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2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Forensic Science with a concentration in physical evidence

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Science

Program description

The Department of Forensic Science offers programs leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The Bachelor of Science is for students who plan a career or graduate study in the forensic sciences. The forensic science program provides students with fundamental learning in forensic laboratory analyses and crime scene investigation, with academic emphasis in biology, chemistry and criminal justice. The program offers three concentrations: forensic biology, forensic chemistry and physical evidence. Students will select one of the three concentrations prior to the second semester of their sophomore year. The B.S. in Forensic Science supplies students with the necessary skills for professional careers in forensic laboratories, public and private, basic research laboratories, clinical laboratories, and/or to pursue graduate studies. Students also will be prepared to pursue advanced degrees in the physical sciences, biological sciences, forensic science, law, allied health and medicine, to name a few.

The physical evidence concentration requires an additional 31 credits in chemistry, criminal justice, forensic science and elective credits beyond the core requirements and is offered for those students who are interested in graduate study or careers in latent fingerprint examination, the analysis of impression evidence, as well as firearm and tool mark analyses. Students also will be prepared for work in private analytical laboratories.


Career opportunities
This concentration prepares students for graduate study or careers in latent print examination, the analysis of impression evidence, as well as firearm and tool mark analyses. Students will also be prepared for work in private analytical laboratories.
Bachelor-level job titles
  • Chemical Technician
  • Criminal Investigators and Special Agent
  • Fire Investigator
  • Forensic Science Technician
  • Police Identification and Records Officer
  • Police Patrol Officer
  • Secondary School Teacher
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Chief of Police
  • Crime Scene Investigator
  • Federal Agent
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200
  • STAT 314
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Forensic Science with concentration in Physical evidence

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Forensic Science with a concentration in physical evidence

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Register for SDV 100 or 101.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Attend diversity-focused events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Forensic Science through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Explore the Forensic Science department website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Forensic Science department-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Register for SDV 100 or 101.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Forensic Science through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Explore the Forensic Science department website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Forensic Science department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Plan to complete at least two job experiences (e.g., internships) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a resume.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Forensic Science with a concentration in physical evidence

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Science)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV SDV 100 or SDV 101 UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
History Select 1: HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II OR HIS 111 History of World Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR HIS 122 United States History II HIST 3 General education
MTH 167 MTH 167 Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry (Students taking the two semester sequence of precalculus must take both MTH 161 and 162 for a total of 6 credits) MATH 151 5 Major
CST CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication OR CST 126 Interpersonal Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 263 MTH 263 Calculus I MATH 200 4 Major
General Education (or ITE 115/119) BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art II OR CST 151 Film Appreciation I OR MUS 121 Music Appreciation I OR PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy I OR REL 231 Religions of the World I VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
Science #1 BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science #1 Select 1: PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 211 United States Government I OR PSY 200 Principles of Psychology OR SOC 200 Principles of Sociology OR SOC 211 Principles of Anthropology I VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social/behavioral Science #2 PLS 241 International Relations I POLI 105 3 General education
Math or Science #1 CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
Math or Science #2 CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Math or Science #3 PHY 201 General College Physics I PHYS 201 4 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts PHI 220 Ethics PHIL 201 3 Major
Science #2 PHY 202 General College Physics II PHYS 202 4 Major
Northern Virginia Credits transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
CHEM 301 + CHEZ 301 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 302 + CHEZ 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 309 + CHEZ 309 Quantitative Analysis and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 320 Inorganic Chemistry I 3 Major
FRSC 300 Survey of Forensic Science 3 Major
FRSC 309 Scientific Crime Scene Investigation 3 Major
FRSC 365 Forensic Microscopy 3 Major
FRSC 375 Forensic Evidence, Law and Criminal Procedure 3 Major
FRSC 385 Forensic Serology 3 Major
FRSC 410 Forensic Pattern Evidence 3 Major
FRSC 412 Forensic Analysis of Firearms and Toolmarks 3 Major
FRSC 490 Professional Practices in Forensic Science 3 Major
FRSC 566 Advanced Crime Scene Investigation 3 Major
Concentration electives: select 4 credits of 300- to 500-level courses from BIOL/BIOZ, CHEM/CHEZ, or FRSC/FRSZ (see VCU advisor for course options 4 Major
Open electives 10 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120