Five career paths for Forensic Science graduates

When you think of Forensic Science, your mind is probably flooded with images of labs and crime scenes from TV shows.

That’s just a small piece of the puzzle, forensic techniques can be applied across a range of industries and job roles.

With that in mind, here are five career paths for Forensic Science graduates.

Forensic Scientist

Obvious as it may seem, an accredited Forensic Science degree will set you up nicely for a career as a Forensic Scientist.

As a Forensic Scientist, you’ll use cutting edge analytical and scientific techniques to examine evidence from crime scenes. You’ll be based mainly in the lab, where you’ll examine traces of substances such as blood, hairs and textile fibres, and prepare reports on your findings.

It can be difficult to get forensic science work experience as forensic labs don’t offer placements, which makes a degree in Forensic Science even more worthwhile.

Crime Scene Investigator

The work of a Crime Scene Investigator is pretty similar to that of a Forensic Scientist, however, as the title suggests, much of your work will take place at crime scenes.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for securing and protecting crime scenes in order to collect evidence.

Most Crime Scene Investigators are employed by individual police forces. It’s a varied role with some of the key responsibilities including, using scientific methods to gather evidence, taking photos and videos of crime scenes, writing reports and attending court to give evidence.

Toxicologist

If you’re looking for a slight sideways move once you graduate, a career in toxicology will allow you to make use of many of the skills you’ll develop on a Forensic Science degree.

Toxicologists conduct lab and field studies to determine the risks associated with substances such as chemicals and medicines. This makes it a very rewarding job role, as you’re actively identifying dangerous chemicals, whilst enabling safer ones to be developed.

Toxicologists are found in a variety of industries and usually specialise in a particular area, for example forensic toxicology, where you could be based at a private forensic laboratory, a hospital forensics department or even within government a department.

Detective

If you enjoy a challenge and have a knack for problem-solving, a career as a Detective might just be the calling you’ve been looking for.

As a Detective, you’ll be responsible for managing and conducting a range of criminal investigations, within your area of specialism. Other responsibilities include handling forensic evidence, conducting interviews and interrogations and leading teams of police staff.

There are two mains routes into Detective work: qualifying as a police officer and moving into a detective role, or through the Police Now National Detective Programme, for graduates.

Science Writer

The in-depth understanding of scientific methods gained on a Forensic Science degree will equip you with the knowledge needed to work as a Science Writer.

As the name suggests, a Science Writer is someone who writes about science. This could be in the form of news articles, features, journal articles, blogs and much more, which makes it a great role if you enjoy variety in your work.

You won’t be spending every minute of your day typing away either. Other duties of a science writer can include, researching relevant topics, interviewing scientists and academics and travelling to attend conferences and meetings.

Forensic Science at Bradford

As the first university Forensic Science programme in the UK, our degree is time-tested. You’ll enjoy the perfect blend of intensive teaching sessions and hands-on learning, plus, a one-year industry placement, if you choose the sandwich year option.

The programme has been carefully designed to meet the needs of the forensics sector, with a close focus on fundamental chemistry and a final year dedicated primarily to the application of Forensic Science. It’s therefore no surprise that the course is currently ranked 7th in the UK.

So whether you’re looking for a role in forensics or you have keen interest in science, a Forensic Science degree from Bradford will help you get on in your career.

Fancy a future in Forensics? Check out our Forensic Science course page.