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WVU Morgantown

Forensic Examiner, 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 Examiner

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

  • Writing and Communication Skills Requirement: The Forensic Examiner 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 Examiner 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 for at least 3 hours of credit.

Curriculum Requirements

University Requirements31
ECAS B.S. Requirements4
Departmental Requirements24
Forensic Examiner 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 Electives12
Total Hours31

ECAS Bachelor of Science Requirements

College Requirements4
Global Studies & Diversity Requirement
Mathematics Requirement
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 Foundations
Chemistry Requirement16
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
Physics Requirement8
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 Examiner Major Requirements

Math and Statistics Requirement6
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 Requirement8
BIOL 115
& 115L
Principles of Biology
and Principles of Biology Laboratory
BIOL 117
& 117L
Introductory Physiology
and Introductory Physiology Laboratory
Advanced Science Requirement8
Select one of the following pairs
BIOL 219
& 219L
The Living Cell
and The Living Cell Laboratory
CHEM 215
& 215L
Introductory Analytical Chemistry
and Introductory Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
Complete a minimum of 4 credits from the following list.
AGBI 410
Introductory Biochemistry
or BIOC 339
Introduction to Biochemistry
AGBI 410L
Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory
BIOL 310
Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology
BIOL 310L
Advanced Cellular/Molecular Biology Laboratory
BIOL 324
Molecular Genetics
BIOL 324L
Molecular Genetics Laboratory
CHEM 341
Physical Chemistry: Brief Course
CHEM 341L
Physical Chemistry: Brief Course Laboratory
FIS 340
Forensic Chemical Analysis
FIS 340L
Forensic Chemical Analysis Laboratory
FIS 432
Forensic Biology
Forensic Examiner Requirement30
FIS 201
Introduction to Forensic Identification
FIS 301
Science/Technology of Fingerprint Identification
FIS 302
Crime Scene Investigation 1
FIS 302L
Crime Scene Investigation 1 Laboratory
FIS 314
Introduction to Microscopy
FIS 335
Forensic Photography
FIS 385
Professional Internship Preparation
FIS 386
Forensic Identification Internship
FIS 402
Crime Scene Investigation 2
FIS 404
Law and Evidence
FIS 405
Latent Fingerprint
FIS 480
Forensic Quality Assurance
Forensic Examiner Electives: *6
FIS 305
Biological Evidence
FIS 320
Science and Culture of Illicit Drugs
FIS 393
Special Topics
FIS 407
Gravesite Forensics
FIS 409
Blood Stain Pattern Analysis
FIS 414
Trace Evidence Examination
FIS 414L
Trace Evidence Examination Laboratory
FIS 435
Advanced Forensic Photography
FIS 490
Teaching Practicum
FIS 485
Professional Ethics in Forensic Science
FIS 491
Professional Field Experience
FIS 492
Directed Study
FIS 495
Independent Study
FIS 497
Research
Capstone Experience3
FIS 406L
Capstone: Courtroom Testimony and Laboratory
Total Hours61
*

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

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 (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 (GEF 3, B.S. Math Requirement)4  
 16 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
CHEM 233
& 233L
4ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3 
BIOL 219 or CHEM 215 (Advanced Sci Elective 1)3CHEM 234
& 234L
4 
BIOL 219L or CHEM 215L1PHYS 102 (B.S. Third Area 2)4 
PHYS 101 (B.S. Third Area 1)4GEF 43 
STAT 215 (Math & Stats Elective 2)3General Elective1 
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
GEF 53FIS 302
& 302L
4FIS 3863-6
FIS 3013FIS 3143 
FIS 3353FIS 4053 
FIS 3851GEF 63 
Advanced Sci Elective #24General Elective2 
General Elective1  
 15 15 3
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
FIS 4023FIS 406L3 
FIS 4042Forensic Science Elective #23 
FIS 4802GEF 7 (ECAS Global Studies Requirement)3 
Forensic Science Elective #13General Elective3 
General Elective3  
General Elective1  
 14 12
Total credit hours: 120
*

Enrollment in AGBI 412 is strictly limited, with FIS students able to enroll only after all Biochemistry majors have enrolled. Spaces in this course are not guaranteed. 

Major Learning Outcomes

Forensic Examiner

Upon graduation from the Forensic Examiner 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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Morgantown, WV 26506
Email: registrar@mail.wvu.edu
Phone: 304-293-5355

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