2022-2023 Graduate Bulletin

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 706Physical and Biological Evidence

3

FOS 707Fundamentals of Forensic Toxicology

3

FOS 710Advanced Criminalistics I

5

FOS 721Advanced Instrumental Analysis I

5

FOS 722Advanced Instrumental Analysis II

5

FOS 730Forensic DNA Technology

3

FOS 795Thesis Prospectus I

1

FOS 796Thesis Prospectus II: Graduate Seminar

1

FOS 797Thesis Prospectus III

1

Total Credit Hours:27

FOS 730: Not required for students in the Molecular Biology specialization.

Required Courses for the Criminalistics Specialty

FOS 711Advanced Criminalistics II

5

Select one of the following:
FOS 717Organic Compound Structure Determination

3

FOS 735Advanced Topics in Physical Science

3

FOS 736Forensic Examination of Firearms and Toolmarks

3

Total Credit Hours:8

Required Courses for the Molecular Biology Specialty

FOS 704Advanced Genetics

3

FOS 732Advanced Molecular Biology I

5

FOS 733Advanced Molecular Biology II

5

Total Credit Hours:13

Required Courses for the Forensic Toxicology Specialty

FOS 725Forensic Toxicology I

5

FOS 726Forensic Toxicology II

5

Total Credit Hours:10

Highly Recommended Electives for All Specialties

FOS 705/FCM 705Mathematical Statistics for Forensic Scientists

3

FOS 717Organic Compound Structure Determination

3

FOS 727Case Analysis in Forensic Toxicology

3

FOS 735Advanced Topics in Physical Science

3

FOS 736Forensic Examination of Firearms and Toolmarks

3

FOS 737Microscopy, Spectrometry and Diffraction with Electrons in Forensic and Chemical Analysis

3

FOS 738Crime Scene Investigation for Forensic Scientists

3

FOS 760Scientific Evidence, Expert Testimony, and Ethics for Research and Forensic Scientists

3

FOS 761Forensic Anthropology: Osteological & Genetic Identification

3

FOS 762Current Trends in Forensic Pathology and Entomology

3

CRJ 708Law, Evidence and Ethics

3

Total Credit Hours:6

Total Credit Hours: 41-43