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2021-2022

Forensic Science with a concentration in forensic biology, Bachelor of Science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Tidewater Community College (program specific pathway))
Tidewater Community College
Tidewater 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.


Students will be prepared to pursue advanced degrees in the physical sciences, biological sciences, forensic science, law, allied health and medicine, to name a few. Students will gain REAL experience by participating in internships and research opportunities within the major.

Career opportunities
The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science prepares students for graduate study or careers in latent print examination, the analysis of impression evidence; firearm and tool mark analyses; and private analytical laboratories; clinical diagnostic laboratories; drug analysis and toxicology; and trace evidence analysis.
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 210
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Forensic Science with concentration in Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, 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
2021-2022

Forensic Science with a concentration in forensic biology, Bachelor of Science

Tidewater Community College (program specific pathway) (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
  • Attend New Student Orientation.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Attend cultural events at community college 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 Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
Experience Year 2
  • Explore the VCU Forensic Science department website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Explore the three concentrations of the forensic science degree: forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and physical evidence.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Forensic Science department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • 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 the types of aid available at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend New Student Orientation.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college 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 Virginia Wizard.
  • 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
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Explore the VCU Forensic Science department website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Explore the three concentrations of the forensic science degree: forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and physical evidence.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Forensic Science department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
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.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Forensic Science with a concentration in forensic biology, Bachelor of Science

Tidewater Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)

Tidewater Community College (program specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills 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
MTH 161 PreCalculus I MATH 141 3 General education
Humanities elective Select 1: PHI 101, 111, 220; ART 101, 102; MUS 121; CST 151; REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Science with Lab CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major (Ancillary)
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 162 PreCalculus II MATH 151 3 Major
Health/PE elective VCU equivalent 2 Elective
History elective Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Science with Lab CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
Science with Lab BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
History elective Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Approved elective MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
Approved elective CHM 241 + CHM 245 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory CHEM/Z 301 5 Major
Science with Lab BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
Social Science Select 1: PSY 200, SOC 200, 211, PLS 211, 241 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Humanities elective Select 1: ENG 200-level literature; PHI 101, 111, 220; ART 101, 102; MUS 121; CST 151; REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Approved elective CHM 242 + CHM 246 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory CHEM/Z 302 5 Major
Tidewater credits transferred to VCU 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science with a concentration in forensic biology
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
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 490 Professional Practices in Forensic Science 3 Major
FRSC electives (any 300-500 level course) 6 Major
PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 General Physics I or University Physics I 4 to 5 Major (Ancillary)
PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 General Physics II or University Physics II 4 to 5 Major
BIOL 300 Cellular and Molecular Biology 3 Major
BIOL 310 Genetics 3 Major
BIOZ 476 Molecular Capstone Laboratory 2 Major
CHEM 403 Biochemistry I 3 Major
FRSC 385 Forensic Serology 3 Major
FRSC 438 Forensic Molecular Biology 3 Major
FRSZ 438 Forensic Molecular Biology Laboratory 2 Major
Concentration electives: select 5 credits of 300- to 500-level courses from BIOL/BIOZ, CHEM/CHEZ, or FRSC/FRSZ (see VCU advisor for course options) 5 Major
MATH 200 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I 4 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 1 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58
Bachelor's degree total 120