Can you tell me more about the program?
The Forensic Science Graduate Program admitted our first graduate student in 2002. The program was originally designed to provide a Master of Science degree platform for working forensic scientists. Over time, through our success and the success of our graduates the program has evolved into a highly acclaimed forensic science institution attracting 80 to 100 applications per year from prospective students.Through an advanced curriculum and relevant professional training, graduates of the program enjoy tremendous employment opportunities throughout the United States and the world. Our alumni are positioned in every California Department of Justice laboratory in the state, and operate at every level in government laboratories across the nation. We have graduates working in the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Dover, Delaware, whose mission is to identify the human remains of United States military service members that have died while serving our country. One of our international graduates opened the first private DNA testing laboratory in Kenya and led the effort to establish a DNA database for major ethnic groups, two advancements that will help incorporate forensic science into the country’s justice system.
Our graduates are using their forensic science education to find the truth, often in highly legally contested environments. To meet the needs of a demanding and rapidly evolving field, we are continually developing innovative educational platforms, resources, and opportunities to offer our students and our alumni. With dedication to promoting forensic education and training, the Forensic Science Graduate Program takes pride in our students and their contributions to science and to society.
Course prerequisites requirement:
- Applicants must have completed the minimum equivalent of the following UC Davis courses:
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- General Chemistry with lab (15 quarter units, CHE 2A/B/C)
- Organic Chemistry with lab (8 quarter units, CHE 118A/B)
- Physics with lab (12 quarter units, PHY 7A/B/C)
- Calculus (9 quarter units, MAT 16A/B/C)
- Statistics (4 quarter units, STA 13)
Click here for course descriptions.
As approved by the Office of Graduate Studies for students enrolling in Fall of 2020 onwards, students need to enroll in the following number of units each quarter:
Full-time = 9 units per quarter
Part-time = 4-8 units per quarter
Please note that these unit levels may differ from those defined by other campus departments, such as the Financial Aid Office. Also, students on Filing Fee their final quarter, are not required to enroll in any course units provided they have already completed their 54 course and research units for graduation.