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The Eberly College of Science

Forensic Science

Supporting Courses

For Forensic Science majors who began at Penn State in Fall 2023 or later, the lists below are pre-approved supporting courses that do not require consultation with your advisor. If you wish to take a 400-level science class that is not on one of the lists, consult with your advisor. 

Forensic Chemistry Option - Select 9 Credits

  • BMB 428 – Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications
  • CHEM 410 – Inorganic Chemistry
  • CHEM 412 – Transition Metal Chemistry
  • CHEM 423W – Chemical Spectroscopy
  • CHEM 430 – Structural Analysis of Organic Compounds
  • CHEM 431W – Organic and Inorganic Preparations
  • CHEM 450 – Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics
  • CHEM 452 – Physical Chemistry: Quantum Chemistry
  • FRNSC 419 - Firearm and Toolmark Examination
  • FRNSC 460 - Medicolegal Death Investigation 
  • FRNSC 490 - Traceology and Event Reconstruction
     

Forensic Molecular Biology Option - Select 3 Credits

  • BIOL 405 – Molecular Evolution
  • BIOL 422 – Advanced Genetics
  • BIOL 460 – Human Genetics
  • BMB 402 – General Biochemistry
  • BMB 428 – Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications
  • BMB 433 – Molecular and Cellular Toxicology
  • FRNSC 419 - Firearm and Toolmark Examination
  • FRNSC 460 - Medicolegal Death Investigation 
  • FRNSC 490 - Traceology and Event Reconstruction
     

For Forensic Science majors who began at Penn State before the Fall 2023 semester, the lists below are the approved List A and List B supporting courses for the Academic Plans.

Forensic Biology (FBIOL) Option - Select 6 Credits

(Prerequisites are in parentheses)
  • FRNSC 419 (3) Firearm and Toolmark Examination (FRNSC 210, FRNSC 411) FA Only
  • FRNSC 460 (3) Medicolegal Death Investigation (FRNSC 410; FRNSC 411 or FRNSC 413)
  • FRNSC 490 (3) Traceology and Event Reconstruction (FRNSC 411, FRNSC 413, FRNSC 415W)
  • BMB 402 (3) General Biochemistry II (BMB 401 or CHEM 476)
  • BMB 428 (3) Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications (CHEM 203 or CHEM 212; PHYS 203 or PHYS 251; 3 credits cell biology) FA Only
  • BMB/BIOL 430 (3) Developmental Biology (BMB252 or MICRB 252 or BIOL 230W) FA Only
  • BMB 433/VB SC (3) Molecular and Cellular Toxicology (BMB 401) SP Only
  • BMB 474 (3) Analytical Biochemistry (Pre-req or concurrent: B M B 428 or CHEM 450) SP Only
  • BMB 484 (3) Functional Genomics (BMB 251 or BIOL 230W, BIOL 222 or BIOL 322) SP Only
  • BIOL 405 (3) Molecular Evolution (BIOL 222 or 230W) SP Only
  • BIOL 422 (3) Advanced Genetics (One genetics or genetic based course including BIOL 133, BIOL 222, BIOL 322 or BIOL 230W) FA Only
  • BIOL 428 (3) Population Genetics (BIOL 220W, STAT 250; MATH 111 or MATH 141) Not Offered Every Year
  • BIOL 432 (3) Developmental Genetics (BIOL 230W; or BMB 251, BMB 252) FA Only
  • BIOL/ANTH 460 (3) Human Genetics (ANTH 021 or BIOL 110 or BIOL 133 or permission of program for a different course that covers introductory genetics topics for at least part of the semester) Not Offered Every Year
  • MICRB 410 (3) Principles of Immunology (BMB 251, MICRB 201, or MICRB 251)

