National University

What you'll study

The program requires seven courses. Course topics listed by the university include:

• Forensic terminology, anatomy and physiology — human anatomy, pathology of sudden/unexpected deaths, SIDS, methods of personal identification, injury types and mechanisms of death.
• Medicolegal investigations of injuries and death — regional injuries, firearm and transportation injuries, trauma and disease, child abuse, sexual assault diagnosis, infanticide, asphyxial and drug deaths; forensic medical evidence and records for court. (Prerequisite: FSC 630)
• Crime scene procedures — approach and protection of scenes, survey and documentation, detailed searches, initial evidence collection and packaging, latent print processing, and chain-of-custody principles; legal and scientific bases for searches and seizures.
• Physical evidence and criminalistics — survey of physical evidence types, overview of forensic laboratory operations and analytical tools, chain-of-custody, and the forensic scientist’s role as an expert witness.
• Digital evidence investigation — theory and practice of digital forensics, types of digital crimes (fraud, stalking, identity theft, internet-related crimes), chain-of-custody and contemporary legal issues for digital evidence.
• Constitutional law for investigations — foundational coverage of Constitutional provisions relevant to law enforcement evidence collection, searches and seizures.
• Fingerprint principles and techniques — recognition and collection of known and latent prints, processing, classification and comparison, and courtroom presentation considerations.

Entry requirements

The program has no application fee and requires no essays or entrance exams. National University reviews applications year-round and supports quick start dates depending on program and location. Students seeking to transfer these credits into the MFS must meet that degree’s GPA and other admissions requirements.

Career prospects

The certificate is aimed at those entering or already working in forensic and investigative roles: law enforcement officers, criminal investigators, evidence technicians, forensic nurses, prosecutors, attorneys, judges and other multidisciplinary team members involved in criminal investigations. Completion provides foundational knowledge useful for crime scene processing, evidence handling, forensic laboratory communication, digital evidence tasks and fingerprint analysis.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

National University highlights scholarship and aid resources, including needs-based tuition reduction grants, a public-safety-focused scholarship promise for eligible professionals, the NU Key Grant, individualized financial-aid assistance, and a broad institutional scholarship program. Prospective students are advised to contact an enrollment advisor for program-specific eligibility, possible exclusions and application guidance.