Forensics is a science dealing with the development of methods and means of detecting crimes and their perpetrators, and proving them in court. Forensics, like forensic medicine or forensic psychiatry, helps to establish the truth in a criminal trial. Consequently, the famous detectives Sherlock Holmes and Hercules Poirot were not criminologists but specialists in forensics.

Criminology, on the other hand, it is a social science dealing with the investigation of crimes, crimes and offenders. The field of study of criminologists are circumstances, motives, control mechanisms and other conditions that influence the commission of crimes..

Internships involve 160 teaching hours in each semester, in an institution selected by the student, operating in the field of forensics and criminology. In accordance with the syllabus for this subject, an interning student performs practical activities appropriate for a given position and organizational unit, as specified by the head of the institution or the company internship supervisor. Students of the field of forensics with criminology have the opportunity to undergo internships in institutions of different nature, with which the Department of Forensics of the State University of Applied Sciences in Piła cooperates. These institutions include:

• police units,
• city guard units,
• correctional facilities,
• youth social adaptation centers,
• probation service teams,
• rescue units,
• consultative teams of forensic specialists,
• court experts.

The list of institutions with which the Department of Forensics establishes cooperation in the field of organizing student internships is constantly expanding.

Studies in the field of forensics with criminology guarantee acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge which will prepare the graduate for service/work with:

• the Police,
• Border Guard,
• Military Police,
• Internal Security Agency,
• Prison Service,
• Central Anticorruption Bureau,
• City Guard,
• insurance companies.

Our staff can boast of very extensive practical experience in the scope of subjects entrusted to them. The key subjects in the field of forensics, law and security are carried out by experienced practitioners, for example specialists in forensic technology, often with academic degrees, as well as with experience in managerial positions in important institutions in the area of public security - such as the judiciary, police, army, and rehabilitation centers for young people and adults. Similar high competences characterize academic teachers who conduct classes in the field of methodology and statistics, sociology, criminology, social pathology and social rehabilitation or social communication. Most of the lecturers combine practical experience with substantial academic achievements.

Active didactics dominate the program throughout the entire period of study. Theoretical issues will be supplemented and verified with a large number of hours of laboratory exercises and project classes. Students will have at their disposal forensic technology equipment used to reveal and protect dermatoscopic, traseological, mechanoscopic, biological, entomological and other traces.

The department is developing a didactic base, which will include, among others laboratories of forensic technology, forensic entomology, forensic photography, and a specially prepared square for conducting specialized classes in field conditions. The State University of Applied Sciences is the only university that will prepare future officers and soldiers to disclose, secure and use entomological traces in a court trial.

The study program in Forensics with Criminology covers both theoretical knowledge as well as the development of practical skills such as taking fingerprints or securing the crime scene. Therefore, some classes will be held in lecture halls, including laboratories specially prepared for this purpose: a forensic technique laboratory, a forensic entomology laboratory, and a photo studio. Other classes will be conducted in field conditions. For this purpose, on the premises of the Piła campus, next to building D where the Department of Forensics is located, a special square will be outlined with infrastructure adapted to the needs of conducting specialized classes, including securing the scene, recreating the course of events, collecting material for analyzes, etc. Classes will also be conducted on the premises of institutions with which the Department of Forensics cooperates, including police headquarters, correctional facilities, prisons, etc. It is also planned to organize optional classes in special training facilities, including shooting, diving and first aid workshops. Participation in optional classes may mean additional costs for the participants.

The prepared schedule of activities provides so-called block classes. Students will participate in a research project and  subject hours will be grouped into blocks. For example, students will need to conduct field research and analytical work at school, followed by individual working on the report at home. That should account for up to 60 hours per week. As a result, the time spent within the walls of the University will be shorter. As a standard, the timetable covers 4 to 5 days a week. Classes will last from 4 to 6 hours a day.

Due to the pandemic situation, currently all didactic classes in the major field of study are held on-line. For some subjects, there will be a possibility of conducting hybrid didactic classes in the upcoming academic year (2022/2023); some classes will be conducted online, and some in the form of direct teaching at the university. This solution is intended primarily for theoretical subjects belonging to the general and basic groups. Such classes can be conducted remotely without compromising the effectiveness of the process of knowledge and practical competences acquisition, which at the same time is convenient for students. In the case of practical classes (e.g. the first aid course, securing the traces of a crime), full-time instruction is provided.

The creation of the forensics and criminology field at the University in Piła was determined by the rich history of training uniformed services in this city (the Army, the Police), access to qualified staff with many years of experience, a network of relationships with institutional partners (the Army, Police, Courts, Public Prosecutor's Offices) and infrastructure. Information from the labor market, which indicates a deficit of qualified personnel in the area of institutions guaranteeing a satisfactory level of public safety, was also of great importance for the decision to create the course of Forensics and Criminology.

In addition to the educational offer contained in the syllabus of the forensics with criminology major, the Department of Forensics at the State University of Applied Sciences in Piła also offers a wide range of opportunities for individual development of students. Students will be able to participate in a Polish-American scientific seminar, activities in a research club, internships and apprenticeships in departmental services, a summer school as well as research activities as part of special conferences and lectures. Studying in the field of forensics with criminology also gives them the opportunity to participate in numerous specialist courses and trainings, as well as meetings with practitioners which allow our students to consciously shape their professional careers.