The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science degree is designed to prepare students for careers as forensic scientists.
Accreditation
The B.S. in Forensic Science degree is accredited by the Forensic Science Educational Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Learn more about FEPAC, including its Public Disclosure Policy, Accredited Programs, Formal Complaint Policy and Complaint Submission Form.
Academic and Career Preparation
UTampa students have interned with many forensic laboratories, which enhances the curriculum. Some examples include the following:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- Hillsborough County Medical Examiner
- Pinellas County Crime Laboratory
- Defense Forensic Science Center
- National Forensic Science Technology Center
The program also prepares students for graduate programs in forensic science, chemistry, toxicology, biochemistry and health professional schools; alumni from the program have attended medical school and pharmacy school.
Experienced Faculty
All of the faculty in the program were formerly forensic science practitioners, with experience as crime scene investigators or in forensic laboratories. This ensures that our students are taught by professors who have practiced what they are teaching; they have done forensic science and testified to their results in court.
Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the program are well-prepared for employment with local, state, and federal crime laboratories as well as law enforcement agencies. Based on our survey results from the past three years, 83% of graduates responded to the survey. All respondents reported that they are either employed in forensic science, employed in an analytical laboratory science, or enrolled in graduate programs including medical and pharmacy school.
The majority of respondents (50%) work in forensic science, reflecting the program's emphasis on training. They work in the most common subdisciplines of forensic science: crime scene investigation, forensic toxicology, forensic chemistry, biology/DNA, and firearm and tool mark examination.
Most graduates who do not enter forensics directly use the analytical skills they learned in their training, commonly in industrial or medical analytical laboratories. Some graduates have used their training to become law enforcement agents, including graduates working as special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Additionally, several graduates are in or have attended doctoral programs in top schools in their field.
- FAQs
- Mission Statement
1. What is the most crucial advice I should follow in my first year at the University of Tampa if I would like to do an internship in forensic science and apply for forensic science jobs when I graduate?
Answer: When looking for jobs and internships, you will be held to a higher standard than most of your peers outside of forensic science regarding your behaviors and those you associate with. This is not a moral issue; it is an agency’s assessment of whether or not you are likely to be a security risk when dealing with sensitive materials or information. Keep this in mind.
Almost all jobs in forensic science, as well as internships, will require that you undergo a background investigation. During this process, an investigator looks into your criminal record, credit history, colleagues/friends, employment history, etc. They interview people you know and have lived with and ask about your background. You must be completely forthcoming and honest during this process. The biggest mistake that students sometimes make is using marijuana. SMOKING/CONSUMING MARIJUANA EVEN ONCE WILL ELIMINATE YOU FROM CONSIDERATION FOR MOST FORENSIC JOBS FOR YEARS AFTER THE INCIDENT. It does not matter if you consumed marijuana in a state/jurisdiction where it was legal.
2. What science classes should I take in my first year at the University of Tampa?
Answer: It is recommended to enroll in the General Chemistry (CHE 152/153L) and General Biology (BIO 198/198L) courses as soon as possible. They are prerequisites to many of the upper-level courses. In the spring semester of your first year, it is recommended that you enroll in FSC 130, Survey of Forensic Sciences. It is the first course in the forensic science series. It is important to note that it is still possible to graduate in four years if you start these courses in your second year at the University. Still, your upper-level science courses will not be as evenly distributed.
3. What electives should I take if I want to apply for jobs in forensic biology (DNA analysis)?
Answer: It is recommended that students interested in Forensic DNA Analysis complete both the Molecular Biology (BIO 370/370L) and Biochemistry (CHE 320/320L) courses. This is important because forensic DNA analysis laboratories have specific coursework requirements detailed in the Quality Assurance Standard (QAS) document for forensic DNA testing laboratories, published by the FBI.
The mission of the forensic science program is to prepare the student, through the development of student knowledge and laboratory skills, for post-baccalaureate training and careers in forensic science and related fields, in an environment that emphasizes faculty-student mentoring.
