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The Implementation and Growth of an International Online Forensic Science Graduate Program at the University of Florida

Journal of College Science Teaching—September/October 2010

Forensic science education has evolved as an interdisciplinary science that includes medicine, chemistry, biology, and criminal justice. Therefore, multiple paths can lead to a career in forensic science. A formal education usually requires the student to attend a college or university to obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree. In many cases, professionals working in the field of forensic science have a bachelor’s degree in a natural science and learn hands-on, in an operational laboratory, the skills necessary to perform the required tasks applied in a forensics laboratory. To advance their knowledge or obtain a master’s degree, students would traditionally have to put their career on hold to attend a college or university. Because forensic scientists are in high demand in the United States and around the world, the International Forensic Science Distance Education program at the University of Florida takes a novel approach to provide the theoretical knowledge necessary for a master’s degree, enabling students to stay on the job and in touch with the practical application of their discipline. This article introduces the program and its application to college distance education programs in the natural sciences.
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