15,March 2024
One of the emerging fields in today’s world is Forensic Science. If you are someone who wishes to make his career in the field of criminology and finds interest in forensics then this is the best field for you. This course can be learned at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. M.Sc. forensic science course is a postgraduate program of two years. After the completion of your course, you will be working with the crime investigating agencies and the police departments to find the culprit using scientific means.
What is M.Sc. Forensic Science?
M.Sc. Forensic Science is a master’s program that is divided into four semesters for two years. Under this course, the candidates will be taught the art of analyzing and examining the crime scene, evidence, and suspects. During your course, you will be taught various forensic techniques that are implemented during the investigation to investigate the case in a more efficient manner. These techniques include interrogation skills, photography skills, and examination skills, along with other important ones.
Key Highlights of M.Sc. Forensic Science:
Here we have mentioned the important points related to the course to give you a better understanding of the same:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the course | M.Sc. Forensic Science |
| Type | Postgraduate |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science |
| Admission process | Entrance Exam/Merit |
| Entrance Exam | CUET PG, CPGET, IPU CET, etc. |
| Average Fees | Rs. 1.5 Lakhs |
| Average Salary | Rs. 6 Lakhs |
| Job Profiles | Forensic Scientists, Crime Scene Investigator, Forensic Expert, Customs Agent, Forensic Geologists, Forensic Engineer |
| Top Recruiters | Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Government Forensic Laboratory, Income Tax Department, Crime Branch, Quality Control Bureau |
M.Sc. Forensic Science Admission Process:
If you wish to get admission to M.Sc. Forensic Science course, you need to follow the given detailed procedure. The admission process varies from institute to institute however; here we have given the common details to help you out. To get admission candidates will be required to appear and pass entrance exams as specified by the college they are willing to get admission into. While some colleges will be offering admission solely on the basis of graduation marks others offer admission based on your entrance exam scores. Along with this you also need to fulfill the basic eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Criteria:
Students are required to fulfill the below mentioned eligibility criteria for the M.Sc. forensic science course to get admission to the desired college. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in your candidature failure thus you will not get admission.
The eligibility criterion that needs to be fulfilled by an aspiring candidate is as follows:
- Candidates must have passed 10th and 12th in the science stream with at least 50 percent marks from a recognized board.
- Candidates must have passed a B.Sc. in Forensic Science or a relevant degree with a minimum of 50 percent marks from a recognized university.
Entrance Exams:
The admission to M.Sc. Forensic Science course is based on the merit list released by the institutes individually. The merit list is prepared on the basis of the entrance exam marks along with the group discussion and personal interview marks of the candidates. The entrance exams that a student can appear in to get admission to the desired course are as follows:
- CUET PG: This is conducted by NTA every year for admissions to postgraduate programs at central and state-level institutes.
- CPGET: It is a state-level entrance exam conducted by Osmania University for admissions to master’s courses.
- IPU CET: It is conducted by GGS Indraprastha University every year for admissions to UG and PG courses.
M.Sc. Forensic Science Syllabus:
The syllabus for forensics varies from institute to institute however some of the subjects that are commonly taught in all the institutes are mentioned below. The syllabus includes both theory and practical subjects. Here we have given the syllabus semester-wise in the table below:
| Semesters | Subjects |
|---|---|
| Semester-1 | Forensics, Crime and Investigative Techniques |
| Instrument Methods: Physical | |
| Instrument Methods: Biological and Chemical | |
| Forensic Ballistics and Photography | |
| Semester-2 | Fingerprints and Impressions |
| Questioned Documents | |
| Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology | |
| Forensic Chemistry and Explosives | |
| Semester-3 | Forensic Physics |
| Forensic Biology | |
| Forensic Serology and DNA | |
| Recent Advances, quality management, and evidence evaluation | |
| Semester-4 | Forensic Physics |
| Forensic Chemistry including Instrumentation | |
| Forensic Photography | |
| Forensic Ballistics | |
| Forensic Documents Examinations, and Fingerprint Analysis | |
| Forensic Biology, Serology, and DNA Profiling |
Specializations in M.Sc. Forensic Science:
There are several specializations that are offered by the institutes to such candidates. They can opt for any of them based on their choice. Some of the top specializations of this course are as follows:
| Serial No. | Specializations |
|---|---|
| 1. | Forensic Physics |
| 2. | Forensic Chemistry |
| 3. | Forensic Biology and Serology |
| 4. | Forensic Botany |
| 5. | Forensic Geology |
| 6. | Forensic Linguistics |
| 7. | Forensic Podiatry |
| 8. | Forensic Accounting |
| 9. | Forensic Psychology |
| 10. | Forensic Anthropology |
Scope of M.Sc. Forensic Science:
This field is huge as it acts as an integral part of the judiciary system. M.Sc. forensic science scope is wide these experts get the opportunity to work in several domains. Their job is not restricted to the laboratory instead they get to work in the field as well. These experts accompany the police and the investigating officers to the crime scenes and examine them. These specialists work in corporate companies, government sector organizations, private investigating agencies, etc.
