Undergraduate programs in forensic science have in the past been focused on one or possibly two areas within forensic science; criminology, chemistry, or psychology being the majority. Baylor University has developed a highly successful forensic science major incorporating all the sections in the American Academy of Forensic Science as well as many others. This innovative program was initiated to target premedical students to give these students an applied program while they simultaneously took all required premedical courses.

Our program is a Bachelor of Science degree designed for students who want to go to medical school, graduate school, work in crime laboratories, or work for government agencies such as the FBI or OSI (Air Force FBI). Students who are interested in becoming crime scene investigators will often times be required to attend the police academy and serve as police officers prior to becoming crime scene investigators. A criminal justice degree is more suited for this career path.

Our Growth

The major, established in 1999, has drawn much attention nationwide. There are 300 declared majors making this one of the larger programs on Baylor's campus. Subjects taught include all the premedical requirements, as well as forensic entomology, forensic anthropology, forensic toxicology, psychological profiling, hostage negotiation, crime scene investigation, criminology, death scene investigation, firearms evidence, medicolegal investigation, and forensic pathology. The student also has the opportunity to travel to forensic cases that their professors are involved in. They see first hand how to handle the collection of human remains and accustom themselves to working with decomposing bodies.