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WVU Morgantown

Forensic Chemistry, 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.

Departmental Requirements for the B.S. in Forensic Chemistry

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.

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

  • Writing and Communication Skills Requirement: The Forensic Chemistry 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 Chemistry 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 a minimum of 3 hours of credit.

  • Benchmark Expectations: For details, go to the Forensic and Investigative Science Degree Progress tab.

Curriculum Requirements

University Requirements32
ECAS B.S. Requirements4
Departmental Requirements23
Forensic Chemistry Major Requirements61
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 Electives13
Total Hours32

ECAS Bachelor of Science Requirements

COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS4
Global Studies & Diversity Requirement
MATH 155
Calculus 1
or MATH 153
& MATH 154
Calculus 1a with Precalculus
and Calculus 1b with Precalculus
Total Hours4

Departmental Requirements

STEM Foundations:23
BIOL 115
& 115L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology Laboratory
BIOL 117
& 117L
Introductory Physiology
and Introductory Physiology Laboratory
MATH 156
Calculus 2
STAT 215
Introduction to Probability and Statistics
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 Hours23

Forensic Chemistry Major Requirements

Chemistry24
CHEM 115
& 115L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 1
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory
or CHEM 117
& CHEM 118
Principles of Chemistry 1
and Principles of Chemistry 2
CHEM 116
& 116L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 2
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory
CHEM 215
& 215L
Introductory Analytical Chemistry
and Introductory Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 233
& 233L
Organic Chemistry 1
and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory
CHEM 234
& 234L
Organic Chemistry 2
and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory
CHEM 341
& 341L
Physical Chemistry: Brief Course
and Physical Chemistry: Brief Course Laboratory
or CHEM 348
& 348L
Physical Chemistry 2
and Physical Chemistry 2 Laboratory
Forensic and Investigative Science26
FIS 201
Introduction to Forensic Identification
FIS 202
Crime Scene Investigation Overview
FIS 314
& 314L
Introduction to Microscopy
and Introduction to Microscopy Laboratory
FIS 340
Forensic Chemical Analysis
FIS 340L
Forensic Chemical Analysis Laboratory
FIS 385
Professional Internship Preparation
FIS 386
Forensic Identification Internship
FIS 404
Law and Evidence
FIS 460
Analysis of Seized Drugs
FIS 460L
Analysis of Seized Drugs Laboratory
FIS 480
Forensic Quality Assurance
Forensic Chemistry Electives:8
Select two of the following sequences:
FIS 414
& 414L
Trace Evidence Examination
and Trace Evidence Examination Laboratory
FIS 451
& 451L
Arson and Explosives Analysis
and Arson and Explosives Analysis Laboratory
FIS 470
& 470L
Analytical Forensic Toxicology
and Analytical Forensic Toxicology Laboratory
Capstone Experience3
FIS 406L
Capstone: Courtroom Testimony and Laboratory
Total Hours61

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
FIS 1911ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3 
BIOL 115
& 115L (GEF 2; B.S. First Area 1)
4BIOL 117
& 117L (B.S. First Area 2; GEF 8)
4 
CHEM 115
& 115L (B.S. Second Area 1; GEF 8)
4CHEM 116
& 116L (B.S. Second Area 2; GEF 8)
4 
FIS 2013MATH 1564 
MATH 155 (B.S. Math Requirement; GEF 3)4  
 16 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
GEF 43ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3 
CHEM 233
& 233L
4CHEM 234
& 234L
4 
PHYS 101 or 1114FIS 2023 
STAT 2153PHYS 102 or 1124 
General Elective1General Elective1 
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
CHEM 215
& 215L
4GEF 53FIS 3863
FIS 3143CHEM 341
& 341L
4 
FIS 340
& 340L
4FIS 4603 
FIS 3851FIS 460L1 
FIS 4802General Elective3 
 14 14 3
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
GEF 63GEF 73 
FIS 4042Forensic Chemistry Elective 24 
FIS 406L3General Elective 4 
Forensic Chemistry Elective 14General Elective 4 
General Elective1  
 13 15
Total credit hours: 120

Major Learning Outcomes

Forensic Chemistry

Upon graduation from the Forensic Chemistry 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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