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WVU Morgantown

Forensic Biology, B.S.

  • Overview
  • Learning Outcomes

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, College B.S. requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum of 120 hours. For complete details on these requirements, visit the B.S. Degrees tab on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences pages.

Departmental Requirements for the B.S. in Forensic Biology

  • Capstone Requirement: The university requires the successful completion of a Capstone course. Forensic Biology majors must complete FIS 406.

  • Writing and Communication Skills Requirement: The Forensic Biology Bachelor of Science is a SpeakWrite Certified ProgramTM. SpeakWrite Certified programs incorporate and develop students' written, verbal, visual, and mediated communication skills across the curriculum.

  • Calculation of the GPA in the Major: To graduate with the Forensic Biology major, students must achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 in all FIS courses with no grade lower than a C- in any FIS course, or in any course listed in the "STEM Foundations" or "Forensic and Investigative Science Major Requirements" areas below. If a course is repeated, all attempts will be included in the calculation of the GPA unless the course is eligible for a D/F repeat.

  • Internship Requirement: All students are required to successfully complete the FIS 386 internship course for at least 3 hours of credit.

Curriculum Requirements

University Requirements30
ECAS B.S. Requirements4
Departmental Requirements24
Forensic Biology Major Requirements62
Total Hours120

University Requirements

General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits)
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 718
FIS 191First-Year Seminar1
General Electives11
Total Hours30

ECAS Bachelor of Science Requirements

COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Global Studies & Diversity Requirement
Mathematics Requirement4
MATH 155
Calculus 1
or MATH 153
& MATH 154
Calculus 1a with Precalculus
and Calculus 1b with Precalculus
Science Requirement:
Please see the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences' Bachelor of Science (B.S.) tab.
Total Hours4

Departmental Requirements

STEM Foundations24
CHEM 115
& 115L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 1
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory
or CHEM 117
& 117L
Principles of Chemistry 1
and Principles of Chemistry 1 - Laboratory
CHEM 116
& 116L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 2
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory
or CHEM 118
& 118L
Principles of Chemistry 2
and Principles of Chemistry 2 - Laboratory
CHEM 233
& 233L
Organic Chemistry 1
and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
CHEM 234
& 234L
Organic Chemistry 2
and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory
Select one of the following sequences:
PHYS 101
& 101L
& PHYS 102
& PHYS 102L
Introductory Physics 1
and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory
and Introductory Physics 2
and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory
PHYS 111
& 111L
& PHYS 112
& PHYS 112L
General Physics 1
and General Physics 1 Laboratory
and General Physics 2
and General Physics 2 Laboratory
Total Hours24

Forensic Biology Major Requirements

Quantitative Coursework:6
Select one of the following pairs:
MATH 156
& STAT 215
Calculus 2
and Introduction to Probability and Statistics
STAT 211
& STAT 312
Elementary Statistical Inference
and Intermediate Statistical Methods
Biology & Biochemistry Coursework:26
AGBI 410
& 410L
Introductory Biochemistry
and Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory
or BIOC 339
Introduction to Biochemistry
BIOL 115
& 115L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology Laboratory
BIOL 117
& 117L
Introductory Physiology
and Introductory Physiology Laboratory
BIOL 219
& 219L
The Living Cell
and The Living Cell Laboratory
BIOL 310
& 310L
Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology
and Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology Laboratory
BIOL 324
& 324L
Molecular Genetics
and Molecular Genetics Laboratory
or GEN 371
Principles of Genetics
FIS 432
& 432L
Forensic Biology
and Forensic Biology Laboratory
Forensic Science Core:21
FIS 201
Introduction to Forensic Identification
FIS 202
Crime Scene Investigation Overview
FIS 305
& 305L
Biological Evidence
and Biological Evidence Laboratory
FIS 314
& 314L
Introduction to Microscopy
and Introduction to Microscopy Laboratory
FIS 385
Professional Internship Preparation
FIS 386
Forensic Identification Internship
FIS 404
Law and Evidence
FIS 480
Forensic Quality Assurance
Forensic Biology Electives: *6
FIS 301
& 301L
Science/Technology of Fingerprint Identification
and Science/Technology of Fingerprint Identification Laboratory **
FIS 320
Science and Culture of Illicit Drugs
FIS 330
Principles of Forensic Photography
FIS 393
Special Topics
FIS 407
& 407L
Gravesite Forensics
and Gravesite Forensics Laboratory
FIS 485
Professional Ethics in Forensic Science
FIS 490
Teaching Practicum
FIS 491
Professional Field Experience
FIS 492
Directed Study
FIS 495
Independent Study
FIS 497
Research
FIS 498
Honors
Capstone Experience3
FIS 406L
Capstone: Courtroom Testimony and Laboratory
Total Hours62
*

A maximum of 3 credits combined may come from FIS 490, 491, 492, 495, or 497. FIS 498C may not be used to fulfill this requirement

**

FIS 301 is typically reserved for Forensic Examiner majors.  If there is a seat available, it will be open to Forensic Biology majors as an option.

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
FIS 1911ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3 
BIOL 115
& 115L (B.S. First Area 1; GEF 2)
4BIOL 117
& 117L (GEF 8; B.S. First Area 2)
4 
CHEM 115
& 115L (GEF 8; B.S. Second Area 1)
4CHEM 116
& 116L (GEF 8; B.S. Second Area 2)
4 
FIS 2013MATH 156 (Math & Stats Elective 1)4 
MATH 155 (B.S. Math Requirement, GEF 3)4  
 16 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
BIOL 219
& 219L
4ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3 
CHEM 233
& 233L
4CHEM 234
& 234L
4 
PHYS 101
& 101L (B.S. Third Area 1)
4PHYS 102
& 102L (B.S. Third Area 2)
4 
STAT 215 (Math and Stat Requirement 2)3FIS 2023 
 General Elective1 
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
GEF 43FIS 432
& 432L
4FIS 3863-6
BIOL 3103BIOL 324
& 324L
4 
FIS 305
& 305L
3GEF 53 
FIS 314
& 314L
3General Elective3 
FIS 3851  
FIS 4802  
 15 14 3
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
FIS 4043AGBI 410 or BIOC 3393 
FIS 406L (Capstone)3Forensic Biology Elective 23 
Forensic Biology Elective 13GEF 73 
GEF 63General Elective3 
General Elective3  
 15 12
Total credit hours: 120

Major Learning Outcomes

Forensic Biology

Upon graduation from the Forensic Biology major, students will be able to:

  1. Apply scientific methodology and evaluate techniques in the collection, processing, analysis, and evaluation of forensic evidence. 
  2. Assess and defend data generated during forensic investigations
  3. Present scientific data in written, verbal, and visual formats. 
  4. Demonstrate the professionalism and high ethical standards demanded by the justice system and the forensic science community. 
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P.O. Box 6878
Morgantown, WV 26506
Email: registrar@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: 304-293-5355

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