Colleges That Offer Forensic Entomology

Forensic entomology is the study the insects found in decomposing remains as an aid to legal investigations. The field can be divided into three general areas: medicolegal forensic entomology, which focuses on the legal system's criminal component; urban forensic entomology, which examines urban pests that affect humans and their environment; and stored product pest entomology, which examines insects found in stored food and often deals with criminal proceedings involving food contamination. Due to the specificity of this field, there are few departments devoted solely to its study. However, several American colleges do offer forensic entomology coursework.
  1. Purdue University

    • The Entomology Department at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, offers a forensics minor. To complete the minor, students must accumulate 10 credits of core forensics sciences courses which do not focus on insects. These include introduction to forensic science, criminalistics and forensic digital imaging. Students also select nine additional credits from a list that includes several entomology-focused courses such as general entomology lab, introduction to insect behavior, introduction to insect identification, insect physiology and biochemistry. Purdue also allows graduate students in the entomology department to chose forensic entomology as their focus of study.

    Texas A&M University

    • Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, also offers coursework for students interested in forensic entomology. The Department of Entomology, part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, launched a forensic and investigative sciences program in 2007. The program trains students to collect, preserve and process information -- skills applicable to crime scene investigation as well as other fields like law, medicine, public health and agriculture. Coursework includes introduction to forensic and investigative sciences, biotechnology and forensics, practice and principles of science and law and applied forensic entomology. The program also offers professional internship and research opportunities.

    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    • The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's entomology department offers a certificate program in forensic entomology/medical entomology, which is taken as an online course through the UNL graduate school. Students take six core credits in forensic entomology and medical entomology, and then choose an additional nine credits from a list that includes insect ecology, insect behavior, insect toxicology and insect physiology.

    Forensic Workshops for NC State Students

    • The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology Research Center and North Carolina State University have come together to create the The North Carolina Program for Forensic Science, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The center holds regular forensic workshop at NC State University under the direction of distinguished forensic entomologists. NC State University students' tuition covers the expenses of the workshops, which provide them an opportunity to interact with experts in the field and find out how to pursue future academic research and/or coursework.

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