Internships
Internships are an integral part of all degree programs in the College of Criminal Justice, providing you with the opportunity to integrate theory with practice. You also gain benefits from the professional development and networking found through a field placement experience. All students must complete a 6-10-week, full-time forensic science internship prior to graduation as part of our core curriculum. This is typically conducted during the summer between year one and two.
An internship is especially important in forensic science where you will receive hands-on training in areas such as forensic DNA, controlled substance analysis, forensic toxicology, firearms, latent prints, or trace evidence analysis.
The Department of Forensic Science may collaborate with over 30 city, county, state, and federal and private sector laboratories, both in and out-of-state, to provide a wide range of internship opportunities in a variety of forensic disciplines. Internships are arranged and coordinated by the Department of Forensic Science.
Drug testing, history of drug use, criminal background checks and other factors, including social media content and activity, may be considered for employment or internship placements.
Students are responsible for transportation to and from their internship.
Below is a list of sample internship agencies.
View a comprehensive list of previous forensic science internship locations.
In-State Internship Agencies
- Austin Police Department, Austin, TX
- Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office, San Antonio, TX
- Choice Laboratory Services, Dallas, TX
- Dallas County Institute of Forensic Sciences (SWIFS), Dallas, TX
- Fort Worth Police Department Crime Laboratory, Forth Worth, TX
- Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Firearms, Houston, TX
- Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS), Houston, TX
- Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC), Houston, TX
- Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory, Conroe, TX
- Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science (STAFS) Facility, Huntsville, TX
- Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, Austin, TX
- Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, Corpus Christi, TX
- Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, Garland, TX
- Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, Houston, TX
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Forensic Laboratory, San Marcos, TX
- United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Southeast Regional Science Center, Houston, TX
- United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), South Central Laboratory, Dallas, TX
Out-of-State Internship Agencies
- Ameritox, LTD, Greensboro, NC
- Albuquerque Police Department Crime Laboratory, Albuquerque, NM
- Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL), Dover Air Force Base, DE
- Chandler Police Department Crime Laboratory, Chandler, AZ
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory, Denver and Pueblo, CO
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Crime Laboratory, Quantico, VA
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tallahassee and Pensacola, FL
- Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles, CA
- Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, Phoenix, AZ
- Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory, Dayton, OH
- San Diego Police Department Crime Laboratory, San Diego, CA
- San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office, San Diego, CA
- San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office, San Francisco, CA
- University of Massachusetts Medical School Drugs of Abuse Laboratory, Worcester, MA
- Washington State Patrol Forensic Laboratory Services Bureau, Seattle, WA