Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Certificate Program

Topics

1. Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation
2. Fingerprints at the Crime Scene
3. Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
4. Impression Evidence & Chemical Processing of Evidence
5. Photography for the Crime Scene Investigator
6. Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
7. Firearms Evidence and Scene Analysis
8. Fingerprint Analysis and Comparison
9. Crime Scene Practical
10. 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.

Hands-On Learning

This course is designed for persons preparing for a Crime Scene Investigator Field Position. The class may require physical activity and simulations designed to duplicate the actual work of a Crime Scene Investigator. 

Students admitted into the course must be able to do the following:

• This class requires physical activity such as lifting moderate weights up to 25 pounds. The student must meet the physical requirements of a Crime Scene Investigator and have mobility, balance, coordination, vision, hearing and dexterity levels appropriate to the duties performed.
• Class work is performed indoors and outdoors. When working outdoors, the student may be exposed to heat, cold and the elements. There is frequent need to walk and stand. Class work may necessitate exposure to environmental factors, lab exercises, and scenes involving violent crimes. The student may climb, stoop, bend, crouch, kneel, and reach above and below shoulder level. This class requires physical activity.
• Students must be able to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing to simulate interviewing victims and witnesses to gather information about crime scenes. Students must also have the ability to follow oral and written instructions; maintain effective working relationships, and write clear concise reports.

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 and Payment Policy

Each module is $245 for a total of $2450. A down payment of $245 is due upon acceptance into the program, and three installments of $735 will be due at one-month intervals. The payment schedule for each semester is listed below. There is no financial aid available for this course.

Installments must be made by 5 PM on the due date. If your payment is late, you will be issued a $50 late fee.
The last day to drop from the program without penalty is 30 days before the first module. Drops made less than 30 days before class will be charged 1/2 the tuition. No shows or failure to cancel your enrollment will result in a forfeit of your full tuition. All cancellation requests must be made in writing.

If you must withdraw from the course partway through the semester, a $50 administration fee will be assessed for each remaining module.

Application Process

Each prospective student will be required to complete a course application via Docusign for the semester they are interested in attending. These will be reviewed by the Center for Criminal Justice and 24 qualified students will be selected. Once the application phase is closed, please allow up to two weeks for the selection process to be completed. Students will be advised of their application status after all documents are reviewed. A payment of $245 is due at the time of acceptance.

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.

Alternative Credit

Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are available through CCPE. If interested ask for additional information regarding CEU’s.

Schedule

• Week 1: July 10-14, 2023
  • Introduction to Crime Scene Investigations
  • Latent Fingerprints and Chemical Processing
  • Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
  • Impression Evidence
  • Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
• Week 2: July 17-21, 2023
  • Crime Scene Photography and Night Photography
  • Firearms Evidence
  • Fingerprint and Latent Print Comparison
  • Crime Scene Practical
  • Courtroom Testimony and Career Prep

Location 

Sheraton Garden Grove
12221 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840

Application

Status: This session is no longer open for application.

The application period will open at 8:30 am on March 13th, 2023 and will be open through 4:20 pm on April 13th, 2023. Please complete the DocuSign form linked below during that time frame in order to register. You will not be able to access the application until the application period has begun. We will access applications through DocuSign directly - as long as you recieve an automated email from DocuSign confirming your submission, there is no need to email us the final copy or call to verify receipt. Please pay close attention to instructions as unfinished or incorrectly completed applications will not be considered.

CSI Application

Submissions will be reviewed by the director within two weeks of the closing date of the application period. You will be notified via email of your acceptance or waitlist status. Please keep an eye on your inbox and your spam folder as a timely response will be required. Lack of response will be considered a withdrawal from the program.

Tuition Payment Schedule

Deposit - $245 due upon acceptance *NOTE UPDATED TUITION*
Installment 1 - $735 due by May 17, 2023 at 5 pm
Installment 2 - $735 due by June 7, 2023 at 5 pm
Installment 3 - $735 due by July 5, 2023 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.

