Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Analyze cases and preserve evidence in this 2-week forensic science program for high school students on UCLA’s campus.
Course Description
Evidence has value only when investigators can show where it came from, how it was handled and what a scientifically accepted test can support. Students begin with that connection between science and law, then examine how a crime lab identifies physical evidence and works to determine its origin.
Case analysis introduces homicide investigation, criminal and civil law, search and seizure, interviews and the role of the penal code. Students study DNA analysis and the Innocence Project to see both the power of forensic evidence and the consequences of poor laboratory practice. Repeated work with chain of custody emphasizes documentation, contamination prevention and accountability.
The course also examines the Seven S’s of crime-scene investigation: secure, separate, scan, see, sketch, search and secure evidence. Students consider tools ranging from evidence markers and forceps to alternate light sources, sifting screens and digital-forensics software. Research, laboratory-style exercises and class presentations connect evidence recovery to reporting and courtroom use.
This two-week course takes place at UCLA. The course is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic work with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study or pursue next. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
A supplemental course fee of $95 applies.
What Will You Do?
• Analyze homicide and criminal-investigation case studies
• Examine how DNA testing can identify or exclude possible sources
• Document evidence movement through a defensible chain of custody
• Compare presumptive tests, confirmatory tests and laboratory reporting
• Apply the Seven S’s of crime-scene investigation to evidence recovery
• Evaluate how forensic evidence interacts with law, courts and wrongful convictions
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how investigators locate, preserve, test and report physical evidence
• Analyze the importance of DNA, scientific standards and chain of custody
• Apply a structured crime-scene process to a case or evidence-recovery scenario
Students will leave with a course completion certificate, case-analysis and documentation experience, and greater clarity about further study in forensic science, criminal justice or law.
Why Forensic Investigation Skills Matter
Forensic work depends on observation, documentation and disciplined reasoning. Investigators must protect a scene, record what they find and distinguish a presumptive result from a confirmatory test. A weak chain of custody can undermine even strong scientific evidence.
Studying cases also asks students to separate fact, interpretation and legal standard. They practice tracing an argument back to physical evidence, identifying what remains uncertain and explaining why a conclusion is justified. Those habits support work in science, law, research and any field where decisions must withstand careful review.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in forensic science, criminal investigation, law or the way physical evidence shapes a case. It is a strong fit for students who enjoy close observation, case analysis and questions with no immediate answer.
Students should be ready to discuss serious crimes in an academic setting, keep careful records, compare legal and scientific standards and explain their conclusions. Students should be comfortable engaging with mature case material.
Why UCLA?
UCLA gives high-school students the opportunity to explore an academic interest while experiencing university life in Los Angeles, a city where entertainment, technology, business, science, and culture constantly intersect. The campus has its own community and rhythm while connecting students to a wider environment built around creativity and new ideas.
Students learn alongside peers, navigate a large campus, and gain independence through everyday choices and responsibilities. Time outside class expands the experience through friendships, campus life, and opportunities to notice which subjects and settings hold their attention. For families, UCLA offers a valuable combination of substantive academics, personal growth, and clearer direction about what a student may want to study, experience more deeply, or pursue next.
Forensic Investigation in Action
Forensic science supports crime-scene units, medical examiner offices, toxicology labs, digital investigations and the courts. Specialists may analyze DNA, documents, blood patterns, trace materials, controlled substances or firearms and tool marks. Their reports help investigators and attorneys understand what evidence can and cannot establish.
Students see how those roles connect across an investigation. Evidence must be located, collected, tested, documented and communicated. The course also considers wrongful convictions, rehabilitation and deterrence, showing that forensic decisions operate inside a broader legal and social system.
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive