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Criminal JusticeDegrees
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Virginia Commonwealth University

Forensic Science, Master of Science (M.S.)

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campusFEPAC-accredited

Overview

Forty-two-credit full-time Master of Science in Forensic Science with laboratory coursework, a directed research project and five concentrations.

Official program name
Forensic Science, Master of Science (M.S.)
Awarded degree
Master of Science · major: Forensic Science
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Degree level
Master's
Subject focus
Dedicated degreeThe degree itself is in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science or a closely related justice subject.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Forensic type
Laboratory forensic scienceA natural-science degree built around chemistry, biology and laboratory analysis of evidence. Laboratory and prerequisite requirements are listed on the profile.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
School
Location
Richmond, VA
Subjects
Forensic Science — core of the degreeDigital Forensics — formal concentration / track (“Digital Forensics and Incident Response”)
Tracks / concentrations
Digital forensics and incident response · Forensic biology · Forensic chemistry/drugs and toxicology · Forensic chemistry/trace · Forensic physical analysis
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Required credits
42 graduate credit hours, 21 core and 21 specialized
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Duration
Full-time, two-year program
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Why this program is listed

Dedicated Master of Science in Forensic Science with five concentrations, including digital forensics and incident response.

Dedicated Master of Science in Forensic Science with five concentrations, including digital forensics and incident response.

Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

We list associate, bachelor's, master's and research-doctorate programs in criminal justice, criminology, forensic science and related subjects at institutionally accredited US schools — degrees in the subject and formal concentrations, never certificates or one-elective degrees. Eligibility rules

Format and attendance

Formats, online delivery, campus visits, internships and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the school states it.
Formats offered
On campus
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Internship
Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity
Full-time
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Curriculum

Capstone

  • Required coursework includes a directed research project conducted within a forensic laboratory setting.
    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Science prerequisites

  • Forensic biology applicants need nine upper-level credit hours in biological or biochemical sciences, including general biochemistry.
    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Laboratory components

  • Several laboratory courses are taught by practicing forensic scientists at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science Central Laboratory.
    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Digital evidence focus

  • The digital forensics and incident response concentration has its own admission requirements in information technology and computer science.
    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Other

  • The page states the accreditation status of the concentrations by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission, excluding digital forensics and incident response.
    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Careers and licensure

An academic degree and an occupational licence are different things.

Career and licensure statements for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

A degree does not guarantee police academy admission, sworn officer certification, federal employment, a security clearance, a position with a named agency, a forensic laboratory job or eligibility to practice as a psychologist. Those have separate training, scientific prerequisites, examinations or hiring requirements set by the agency, state or licensing board. Academic degrees vs police academy training

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree in a discipline appropriate to the concentration, or equivalent course work.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 2.9 — Undergraduate GPA that exceeds 2.9 on a 4.0 scale.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredPersonal statement.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Tests

Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.
  • Application deadline

    Mar 1 · for Fall

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Scholarships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for its level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; service scholarships require government service after graduation. Graduate funding guide

Accreditation

Two different things: the school's institutional accreditation, and FEPAC accreditation of this exact forensic science program.

Institutional accreditation

  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

FEPAC program accreditation

Accredited by FEPAC — listed as “Forensic Science (Masters), Full Accreditation” · since January 1, 2022Source: aafs.org · verified October 24, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 24, 2026.
  1. bulletin.vcu.edu/graduate/college-humanities-sciences/forensic-science/forensic-science-ms-concentra — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
  2. bulletin.vcu.edu/graduate/college-humanities-sciences/forensic-science/forensic-science-ms-concentra — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
  3. DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  4. FEPAC-accredited programs (AAFS) — Accreditor directory, verified October 24, 2026

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Similar programs at other schools

Same degree level and focus. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

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Format: Campus · Full-time
Location: Allentown, PA
Attendance: Campus-based study
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Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Format: Campus
Location: Washington, DC
Attendance: Campus-based study
Duration: Duration not verified · 37 credits
Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
Accreditation: Institution accredited: MSCHE
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Criminal Justice Degrees is independent and not affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.