Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences
Program Director: Tracey Mason. Ph.D.
Description
Stevenson University does not offer a major in forensic science, but the university does offer two program options in the study of forensic science. One option is a BS/MFS program where students can earn a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry in four years and a master's degree in forensic science in as little as one additional year. For additional information regarding the B.S. degree in biochemistry, biology, or chemistry, please see the biochemistry, biology, or chemistry sections of this catalog. The other option is a two-year master's degree program, which is described more fully in the Stevenson University Graduate Catalog and on the Stevenson website at stevenson.edu.
Forensic science is an interdisciplinary and applied course of study which plays a crucial role in the legal justice system. Advances in instrumentation and technology have opened up new approaches to solving crime, and the need for individuals trained in both science and the law is growing. Graduates of our program will be prepared for employment in local, state or federal government crime laboratories, forensics laboratories, DNA testing facilities, industry, and continued study at the doctoral level.
Application Process
Students apply for admission into the BS/MFS program during their junior year. Applications are available on September 1 and February 1. Admission to this program is based upon the following criteria:
- Cumulative and science/math GPA of 3.0 or higher in all course work attempted
- Grade of "C" or better in all science and mathematics courses
- Completion of at least 60 credit hours and enrollment in a minimum of an additional 15 credit hours
- Completion of FSCI 101
- Completion of Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 211 and 211L) and enrollment in a minimum of one 300 or 400 level science course
- Submission of a completed BS/MFS Program Application, including references, prior to October 1 and March 1
Once accepted into the program, the undergraduate student may take up to 18 graduate credits beginning in the spring of their junior year.
Students, once accepted into the program, must submit a Graduate Application in the last semester of their undergraduate education. Application must be made prior to September 15 for a planned January start date and prior to February 15 for a planned August start date.
Option in Biochemistry Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor's degree in biochemistry and for entry into the biology or chemistry concentration of the master's in forensic sciences program. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| BIO 112 | Principles of General Biology | 3 credits |
| or | |
| BIO 113 | General Biology I: Cell Biology and Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 113L | General Biology I Laboratory: Cell Biology and Genetics | 1 credit |
| BIO 230 | Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 230L | Genetics-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| BIOCH 327 | Biochemistry | 3 credits |
| BIOCH 345L | Integrative Laboratory I | 2 credits |
| BIOCH 427 | Advanced Biochemistry | 3 credits |
| BIOCH 470 | Capstone Internship | 3 credits |
| or | |
| BIOCH 471 | Capstone Internship | 6 credits |
| BIOCH 475 | Capstone Seminar | 3 credits |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry I with Problem Solving | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 115L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 116 | General Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 116L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 210L | Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 211 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 211L | Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 213 | Digital Information Literacy for Chemistry | 1 credit |
| CHEM 313 | Career Connections in Chemistry | 1 credit |
| FSCI 101 | Survey of Forensic Science | 3 credits |
| MATH 220 | Calculus I | 4 credits |
| PHYS 210 | General Physics I | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 215 | General Physics I with Calculus | 4 credits |
| PHYS 211 | General Physics II | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 216 | General Physics II with Calculus | 4 credits |
| SCI 215 | Writing in the Sciences | 3 credits |
Elective courses Group 1:
Select two from the following list:
Elective courses Group 2:
Select three from the following list:
At least one of the courses must be at the 300-level or higher; advisors help students choose electives based on the desired graduate concentration):
| BIO 203 | Microbiology | 3 credits |
| and | |
| BIO 203L | Microbiology-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| BIO 280 | Nutrition Science | 3 credits |
| BIO 313 | Virology | 3 credits |
| BIO 322 | Human Physiology | 3 credits |
| BIO 322L | Human Physiology-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| BIO 332 | Epidemiology | 3 credits |
| BIO 335 | Immunology | 4 credits |
| BIO 362 | Independent Research Experience in Biology | 2 credits |
| BIO 365 | Independent Laboratory Research in Biology | 3 credits |
| BIOCH 201 | Medical Terminology | 3 credits |
| BIOCH 365 | Independent Laboratory Research in Biochemistry | 3 credits |
| CHEM 206 | Herbal Medicines and Remedies | 3 credits |
| CHEM 221 | Inorganic Chemistry | 3 credits |
| CHEM 346L | Integrative Laboratory II | 2 credits |
| CHEM 365 | Independent Laboratory Research in Chemistry | 3 credits |
