Students interested in pursuing forensics degrees can select from a wide range of school types and program costs. Options include major universities, such as Baylor in Texas and George Washington University in Washington, D.C., state schools such as the University of Central Florida, smaller private colleges such as Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania and even community colleges, including St. Petersburg College in Florida and Riverside Community College in California. There are also overseas schools offering forensic degree programs in the Caribbean.
Some of the strongest programs offer multidisciplinary programs in which students study the hard sciences, psychology and human behavior, anthropology and criminal investigation or criminal justice. Such programs prepare students for the wide range of investigative fields forensics specialists may face when working in a state or local crime laboratory. According to the annual ratings by "U.S. News & World Report," the top three schools for these comprehensive forensics programs are the University of Mississippi, the University of Central Florida and Loyola University in New Orleans.
Some of the highest-rated and most innovative programs are those offering students the most up-to-date science labs and equipment. Although most criminal investigation laboratories do not enjoy the luxury of all the high-tech tools common on popular television programs, familiarity with the latest techniques will provide students with a competitive edge. One of the most innovative facilities is the Anthropology Research Facility at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Commonly known as "The Body Farm," it was started in 1980 for the focused study of forensic anthropology -- the science of identifying human remains and determining cause of death.
According to Frank Vozzo, Associate Professor of Forensic Science at Russell Sage College for Women, "TV shows can give the impression that one person does it all ... but most forensic science takes place in the field or in the lab, as one part of an investigatory team process." A firm grounding in the sciences is required for all students pursuing forensics degrees, but at the graduate level and beyond, most will find specialization to be useful. Specialty programs include DNA analysis, trace evidence analysis, pathology and forensic medical examination.