Apply for the Forensic Science Grad Program

Entrance Requirements

For All Penn State Graduate Students

There are minimum eligibility requirements that must be met in order to apply to The Graduate School at Penn State. You can view those requirements on Requirements for Graduate Admission page.

Biology Emphasis

Strong applicants will have successfully completed the following undergraduate courses before entering our program: Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Statistics.

Chemistry Emphasis

Strong applicants will have successfully completed undergraduate course work in General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Course work in Quantitative Analysis/Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry are also highly recommended and preferred.

Application Process

The application for our Master's program is a multi-step process in which you must first apply to the University itself, then provide a personal statement, at least two letters of recommendation, and unofficial transcripts. International students must also provide a TOEFL score (send to Penn State electronically using school code 2660).

Links for the application, and details of the additional requirements can be found below.

Additional Application Requirements

In addition to the initial application for the University, you will also need to upload the additional application requirement documents as described below. Upload these additional documents to your University application.

• Personal Statement of Purpose: Identify and explain your option of interest - Biology or Chemistry (please be sure to make this choice clear in your letter) - as well as describing your professional interests and career goals.
• Letters of Reference: At least two letters of reference can be submitted by the student's undergraduate adviser, research adviser, and/or an instructor for an upper level course taken as part of their major.
• Unofficial Transcripts: Upload non-official transcripts from each institution of higher education you have attended as an undergraduate or graduate student. You will only be required to provide official transcripts if you accept admission.

More information about the program, including application requirements and recommended course work can be found at the Bulletin.

Optional Application Information

• GRE Score: The GRE is not required. Submission of scores is optional. If you choose to submit, send your GRE score electronically to Penn State University using school code 2660.

Application Deadlines and Interview Dates

The application deadline is January 7th. Applicants with strong academic records are encouraged to apply by December 1st to be considered for early admission.

If your application is selected for consideration, you will be invited to come for an interview process conducted by members of the Forensic Science faculty. The interview process takes place in February at the Penn State University Park campus.

New students must begin in the fall semester; we do not offer a spring semester start date.

Questions? Contact Us

If you have any questions about the application process, additional requirements, interviews, etc., contact Cait Mossbrook, the Forensic Science Program's grad coordinator. She can be reached via email at cjm5608@psu.edu or phone at (814) 867-2465.