Loyola University Maryland is starting a Master of Science in Forensic Pattern Analysis program in fall 2021 to prepare students for growing career opportunities in the forensic sciences.
The University is introducing this graduate program to help meet the educational and training needs of forensic science laboratories and agencies in filling jobs in the comparative sciences. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be more than 2,400 positions in forensic science by 2028, an increase of 14% compared to the number of positions today.
"The new degree addresses an important need in the forensic science community and fills an education gap not currently being addressed by any university in the region,” David Rivers, professor of biology. “Loyola’s program is anticipated to be one of the first of its type in the United States, positioning the University to become a top destination for education and training in forensic pattern evidence."
Students who complete the program will have the skillsets needed to work as a forensic scientist, latent printer examiners, firearms/toolmarks examiners, crime scene investigators, and numerous related fields. The program is designed for undergraduate students continuing their education into the forensics sciences, and for individuals looking to grow in their current field or change careers.
Through completion of the program, students will be trained in the foundation and advanced topics related to fingerprint examination, comparisons testing including image and data base analysis, communication of forensic pattern analysis in technical writing and testimony, statistical approaches to comparative sciences, and examine ethical issues associated with forensic science and the judicial system. They will also receive instruction and training related to several other subfields of forensic pattern evidence, as well as have opportunities to pursue unique course work in forensic entomology, forensic biology, cognitive bias, and advanced statistical training.
The Master of Science in Forensic Pattern Analysis program at Loyola can be completed either full or part-time and is intended to be completed in as little as two years. Classes will be taken in-person at Loyola’s Evergreen campus in Baltimore. Select courses will be offered online or in a hybrid format.
Classes in the Master of Science in Forensic Pattern Analysis will include Introduction to Criminalistics, Introduction to Fingerprints, Mock Trial for Forensic Pattern Evidence, and Crime Scene Investigation.
Republished courtesy of Loyola University. Photo credit: Loyola