Applied Forensic Sciences

• Bachelor

  Degree

• English

  Language of instructions

• 4 years

  Years of study

• Full-time

  Study mode

• United States, Erie

  Location

The Mercyhurst University Department of Applied Forensic Sciences offers a multidisciplinary undergraduate major dedicated to educating students in matters related to science, forensic science, society and the law. Starting with a deep understanding of the natural sciences, students learn to identify, collect, analyze and interpret forensic evidence through hands-on experiences in our state of the art forensics lab on campus and in hundreds of real-life cases outside of Mercyhurst. There are three concentrations offered in this program: 1) Criminalistics/Forensic Biology: ​Criminalists and Forensic Biologists are typically called upon to locate, document, preserve, analyze, interpret and testify with respect to the significance of physical evidence. They must possess extensive skills and training in many diverse fields of natural and physical sciences. Pattern recognition in fingerprints and ballistics, and the interpretation of biological materials such as hairs, fibers, paints, polymers, soil, glass and other trace materials is important. Competency in the methods for collection and preservation of human biological evidence in regard to DNA testing is stressed in lecture and in the laboratory. This concentration prepares students for advanced training in Criminalistics or as trainees in forensic science laboratories. 2) Forensic Anthropology: Forensic Anthropologists are often called upon to comprehensively analyze human skeletal remains from a variety of crime scenes, ranging from surface scatters to mass fatalities. The skills of physical anthropology and archaeology are paramount to the training of competent forensic anthropologists. The undergraduate program prepares students for graduate studies in both physical and forensic anthropology. 3) Forensic Chemists analyze the chemical aspects of evidence that is collected from crime scenes and rarely conduct investigative work themselves. Their job is to identify and characterize physical and biological evidence as part of the larger process of solving a crime. Evidence is often in trace amounts and may include hair, paint, gunshot residue, inks, fibers, fire debris, explosives, drug residue, and blood. This field of work requires a fully developed knowledge in the natural sciences, specifically in analytical chemistry and instrumental methods.