Program Home

Welcome to the Home Page for UCF Department of Chemistry MS Degree program, Forensic Science track. Please select from the options below to find out more about the Program content, about UCF's Distributed Learning requirements, and about Registration requirements.

The degree is designed to be taken by World Wide Web instruction, supported by a research project and laboratory exercises.

The MS Degree Outline

The program is a 30 semester hour (shr) degree. There are three elements: a forensic science core; a general science foundation core; and a research project. Several options will eventually be offered within the forensic science core; but the current course has Forensic DNA as the specialist topic.

This unique course delivery system has been designed to make the degree available to practicing professionals. The innovative program components make it possible to fit the studies into busy and varied personal and professional schedules.

More traditional on-campus 'residential' students (who are not practicing professionals) may apply for admission to the program but may be required to take additional foundation courses in general forensic science.

The Forensic Science Track offers:

A personalized curriculum developed by the student and an advisory committee
Web-based forensic science core courses
Completion of required foundation courses at local colleges or universities
A thesis-based laboratory research project that can be completed at the student's place of employment with the defense presented on campus at UCF

Forensic Science Core (DNA) DNA
Science Core. General
Research Project Project

More information is also available from Dr Jack Ballantyne, Forensic Science M.S. Program Coordinator (407 823 0163).

Forensic Science Core (DNA)

The core is for 12 shr of instruction, consisting of:

Web-Based On Line

CHS 6535: Forensic DNA Analysis of Biological materials (2 shr)

CHS 6513: Quality Assurance and Bioinformatics (3 shr)

CHS 6536: Forensic Analysis of DNA Data (2 shr)

CHS 6938: Chemistry Department Graduate Seminar (2 shr)

CHS 6535L: Forensic DNA Analysis of Biological Materials Laboratory (3 shr)

Note that CHS 6535L may be taken by a combination of proctored study in the student's work place and on-campus examination.

Science Core

The science core consists of 12 shr which the student will select in conjunction with his or her advisor. There may be pre-requisites for some courses. Up to 9 shr of graduate credit for advanced level (4000/5000) courses taken at another approved institution can be accepted with the approval of the Executive Committee, although a maximum of 6 hours can be at the 4000 level. Recommended classes include:

Category 1: Criminal Justice (3 shr)

Category 2: Statistics and Experimental design (3 shr)

Category 3: Biological Chemistry (3 shr)

Category 4: Chemistry - Molecular Spectroscopy/Analytical Chemistry (3 shr)

Note that all students completing the degree will be required to have taken classes which meet the DAB Technical Leader requirements. The Executive Committee may require students to take classes in the Science Foundation Core to compensate for any deficiencies in that regard.

Research Project

The topic of the research project will be agreed between the Student and the Advisory Committee. It is expected that the project will be conducted in the Forensic Science Laboratory in which the student works or, for students who are not empoyed in a Forensic Science Laboratory, in a laboratory on the UCF campus.

The Project is a vital part of achieving the objective of the degree to provide students with sound problem solving skills.

It is therefore required that the topic chosen involves a major demostration of skills in laboratory and information analysis.

The student will be required to present their thesis research at UCF.