EXPLO Pre-College  |  Wellesley College Crime Scene Investigation + Forensic Science

Abductions, murders, and other high-profile crimes are a constant fixture in local news, docuseries, and podcasts, often capturing national and worldwide attention and intrigue. Armchair detectives, professional psychologists, and investigators alike attempt to answer the questions: Who did it? Why did they do it? And How? Every forensics case brings together a team of individuals each with a vital role in answering these questions. Join experts in criminal psychology, crime scene investigation, and forensic medicine to investigate real cases. You’ll examine theories of criminal behavior, sift through evidence from actual case files, practice forensic techniques, and identify solvability factors in existing cold cases. 

In EXPLO Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science, combine investigation techniques with the scientific method to contribute to real unsolved cases and bring law enforcement closer to providing justice. The Concentration provides students with both the practical and theoretical background in topics including entomology, forensic chemistry, toxicology, Alternative Light Sources (ALS), DNA fingerprinting and more.

Note: there is an additional $200 fee associated with this concentration.

Tuition + Admission

College credit is available through Sarah Lawrence College. Learn more.

Highlights

• Crime Scene Investigation — Enter professional-level mock crime scenes in small teams and put their forensics investigation techniques to the test. Assess the scene, carefully collect physical evidence — such as placing evidence markers, using crime scene photography techniques, pulling latent fingerprints, and observing recognizable patterns of evidence — and document the chain of custody.
• Forensic Techniques Training — Practice and study forensics lab techniques including blood movement and bullet trajectory analysis, fingerprint classification and human bone identification methods used in examining skeletal remains.
• Cutting-Edge Technology and World Class Experts — Get an introduction to some of the most cutting-edge forensics techniques and technology and an opportunity to try it out yourself.
• Cold Cases — Sift through the files of actual, unsolved cases and develop new theories and solvability factors with your teammates. Receive coaching and feedback from forensics experts to aid in your investigation.