Your Career Begins at the Crime Scene.
Designed for Impact.
As a CSI student at Villa, you’re going to need some serious PPE.
From fingerprint dusting to scene reconstruction, you’ll learn the science by doing the work. Get ready for four years full of processing staged crime scenes, collecting evidence, fingerprint development and comparison, DNA extraction and analysis, trace and physical evidence handling, forensic photography, scene sketching, digital mapping, report preparation, mock trials, community-based work, and more.
Want more? Many students choose to study both Criminal Justice and Crime Scene Investigation. This combination provides students with a well-rounded understanding of the entire criminal process, from the crime scene to the courtroom. In addition, you will graduate with a more comprehensive skill set, better critical thinking and problem-solving skills, stronger ethical and legal awareness, and more.
Step Confidently into the World of Forensics.
400+ hours of hands-on learning plus 120+ hours of internship experience.
Collect evidence, piece together what happened, and file the case under ‘solved’ — all without leaving Felician Hall.
Our brand-new crime scene rooms were created to mimic life behind the caution tape. Complete with mannequins, hair and fibers, clothing and furniture, blood stains, and other trace and impression evidence, your real-world learning experience begins on day one.
Working alongside our expert faculty, you’ll begin by sketching the crime scene. You’ll learn to measure the room, place the evidence, and photograph the site. Did you know there are more than 20 methods used to collect fingerprints? At Villa, you’ll learn when to use each technique, and then you’ll use the appropriate chemicals to gather them. Plus, you’ll master taking and packaging DNA swabs, picking up all kinds of hair and fibers, testing stains, lab requests and other documentation, chain of custody, and more.
Want more? Many students choose to study both Criminal Justice and Crime Scene Investigation. This combination provides students with a well-rounded understanding of the entire criminal process, from the crime scene to the courtroom. In addition, you will graduate with a more comprehensive skill set, better critical thinking and problem-solving skills, stronger ethical and legal awareness, and more.
You’ll take classes like:
- Criminal Law
- Crime and Society
- Crime Scene Photography
- Digital Forensics
- Drugs, Crime, and the Justice System
- Fingerprint Evidence
- Juvenile Justice
- Research Design and Analogy
- Psychology
Key Program Topics:
- Arson Investigation
- Blood Splatter Pattern Analysis
- Computer Crime
- Fingerprinting
- Fire Arms
- Interviews and Interrogation
- Trace and Impression Evidence
Begin Your Future.
Villa Maria developed its Crime Scene Investigation program in close collaboration with professionals from law enforcement, forensic science, and legal fields. This partnership-driven approach means students graduate with the skills, training, and experience employers are actively seeking.
With double-digit job growth and a relatively high median salary, the field of crime scene investigation offers both stability and purpose-driven work. The bottom line? CSI grads are in demand in Western New York and beyond.
Career Ready Outcomes
A degree in Crime Scene Investigation offers versatile career opportunities across law enforcement, forensic science, and legal support fields. You will be equipped to work in crime labs, at active scenes, or behind the scenes in evidence analysis and investigative support.
As a graduate of Villa Maria’s CSI program, you’ll have developed a comprehensive skill set made stronger by an internship with law enforcement, a forensic agency, or the like.
13
Expected Job Growth
65k
Median Annual Salary
2600
Annual Job Openings
Meet Your Instructor
Learn from the Best: Mary Ann Hobar
You want to learn from from someone who has been there. Professor Mary Ann Hobar brings decades of real-world forensic experience directly into the classroom.
Professor Hobar is not just an academic, she’s a nationally recognized forensic educator who has worked on countless crime scenes, trained law enforcement professionals, and mentors students into successful careers. She doesn’t just teach CSI, she trains future professionals with the same intensity, ethics, and detail that real investigations demand. Learning from her means you’re learning from one of the best in the field and you’ll graduate ready to begin a career.
Join the family.
There’s a lot of pressure to know what’s next. We’re here to say, it’s OK if you’re still figuring it out. In fact, it’s great. Villa is a place where that kind of continual discovery is prized. Because going to college isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about inventing who you’re going to become. You’ll see.
