Forensic Science is the application of scientific principles and methods to assist criminal and civil investigations and litigation. The Master of Science in Forensic Science program is an inter-college collaboration among different academic units and provides students with a strong foundation in criminal justice and homeland security, computer sciences, biology, chemistry, and other related fields. It introduces them to relevant topics in criminalistics, the law of evidence and courtroom presentation, digital forensics, forensic chemistry, forensic biology, crime scene investigation, and appropriate social sciences. Students are educated on the role of forensic scientists in the criminal justice system, the collection and analysis of scientific evidence, and how evidence is presented in court. Graduates of this program could pursue employment as a forensic scientist in a federal, state, or private forensic laboratory or with insurance companies, homeland security agencies, or the judicial community.
Thirty credit hours are required for the MS in Forensic Science, with three concentrations to choose from: Law Enforcement, Digital Forensics, and Science (Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Biology). Fifteen credit hours are required courses, and the remaining 15 credit hours consists of restrictive electives chosen from one of the three available concentrations.