<p>I am majoring bio right now, but I am thinking about changing my major into forensic science or criminal justice. where can I find the website that has university/college rankings of these majors?
What are the big differences between two?</p>
<p>Some links:
[Advice</a> about a Career in Forensic Science](<a href=“http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/nute/FScareers.html]Advice”>http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/faculty/nute/FScareers.html)</p>
<p>[Reddy’s</a> Forensic Page](<a href=“http://www.forensicpage.com/new05.htm]Reddy’s”>Home - Ens For Icpage)</p>
<p>[Forensic</a> Science at Michigan State University](<a href=“http://www.forensic.msu.edu/]Forensic”>http://www.forensic.msu.edu/)</p>
<p>[Penn</a> State Forensic Science - Masters and Undergraduate Degrees](<a href=“http://www.forensics.psu.edu/]Penn”>http://www.forensics.psu.edu/)</p>
<p>Honestly, none. CJ isn’t typically a major offered by prestigious universities. Neither is forensic science. Most of the experts agree that forensic science isn’t practical to specialize in at the undergrad level and that it’s better to major in a broad science like bio or chem.</p>
<p>The general differences between criminal justice and forensic science:
Criminal justice majors are geared to those who want to work in law enforcement or corrections. It may include aspects of criminology (usually, a subfield of sociology) and criminal investigation. Forensic science has to do with the application of basic sciences to crime scene investigation and evidence. The previous poster is correct that it is better to major in a basic science at the undergraduate level and then specialize in forensic science at a graduate level. The previous poster also correct that prestigious universities (if prestige is even a relevant criterion in this context) typically do not offer a major in criminal justice or forensic science. Berkeley used to have a School of Criminology (which offered specializations in criminology and criminalistics — a former name for forensic science) but it closed sometime in the 1970s. I’m not sure if it offered undergraduate majors. Among prestigious universities, U Penn has a Department of Criminology, but this is somewhat different than criminal justice which focuses more on applied aspects. Many sociology departments also offer a subspecialization in criminology.</p>