Scenes of crime officer

You can do a degree in forensic science, or in a scientific subject like biological science or chemistry.

Some courses are accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

Police services and law enforcement agencies set their own entry requirements for this type of work. In general, you'll need at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including English, maths and a science subject.

Some employers may prefer A levels or equivalent, including a science like chemistry or biology.

Many employers ask for a degree and will expect you to have experience in police work or a related field, for example intelligence gathering and analysis.

Career tips

Experience of dealing with the public and working in sensitive situations will be helpful.

Qualifications or experience in photography can also be useful and may be essential for some jobs.

Further information

You can find out more about working in forensics from The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.

Check with your local police service for details of vacancies and entry requirements.

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• knowledge of public safety and security
• customer service skills
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to work on your own
• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

You'll usually need a driving licence.

In this role you could:

• preserve and protect crime scenes
• record crime scenes using photography and video
• capture fingerprint evidence
• find, record and recover evidence like DNA samples
• keep written records, produce statements and update information systems with evidence details

You could work on the streets, in a court, at a mortuary or at a police station.

Your working environment may be at height, physically and emotionally demanding, outdoors some of the time, dirty and cramped.

You may need to wear protective clothing.