Forensic Chemistry (FCHEM) Option - Select 9 Credits

(Prerequisites are in parentheses)
  • FRNSC 419 (3) Firearm and Toolmark Examination (FRNSC 210, FRNSC 411) FA Only
  • FRNSC 460 (3) Medicolegal Death Investigation (FRNSC 410; FRNSC 411 or FRNSC 413)
  • FRNSC 490 (3) Traceology and Event Reconstruction (FRNSC 411, FRNSC 413, FRNSC 415W)
  • BMB 401 (3) General Biochemistry I (CHEM 212; BMB 251 or BIOL 230W)
  • BMB 402 (3) General Biochemistry II (BMB 401 or CHEM 476)
  • BMB 428 (3) Physical Chemistry with Biological Applications (CHEM 203 or CHEM 212; PHYS 203 or PHYS 251; 3 credits cell biology) FA
  • BMB 433/VB SC (3) Molecular and Cellular Toxicology (BMB 401) SP Only
  • CHEM 310 (3) Introductory Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 112 and CHEM 202 or CHEM 210; Prerequisite or concurrent: CHEM 450 or CHEM 452)
  • CHEM 412 (3) Transition Metal Chemistry (CHEM 202 or CHEM 210 and CHEM 310; Prerequisite or concurrent: CHEM 450 or CHEM 452) FA Only
  • CHEM 423 (4) Chemical Spectroscopy (CHEM 227 or CHEM 221, CHEM 450 or prerequisite or concurrent: CHEM 452) SP Only
  • CHEM 430 (3) Structural Analysis of Organic Compounds (CHEM 210 and CHEM 213; Concurrent: CHEM 213) FA Only
  • CHEM 431W (3) Organic and Inorganic Preparations (CHEM 213) FA Only
  • CHEM 432 (3) Organic Reaction Mechanisms (CHEM 212 or CHEM 212H) SP only
  • CHEM 450 (3) Physical Chemistry - Thermodynamics (CHEM 112 and MATH 141 and PHYS 211 or PHYS 212)
  • CHEM 452 (3) Physical Chemistry – Quantum Chemistry (CHEM 112 and MATH 141 and PHYS 211 or PHYS 212)
  • CHEM 474 (3) Organic Synthesis (CHEM 212)
  • VBSC 331 (3) Pharmacology I: Drug Actions and Reactions (BIOL 230W or BIOL 230M) 
  • VBSC 430 (3) Principles of Toxicology (BIOL 110, BIOL 240W; BMB 211 or BMB 401) FA Only
  • VBSC 431 (3) Environmental Toxicology (BIOL 110, CHEM 112, CHEM 112) FA only

Supporting Courses and Related Areas (List B)

Both Forensic Biology (FBIOL) and Forensic Chemistry (FCHEM) - Select 6 Credits

(Prerequisites are in parentheses)
  • Anything listed in the 400-Level Life Sciences (List A) lists for both option
  • ANTH 410 (3) Osteology (3 credits in ANTH, 3 credits in BIOL, or concurrent enrollment in ANTH 401 or 501. FA Only
  • ANTH 411 (3) Skeletal Forensic Anthropology (Prerequisite of ANTH 021, waived by department) FA Only
  • ANTH 413 (3) Molecular Forensic Anthropology (ANTH 021 or Forensic Science major) SP Only
  • ANTH 466 (3) The Skull (ANTH 021) SP Only
  • BBH/HPA 440 (3) Principles of Epidemiology (BB H 101 or BIOL 110 or H P A 310; STAT 200 or STAT 250)
  • BIOL 222* (3) Genetics (3 credits in biological sciences) FA Only
  • -or- BIOL 322* (3) Genetic Analysis (at least two of the following courses: BIOL 220W, BIOL 230W, BIOL 240W or MICRB 201) SP Only
  • BIOL 414 (3) Taxonomy of Seed Plants (BIOL 240W) Maymester/Odd scheduling
  • BIOL 437 (3) Histology (BIOL 230W) SP Only
  • BIOL 472 (3) Mammalian Physiology (Prerequisite of BIOL 240W)
  • CHEM 227* (4) Analytical Chemistry (CHEM 113 and MATH 140)
  • CHEM 402 (3) Chemistry in the Environment (CHEM 212. Prerequisite or concurrent: CHEM 450 or CH E 320) SP Only
  • CRIM/WMNST 423à (3) Sexual and Domestic Violence (CRIM 100 or WMNST 001)
  • CRIM/CRIMJ 424à (3) Drugs and Crime (CRIM 100 or WMNST 100)
  • CRIM 425à (3) Organized Crime (Prerequisite of CLJ 250W) Harrisburg—FA Only
  • CRIM 432à (3) Crime and the American Court System (CRIM 100)
  • CRIM/WMNST 453à (3) Women and the Criminal Justice System (CRIM 100 or WMNST 001)
  • CRIM 467à (3) Law and Society (CRIM 100 or CRIM 113
  • CRIM 469à (3) Seminar in the Law (CRIM 113) Evening
  • CRIM 482à (3) Seminar, Criminal Justice Agency Administration (CRIM 100) Evening
  • ENT 313 (2) Introduction to Entomology
  • ENT 410 (3) Insect Structure and Function (Prerequisite of BIOL 220W and 240W) SP Only
  • ENT 450 (3) Medical Entomology (ENT 313 or BIOL 011 and BIOL 012 or BIOL 110 or BIOL 220W)
  • FRNSC 427W* (4) Forensic Chemistry (Prerequisite of CHEM 227)
  • FRNSC 496 (3-4) Independent Research
  • PSYCH 445à (3) Forensic Psychology (PSYCH 100; PSYCH 239, PSYCH 243, or PSYCH 270) SP Only
  • PSYCH 462à (3) Physiological Psychology (PSYCH 100; PSYCH 260 or 3 credits of BIOL)
  • PSYCH 470à (3) Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH 100; PSYCH 238, PSYCH 243 or PSYCH 270)

*Cannot double count if required in option. 

 

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