Forensic Science, Master of Science
Program Director: Professor Mechthild Prinz
The Master of Science in Forensic Science is designed to provide advanced education for scientists, administrators, managers and other professionals currently employed in crime laboratories, medical examiners’ offices and in related areas such as public safety, arson investigation, and environmental protection. The program also prepares individuals who are interested in entering such careers. Drawing from the areas of chemistry, biology, physics and law, the program involves the mastery of techniques for the laboratory and the courts. The curriculum meets an urgent national need for broadly trained forensic scientists.
The master’s degree program offers specializations in criminalistics, forensic toxicology, or molecular biology. Within these three areas, sub-specialization is available through electives offered periodically at John Jay College or (with permission) at the CUNY Graduate School and University Center.
Degree Requirements
Program requirements consist of 41-43 credit hours. Core courses provide the student with the knowledge and skills required of crime laboratory analysts; elective courses, coupled with research experience, provide training in more specialized areas such as microspectrophotometry, firearm examination, microscopy, forensic anthropology and questioned documents.
All students are required to write a thesis. There are no alternatives.
Required Courses
| FOS 706 | Physical and Biological Evidence | 3 |
| FOS 707 | Fundamentals of Forensic Toxicology | 3 |
| FOS 710 | Advanced Criminalistics I | 5 |
| FOS 721 | Advanced Instrumental Analysis I | 5 |
| FOS 722 | Advanced Instrumental Analysis II | 5 |
| FOS 730 | Forensic DNA Technology | 3 |
| FOS 795 | Thesis Prospectus I | 1 |
| FOS 796 | Thesis Prospectus II: Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| FOS 797 | Thesis Prospectus III | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
FOS 730: Not required for students in the Molecular Biology specialization.
Required Courses for the Criminalistics Specialty
Select one of the following:
| FOS 717 | Organic Compound Structure Determination | 3 |
| FOS 735 | Advanced Topics in Physical Science | 3 |
| FOS 736 | Forensic Examination of Firearms and Toolmarks | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
Required Courses for the Molecular Biology Specialty
| FOS 704 | Advanced Genetics | 3 |
| FOS 732 | Advanced Molecular Biology I | 5 |
| FOS 733 | Advanced Molecular Biology II | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 13 |
Required Courses for the Forensic Toxicology Specialty
| FOS 725 | Forensic Toxicology I | 5 |
| FOS 726 | Forensic Toxicology II | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 10 |
Highly Recommended Electives for All Specialties
| FOS 705/FCM 705 | Mathematical Statistics for Forensic Scientists | 3 |
| FOS 717 | Organic Compound Structure Determination | 3 |
| FOS 727 | Case Analysis in Forensic Toxicology | 3 |
| FOS 735 | Advanced Topics in Physical Science | 3 |
| FOS 736 | Forensic Examination of Firearms and Toolmarks | 3 |
| FOS 737 | Microscopy, Spectrometry and Diffraction with Electrons in Forensic and Chemical Analysis | 3 |
| FOS 738 | Crime Scene Investigation for Forensic Scientists | 3 |
| FOS 760 | Scientific Evidence, Expert Testimony, and Ethics for Research and Forensic Scientists | 3 |
| FOS 761 | Forensic Anthropology: Osteological & Genetic Identification | 3 |
| FOS 762 | Current Trends in Forensic Pathology and Entomology | 3 |
| CRJ 708 | Law, Evidence and Ethics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Total Credit Hours: 41-43