Certificate in Forensic Sciences

The Certificate in Forensic Sciences is a recognition of the successful completion of a set of requirements, designed to expose students to selected facets of the application of science to the law. Progressing through the program as a cohort group, students learn directly from both research faculty and external field experts, to develop their awareness of the science underpinning physical evidence investigation. The certificate program is an added distinction to the Bachelor degree with Major (or Honours), which is completed concurrently with the fulfillment of the requirements for the student’s chosen major. It is not a stand-alone program.

The certificate builds on a required first-year science foundation, and is comprised of an eighteen (18) credit-hour core in fundamental forensic sciences breadth, and an additional six (6) credit hours of selected program electives aligning with the student’s particular major, and with their future goals in related practice or continued study.

Goals

The certificate is intended to provide motivated undergraduate students focused opportunities to explore their expressed interest in the application of scientific concepts, methods of analysis, and critical evaluation, to forensic matters. The goal is to provide an opportunity for students to gain exposure to, and experience with, this special interest field; and learn how the concepts and methodology from a range of scientific disciplines are applied in a forensic setting. Adding this certificate to a core discipline major will help prepare students for post-graduate education in desired related fields. Critical thinking practice is at the core of the program with an inherent focus on the development of such intellectually disciplined processes of applying, analyzing, and evaluating information, results, and conclusions.

What is Forensic Science?

Forensic Science refers to the application of any scientific discipline for the purposes of legal investigations, either criminal or civil in nature. With this broad definition, forensic scientists can be trained in many different fields, including biology, anthropology, chemistry, genetics, toxicology, psychology, etc. In America, police forces are regularly involved in forensic investigations, but there are others, (e.g., medical personnel, dentists, biologists, criminologists and anthropologists), who are interested in, or can benefit from, training in forensic sciences.