Overview
A Forensic Science Program with a Strong Background in the Foundational Sciences
The principles of biology, chemistry, and physics underlie all study of forensic science. To properly prepare students and professionals for a career in forensic science, the Pace University graduate program in forensic science focuses heavily on these foundational sciences.
Students come into the program with a B.S. in biology, chemistry, physics, or a similar scientific discipline and build upon that education with the support of the university's biology and chemistry departments. Students also have the support of expert forensic scientists who serve as professors for the program.
The focus on the fundamentals of forensics and the underlying science properly prepares students to enter the field of forensics or to continue their education in related fields of study.
Helping Students Prepare for Careers in Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation
Because forensic science is so heavily utilized in the investigation of crimes, a number of career opportunities have developed in the field over the past several decades. Increasingly, investigations rely on the precision with which forensic evidence is analyzed, the result of which is a growing field of study in which employment opportunities are growing.
The Pace University forensic science coursework prepares students new to the field for a career by offering the requisite knowledge base, expertise, and networking opportunities they will need. Professionals who are already engaged in forensics careers can take advantage of the network base and educational credentials offer by the forensic science program to further their professional development and advance their career in the field.
The comprehensive, fundamentals-based approach of the program is also excellent preparation for subsequent enrollment in law school or medical school.
Pace Offers Students Dedicated Professors with Real-World Experience in Forensic Science
The professors who instruct students in the Pace University forensic science program maintain full-time affiliations with the forensics labs of both local and federal law enforcement agencies, ensuring that those teaching students are always in touch with the latest developments in the field, as well as up-to-date technologies and techniques that are used in the ever-changing discipline of crime scene investigation.
Professors' association with these groups also offers them the unique ability to utilize their connections to ensure that students in the program are brought into contact directly with professionals in the field, as well as expose them to the situations that regularly arise in the real-world application of forensic science in criminal investigations.
The result is a learning environment that is based on the underlying scientific theory, but fully supported with the application of knowledge and expertise in situations that students are likely to face upon beginning their careers in forensics.
Top Notch Resources and Facilities Dedicated to Forensic Science Studies
In addition to a strong focus on fundamentals and an emphasis on enhancing students' educational opportunities through exposure to real-world applications of forensic science, the Pace University forensic science program offers students state-of-the-art instruments and laboratories.
The facilities at Pace further enhance a learning environment that is conducive to excellence in the field. Because the study of forensics and the analysis associated with criminal investigations require advanced equipment and analytical procedures, it has become increasingly important that students have the opportunity to study in classrooms and laboratories that expose them to the updated equipment that they will encounter in their careers in forensic science.
The forensic science program regularly acquires new equipment to remain up to date with the standards within the profession to ensure that students' education includes familiarity with this equipment.
Pace University also offers students a convenient location in New York City that features a close proximity to many major agencies that offer both employment and learning opportunities. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) regularly employs criminalists in their forensic biology and toxicology labs and boasts the largest DNA lab in the country. Also nearby is the New York City Police Department forensic laboratory, where drug identification, fingerprints, arson, and trace evidence are analyzed. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Northeast Regional Laboratory is located in Manhattan, offering yet another source of employment and real-world experience for students.
