FORENSIC SCIENCE and subjects

[cyberlolz]

but overall i think biology is included in forensic science little or less but lets doa bit of an eg putting me aside

would you choose

Course search

or

Victoria University HandBook

 

and why?

please tell me reasons like which gives more focus and which is more detailed because im not use to looking at university courses it confuses me.

with your experience which would be the best?? and would be your final choice .

_________________________________________________________________

***(putting me back into the case - which has more detailed aspects of biology -- harder biology and more focus.Which ahs more focus on chemistry????)**

 

And again if i were to do computer forensics do i study a master at that or at forensic science crimiology ???

Thank you (The links are the 2 courses Deakin uni, and Vic uni)

[Monomer]

I think that I would be more inclined to do the Bachelor of Forensic Science at Deakin University because it appears to be specific to forensic science. The course offered by Victoria University offers training in medical and forensic and analytical chemistry, which would likely provide more varied job opportunities upon graduation, but if I was set on forensic science I'd go to Deakin.

 

Deakin has little biology content and lets you choose to focus on forensic biology or forensic chemistry. From the brochure you'd have to complete 3 units of biology but then there are 4 extra units that you can choose to study chemistry instead.

 

I also read this in the course brochure which kind of swayed my decision:

Deakin’s Forensic Science course covers many aspects of chemical/biochemical analysis and molecular biology. Students also undertake studies in the examination and interpretation of evidence and courtroom skills.

 

Students have the opportunity to carry out research projects in a variety of forensic areas in collaboration with forensic scientists from organisations such as the Victoria Police, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Australian Federal Police and Forensic Science South Australia.

 

Forensic Science students use the very latest technology to convert the clues collected from a crime scene into evidence admissible in a court of law. They have access to a forensic crime scene room and full suite of forensic instrumentation for learning and research that is unique within the Victorian tertiary sector. These instruments include the Applied Biosystems 3130 DNA Analyser and Electrostatic Detection Apparatus.

 

The course has strong links with the local and Australian forensic community and guest lecturers and seminar speakers are drawn from leading forensic organisations. They include practising forensic scientists, experienced trial lawyers and other forensic experts. These links, which have been formally recognised in a Memorandum of Understanding with Victoria Police, give students insight into the day-to-day reality of forensic science in their future workplaces and an opportunity to develop valuable networks in the industry.

http://www.deakin.edu.au/scitech/courses/undergrad/sci/docs/forensic.pdf

 

 

If you want to do computer forensics then find a computer forensics course. I'm not sure that criminology is what you want to do:

Forensics involves the use of scientific knowledge (in fields such as biology, chemistry, dentistry, entomology, medicine, pathology, psychology, and so on) in preparing or presenting evidence for legal purposes. In fact, any scientific test can be called "forensic" if it is used as evidence in a court of law.

 

Criminology is a multidisciplinary approach to the study of legal processes and attitudes toward crime and crime prevention. It involves the critical examination of theories used to explain crime, the operation of the criminal justice system, and the ways in which various attitudes toward crime are developed.

Forensic Science & Criminology - Student and Graduate Careers, The University of Queensland

 

The Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics at the University of Melbourne could be suitable for you.

Melbourne University - SoE Digital Forensics

There doesn't seem to be a Masters degree in computer forensics, but the graduate certificate would be fine.

 

Also, I think it's important you do honours after you've completed the bachelor course. That will ensure you can do a masters or PhD later on. You don't need an honours degree to go a graduate certificate.

Course search

[cyberlolz]

So is this a good lay out for a good position in forensic science:

 

Bachelor of forensic science

Major in forensic chemistry

 

Master social forensic science and criminology

(optional)

 

Computer forensics (1 year).

thank you

[Monomer]

Actually I found a masters degree in digital forensics at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. The course is offered off campus so you don't need to go to WA if you don't want to.

Study Areas

 

There is also a Master of e-Forensics and Enterprise Security at Melbourne University which students who complete the graduate certificate in digital forensics move on to.

Master of e-Forensics and Enterprise Security - MCCP

 

Both courses seem okay, but perhaps it would be better just to stay at Melbourne Uni to complete the graduate certificate and masters. You would have already established a relationship with the lecturers and tutors and you'll possibly get more support. The class times are Friday afternoons and Saturdays so it would allow you to work part-time during the week (since you're looking at 6.5 years of study you'd probably be wanting to work by then).