Schedule

• August 26, 2023 - Module 1: Introduction to Crime Scene Investigations
• September 9, 2023 - Module 2: Impression Evidence
• September 23, 2023 - Module 3: Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
• October 7, 2023 - Module 4: Latent Fingerprints
• October 14, 2023 - Module 5: Crime Scene Photography and Night Photography
• October 21, 2023 - Module 6: Firearms Evidence
• October 28, 2023 - Module 7: Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
• November 4, 2023 - Module 8: Fingerprint and Latent Print Comparison
• November 11, 2023 - Module 9: Crime Scene Practical
• November 18, 2023 - Module 10: Courtroom Testimony and Career Prep

All modules run from 8 am - 5 pm. This schedule is subject to change without notice.

Location 

Sheraton Garden Grove
12221 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840

Application

Status: This application is being reopened! It will remain open until August 4 at 2 PM.

Please complete the DocuSign form linked below during that time frame in order to register. We will access applications through DocuSign directly - as long as you receive an automated email from DocuSign confirming your submission, there is no need to email us the final copy or call to verify receipt. Please pay close attention to instructions as unfinished or incorrectly completed applications will not be considered.

CSI Application

Submissions will be reviewed by the director after the closing date of the application period. You will be notified via email of your acceptance or waitlist status. Please keep an eye on your inbox and your spam folder as a timely response will be required. Lack of response will be considered a withdrawal from the program.

Tuition Payment Schedule

Deposit - $245 due upon acceptance
Installment 1 - $735 due by July 27th at 5 pm
Installment 2 - $735 due by August 7th at 5 pm
Installment 3 - $735 due by August 16th at 5 pm

*NOTE: Late applicants will receive an adjusted payment schedule upon acceptance. The course tuition ($2450) will be due before class begins, please be prepared to pay this total before August 26.

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.

Schedule

• January 27, 2024 - Module 1: Introduction to Crime Scene Investigations
• February 3, 2024 - Module 2: Impression Evidence
• February 10, 2024 - Module 3: Biological and Trace Evidence at the Crime Scene
• February 17, 2024 - Module 4: Latent Fingerprints
• February 24, 2024 - Module 5: Crime Scene Photography and Night Photography
• March 2, 2024 - Module 6: Death Investigations at the Crime Scene
• March 9, 2024 - Module 7: Firearms Evidence
• March 16, 2024 - Module 8: Fingerprint and Latent Print Comparison
• March 23, 2024 - Module 9: Crime Scene Practical
• April 6, 2024 - Module 10: Courtroom Testimony and Career Prep

All modules run from 8 am - 5 pm. This schedule is subject to change without notice.

Location 

Sheraton Garden Grove
12221 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840

Application

Status: This application will open from September 21 at 9 AM to October 16 at 3 PM.

Please complete the DocuSign form linked below during that time frame in order to register. We will access applications through DocuSign directly - as long as you receive an automated email from DocuSign confirming your submission, there is no need to email us the final copy or call to verify receipt. Please pay close attention to instructions as unfinished or incorrectly completed applications will not be considered.

CSI Application

Submissions will be reviewed by the director after the closing date of the application period. You will be notified via email of your acceptance or waitlist status. Please keep an eye on your inbox and your spam folder as a timely response will be required. Lack of response will be considered a withdrawal from the program.

Tuition Payment Schedule

Deposit - $245 due upon acceptance
Installment 1 - $735 due by November 15th at 5 pm
Installment 2 - $735 due by December 13th at 5 pm
Installment 3 - $735 due by January 17th 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?

Registration procedure is currently undergoing some changes. Please check back for more information.

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.

If I am accepted into the program, can I defer my enrollment to a later semester?

No, your acceptance is for one semester only. A change of plans or request to defer constitutes a cancellation and cancellation fees may apply. You will need to re-apply for subsequent semesters.

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.