Master degrees in forensic science offer the chance to learn discipline-spanning knowledge of crime scene investigation, DNA profiling and homicide coupled with a dissertation or research project. Both the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University offer these to students with interests in research and professional practice respectively. Each are therefore tailored to specific interests and goals. These courses all have length in common, taking two years of full time study to complete or longer if part time.
These courses allow students to refine their knowledge and methodology for practical use. Murdoch University and others provide units in fingerprinting and impression evidence, death investigations, crime scene investigation, digital forensics, bloodstain pattern analysis and more. They also equip students with research methodology for either a project or dissertation similar to the research master, but the focus is instead on previously mentioned courses.
The University of Western Australia offers courses to students who wish to undergo supervised research into specialisations of their desire. These offer plenty of units in topics covered throughout coursework focussed programs, but emphasise the research component.
Both focuses prepare students for any of the careers listed here, as they gain extensive knowledge relevant to crime laboratories, private investigators and forensic science as a whole. For instance, the National Measurement Institute would be glad to have graduates from these programs, as they are well equipped for careers in crime laboratory analysis. Those who’ve undergone research masters can also seek employment as researchers or teach at a university.
Programs directed specifically at forensic science are exceedingly rare, but general funding pathways are always available. Opportunities like the Vice-Chancellor International Scholarship, ECIG Scholarship Program or Gallipoli Scholarship Fund are all great examples of these, providing a small amount to students who meet their prerequisites, which can sometimes be unusual. Where some such as the ECIG program merely require entry into a written contest, others like the Gallipoli Scholarship require students to have an ancestor that fought in WWI. It is consequently recommended to check these prerequisites very carefully before applying.
Students require a bachelor degree in physical or nature sciences to enter. Optimal choices include but are not limited to forensic science, biomedical science, biotechnology and molecular biology. Programs like Murdoch University’s also require minimum English language requirements be met via test. Others require a GPA of 65% in prior study, but this requirement is slightly more rare for this field.