 

So it would go like this:

Bachelor of Forensic Science majoring in forensic chemistry (Deakin Uni)

Honours in Forensic Science (Deakin Uni)

Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics (Melbourne Uni)

Master of e-Forensics and Enterprise Sercurity (Melbourne Uni)

 

If you really don't like the class times for the masters course then enrol in the Edith Cowan Uni course. If you feel like a change of lifestyle by then you could always move to WA.

Bachelor of Forensic Science majoring in forensic chemistry (Deakin Uni)

Honours in Forensic Science (Deakin Uni)

Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics (Melbourne Uni)

Master of Digital Forensics (Edith Cowan Uni)

[cyberlolz]

yeah i think i'll stick to melbourne uni cuz i'd be more used to it so let me repeat it

ill do

-bachelor of forensic science which is 3 years

-then dont i have to spend 1 year extra to major in forensic chemistry or do i choose it from the start?

-then i would complete an honours for 1 year (what are honours for?)

Going on i would:

-complete a graduate certificate in melbourne uni for digitalforensic.... (can u please recheck the pre requisites for this because i think i need some skills with the internet and engineering please loook at the core structures and entry requirements do i necessarily need them or will i hav them already by this stage? if i do need to do some extras what are they? Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics - MCCP)

-A masters in e-forensics at melb uni (can u please check if by that time i would be qualified to study this or will i already have qualified to- entry require ments Master of e-Forensics and Enterprise Security - MCCP .

thank you

[Monomer]

Your major in forensic chemistry is part of the 3 year bachelor course. Then it's honours for a year. The honours degree is for the top students in the course and it will increase your chances for employment. It will also open the door to a masters course and a PhD, which those without honours will not get in to (particularly the PhD).

 

For the Graduate Certificate you don't need any engineering skills but it would help if you knew your way around computers. Perhaps choose some computing subjects as your electives when they are offered during the bachelor course. Entry requirement for the course is "An undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification plus at least two years relevant and documented professional work experience". Most grad certs that I've looked at don't have work experience as an entry requirement, but since this one does it looks like you'll need to work in forensic science for a couple of years after you graduate before you can do this course.

 

Entry requirement for the Master of e-Forensics is "Successful completion (with an overall average of at least 70%) of the Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics plus a completed undergraduate degree plus two years documented relevant work or other experience." You'll have the completed undergraduate degree plus two years of work experience, but you'll need to make sure you do well enough with the graduate certificate.

 

So it's:

Bachelor of Forensic Science, majoring in forensic chemistry (3 years)

Honours (1 year)

Work experience (2 years)

Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensics (1 year)

Master of e-Forensics (looks like 1 year)

 

Another entry requirement for the masters course is "A relevant four-year degree plus at least two years documented relevant work or other experience". You'll have a 4 year degree with honours so it's possible that you could skip the graduate certificate and go straight to the masters (after the 2 years work experience). You might want to do the graduate certificate though so you get a better grounding in digital forensics/e-Forensics.

[cyberlolz]

So,I would complete the

Bachelors Degree in forensic science majoring in chemistry

 

Then i would start applying for "work experience?" at NIFS but would i apply for this after the 4 years degree with honurs? or the 3 year degree without honours. Or at the start of the degree?

[Monomer]

The "work experience" would be actual experience in the work force. So when you've completed the degree with honours get whatever job you can. Some employers will support their employees to do further study so when you have interviews you can let them know your intentions and maybe you'll be lucky enough to keep your job while you study.

[cyberlolz]

Oh....no...

so i can't do the work experience in the work force while studying at uni ...?

 

i'd hav to complete the 4 years with honours and then do 2 years part time or full time(?) as a QUALIFIED forensic scientist or is this just an experience for me?- haha what if no one will employ me?

 

after completing 6 years then i can do the graduate cert. for 1 year?

and still have to study with no job and go on to the masters and THEN start working as a qualified "Computer"forensic scientist.

will there be any way to shorten the years-- like working while studying for the graduate certificate ? so it'll be faster to reach the masters and get a higher level qualified job.

[freeztar]

Oh....no...

so i can't do the work experience in the work force while studying at uni ...?

 

i'd hav to complete the 4 years with honours and then do 2 years part time or full time(?) as a QUALIFIED forensic scientist or is this just an experience for me?- haha what if no one will employ me?