By the Numbers
- Employment Data
- Internship/Research/Capstone Data
- Enrollment Data
Forensic Science Post-Graduation Employment Data
| Graduation Class of 2022-2023 | Graduation Class of 2023-2024 | Graduation Class of 2024-2025 | |
| Number of graduates with jobs or job offers | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| Number of graduates admitted into an advanced degree program | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Number of graduates who did not respond to the post-graduation survey | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Internship / Research Project/ Capstone Experience Information
Academic Year 2025-2026
| Types of Experience (internship, research or capstone) | Title or Topic of Project/Area of Study | Location |
| Internship | Forensic Chemistry | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Forensic Toxicology | Pinellas County Forensic Lab, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Quality Assurance | Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division, Pikesville, MD |
| Internship | Crime Scene | Nassau County Police Department, North Bellmore, NY |
| Internship | Forensic Anthropology | Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Land O' Lakes, FL |
| Internship | Forensic Chemistry | The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), Horsham, PA |
| Internship | Forensic Toxicology | Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Department, Tampa, FL |
| Internship | Forensic Chemistry (Fire Debris) | Pinellas County Forensic Lab, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Forensic Chemistry | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Research | Development of a Visible Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization Source for Forensic Mass Spectrometry of Latent Prints | |
| Research | Storage of Fire Debris Evidence | |
| Research | Using Hildebrand Solubility Parameters to Select Suitable Solvents for Extraction of Ignitable Liquids for Fire Debris Applications | |
| Research | Experiential Learning Through an Abbreviated Latent Print Training in an Undergraduate Academic Setting | |
| Research | Validated SPE-GC-MS Approach for the Detection and Identification of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Cosmetic Products | |
| Capstone | Finding Gunshot Residue at Crime Scenes with LIBS | |
| Capstone | Evaluation of DNA Profiling from Challenging Environments: Using STR and MtDNA | |
| Capstone | Modernizing Firearm Evidence Comparison: From Visual Comparison to Quantitative Analysis | |
| Capstone | Forensic Isotope Ratio Analysis of Human Remains | |
| Capstone | Application of Inkjet-Printed Artificial Fingermarks for Standards Development | |
| Capstone | Identification of Novel Psychoactive Substances Without Drug Standards | |
| Capstone | Optimization of DNA Recovery | |
| Capstone | Accuracy in BPA Analysis: Current Assessment and Future Improvements |
Academic Year 2024-2025
| Types of Experience (internship, research or capstone) | Title or Topic of Project/Area of Study | Location |
| Internship | Chemistry | Global Forensic and Justice Center @ FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Pinellas County Forensic Lab, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Internship | Chemistry | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL |
| Research | Using a Handheld Van de Graaff Generator to Electrostatically Drive PSI and Glass-PESI for Use with Mass Spectrometry | |
| Research | Optimization of Squalene Ionization Conditions | |
| Research | Evaluating 1,1-Difluoroethane for Headspace Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Volatiles | |
| Research | LC-MS/MS analysis of caffeine in synthetic blood: an introduction to instrumentation for undergraduate chemistry students | |
| Capstone | Developing Methods for the Detection of Drugs in Human Bone | |
| Capstone | Storage of Fire Debris Evidence | |
| Capstone | The Transfer and Persistence of Trace DNA in Forensic Casework | |
| Capstone | Forensic DNA Phenotyping Utilizing Epigenetic and Proteomic Markers | |
| Capstone | The Analysis of Polymers in 3D-Printed Firearms | |
| Capstone | The Physical Examination of 3D-Printed Firearms | |
| Capstone | Fieldable Technologies for Seized Drugs | |
| Capstone | Distinguishing Tauopathies: Utilizing Biochemical Analyses to Develop an In Vivo Diagnostic Technique for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy | |
| Capstone | Efficient DNA Collection Methods | |
| Capstone | Evaluation of the Use of Single-cell Analysis in Forensics with the DEPArray | |
| Capstone | Determination and Quantification of Cannabinoids | |
| Capstone | Applications of Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Capillary Microextraction of Volatiles for the Analysis of Organic Gunshot Residues | |
| Capstone | Improving the Detection of Fentanyl Isomers and Analogues Using an Ionic Liquid Stationary Phase, GC-IRD, and SERS | |
| Capstone | Determination of Accuracy and Reliability of Firearm and Toolmark Examinations | |
| Capstone | The comparison of toolmarks on 3D printed components | |
| Capstone | The Dual Analysis of Inorganic and Organic GSR with the Use of LC-MS/MS |
Academic Year 2023-2024
| Types of Experience (internship, research, or capstone) | Title or Topic of Project/Area of Study | Location |
| Internship | Firearms | Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa, FL |
| Internship | Chemistry | Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa, FL |
| Research | Chemical Compounds in K-Cup Coffee Pods and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry | |
| Research | Trace Drugs in Surface Waters | |
| Research | Electrostatic Capture and Ionization of Surface Residues | |
| Capstone | Optimization of DNA Extraction for Low-Level Samples | |
| Capstone | Improving Throughput by Optimizing PCR Methods | |
| Capstone | Inferring Activity from Fingermark Placement | |
| Capstone | Blood Spatter Analysis | |
| Capstone | Fieldable Mass Spectrometry at the Crime Scene | |
| Capstone | Improving the Recovery of Male DNA from Sexual Assault Kits | |
| Capstone | Collection and Preservation of Ignitable Liquid Residues | |
| Capstone | Fieldable Mass Spectrometry at the Crime Scene | |
| Capstone | Improving Throughput of DNA Profiling - The Optimization of PCR Methods | |
| Capstone | Optimization of DNA Extraction for Low-Level Samples |
Academic Year 2022-2023
| Types of Experience (internship, research or capstone) | Title or Topic of Project/Area of Study | Location | |
| Internship | Crime Scene | Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, New Port Richey, FL | |
| Internship | Chemistry | Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa, FL | |
| Internship | Toxicology | Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Orlando, FL | |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL | |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL | |
| Internship | Forensic DNA | Global Forensic and Justice Center @FIU Center, Largo, FL | |
| Research | Ion Formation in Mass Spectrometry of Explosives | ||
| Research | SPME-DART-MS of Explosives | ||
| Capstone | DNA Transfer in Casework | ||
| Capstone | Blunt Force Trauma in Burn Remains | ||
| Capstone | The Sexual Assault Backlog | ||
| Capstone | Canines and Human Scent | ||
| Capstone | Electrostatic Capture of Forensic Evidentiary Residues | ||
| Capstone | Causes of Excited Delirium | ||
| Capstone | Handheld Raman and FTIR in the Field |
Enrollment/Graduation Data
| Academic Year 2022-2023 | Academic Year 2023-2024 | Academic Year 2024-2025 | Academic Year 2025-2026 | |
| Number of students enrolled in forensic science | 138 | 139 | 118 | 105 |
| Number of forensic science graduates | 16 | 12 | 23 | 16 |
