C.W. Post Offers New B.S. in Forensic Science

Brookville, N.Y. - From Sherlock Holmes to the hit television show "C.S.I.," forensic science has provided the foundation for a great deal of American literature and entertainment. Now the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University has created a forensic science program that will prepare students to enter the real world of this increasingly popular field.

The New York State Education Department recently approved a new Bachelor of Science Degree program in Forensic Science at C.W. Post - the first on Long Island. Through classroom work and internships, students will learn to examine evidence, including fingerprints, footprints, DNA samples, tire tracks, carpet fibers and documents to unearth the clues that help solve crimes.

Forensic science is used to uncover counterfeit materials, the validity of signatures on legal documents, business fraud, the source of pollutants in environmental issues and the relationship between suspects and crimes. Forensic scientists play a role in criminal, civil and regulatory legal proceedings. They may be employed by the prosecution or the defense, the plaintiff or the respondent, or the government or private industry. They work in crime labs, law enforcement agencies, police departments, toxicology and pathology labs, medical examiners' and coroners' offices and as independent forensic consultants.

The Bachelor of Science Degree program in Forensic Science at C.W. Post is a collaborative effort between the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the School of Health Professions and Nursing and the Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with support from the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Management.

"This program is an excellent foundation for a career in forensic science laboratory work and can lead to specialized positions in policing, law and even counseling," said Dr. Theodora Grauer, dean of the School of Health Professions and Nursing.

The program prepares students to take national certification exams in forensic science, such as the Certified Medical Investigator (level 1) exam, sponsored by the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. Graduates of the program will have a strong scientific and technical background in forensic science and a solid foundation in criminal justice and legal theory, which will qualify them for entry-level positions in crime laboratories, administrative agencies and private industry.

"This field is in the public eye due to the popularity of television shows, movies, books and other cultural influences," says Dr. Katherine Hill-Miller, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "However, this is a vital area of research and study that has a significant impact on determining the innocence or guilt of a suspect, uncovering fraud in the workplace, and resolving dead-end investigations."

The program consists of lecture courses, laboratory work and internships in crime laboratories and other related agencies. Classes will be taught by practicing forensic scientists, medical professionals, and C.W. Post professors who have an active interest in the field. Adjunct professors will be brought in from county health departments, crime labs, specialized government offices and medical examiners' offices. Students will take courses in Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Technology and Crime.

Applications are now being accepted for the program, which begins January 20, 2004. For more information, call Dr. Katherine Hill-Miller at (516) 299-2233 or Dr. Theodora Grauer at (516) 299-2485.