The Rutgers–Camden MSFS offers a comprehensive program of study that leads to employment as a practitioner or admission to graduate/professional schools.
Students select an area of concentration and tune their schedules to reflect their personalized career goals.
Questions about the Program or Courses? Contact:
Kimberlee Moran,
Associate Teaching Professor & Director of Forensics
Program Highlights
- Hands-on Learning. Student learn and practice forensic techniques that are in use daily at forensic laboratories around the country and well as the newest forensic technology.
- Career Building Opportunities. Participation at conferences, events, and unique field experiences offer opportunities to network with professionals.
- Specializations. Students can specialize in a particular sub-discipline by focusing their electives, laboratory experience, and research in that area. See ‘Our Research‘ and ‘Our Courses‘ for details.
Program Requirements
- The program is designed to meet the requirements necessary for employment as a forensic chemist, toxicologist, or a forensic biologist.
- A candidate for the Master’s degree must complete a total of at least 49 credits of graduate work. The course of study is highly structured but also allows for students to concentrate in the areas of forensic chemistry, toxicology, and forensic biology.
- Students complete a capstone project of original research under the supervision of practicing forensic professionals.
Program Concentrations
M.S. Forensic Science,
Chemistry/Toxicology Track
This track integrates state of the art instrumentation, training, and research to prepare the student for a laboratory-based career as a forensic toxicologist, forensic chemist, or drug analyst.
M.S. Forensic Science,
Biochemistry/Biology Track
This track integrates state of the art instrumentation, training, and research in order to prepare the student for laboratory-based careers as a serologist, forensic biologist, or a DNA analyst.
The forensic chemistry concentration is constructed to meet all of the educational requirements for Drug Analysts and Forensic Toxicology Technical Leaders put forth by and adopted by the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG) and the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) respectively. The forensic biology concentration is constructed to meet all of the educational requirements for Forensic DNA Analysts and Forensic DNA Technical Leaders put forth by the National Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories adopted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A candidate for the Master’s degree in Forensic Science must complete a total of at least 49 credits of college work.
To remain in good standing, students may only receive one C grade during their course of study. Students who receive more than two C grades will be dismissed from the program.
The 4-semester sequence of courses is provided below:
*Course code will depend on student’s degree concentration. For concentration requirements, refer to the course catalog. **See the course catalog for track-specific degree requirements.
Year 1 – Fall Semester (14 total credits toward degree)
56:412:525, Forensic Science: theory & policy – 3 credits
56:412:527, Forensic Pattern Evidence – 3 credits
56:412:680, Forensic Science Symposium – 1 credit
Track-Required Course + Lab** – 4 credits
Track-Required Course** – 3 credits
Year 1 – Spring Semester (13 total credits toward degree)
56:121:520, Essentials of Biomathematics (or equivalent) – 3 credits
56:160:601 or 56:120:601, Graduate Seminar* – 1 credit
56:412:529, Forensic Trace Evidence – 3 credits
Track-Required Course + Lab** – 4 credits
56:412:681, Forensic Research Methods – 2 credits
Summer Session
Select internal & external research advisers
Research may begin – 56:412:700, Research in Forensic Science – 1 credit
Year 2 – Fall Semester (13 total credits towards degree)
56:412:701, Research in Forensic Science – 2 credits
Track-Required Course** – 3 credits
Track-Required Course + Lab** – 4 credits
Track-Required Course + Lab** – 4 credits
Year 2 – Spring Semester (9 total credits towards degree)
56:160:602 or 56:120:601, Graduate Seminar* – 1 credit
56:412:702, Research in Forensic Science and Capstone Presentation – 4 credits
56:412:800, Internship in Forensic Science and Moot Court – 4 credits
Submit final Capstone Paper to committee by mid-March
Track-required courses include:
- 56:160:611, Fundamentals of Pharmacology & Pharmacokinetics (Fall)
- 56:160:580/582, Forensic Chemistry + Lab (Fall)
- 56:160:584/586, Forensic Toxicology + Lab (Spring)
- 56:115:571/573, Forensic Serology + Lab (Fall)
- 56:115:530, Forensic Analytical Molecular Biology (Spring)
- 56:115:531, Forensic DNA Lab (Fall)
- 56:121:520, Essential of Biomathematics (Spring), may be substituted with 50:640:331 or other equivalent course with approval from the Graduate Director
Electives are dependent on degree track and are:
- 56:412:500-level Any 500-level graduate forensic science course
- 56:160:500-level Any 500-level graduate chemistry lecture course
- 56:115:500-level Any 500-level graduate biochemistry lecture course
- 56:121:500-level Any 500-level graduate computational & integrative biology lecture course
- 56:160:500-level Any 500-level chemistry laboratory course
- 56:115:500-level Any 500-level biochemistry laboratory course
- 56:412:500-level Any 500-level graduate forensic science course
- 56:120:500-level Any 500-level graduate biology lecture course
- 56:115:500-level Any 500-level graduate biochemistry lecture course
- 56:121:500-level Any 500-level graduate computational & integrative biology lecture course
- 56:120:500-level Any 500-level biology laboratory course
- 56:115:500-level Any 500-level biochemistry laboratory course
In addition, students must complete at least 7 credits of Research in Forensic Science, which are taken under the supervision of a faculty adviser.
- 56:412:700 Research in Forensic Science (1 credit)
- 56:412:701 Research in Forensic Science (2 credits)
- 56:412:702 Research in Forensic Science and Capstone Presentation (4 credits)