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Course Requirements
All of our B.S. programs, including our Comprehensive Forensic Chemistry Emphasis meet with the American Chemical Society (ACS) guidelines and satisfy typical curriculum criteria. The ACS is the major professional society in the United States for practicing chemists, and evaluates undergraduate professional education in chemistry. These ACS certification guidelines require 400 clock hours of traditional coursework in chemistry, covering the fundamental areas of the discipline, including two semesters of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry, among others. In addition, the ACS mandates 500 clock hours of formal laboratory experience in chemistry, and specifies a number of math and physics course requirements. Academic institutions with a program which aligns with ACS standards attract top high school talent who are looking for recognized, rigorous departments. Students in the B.S. program will be instructed by a team of interdisciplinary faculty from the Department of Chemistry, as well as faculty from other departments within the University, including the Physics and Math Departments. In addition, the forensic emphasis has collaborated with the Department of Criminal Justice, the Department of Biology, and the professional staff from the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center to provide additional relevant coursework related to such areas as law, arson, drug chemistry, and courtroom testimony, among many others. The list of required coursework, including additional forensic-related coursework is given below.
Comprehensive Forensic Chemistry Emphasis
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A Chm 120, 121 | General Chemistry | 3, 3 |
| A Chm 124, 125 | General Chemistry Lab | 1, 1 |
| A Chm 220, 221 | Organic Chemistry | 3, 3 |
| A Chm 222, 223 | Organic Chemistry Lab | 1, 1 |
| A Chm 225 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| A Chm 350, 351 | Physical Chemistry | 3, 3 |
| A Chm 352 Z | Physical Chemistry | 3 |
| A Chm 442 | Comprehensive Biochemistry | 3 |
| A Chm 417 | Advanced Synthesis | 3 |
| A Chm 420 | Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| A Chm 430 | Instrumental Analysis | 3 |
| A Chm 450, 451 | Forensic Chemistry | 3, 3 |
| A Mat 111 | Differential Calculus | 4 |
| A Mat 113 | Integral Calculus | 4 |
| A Mat 214 | Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| A Mat 108 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| A Phy 140 | Mechanics | 4 |
| A Phy 145 | Mechanics Lab | 1 |
| A Phy 150 | Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| A Phy 155 | Electricity and Magnetism Lab | 3 |
| A Bio 120 | General Biology | 3 |
| A Bio 121 | General Biology Lab | 1 |
| R Crj 202 | Intro to Law and Crim. Justice | 4 |
| An additional five (5) credits of coursework must be selected from the following options: | ||
| R Crj 310 | Policies of Crime in Heterogeneous Societies | 3 |
| R Crj 353 | American Criminal Courts | 3 |
| R Crj 404 | Crime and the Mass Media | 3 |
| R Crj 405 | Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| A Chm 425 | Introduction to Undergraduate Res. | 3 |
| A Chm 426 | Undergraduate Research | 3 |
| A Chm 455 | Forensic Chemistry Internship | 3, 3 |
Forensic Chemistry Track Coursework
The Forensic Track has its own Major Academic Pathway (MAP) that outlines the required and recommended curricula for both the ACS certified B.S. degree in Chemistry and the General Education Requirements outlined by the university. Please see a summary of this MAP from the Undergraduate Bulletin (link to Degree requirements for the Major in Chemistry). The pathway to a degree in chemistry with a forensic emphasis is challenging due to the extensive math, physics and forensic-related coursework that is required. Along with the university's general education requirements, little flexibility or elective coursework exists. The Department of Chemistry recommends that students interested in a career in forensic chemistry obtain advising within the department as early as possible to better align with this curriculum.
The Department of Chemistry at the University at Albany, in conjunction with the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center, offers a new forensic chemistry sequence within the Bachelor of Science degree program. Graduates of this program will be prepared to enter rewarding careers in all fields of chemistry, especially forensic chemistry and analytical chemistry.
