Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
WVU Tech’s Chemical Forensics major provides students with a robust foundation and the essential hands-on experience in forensic chemistry, analytical techniques, experimental design, and scientific data collection and interpretation. Research is a major component of our program. Students are well-positioned to pursue graduate studies or career fields in forensic science, toxicology, environmental forensics, and pharmaceutical analysis. This is a recommended major for students interested in careers in forensic science, law enforcement, and related fields.
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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
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.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 37 | |
| Forensic Chemistry Major Requirements | 83 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 | 18 | |
| FIS 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
Forensic Chemistry Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 111 | General Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 112 | General Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 240 | Microbiology | 4 |
| MATH 155 | Calculus 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 101 & 101L & PHYS 102 & PHYS 102L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory and Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | 8 |
| or PHYS 111 & 111L & PHYS 112 & PHYS 112L | General Physics 1 and General Physics 1 Laboratory and General Physics 2 and General Physics 2 Laboratory | |
| STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference | 3 |
| CORE CHEMISTRY COURSES | 20 | |
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Analytical Chemistry and Introductory Analytical Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| CORE FORENSIC AND INVESTIGATIVE SCIENCE COURSES | 25 | |
| Introduction to Forensic Identification | ||
| Crime Scene Investigation Overview | ||
| Introduction to Microscopy and Introduction to Microscopy Laboratory | ||
| Forensic Chemical Analysis and Forensic Chemical Analysis Laboratory | ||
| Professional Internship Preparation | ||
| Forensic Identification Internship | ||
| Law and Evidence | ||
| Analysis of Seized Drugs and Analysis of Seized Drugs Laboratory | ||
| Forensic Quality Assurance | ||
| UPPER-DIVISION ELECTIVES | 8 | |
| Select two of the following sequences: | ||
| Trace Evidence Examination and Trace Evidence Examination Laboratory | ||
| Arson and Explosives Analysis and Arson and Explosives Analysis Laboratory | ||
| Analytical Forensic Toxicology and Analytical Forensic Toxicology Laboratory | ||
| CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE | 3 | |
| Capstone: Courtroom Testimony and Laboratory | ||
| Total Hours | 83 | |
- *
STEM foundation courses are common to most STEM majors and excluded from the calculation of the percentage of upper-division courses
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| FIS 191 | 1 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ||
| BIOL 111 | 4 | BIOL 112 | 4 | ||
| CHEM 115 & 115L (GEF 8) | 4 | CHEM 116 & 116L (GEF 8) | 4 | ||
| FIS 201 | 3 | General Electives | 4 | ||
| MATH 155 (GEF 3) | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| CHEM 233 & 233L | 4 | CHEM 234 & 234L | 4 | ||
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | FIS 202 | 3 | ||
| PHYS 101 or 111 | 4 | PHYS 102 or 112 | 4 | ||
| STAT 211 | 3 | BIOL 240 | 4 | ||
| General Elective | 1 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| CHEM 215 & 215L | 4 | FIS 460 | 3 | FIS 386 | 3 |
| FIS 314 & 314L | 3 | FIS 460L | 1 | ||
| FIS 340 & 340L | 4 | GEF 4 | 3 | ||
| FIS 385 | 1 | GEF 5 | 3 | ||
| FIS 480 | 2 | General Elective | 4 | ||
| General Elective | 1 | General Elective | 1 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| GEF 6 | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 | ||
| FIS 404 | 2 | Forensic Chemistry Elective 2 | 4 | ||
| FIS 406L | 3 | General Elective | 3 | ||
| Forensic Chemistry Elective 1 | 4 | General Elective | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 1 | ||||
| 13 | 13 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Forensic Chemistry
Upon graduation from the Forensic Chemistry major, students will be able to:
- Apply scientific methodology and evaluate techniques in the collection, processing, analysis, and evaluation of forensic evidence.
- Assess and defend data generated during forensic investigations
- Present scientific data in written, verbal, and visual formats.
- Demonstrate the professionalism and high ethical standards demanded by the justice system and the forensic science community.