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How to Apply
Admissions to the program are accepted for fall quarter each year.
Application deadlines: Feb. 1 for priority review. Any application received after Feb. 1 will be considered on a space-available basis. No application received after March 1 will be considered.
Application
Complete a UC Davis Graduate Studies online application form.
Application information must include:
- Application fee—a non-refundable deposit of $80 (domestic applicants) or $100 (international applicants) is required and must be paid when the application is submitted. The fee may be paid by credit card or e-check. The fee must be paid before the application will be considered.
- Statement of Purpose—one of the most important requirements of your application. It should reflect your experience and interests as related to this program, be well organized and concise, and identify your research interests. For the applicant who is already working in the area, the statement will contain specific reference to your recent experience and accomplishments.
- Three letters of recommendation from former professors or persons familiar with your technical capability and expertise and able to evaluate your readiness for graduate study in forensic science. Letters must be submitted electronically through the online application. You will be asked to include the name and email address for each of your recommenders. The recommender will automatically be notified by Graduate Studies with the instructions on how to submit his/her letter. Do not have your recommenders send letters in hard copy. Letters must be received by the application deadline date.
- Personal Statement—In an essay, you should discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences, challenges or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.
- Research Areas—The four research areas that you are asked to fill out will help us determine the appropriate research area that may be suitable for you:
- DNA: Persons choosing this area will want to focus on DNA case work and analysis. Along with this would include all biological aspects normally associated with such related case work such as identifying various biological stain and presumptive testing of such stains.
- Toxicology: Persons choosing this area will want to do case work on the toxic substances found in body tissues from subjects that may have been arrested for various offenses or from coroner’s cases.
- Chemistry: Persons choosing this area will generally want to do research that involves the identity of unknown substances such as drugs, narcotics, trace evidence, etc.
- Materials science: Persons choosing this area may want to do research in impression evidence, firearm identification, arson analysis, accident reconstruction and related areas.
- GRE Scores—the GRE is not required for admission to this program, but a high GRE score could improve a candidate’s chances in borderline cases. The GRE institution code for UC Davis is 4834. The department code is 2202. Scores must be submitted electronically directly to UC Davis.
- Transcripts—one official set of academic transcripts showing graded coursework, dates of attendance and the degree earned from all colleges attended (community, state and private universities). Send your transcripts directly to the Graduate Group in Forensic Science, 1333 Research Park Dr., Davis, CA 95618. Transcripts must be received by the application deadline date.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Debbie Roberts, program administrator, by email at droberts@ucde.ucdavis.edu or by phone at (530) 754-4013.