"You Know My Methods, Watson"

Whether you've read about the fictional detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle, or viewed him portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr. in the Warner Brother's film, we all know of Sherlock Holmes. The eccentric London-based "consulting detective" is well known for his logical reasoning, his ability to take on any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve difficult cases.

Many people of all ages consider Sherlock Holmes a role model and thrive for the challenge of determining the answer to a mystery. Whether it is a childhood memory of deciphering which of your siblings embezzled the cookies from the cookie jar, or getting a degree to be a private detective, I think it's safe to say we've all wanted to investigate a mystery one time or another.

Unfortunately, with millions of critics who've read the novels, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 34,700 private detective jobs available per year, you might assume it would unreasonable to want to become a real-life Sherlock Holmes. What the general public doesn't realize is there are numerous ways to solve a mystery. You may not need a brown trench coat, a pipe, and a top hat, but there is one thing you will need: a microscope.

With a criminal justice degree there are many fields that you can go into where you can pursue your urge to unravel mysteries. A very popular choice is forensic science.

While it may seem that the job only consists of looking at gross stuff and figuring out who it came from, it carries a tremendous amount of significance and responsibility. Most importantly, a forensic scientist must determine facts of a legal case. They are often a crucial part of the judicial system.

Instead of presenting the judge with pictures, ideas, and videos as a form of proof, forensic scientists use the proof of science, which can be tricky to argue against. They retrieve this proof by analyzing physical evidence collected at crime scenes such as hair samples, blood, and other trace elements, and provide expert forensic testimony for trials.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for forensic scientists will increase by twenty percent or more through 2018. As of 2010, forensic scientists earned an average salary of $51,570.

If you think you have Sherlock Holmes's skill to solve a mystery, and have the stomach for the gory details, forensic science might just be the job field for you.