Defiance College’s forensic science program brings together the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, medicine, and criminal justice. Students in Forensic Science will learn many skills including analyzing evidence from arsons for accelerants, DNA fingerprinting, presumptive tests for narcotics, trajectories for ballistics, human anatomy for drawing evidence from remains, and the legal procedures for taking evidence to court. Forensic science is a demanding major because of its scientific underpinnings, the skills needed to analyze crime scene evidence while following legal procedures that preserve the evidence for use in court.
The Forensic Science major is designed to provide a student with a strong science background coupled with a foundation in criminal justice and legal concepts. The 120-hour degree program includes two internship or cooperative education experiences. The Forensic Science student will enjoy being part of a collaborative effort between the Division of Science and Math and the Division of Behavioral and Applied Social Science.
Major Brochure | Courses | Sample Plan of Study
Students do internships with regional crime laboratories and local police departments to gain experience in both laboratory forensic investigations and crime investigation. Also, all students have a senior research project in forensics. Past projects included such diverse topics as ballistics, biological decomposition rates and gun powder residue patterns. Defiance College’s program in Forensic Science will prepare you for a position in a crime lab or if you choose, graduate school in forensics.
Mock Crime Scene Investigation
Criminal justice, forensic science, and computer forensic majors at Defiance College get a unique opportunity each year to conduct criminal investigations. Steve Sondergaard, professor of criminal justice, stages a different mock crime scene each year for students to gain experience in a variety of aspects in criminal investigation.
A degree in Forensic Science will prepare a student to work in a crime laboratory, administrative agency laboratory, private industry, or other clinical settings. Faculty, along with most crime laboratory directors, encourage the student to consider a graduate degree prior to seeking employment in the field. Students may also consider law school following completion of their studies at Defiance College. A law degree with an undergraduate degree in Forensic Science may be appealing to those seeking to become a prosecutor, defense attorney, or to work for a governmental administrative agency. Also, the degree may be a form of pre-med study for those seeking to attend medical school or attain an alternative job preparation degree.
Nathan Griggs, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
419-783-2592 | ngriggs@defiance.edu
Spiro Mavroidis, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology
419-783-2494 | smavroidis@defiance.edu | Faculty Profile
Douglas D. Kane, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology
419-783-2593 | dkane@defiance.edu | Faculty Profile
Kenneth Adair, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry
419-783-2598 | kadair@defiance.edu
Somnath Dutta, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry
419-783-2428 | sdutta@defiance.edu
Don Knueve, Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice
419-783-2581 | dknueve@defiance.edu | Faculty Profile
Steven Sondergaard, J.D., Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
419-783-2443 | ssondergaard@defiance.edu | Faculty Profile
Mary Ann Studer, M.S., Assistant Professor of Physical Science:
419-783-2555 | mstuder@defiance.edu | Faculty Profile
