requisites courses, one forensic chemistry course of choice, and forensic chemistry lab. They can either get a certificate in trace evidence and material analysis or a certificate in DNA analysis and toxicology.
Details about course requirements for both pathways are given below.
