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The grisly truth about CSI degrees

Britain now has a huge number of forensic science courses thanks to the popularity of TV shows such as CSI
Programme  Name: CSI: Miami Series 4.
David Caruso in CSI: Miami


Prospective students should prepare for disappointment: real life CSI is not like CSI: Miami, not even in real-life Miami, and certainly not in Durham. You won't be a cop, so you won't be able to arrest anyone. A lot of the cool machines they use on TV haven't actually been invented yet, and in the UK you're not even called a CSI, you're called a Soco, or scene of crime officer (although Norfolk constabulary for one has adopted the term CSI for its forensic personnel).

Sadly, the degrees may be no more realistic than the programmes. As far back as 2005 a select committee report found "extensive evidence that a large proportion of forensic science courses on offer provide poor preparation for a career in forensic science". For higher level jobs, degrees in traditional sciences such as chemistry are usually required. To wear a paper suit and photograph footprints, a forensic science degree is probably unnecessary.


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