Which Ohio Schools Offer Forensic Science Degree Programs?
Learn about forensic science programs in Ohio. See degree options, program requirements and courses, and get career and salary info for the region. Schools offering Forensic Science degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Career Info and Requirements for Forensic Scientists in Ohio
Forensic scientists typically need a bachelor's degree for entry-level employment and may need a graduate degree for advancement. However, if you choose to study at the associate's degree level, you can build a solid foundation of knowledge before majoring in the field. In addition, some jobs may be available to you with an associate's degree, such as forensic technical assistant or crime scene examiner. With a bachelor's degree, your career path could lead to a job as a homicide investigator, fingerprint technician, ballistics expert or criminal investigator.
Voluntary Certification
A license is not required to work in forensic science in Ohio, but you can opt to earn national certification with an organization such as the American Board of Criminalists (ABC). Certification is available at two levels, diplomate and fellow. The ABC exam tests your understanding of areas like firearms and explosives, crime scene reenactment, DNA and trace evidence. You can also take a specialty exam in an area such as drug analysis, hairs and fibers or molecular biology. To qualify for the certification exam, you need to have at a bachelor's degree in natural science or a related field and two years of professional experience.
Salary and Job Outlook for Forensic Scientists in Ohio
Nationally, forensic science technician jobs are expected to increase 19% between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). There were around 300 forensic science technicians working in Ohio as of May 2011; you may find employment with a medical examiner's office, law enforcement agency, crime lab or morgue. The BLS also reported that forensic science technicians working in Ohio earned a mean annual wage of approximately $57,000 in May 2011, slightly higher than the national average for these professionals, which is about $56,000.
Associate's Degree Programs in Ohio
Central Ohio Technical College
- Program Name: Associate of Applied Science in Forensic Science Technology
- Program Length: About 2 years
- Tuition: $1350 for 12-15 credit hours for residents; non-residents pay extra $75 per credit hour (as of summer 2012)
- Admission Requirements: COTC placement test or proof of waver eligibility; high school diploma or GED
- School Type: 2-year, public; just over 4,500 undergraduate students
- Address: 1179 University Drive, Newark, OH 43055
- Phone: (740) 366-9494
The forensic science program at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) is meant to build a solid base of concepts and techniques to prepare you for further study at the bachelor's degree level. You'll gain theoretical and practical knowledge in lab and field responsibilities, such as collecting, documenting and analyzing materials according to accepted legal and scientific standards. You'll also prepare and carry out investigative plans and report on your findings. Toxicology and laboratory instrumentation and analysis, criminal law and procedure, forensic serology and a capstone project are included in the coursework. The school also has a forensic science club that may help prepare you for your career as well as help you build connections in the field.
Bachelor's Degree Programs in Ohio
Tiffin University
- Program Name: Bachelor of Criminal Justice in Forensic Science
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $9,945 per semester, full time (12-16 credit hours) (2012-2013)
- Prerequisites: High school coursework in science, math, social studies, and English preferred
- Admission Requirements: An essay, letters of recommendation or an interview may be requested
- School Type: 4-year, private; about 3,800 undergraduate and just over 1,100 graduate students
- Address: 155 Miami Street, Tiffin, OH 44883
- Phone: (800) 968-6446
Through Tiffin University's forensic science program, you gain a well-rounded understanding of the field, preparing you for employment in police departments and forensic laboratories. The coursework includes criminal law, ethics, human anatomy and physiology, forensic anthropology, quantitative and instrumental analysis, evidence processing and biology. An internship is also required. Tiffin also offers a Criminal Justice Club that sponsors guest speakers and criminal justice-related activities for students in related majors.
Ohio Northern University
- Program Name: Bachelor of Science in Forensic Biology
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $35,678 per year (2012-2013)
- Prerequisites: High school coursework in math, English and social studies, languages, history or natural sciences
- Admission Requirements: Personal statement (250 words minimum); high school teacher/counselor recommendation letter or form
- School Type: 4-year, private non-profit; approximately 2,600 undergraduate and nearly 1,000 graduate students
- Address: 525 South Main Street, Ada, OH 45810
- Phone: (419) 772-2000
With a focus on the science of biology and biological evidence analysis, the B.S. in Forensic Biology program includes classes in crime scene investigation, forensic DNA and entomology, forensic methods and forensic microscopy. Students have access to lab equipment, including automated fingerprint index system workstations, polarizing microscopes, mitochondrial DNA detection systems and luminometers. Facilities include lab classrooms, a cadaver dissection lab, an animal 'body farm', a physiological measurements lab and animal vivarium facilities. You'll also complete an internship at a government, criminal or private forensic lab. The Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists, Beta Beta Beta (the National Biological Honor Society), the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Biology Student Association are among the student associations you can participate in.
Youngstown State University
- Program Name: Bachelor of Science in Applied Science in Forensic Science
- Specialization Areas: Blood and urine analysis for toxins, ballistics, drugs (or another area of interest)
- Program Length: 4 years
- Tuition: $3,105 per semester for OH residents, $2,978 for out-of-state residents; students from select Western Pennsylvania counties pay in-state rates plus $105 surcharge and students from select New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania counties pay in-state rates plus $1,414 surcharge (fall 2012)
- Admission Requirements: Ohio residents must pass all sections of the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT)
- School Type: 4-year, public; almost 14,000 undergraduate and nearly 1,300 graduate students
- Address: One University Plaza, Youngstown, OH 44555
- Phone: (330) 941-3000
Youngstown State University's (YSU) forensic science program is meant to equip you with the knowledge to begin an entry-level career working in a crime lab, or to continue your education with advanced studies in the field. In this interdisciplinary program that includes health sciences, biology, chemistry, criminal justice and anthropology, you'll learn the scientific, investigative and legal underpinnings of how to handle evidence samples, test materials using specialized instruments and prepare your findings for reporting in court. To graduate from the program, you must complete an internship in a forensic science lab as well as an independent study of a specialty area of your choosing, such as analysis of blood and urine for toxins or ballistics.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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