B.Sc. in Forensic Science

Last Updated on August 3, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Have you passed 12th standard with Science stream? Are you interested in pursuing a good Forensic Science course? If yes, this article will be of help to you. Here, we will have an in-depth analysis of B.Sc. in Forensic Science course.

How’s this article of help to me, you may ask. Here, you will find everything you need to know about B.Sc. in Forensic Science program. This article covers topics such as – duration, eligibility, colleges, fees, admission process, PG courses, syllabus, career prospects and salary details.  

  If you are looking for a Bachelor’s Degree course related to Forensic Science, this program will be of help to you. Technically, it is an undergraduate level Science Degree course.   The academic program is 3 years long. Students who have passed 10+2 Science stream are eligible to pursue this program.   Here’s an overview of the course –

• Name of the course: B.Sc. in Forensic Science
• Type of course: Bachelor’s Degree course
• Duration: 3 years
• Eligibility: Passed 10+2 Science stream

Here are some useful posts for you – list of forensic science courses in India, list of courses after 12th science and list of B.Sc. courses in India.   What is Forensic Science all about? What’s the scope associated with this field? What’s it like to become a forensic science professional? You will find answers to these questions in the next section. Here they are –

Forensic Science: Basic Details

In simple terms, forensic science is the application of scientific methods and techniques to matters under investigation by a court of law.   Haven’t you seen forensic experts in action in popular TV shows and movies? They jump into action after the crime is committed. They can be seen collecting evidence at crime scene, analyzing it and obtaining results that ultimately aid in progression of the investigation!   Forensic Science is a very vast field. With time, this field has evolved noticeably. It has got influenced by technology all this while. For example, Cyber forensics is a relatively new sub-branch.   As I mentioned before, forensic science is a very vast field. It consists of numerous sub-branches. Some of the popular ones are –

• Digital Forensics
• Computational Forensics
• Forensic Accounting
• Forensic Chemistry
• Forensic Microbiology
• Forensic DNA Analysis
• Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
• Forensic Engineering
• Forensic Linguistics
• Forensic Pathology
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychology
• Forensic Toxicology

Forensic Science experts can be seen working at crime scene and their respective laboratories. At crime scene, they can be seen working in tandem with Police force. At crime scene, their main aim is to –

• Analyze and study the crime scene
• Collect crucial evidence
• Mark and label the evidence properly
• Store and preserve the evidence safely

At their respective laboratories, they perform the the following tasks –

• Keep record of all the evidence collected
• Analyze the evidence using scientific methods and equipment
• Arrive at conclusions after analyzing
• Prepare reports related to their findings

Apart from lab and crime scene role, forensic experts may also be asked to testify as a witness in Court of Law!   The tasks performed by a forensic scientist or professionals depends upon his/her specialization and educational qualifications. For example, a Digital Forensics expert is not the best guy to analyze bloodstain patterns!   Similarly, a forensic chemistry expert is not the best guy to analyze evidence related to financial fraud! In short, there are specializations within this discipline!   At the end of the day, forensic experts play a huge role in crime solving. Thanks to their inputs, the investigating agency get crucial inroads and clues related to the crime!   B.Sc. in Forensic Science deals with different aspects of forensic science. This program consists of both classroom lectures and practical training sessions.   Practical training forms an integral part of this academic program. This is the main reason why you’d find laboratory sessions associated with many subjects!   Come, let us take a closer look at the course details. Here they are –

Course Details

Type of course

It is an undergraduate level Bachelor of Science program.

Duration

The academic program is 3 years long. Each academic year is divided into two semesters. Thus, the entire program consists of 6 semesters.

Eligibility

Minimum educational qualification required is – passed 10+2 Science stream.

Colleges

There exists many Government and Private colleges across India offering this course. Government colleges charge relatively lower fees than their private counterparts.

Admission Process

Reputed institutes rely on merit based admission process. Such institutes make use of relevant entrance test to select deserving candidates. Some institutes are also known to conduct their own qualifying test in order to select deserving candidates.   Some other institutes are also known to conduct direct as well as donation based admission process.

Syllabus

Here are some of the important subjects present in B.Sc. in Forensic Science curriculum –

• Physics
• Organic Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Communication Skills
• Biology
• Law
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Investigation Techniques
• Handwriting Analysis
• Basics of Criminology
• Forensic Anthropology
• Forensic Photography

Fees

Fees charged for the academic program may vary from one institute to another. Course fees depends upon the following factors –

• Type of institute (Government, Private, Aided etc)
• Location of the college
• Status and rating of the college
• Scholarship status (of student, if applicable)

Government colleges are known to charge low fees. Average fees in private colleges could be anywhere between 50-80K INR per semester.

PG Courses

B.Sc. Forensic Science graduates have multiple PG courses to choose from! M.Sc. in Forensic Science is the best option available in front of them.   By pursuing relevant M.Sc. programs, they may specialize in sub-disciplines within Forensic Science department. For example – M.Sc. in Digital Forensics.   Apart from that, graduates also have access to other Master’s Degree and PG Diploma programs such as –

• MBA
• MMS
• PGDM
• PG Diploma in Forensic Science
• And more…

Master’s Degree programs (such as MBA and M.Sc.) are 2 years long. PG Diploma programs are 1-2 years long.

Career Prospects

Forensic science professionals have diverse job opportunities available in front of them. They have access to Government jobs, Private sector jobs and self-employment!

You may also check –

Entrance exams after 12th in India

Scholarships after 12th in India

  Let us talk about Government jobs first! Forensic science professionals are hired by law enforcement agencies, investigation agencies, tax authorities, forensic laboratories etc. Let us take a look at some of the main recruiters. Here they are –

• Police Department
• Government Forensic Laboratories
• Income Tax Department
• Commercial Tax Department
• Crime Branch
• Intelligence Bureau
• CBI
• Armed Forces
• Government Hospitals
• Government Banks and Finance Institutes

Let us talk about private sector jobs now. Forensic experts are hired by private investigation agencies, security agencies, consultancies, law firms and detective agencies. If you want to remain self-employed, you may start your own agency or consultancy service.   In the above mentioned firms, you may don roles such as –

• Forensic Expert
• Forensic Scientist
• Investigative Officer
• Forensic Accountant
• Laboratory In-Charge
• Laboratory Assistant
• Law Expert
• Cyber Forensic Expert

Salary

Starting salary of B.Sc. Forensic Science graduates depends upon a number of factors. Some of the prominent factors are –

• Institute from which the candidate completed the course
• Level of education (UG, PG etc)
• His/her specialization
• The domain he/she has chosen
• Job location

On an average, starting salary could be anywhere between 40-70K INR per month. In case of a Government job, the salary will be as per the pay scale and grade. Abroad, the salary is much higher than what it is in India.