 

It's no ha ha, it's very real. It took me three years to get a job in my field after school (though my situation was admittedly a bit complicated). I *highly* recommend doing as many internships as you can. Employers like to see some sort of real-world experience outside of academia. This will come in your junior and senior years most likely, though I've known some professors who will allow an internship at junior level (very rare).

[cyberlolz]

im only in year 10/11. i realyy need help ur sayn i hav to get work exp. with forensic scientists b4 doing it after the degree?

[Monomer]

Oh....no...

so i can't do the work experience in the work force while studying at uni ...?

 

i'd hav to complete the 4 years with honours and then do 2 years part time or full time(?) as a QUALIFIED forensic scientist or is this just an experience for me?- haha what if no one will employ me?

 

after completing 6 years then i can do the graduate cert. for 1 year?

and still have to study with no job and go on to the masters and THEN start working as a qualified "Computer"forensic scientist.

will there be any way to shorten the years-- like working while studying for the graduate certificate ? so it'll be faster to reach the masters and get a higher level qualified job.

 

You can certainly do work experience while at uni. Actually, you should be doing work experience already at high school. As with freeztar I also highly recommend you take as many opportunities to get as much experience as you can. Employers don't just want someone with qualifications they also want someone with relevant experience.

 

When you graduate get whatever work you can - full-time or part-time. It also took me three years to get a job in a laboratory after I graduated because I just didn't have the experience. I eventually organised some work experience and that company ended up hiring me because I proved my worth.

 

In my previous post I wrote: "Some employers will support their employees to do further study so when you have interviews you can let them know your intentions and maybe you'll be lucky enough to keep your job while you study." You won't be accepted to do the graduate certificate until you've worked for a couple of years, but if you've been getting some work experience during your undergraduate years then that may count and you might not have to wait as long to do the grad cert. It would be ideal if you got a job working in computer forensics after honours because they will likely support your desire for further study.

 

It's going to take you a while to become a qualified computer forensic scientist, but that's just how it is. You've got a lot to learn and much experience to gain before people will recognise you as a "professional". Some of my friends completed a 3 year science degree, then did honours, then a PhD so they spent 7 years studying before they were recognised as "scientists". But now they have great jobs and get paid a lot, whereas I just did the 3 year science degree and now I'm just a lab technician in a ridicuously boring job which pays only resonably well.

 

But think about it. If it takes you 8 years to become a qualified computer forensic scientist you'll be approximately 27 years old and you'll have roughly 35 years to work as a qualified computer forensic scientist. You have to get past the short-term sacrifices and think about the long-term benefits.

[Monomer]

im only in year 10/11. i realyy need help ur sayn i hav to get work exp. with forensic scientists b4 doing it after the degree?

 

Yes. Before you can enrol in the grad cert you need to have two years experience working in forensic science. But like I said earlier, if you can get some experience while at uni then you might not have to wait for two years. If you get roughly one year's experience while at uni then you'll just have to wait a year before you can do the grad cert.

[freeztar]

im only in year 10/11. i realyy need help ur sayn i hav to get work exp. with forensic scientists b4 doing it after the degree?

 

You can gain the experience along the way. A seemingly mundane internship can earn you insights. You don't have to do your internship at a crime lab, it could be a uni chem lab or a bio lab, etc. I highly recommend that you do what interests you most.

[cyberlolz]

cool but this can all be arranged when i am at uni

its too early now yeah?

[Monomer]

cool but this can all be arranged when i am at uni

its too early now yeah?

 

You can arrange to do some work experience now. Someone at your school should be doing this so speak to your teachers. When you get to uni then you can arrange to do more work experience, either at the same places you've been to or talk to lecturers or the course coordinator to see what they can recommend.

[cyberlolz]

weelll im trying out with an architect now becasue i am only recently beginign to think about forensic science. So what can i do a bout extra experience - but with no experience in hand already.

i'd be almost 30 to reach a computer forensic bythe way and ill be having salary less than half my dads wages and he works for a tyre factory how do i survive with 30-40 k after a bachelors degree during the 2 years in the work force... i think im going to cry

if i do honours will i also have an increased salary or is that jus to get a phd? (which there is none at the moment )

 

i still do not get it - do i do a masters for forensic science or computer forensic??? if i had a choice which would be a better choice.