| CHEM 435 | Special Topics in Chemistry | 3 credits |
| MATH 314/BME 314 | Biostatistics | 3 credits |
Option in Biology Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor's degree in biology and for entry into the biology track of the master's in forensic science program. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| BIO 112 | Principles of General Biology | 3 credits |
| or | |
| BIO 113 | General Biology I: Cell Biology and Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 113L | General Biology I Laboratory: Cell Biology and Genetics | 1 credit |
| BIO 114 | General Biology II: Structure and Function of Organisms | 3 credits |
| BIO 114L | General Biology II Laboratory: Structure and Function of Organisms | 1 credit |
| BIO 115 | General Biology III: Ecology and Evolution | 3 credits |
| BIO 115L | General Biology III Laboratory: Ecology and Evolution | 1 credit |
| BIO 218 | Career Connections in the Life Sciences | 1 credit |
| BIO 230 | Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 230L | Genetics-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| BIO 235L | Diversity of Life | 1 credit |
| BIO 470 | Capstone Internship | 3 credits |
| or | |
| BIO 471 | Capstone Internship | 6 credits |
| BIO 475 | Capstone Seminar | 3 credits |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry I with Problem Solving | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 115L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 116 | General Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 116L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 210L | Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 211 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 211L | Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| FSCI 101 | Survey of Forensic Science | 3 credits |
| MATH 136 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 credits |
| PHYS 210 | General Physics I | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 215 | General Physics I with Calculus | 4 credits |
| PHYS 211 | General Physics II | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 216 | General Physics II with Calculus | 4 credits |
| SCI 215 | Writing in the Sciences | 3 credits |
Biology Electives (take 6 courses):
Take six courses from the following courses listed below according to the following criteria:
BIO 203 and BIO 203L, BIO 210, BIO 217, BIO 222, BIO 270, BIO 280, BIO 307, BIO 310, BIO 312, BIO 313, BIO 314, BIO 315, BIO 322 and BIO 322L, BIO 326 BIO 330, BIO 332, BIO 335, BIO 362, BIO 365, BIOCH 201, BIOCH 327, BIOCH 345L, BIOCH 365, BIOCH 427, ENV 213, ENV 255, ENV 260, ENV 275, ENV 280, ENV 285, ENV 310, ENV 320, ENV 330, ENV 360, ENV 362, ENV 365, ENV 375, ENV 410, ENV 420, MLS 210, MLS 310, MLS 310L, MLS 325L, MLS 330, MLS 330L, MLS 338.
Students can take BIO 322 or BIO 326 but not both.
Option in Chemistry Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor's degree in chemistry and for entry into the chemistry track of the master's in forensic sciences program. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE).
Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements:
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry I with Problem Solving | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 115L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 116 | General Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 116L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 210L | Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 211 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 211L | Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 213 | Digital Information Literacy for Chemistry | 1 credit |
| CHEM 313 | Career Connections in Chemistry | 1 credit |
| CHEM 430 | Physical Chemistry | 3 credits |
| CHEM 470 | Capstone Internship | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHEM 471 | Capstone Internship | 6 credits |
| CHEM 475 | Capstone Seminar | 3 credits |
| FSCI 101 | Survey of Forensic Science | 3 credits |
| MATH 220 | Calculus I | 4 credits |
| PHYS 210 | General Physics I | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 215 | General Physics I with Calculus | 4 credits |
| PHYS 211 | General Physics II | 4 credits |
| or | |
| PHYS 216 | General Physics II with Calculus | 4 credits |
| SCI 215 | Writing in the Sciences | 3 credits |
Select six electives from the following list (at least one must be either BIOCH 345L or CHEM 346L and at least four must be at the 300-400 level) BIOCH 365, BIOCH 427, CHEM 203, CHEM 206, CHEM 221, CHEM 365, CHEM 435, MATH 221, MATH 314, MATH 321, MATH 425 and BIOCH 201. Research- CHEM and BIOCH 365 can only count as two of the required electives. CHEM 435 may be taken multiple times with different topics.
Chemistry Electives (Take six courses)
Pick six electives from the list below: (at least one must be either BIOCH 345L or CHEM 346L, and at least four must be 300-400 level)
*Research (CHEM 365 and BIOCH 365) can only count as two of the required electives.
Minor in Forensic Sciences
A minor in forensic sciences is not available.
Other Options
Master's of Forensic Science
Students who wish to enter the master's of forensic science program must have a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, biology, chemistry or other equivalent natural sciences or forensic sciences. Candidates must meet specific course requirements and prerequisites. For further details, please see the Stevenson University Graduate Catalog or visit the Stevenson website stevenson.edu.
Course Descriptions
See Forensic Sciences Course Descriptions