Certificate in Administration of Justice - Crime Scene Investigation
Riverside, USA
Certificate
DURATION
1 semester
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
USD 514 *
STUDY FORMAT
* per unit | for F-1 international students total estimated cost per year is $29,591
Key Summary
About: This certificate offers coursework to prepare participants to enter crime scene investigation and forensic science at the assistant level. Participants learn criminal investigative procedure to assist Forensic Identification Technicians in gathering, analyzing, preparing, and presenting crime scene evidence. RCC is an affordable starting point for transfer to the college or university; offering degree and certificate programmes.
Career Outcomes: Graduates may pursue roles as Crime Scene Investigators, forensic technicians, evidence technicians, crime scene technicians, forensic lab assistants, evidence custodians, or law enforcement support staff. Related skills include evidence collection, crime scene processing, chain of custody, forensic analysis, and investigative documentation.
This certificate is designed to offer a basic pattern of coursework that will prepare the participant to enter the professional field of crime scene investigation and forensic science at the assistant level. The successful participant will gain sufficient skills and understanding of the criminal investigative procedure to assist professional Forensic Identification Technicians, within the criminal justice system, in properly gathering, analyzing, preparing, and presenting crime scene evidence.
Required Courses (15 units)
- ADJ-2 --- Principles, and Procedures of the Justice System --- 3
- ADJ-3 --- Concepts of Criminal Law --- 3
- ADJ-13 --- Criminal Investigation --- 3
- ADJ-14 --- Advanced Criminal Investigation --- 3
- ANT-10 --- Forensic Anthropology --- 3
This Program Pathway will allow a full-time student to complete this program in 6-12 months. For students who require a part-time pathway, please see a counselor for more information.
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the principal components of criminal law and the criminal justice system.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the procedures and process of collecting, preserving, and cataloging physical evidence from a crime scene.
- Demonstrate an advanced ability to use computer technology to report the collection, preservation, and presentation of crime scene evidence.
Financial Aid Support for Your Educational Goals
There are many types of financial aid available to you at RCC. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application is required for most forms of financial aid. Types of financial aid include grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and student loans.
Federal Grants
- Federal Pell Grant (Part of FAFSA application)
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG - Part of FAFSA application)
State of California Grants
- California College Promise
- Cal Grant Program
- Student Success Completion Grant
- Chafee Grant Program for eligible foster youth and former foster youth
- California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program (CNG EAAP)
Riverside Community College District Scholarship
There are over 250 scholarships available to students through the RCCD Foundation, and only one application is needed to apply. If you are an admitted student at RCC and have a student email address, you can apply for scholarships offered by the RCCD Foundation.
CGACC-RCC International Student Scholarship
International Students at Riverside City College are welcome to apply for CGACC-RCC Scholarship. This scholarship is in the form of a tuition fee reduction estimated at $1,250. The application deadline for CGACC-RCC International Student Scholarship is July 25, and the results of the students selected are typically announced by August 6.
To be eligible for consideration for this award, the applicant must be a new or continuing international student who will study full-time at one of the RCCD colleges (Riverside City College, Norco College, or Moreno Valley College) on an F-1 Student Visa in the fall semester. Transfer students can also apply. New international students who apply for the scholarship must have a completed RCC international student application, submitted all required application documents, and received an RCCD I-20.
- Crime Scene Investigators