FRNSC:MS - Master of Science in Forensic Science
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Simple Requirements
Other Curricular Offering: BS in Chemistry to MS in Forensic Science Accelerated Degree Pathway
A student admitted to the accelerated degree pathway will be considered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor’s degree program. Upon conferral of the bachelor’s degree, the student will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships. Only 5000-level or higher courses, and no more than the number of credits specified by the program catalog, may be applied toward both degrees.
Completion Requirements
Completed BS in Chemistry degree at FIU.
Required:
(1) course Forensic Biology
(2) course Forensic Chemistry
(3) course Forensic Analysis
(4) Required courses must be completed with an average of “B” or higher, and only one course may receive a grade of less than “B-“.
(5) Electives: 5 courses selected from the Forensic Science Graduate Elective Offerings.
(6) 6 credits of Thesis Research and 1 credit of Thesis.
(7) 1 credit of Colloquium.
(8) Overlap: Up to 3 graduate level courses (9 credits) may be used to satisfy both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree requirements.
Admissions Requirements for the Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Science
To be admitted into the MS in Forensic Science program, a student must:
(1) Hold a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from an accredited college or university.
(2) Have a 3.0 GPA in upper-level course work.
(3) Two letters of recommendation of the student’s academic potential.
(4) Be accepted by a faculty sponsor.
(5) Receive approval from the Graduate Committee.
(6) International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.5 overall on the IELTS is required.
Minimum requirement is the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, or related science approved by the graduate committee. It is recommended that students have the equivalent of a minor in chemistry before taking the required courses.
The MS in Forensic Science consists of a minimum of 32 credits, including a thesis based upon the student’s original research or completion of an independent study report option.
A maximum of six credits of post-baccalaureate coursework may be transferred from other institutions, subject to the approval of the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee will consist of the Graduate Program Director and a member from each of the following departments: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Psychology. The Thesis Committee shall consist of the research advisor (normally the faculty sponsor), and at least two additional committee members who have some expertise in the graduate student’s research area. All members must hold graduate faculty status.
There are no majors associated with this program.
Equivalent courses in the student’s area(s) of thesis concentration may be substituted upon approval by the student’s committee in consultation with the Graduate Program Director (i.e., CCJ, GLY, PHY, PSY).
Admissions Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry to MS in Forensic Science Accelerated Degree Pathway
To be considered for admission to the combined BS/MS accelerated degree pathway, students must have completed at least 75 credits in the bachelor’s degree program at FIU and meet the admissions criteria for the graduate degree program to which they are applying. Students need only apply once to the accelerated degree pathway, but the application must be submitted to Graduate Admissions before the student starts the last 30 credits of the bachelor’s degree program.
Admissions Requirements
(1) Current enrollment in the BS in Chemistry program at FIU.
(2) Current GPA of 3.2 or higher.
(3) Three letters of recommendation.
(4) Approval of the Chemistry Graduate Committee.
A student admitted to this joint degree pathway will be enrolled in a continuous enrollment pathway; however, upon completion of all the requirements of the MS in Forensic Science program (report option), students will be awarded the MS degree as they transition towards the PhD degree.
As these candidates will be dually enrolled in two graduate degree programs, candidates must complete a minimum of 32 credit hours towards the MS degree with a grade of ‘C’ or higher and a cumulative GPA of 3.0. The MS in Forensic Science report option must be completed and accepted by the university before full transition towards the PhD degree. Candidates must also complete a total of 75 credits toward the PhD degree with the allowance for credits transferred from the completed MS in Forensic Science degree. The student will be able to earn both degrees in a shorter time frame that it would take to obtain either degree if pursued consecutively.
Students will be required to select a master’s defense committee while pursuing the MS in Forensic Science degree as well as a PhD dissertation committee. This committee may or may not be comprised of the same members as those selected for the master’s program. The master’s proposal should be presented after the second semester of admission and the PhD dissertation defense should be presented after the fourth semester after admission.
Admissions Requirements for the MS in Forensic Science to PhD in Biology Joint Degree Pathway
For admission into the MS in Forensic Science/PhD in Biology joint degree pathway, students must meet the admission criteria of a PhD student with the understanding that they will have an increased class load of 2-3 classes (e.g., Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, and Forensic Analysis) when compared to the normal PhD applicant but will graduate with two degrees. The requirements will be as follows:
(1) Hold a bachelor’s degree in a natural science from a relevant university.
(2) Have a 3.0 GPA during the last two years of the undergraduate program.
(3) Arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to the Biology graduate program director evaluating the applicant’s potential for graduate work.
(4) Be sponsored by a Biology faculty member with Dissertation Advisor Status.
(5) Receive approval from the Department Graduate Program Committee.
(6) International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IETLS). A score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.5 overall on the IETLS is required.