Certificate Program
The School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management, in conjunction with the Center for Criminal Justice Research and Training, offers the following certificate:
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)
The CSI Certificate Program is a hands-on course taught by professionals currently working in the field and modeled after the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Field Evidence Technician Course (FET). This course is designed to prepare the student for a career as a Crime Scene Investigator and qualified students will be eligible for internship opportunities with local agencies. It is endorsed by the Los Angeles County Forensic Supervisors Group.
The Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Certificate program is a combined curriculum consisting of (80) hours of crime scene investigation training modules. This training will provide both the skills and knowledge of crime scene investigation, forensic analysis, and utilizes a “hands-on” application of crime scene investigative techniques both in the classroom and in mock simulations. This program is designed to give the student an overview of crime scene investigations and upon completion of this course will assist students in meeting the minimum requirements for this profession.
This program is based on the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Field Evidence Technician Program (FET) given to working peace officers and crime scene investigators. This course is designed to prepare students for a career as a Crime Scene Investigator.
Topics
- Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation
- Fingerprints at the Crime Scene
- Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
- Impression Evidence & Chemical Processing of Evidence
- Photography for the Crime Scene Investigator
- Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
- Firearms Evidence and Scene Analysis
- Fingerprint Analysis and Comparison
- Crime Scene Practical
- Interview Skills and Courtroom Testimony
The course will culminate with a practical exercise whereby the class will utilize a team approach at a realistic crime scene. This is a true judge of how well the participants have learned the skills and techniques taught in the course. The final module consists of interview strategies for obtaining employment and will be conducted by experienced professionals who are currently working in the field. Modules 9 and 10 require completion of Modules 1-8 or permission from the Coordinator.
Schedule and Attendance
You must attend all ten modules in order to receive your certificate. Each module begins at 8 AM and ends at 5 PM with a one hour lunch break at mid-day, with the exception of the Night Photography module. Please be prepared for a late start on the date of your photography module. In each module you will be required to sign in at the beginning of class and sign out at the end of class. If for some reason you have to miss a module for illness, family emergency, etc. or if you have to leave class early to attend another event you will be required to make up that module next semester. Should you miss any part of a module for any reason then you will not be able to participate in the Practicum (module 9) and the Interview Skills and Courtroom Testimony (module 10) until those missed modules are made up. There is no make-up work that can be done for the material in each module. The majority of the work completed in class is hands on experience that is discussed, demonstrated and practiced in class.
Internship Opportunities
We will attempt to assist successful qualified graduates of this program to find CSI internship positions at local agencies. Positions are limited and are not guaranteed.
Tuition
Each module is $220 for a total of $2200. Payment for the first module is due upon registration, and payment for each subsequent module is due by 5 PM on the Wednesday prior to class. For example, if Module 2 is scheduled for Saturday, September 18 then your payment is due Wednesday, September 15. Failure to submit payments on time will result in a $50 late fee or dismissal from the course.
Application Process
Each prospective student will be required to complete a course application for the semester they are interested in attending. These will be reviewed by the Center for Criminal Justice and the first 24 qualified students will be selected. Once your application is received, please allow up to two weeks for processing. Students will be advised of their application status after all documents are reviewed. A payment of $220 is due at the time of acceptance.
You are encouraged to apply as soon as the application period is open as we have a very high demand for this course. Once the application period ends, you will not be able to submit an application. Failure to disclose correct information or the provision of incorrect/inaccurate information will result in denial of application or immediate dismissal from the program without refund.
Please download the application packet for the semester you would like to attend and submit it to chhs-ccj@csulb.edu. These are available for download in the drop-down menus below.
Alternative Credit
Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are available through CCPE. If interested ask for additional information regarding CEU’s.
Schedule
- September 10, 2022 - Module 1: Introduction to Crime Scene Investigations
- September 17, 2022 - Module 2: Latent Fingerprints and Chemical Processing
- September 24, 2022 - Module 3: Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
- October 1, 2022 - Module 4: Impression Evidence
- October 8, 2022 - Module 5: Crime Scene Photography and Night Photography (*late start time: 10 am - 7 pm)
- October 15, 2022 - Module 6: Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
- October 22, 2022 - Module 7: Firearms Evidence
- October 29, 2022 - Module 8: Fingerprint and Latent Print Comparison
- November 5, 2022 - Module 9: Crime Scene Practical
- November 19, 2022 - Module 10: Courtroom Testimony and Career Prep
All modules run from 8 am - 5 pm with the exception of the Night Photography module, which runs from 10 am - 7 pm.
Location
Sheraton Garden Grove
12221 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Application
Status: The application phase will open on June 1st, 2022 and will close on July 1st, 2022 at 5 PM. Applications received after 5 PM on July 1st will not be considered for acceptance. You may access the application through the link below. (NOTE: You will not be able to access the application until the registration period opens on June 1.)
DocuSign Application
Applications will be reviewed by the Director and acceptance notifications will go out within two weeks of the registration period closing. Please be sure to check your email for your acceptance status.
Tuition Payment Schedule
Deposit - $220 due upon acceptance
Installment 1 - $660 due by TBD at 5 pm
Installment 2 - $660 due by TBD at 5 pm
Installment 3 - $660 due by TBD at 5 pm
Payment link will be provided upon acceptance. Payment reminders will not be provided - you are responsible for remembering to make your payments on time. A late fee of $50 will be charged if you fail to submit payment by the deadlines listed above.
Can I attend half of the modules this semester and half of them next semester?
No. You must register for all 10 modules in one semester. If you miss a module due to an emergency, we will try to help you make it up the following semester.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes, you will be able to make payment for the semester in installments.
Do you offer financial aid?
There is no financial aid available for this course.
Do I need to be a CSULB student in order to register?
No, this course is not limited to Cal State Long Beach students.
What requirements do I need to meet to register?
You must have graduated from high school and have an interest in working as a Crime Scene Investigator. We will be selecting the best candidates from the applicants.
I work at a law enforcement agency - can I take this course?
Registration is open to anyone, however if you are already employed by a law enforcement agency you are eligible to attend our POST-certified CSI/FET course. You will not earn POST credit for this certificate course, only for the POST-certified course. You must have approval from your department to register for the POST course.
Can I register online?
No, you must complete the application packet and email it to us at chhs-ccj@csulb.edu
How often do you run this course?
We run this course every Spring and Fall semester. Occasionally, we may offer accelerated or special sessions if we have a lot of interest. You will see these listed here on the website.
Does this program count toward my undergraduate or graduate degree?
No, this course is not eligible for college credit. However, you may earn Continuing Education Units (CEU's) through CCPE.
Does this course make me a Crime Scene Investigator?
This course gives you hands-on, real-world experience to aid you in acquiring a position as an active Crime Scene Investigator. There is no state-wide certification process for CSIs.
Is this certificate a requirement to apply to job openings?
Not necessarily. Each job posting will have slightly varied requirements, however this course will provide experience that interviewers are looking for in a candidate.
Will I be assigned to an internship once I complete this program?
We do not guarantee internship or job placement, but all of our instructors are active employees in the CSI field and may notify you of openings if they think you would be a good fit.
What exactly is a CSI?
A Crime Scene Investigator is responsible for the collection and documentation of evidence at crime scenes.
I'm interested in forensics and lab work - is this the right course for me?
Unlike you may see on TV, CSIs rarely work in a lab setting. If you would like to process evidence once it is submitted to the lab, we recommend searching for programs or trainings in forensics or hard sciences. Many lab-based positions will require a Bachelor's of Science as a minimum qualification.
For more information about this certificate program, email the Center for Criminal Justice Research and Training.
