Master of Science, Forensic Science

Degree Requirements

Students in the MSFS program must complete a total of 36 semester hours orf course work plus 6 semester hours of thesis research, or complete 48 semester hours of course work under the non-thesis option. Students may substitute internships 3-6 hours of coursework under either option.

In addition to completing a series of forensic science courses, students in the MSFS program are required to take both chemical instrumental analysis, biochemistry, quantitative analysis, and recombinant DNA technology courses offered by the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biology. Students are encouraged to design a course of study (in consultation with their faculty advisor) with a specific concentration to meet their professional goals.

Core Curriculum
You must complete the following core courses:

JS 670 Elements of Forensic Science

JS 671 Conventional Criminalistics

JS 674 Biological Methods in Forensice Science

JS 673 Forensic Drug Analysis

JS 675 Law, Evidence, and Procedure

JS 679 Seminar Series

The following courses are also required courses, but students who have taken an equivalent course at the undergraduate level may opt out of one or more:

CH 561 Biochemistry OR CMB 700 Cellular and Molecular Biology

JS 572 Biology for Forensic Scientists OR BY 531 Advanced Recombinant DNA Technology

CH 550/550L Analytical Chemistry I for Graduate Study: Instrumental Analysis

CH 555/555L Analytical Chemistry II for Graduate Study: Quantitative Analysis

You must also complete and additional 12 semester hours from this elective set.