Top Recruiters:
Candidates get to work with reputed private and government organizations across the globe once they are done with their postgraduate course in this field. Some of the top companies that hire such experts are as follows:
| Serial No. | Government Organizations | Private Organizations |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Intelligence Bureau | Private Hospitals |
| 2. | Central Bureau of Investigation | Detective Agencies |
| 3. | Government Forensic Laboratory | Private Forensic Laboratory |
| 4. | Income Tax Department | Insurance Companies |
| 5. | Crime Branch | University |
| 6. | Quality Control Bureau | Banks |
| 7. | Government Hospitals | |
| 8. | Courts |
Higher Education Options After M.Sc. Course:
It’s not that you have to work in the organizations anyhow after completion of your master’s degree. Instead, you can go for pursuing higher education as well. Once you are done with a M.Sc. course in the respective field depending on your interest you can explore more colleges and get admission to the doctorate or similar course.
Courses you can opt for after M.Sc. are:
- Phil.,
- D.
Career Options after M.Sc. Forensic Science Course:
Candidates who pursue this course get ample opportunities once they complete their post-graduation in forensics. Their job profile is not restricted to forensic scientists only instead they get to work in several other departments as well. Candidates can choose the departments they wish to work in based on the specialization they opted for while pursuing their master’s. Some of the top job options that candidates can opt for are given below in the table:
- Forensic Psychiatrists,
- Forensic Scientist,
- Crime Laboratory,
- Forensic Analyst,
- Crime Scene Investigator,
- Customs Agent,
- Forensic Toxicologist,
- Forensic DNA Analyst,
- Forensic Anthropologist,
- Forensic Expert,
- Professor,
- Forensic Psychologist.
Top Colleges for M.Sc. Forensic Science Course:
There are several options available for such candidates who wish to pursue a master’s course in this particular field. Candidates can opt for government or private institutes depending on their choice. It is important for the candidates to appear for the entrance examinations to get admission to the government colleges while they can directly get admission into private institutes. Since this field is an emerging one the placements that such students get after the completion of the degree from both government and private institutes are almost the same.
Some of the top institutes offering M.Sc. forensic science are given below in the table:
| Serial No. | Government Colleges | Private Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Banaras Hindu University | Lloyd Law College |
| 2. | Panjab University | Chandigarh University (CU) |
| 3. | Cochin University of Science and Technology | Amity University, Noida |
| 4. | BBAU | LPU |
| 5. | University of Mysore | Christ University |
| 6. | University of Madras | Dr M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute |
| 7. | Gujarat University | Amity University, Gurugram |
| 8. | University of Calicut | Galgotias University |
| 9. | GGSIPU | Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences |
| 10. | Osmania University | Kalinga University |
The opportunities that you will be getting once you complete your education are never-ending. Once you start your career as a forensic scientist the sky is the limit for you.
References:
- https://www.shiksha.com/ science/m-sc-forensic-science-chp
- https://www.careers360.com/ courses/msc-in-forensic-science
- https://collegedunia.com/ courses/master-of-science-msc-forensic-science
- https://www.nfsu.ac.in/ Programs/programinfo/12?deptid=52