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Criminal JusticeDegrees
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West Virginia University

Forensic and Investigative Science, M.S.

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campusFEPAC-accredited

Overview

Forty-two-hour thesis-based Master of Science in forensic and investigative science with laboratory courses in criminalistics, trace evidence, forensic biology and chemistry.

Official program name
Forensic and Investigative Science, M.S.
Awarded degree
Master of Science · major: Forensic and Investigative Science
Source: catalog.wvu.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: catalog.wvu.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: forensics.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
School
Location
Morgantown, WV
Source: forensics.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Subjects
Forensic Science — core of the degree (“Forensic and Investigative Science”)
Required credits
A minimum of 42 graduate credit hours
Source: catalog.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Duration
Not verified
Why this program is listed

Dedicated thesis-based Master of Science in forensic and investigative science.

Dedicated thesis-based Master of Science in forensic and investigative science.

Source: catalog.wvu.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: forensics.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
Internship
Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity
Not verified

Curriculum

Thesis

Internship

Laboratory components

  • Core courses pair lectures with laboratories, including foundations of criminalistics, trace evidence and advanced forensic biology.
    Source: catalog.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026

Other

  • The department page states the degree program is accredited by FEPAC.
    Source: forensics.wvu.edu · verified October 24, 2026
  • The department page states a minimum of 40 credit hours including six hours of research, differing from the catalog's 42 hours.
    Source: forensics.wvu.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”.

Admission requirements: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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

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

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation

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

Institutional accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

FEPAC program accreditation

Accredited by FEPAC — listed as “Forensic and Investigative Sciences (Masters), Full Accreditation” · since March 1, 2025Source: 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. catalog.wvu.edu/graduate/eberlycollegeofartsandsciences/forensicandinvestigativescience/ms/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 24, 2026
  2. forensics.wvu.edu/graduate-students/m-s-in-forensic-and-investigative-science — Official program page, verified October 24, 2026
  3. DAPIP — HLC 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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Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Criminal Justice Degrees is independent and not affiliated with West Virginia University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.