Blog Challenge #1, Stephen Lau

     I was always indecisive when it comes to any decision, especially choosing a career to pursue.  I really never had much of an interest in a certain career, but I do have a thought what I may want to do in the future.  Being a forensic science technician is what I think best fit for me.  Usually people who pursue this job must have a strong sense of curiosity good speaking skills, critical thinking skills, and most of all, enjoy solving puzzles.  You also have to work well with others so that you can accomplish your goals together.  A forensic science technician's job is to gather evidence at crime scenes and evaluate all the data to determine the cause of the incident.  They use scientific principles and techniques to help others solve a mystery that no one else can figure out.
     The reason this career interest me is because I love solving mysteries since it is both challenging and fun.  I'm the type of person who thinks a lot so a job like this which requires critical thinking would be perfect for me.  I  became interested in being a forensic science technician because I use to watch a lot of crime investigation shows like CSI.  I always tried to see if I could solve the mystery before they did by piecing all the evidence together.  I guess to have this job was something that was always in the back of my head, where it was hidden in a place where I wouldn't think about it.  Now I have strong idea on what I want to do.  I want to help people by using the evidence gather at the scene and serve justice to those who have broken the law.

    I found out that the following colleges offers great programs for people who wants to pursue the career as a forensic science technician:

University of Maryland
 
     University of Maryland offers many programs for students who wants to major in CCJS (Criminology and Crime Justice).  To have a major in CCJS, students must require 33 credit hours of coursework in the CCJS Department, Academic Writing, and have to take one of the following math courses:

• MATH 111 - Introduction to Probability
• MATH 220 - Elementary Calculus I
• MATH 140 - Calculus I
• STAT 100 - Elementary Statistics and Probability

Students must also have 18 credit hours of supporting sequence coursework that isn't within the department of CCJS.  The required CCJS courses are down below:

• CCJS 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
• CCJS 105 - Introduction to Criminology
• CCJS 200 - Statistics for Criminology & Criminal Justice
• CCJS 230 - Criminal Law in Action
• CCJS 300 - Criminological and Criminal Justice Research Methods
• CCJS 340 - Policing
• CCJS 350 - Juvenile Delinquency
• CCJS 451, 452, 454 (Choose one)
• 451 - Crime and Delinquency Prevention
• 452 - Treatment of Criminals and Delinquents
• 454 - Contemporary Criminological Theory

     However, to be accepted into this school would cost about $42,767 for non-resident students.  You also have to have four years of English, four years of math, including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, three years of history or social science, three years of science in at least two different areas, and two years of a foreign language.  This school has no exact requirement for your SAT/ACT score, but they will not accept you if you don't take the courses that were previously mention during you high school year.

University at Albany

     University at Albany has many programs to offer at their campus such as the dual master's program.  This program brings resources of the School of Criminal Justice and the School of Social Welfare together.  However, the BA/MA program is what I am really interested in.  It's a program in criminal justice that allows students to fully develop their education.  Students require a minimum of 141 credits, 30 of them must be college credits.  They must meet all the requirements of the college/university to qualify for the program.  A grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three letters of recommendation from the faculty are also needed for students to be consider for the BA/MA program.  To enter this university, they need the following:

• The rigor of your high school academic program
• Your academic record
• Your standardized test scores
• Your potential for leadership and your extracurricular interests

for the purpose of evaluating you when considering you for their college.  They do not have a minimum score requirements because this school wants to know students as a whole and not just their test scores.  That's why I may consider going to University at Albany because they want to have students who are well-rounded and not just good at taking tests.

American Intercontinental University

     Going to American Intercontinental University would be a great opportunity do the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) program, where they prepare students as if they were forensic science professionals themselves for 36 months.  I would need a total of 180 credits and 45 specialization credits to register.  The following are specialization courses.

• Arson Investigation
• Evidence
• Criminalistics
• Aspects of Forensic Psychology
• Psychopathology and Criminality
• Medico-legal Death Investigation
• introduction to Bio-metrics
• Cyber crimes
• Forensic Biology

     Like the other two schools AIU does not require a specific test score on your SAT.  They only ask for proof your you high school education like a  transcript or diploma.  Without one, the college will not accept anyone who doesn't have evidence of their education in high school.

     Most colleges that I listed offer excellent programs for the field of criminology and some even give hands on experience.  These are just a few I colleges that I have consider going to, but there are plenty of other to go to that may even have a better opportunity than the ones I mentioned.