About
The GW Department of Forensic Sciences is a home for investigators. Established more than 50 years ago, we are proud to be one of the oldest forensic sciences programs in the country. In addition to completing rigorous coursework, students also participate in cutting-edge research alongside expert faculty who regularly receive federal grants and present at prestigious meetings like the American Academy of Forensic Science.
Mission & Goals
The George Washington University Department of Forensic Sciences will graduate students with the necessary technical and theoretical knowledge, skills, and abilities with classical and modern forensic techniques and instrumentation to enter a forensic science career and to compete in the marketplace. We will accomplish this through rigorous scientific scholarship, hands-on experiences, inspiring mentorship, and a stimulating academic environment conducive to and providing for opportunities to conduct research and scholarly inquiry and otherwise to contribute to the knowledge base of forensic science and improvement of the forensic community. We will take advantage of our location in the nation’s capital, our national security hub, and forensic laboratory- and investigation-rich environment. Our orientation is towards objective science-based study and application, with exposure to cutting edge research and practitioner-based mentorship. Our philosophy is that modern forensic science requires specialization in the field.
Connect With Our Community
"My work might find some resolution for the victim or it might free someone who isn't a match. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to help people."
Lauren Macdonald
MFS '15