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2023-2024

Forensic Science, Bachelor of Science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Life Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Richard Bland College
Richard Bland College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Life Science

Program description

The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science prepares students for graduate study or careers in variety of disciplines in forensics and criminalistics, including body fluids and DNA; controlled substances; crime scene investigation and reconstruction; fingerprints, firearms, tool marks, and other impression evidence; medicolegal death investigation; toxicology; and trace evidence. Students are also highly prepared for private analytical laboratories and clinical diagnostic laboratories.

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
  • Autopsy Technician
  • Biologist
  • Chemist
  • Crime Scene Investigator
  • Forensic Chemist
  • Forensic DNA Analyst
  • Forensic Toxicologist
  • Latent Fingerprint Examiner
  • Medicolegal Death Investigator
  • Trace Evidence Examiner
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Forensic Pathologist
  • Research Scientist
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
2023-2024

Forensic Science, Bachelor of Science

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life 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 RBC Orientation.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the forensic science degree: forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and physical evidence.
  • Use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Experience Year 2
  • Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
  • 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.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend RBC Orientation.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Explore the different concentrations of the forensic science degree: forensic biology, forensic chemistry, and physical evidence.
  • Use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Continue learning a foreign language or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships or job experiences before your senior year of college.
  • 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.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Forensic Science, Bachelor of Science

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life Science)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
ENGL 101 Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Research II UNIV 200 3 General education
MATH 251 Calculus I MATH 200 4 Major (Ancillary)
MATH 217 Statistics STAT 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
BIOL 151 + Lab Biological Science I + Lab BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
BIOL 152 + Lab Biological Science II + Lab BIOL/Z 152 4 Major
CHEM 101 + Lab General Chemistry I + Lab CHEM/Z 101 4 Major (Ancillary)
CHEM 102 + Lab General Chemistry II + Lab CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
CHEM 230-231, PHYS 101-102, or PHYS 201-202 Select one of the following two-semester sequences: CHEM 230-231 Organic Chemistry I-II or PHYS 101-102 College Physics I-II or PHYS 201-202 University Physics I-II CHEM/Z 301-302 or PHYS 201-202 or PHYS 207-208 8 to 10 Major
Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 23 General education
Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science with a concentration in Forensic Biology
Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement). (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 6 General education
CHEM/Z 301 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory (or elective if CHEM 230 was taken at RBC) 3 to 5 Major
CHEM/Z 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory ((or elective if CHEM 231 was taken at RBC) 3 to 5 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 490 Professional Practices in Forensic Science 3 Major
FRSC electives (any 300-500 level course) 6 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
PHYS Select either PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 (or elective if PHYS 101 or PHYS 201 were taken at RBC) 4 to 5 Major (Ancillary)
PHYS Select either PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 (or elective if PHYS 102 or PHYS 202 were taken at RBC) 4 to 5 Major
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows academically talented students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Forensic Science in a minimum of five and a half years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 60 undergraduate credit hours including CHEM 301, CHEZ 301, FRSC 300 and an overall GPA of 3.3.