Degree Requirements

Students in this M.S. sequence are instructed by a team of interdisciplinary faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences, the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center and other departments within the university community. Students in this program must take a total of 40 credits, 29 of which are required lecture and laboratory course work in Biology. Elective courses in mathematics or statistics, biology, chemistry, anthropology, psychology, computer science, business and criminal justice can be used to satisfy the remaining 3 credits.

Courses:
Biology [all required]:
Bio 510 (1) Laboratory and Environmental Safety
Bio 514 (2) Methods in Biotechnology
Bio 515a (1) Responsible Conduct and Skills in Research
Bio 515b (1) Responsible Conduct and Scientific Communication
Bio 519/Ant 512 (3) Human Population Genetics
Bio 524 (3) Advanced Molecular Biology
Bio 650 (0) Graduate Seminar

Forensic Biology [all required]:
Bio 517a (1) Current Literature in Forensic Biology I
Bio 517b (1) Topics in Forensic Science
Bio 575 (3) Forensic Biology Laboratory

Supporting Courses [all required]:
Sta/Epi 552 (3) Principles of Statistical Interference
Crj 626 (3) Law and Science in Criminal Justice
BITM 510 (1) Advanced Excel and Visual Basic
BITM 520 (1) Database Management
Bio 627 (1) Courtroom Testimony for Forensic Scientists

Elective Core Courses [2 required]:
Bio 504 (3) Cell Biology I
Bio 513 (3) Modern Use of Light Microscopy
Bio 540 (3) Principles of Bioinformatics
Bio 541 (3) Molecular Neurobiology
Bio 617 (3) Molecular Evolution

Program Examination:
Written core examination at the end of first year of required course work (18 credits).

Internship:
Each student in the sequence is expected to do a 6-credit internship project in a laboratory that offers up-to-date training and laboratory expertise in areas that are potentially applicable to forensic biology. The project selected by the student and the internship advisor should contain an original research component. After completion of the project, a formal written report detailing the project must be submitted to an Internship Committee for review and evaluation. In addition, each student must present the project orally to his/her peers.