Forensic Science

School of Justice Studies

At RWU, our rigorous interdisciplinary Forensic Science program pairs legal courses with a strong scientific background in either biology or chemistry to teach you about the crucial role forensic science plays in criminal justice. You’ll learn how to examine, analyze and testify about physical evidence, which will prepare you for a career as a forensic science technician in a laboratory, hospital, university, medical examiner’s office or police department.

The Forensic Science Major

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Forensic Science is an interdisciplinary degree program which provides students the opportunity to select either a track in biology or chemistry while pursuing courses in criminal justice. This approach provides both the applied and theoretical knowledge for our students so that they are qualified and prepared to pursue a variety of careers in forensics.
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Science must satisfy the University Core Curriculum and Interdisciplinary Core requirements, the required major courses based on track selection (biology or chemistry), a 2 semester math sequence, and a sufficient number of electives to total at least 120 credit hours.
 
Requirements in the Major – Biology Track
(Students in this track cannot declare a double major, minor or core concentration in Biology)
BIO103/L & 104/LBiology I & II and Labs
BIO200Genetics and Lab
BIO215/L & 216/LHuman Anatomy and Physiology I & II and Labs
BIO230Microbiology and Lab
BIO340Biotechnology and Lab
CHEM191/L & 192/LPrinciples of Chemistry I & II and Labs
PHYS109/L & 110/LPhysics I & II and Labs
CJS105Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJS210Law of Evidence
CJS320Criminal and Civil Procedure in the Courts
CJS405Criminal Investigations
NATSC226Forensic Science and Lab
and

a minimum of five (5) Forensic Science Electives which may include FSI 430 – Special Topics in Forensic Science

Requirements in Other Departments

Select one (1) of the following statistics courses:
Math 124 or Math 207 or Math 315
and complete
Math 213/Lab    Calculus I and Lab

Requirements in the Major – Chemistry Track
(Students in this track cannot take CHEM 450 as the CHEM elective)
(Students in this track cannot minor in Chemistry or double major with the B.A. in Chemistry or the B.A. in Environmental Chemistry)

CHEM191/L & 192/LPrinciples of Chemistry I & II and Labs
CHEM301/L & 302/LOrganic Chemistry I & II and Labs
CHEM311Analytical Chemistry and Lab
CHEM312Instrumental Methods of Analysis and Lab
CHEM390Biochemistry and Lab
CHEMelective 
PHYS109/L & 110/LPhysics I & II and Labs
BIO103/LBiology I and lab
CJS105Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJS210Law of Evidence
CJS320Criminal and Civil Procedure in the Courts
CJS405Criminal Investigations
NATSC226Forensic Science and Lab
and
a minimum of five (5) Forensic Science Electives which may include FSI 430 – Special Topics in Forensic Science