Forensic Science, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in forensic biology

Special requirements

The forensic science program requires a minimum of 120 credits including completion of the general education requirements (see more information below), 34 forensic science core program credits and 24 concentration-specific credits.

For the forensic biology concentration, a minimum of five elective credit hours of advanced biology, chemistry and/or forensic science course work (with lab, at the 300- to 500-level) must be taken.

All of the general education foundation courses will be automatically fulfilled through this degree by taking the following required courses: UNIV 111, UNIV 112, UNIV 200 and MATH 200 (13 credits).

Students will need to take a total of 17 credits from areas of inquiry (including nine credits from breadth of knowledge). Some of these general education areas of inquiry and breadth of knowledge requirements will also be automatically fulfilled through this degree by taking the following required courses: CHEM 101 and CHEZ 101 (four credits) both satisfy breadth of knowledge for natural sciences and area of inquiry for scientific and logical reasoning; and either PHYS 201 or 207 (four to five credits) satisfies area of inquiry for scientific and logical reasoning.

In addition to these required courses, students will need to select at least three additional general education courses from the remaining areas of inquiry. Three credits are required from each of the following areas of inquiry (nine credits total): diversities in the human experience; creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry; and global perspectives. Two of the selected general education courses should also fulfill the breadth of knowledge requirement from the areas of humanities/fine arts and social/behavioral sciences.

Lastly, students are required to complete the program achievement test during their final semester in order to graduate. However, a minimum score on the test is not a prerequisite for graduation.

Degree requirements for Forensic Science, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a forensic biology concentration

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Note: This plan of study assumes that the student:

• Scored well enough on the VCU Mathematics Placement Test to place into MATH 200 or that the student has completed MATH 151 with a minimum grade of C (a pre- or corequisite for BIOL 151, BIOZ 151 and CHEM 101​; a prerequisite for CHEM 102).
• Scored well enough on the chemistry placement exam/assessment or has successfully completed CHEM 100 with a minimum grade of B (a prerequisite for CHEM 101).

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
BIOL 151 & BIOZ 151	Introduction to Biological Sciences I 1 and Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory I 1	4
CHEM 101 & CHEZ 101	General Chemistry I 1 and General Chemistry Laboratory I (both satisfy general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) 1	4
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I	Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 1	3
General education course 2		3
	Term Hours:	14
Spring semester
BIOL 152 & BIOZ 152	Introduction to Biological Sciences II and Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory II	4
CHEM 102 & CHEZ 102	General Chemistry II 1 and General Chemistry Laboratory II 1	4
HUMS 202	Choices in a Consumer Society	1
MATH 200	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (satisfies general education quantitative foundations)	4
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II	Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 1	3
	Term Hours:	16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
BIOL 300	Cellular and Molecular Biology	3
CHEM 301 & CHEZ 301	Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 1	5
STAT 210	Basic Practice of Statistics	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 1	3
Experiential fine arts		1-3
	Term Hours:	15-17
Spring semester
CHEM 302 & CHEZ 302	Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II	5
FRSC 300	Survey of Forensic Science	3
FRSC 375	Forensic Evidence, Law and Criminal Procedure	3
General education course 2		3
	Term Hours:	14
Junior year
Fall semester
BIOL 310	Genetics	3
FRSC 309	Scientific Crime Scene Investigation	3
PHYS 201 or PHYS 207	General Physics I (either satisfies general education AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) or University Physics I	4-5
Foreign language 101 (or open elective)		3
General education course 2		3
	Term Hours:	16-17
Spring semester
BIOZ 476	Molecular Capstone Laboratory	2
FRSC 365	Forensic Microscopy	3
PHYS 202 or PHYS 208	General Physics II or University Physics II	4-5
Foreign language 102 (or open elective)		3
Open elective		2
	Term Hours:	14-15
Senior year
Fall semester
CHEM 403	Biochemistry I	3
FRSC 385	Forensic Serology	3
FRSC 490	Professional Practices in Forensic Science	3
BIOL/BIOZ, CHEM/CHEZ or FRSC/FRSZ (with lab, 300- to 500-level)		3
FRSC elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
FRSC 438 & FRSZ 438	Forensic Molecular Biology and Forensic Molecular Biology Laboratory	5
BIOL/BIOZ, CHEM/CHEZ or FRSC/FRSZ (with lab, 300- to 500-level)		2
FRSC elective		3
Open electives		6
	Term Hours:	16
	Total Hours:	120-124

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Accelerated B.S. and M.S.

The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows academically talented students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Forensic Science in a minimum of five and a half years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 150 credits rather than the 162 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.

Students holding these degrees will have advanced training in forensic science through a combination of laboratory and classroom work and will gain important professional development skills. The goal of the accelerated program is to significantly enhance the student’s qualifications to pursue a career in the forensic science field. Alternatively, students who distinguish themselves may be able to pursue advanced study in doctoral or professional programs on an accelerated timetable.

Entrance to the accelerated program

Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.

Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 60 undergraduate credit hours including CHEM 301, CHEZ 301, FRSC 300 and an overall GPA of 3.3. Two reference letters (at least one from a forensic science faculty member) must accompany the Accelerated Program Declaration Form.

Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students in an accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate forensic science adviser and the forensic science graduate program director.

Admission to the graduate program

Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.

Degree requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 120 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin.

A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for required major courses or electives for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

The graduate forensic science courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are listed below. The specific courses to be taken (maximum of 12 credit hours) will be decided through advising and based on the student’s undergraduate concentration and chosen graduate concentration in forensic science.

Recommended course sequence/plan of study

What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.