Bachelor of Science, Major in Forensic Chemistry
Students seeking background and training in the area of forensic science can obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Chemistry with either a Criminal Justice minor or a Forensic Science minor. This degree option educates students for careers in forensic chemistry in both private and government arenas and also prepares students to enter graduate schools in forensic science.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science, Major in Forensic Chemistry with Criminal Justice Minor | ||
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Component Area I (Communication) | 6 | |
| Component Area II (Mathematics) 1 | 3 | |
| Component Area III (Life and Physical Sciences) 2 | 8 | |
| Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture) | 3 | |
| Component Area V (Creative Arts) | 3 | |
| Component Area VI (American History) | 6 | |
| Component Area VII (Government/Political Science) | 6 | |
| Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences) 3 | 3 | |
| Component Area IX (Area IV elective or Oral Communication) | 4 | |
| Degree Specific Requirements | ||
| BIOL 1411 | General Botany | 4 |
| or BIOL 1406 | General Biology I | |
| BIOL 1413 | General Zoology | 4 |
| or BIOL 1407 | General Biology II | |
| BIOL 2440 | Introductory Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 3450 | Introductory Genetics | 4 |
| ENGL 3330 | Intro to Technical Writing | 3 |
| MATH 1420 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| MATH 1430 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 1301 & PHYS 1101 | General Phy-Mechanics & Heat and General Physics Laboratory I | 4 |
| PHYS 1302 & PHYS 1102 | Gen Phy-Snd,Lght, Elec, & Mag and General Physics Laboratory II | 4 |
| Major | ||
| CHEM 1411 | General Chemistry I 2 | 4 |
| CHEM 1412 | General Chemistry II 2 | 4 |
| CHEM 2323 & CHEM 2123 | Organic Chemistry I: Lecture and Organic Chemistry I Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 2325 & CHEM 2125 | Organic Chemistry II: Lecture and Organic Chemistry II: Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 2401 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 3438 | Biochemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 4100 | Chemical Literature Seminar | 1 |
| CHEM 4367 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 4380 | Forensic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 4448 | Physical Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 4440 | Instrumental Analytical Chem | 4 |
| CJ Minor | ||
| CRIJ 2361 | Intro To The Crim Justice Sys 3 | 3 |
| CRIJ 2362 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRIJ 2364 | Fundamentals Of Criminal Law | 3 |
| CRIJ 3378 | Intro To Methods Of Research | 3 |
| CRIJ 4385 | Criminl Justc & Social Divrsty | 3 |
| FORS 3366 | Forensic Science | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Advanced electives 4 | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 126 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science, Major in Forensic Chemistry with Forensic Science Minor | ||
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Component Area I (Communication) | 6 | |
| Component Area II (Mathematics) 1 | 3 | |
| Component Area III (Life and Physical Sciences) 2 | 8 | |
| Component Area IV (Language, Philosophy, and Culture) | 3 | |
| Component Area V (Creative Arts) | 3 | |
| Component Area VI (American History) | 6 | |
| Component Area VII (Government/Political Science) | 6 | |
| Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 3 | |
| Component Area IX (Area IV elective or Oral Communication) | 4 | |
| Degree Specific Requirements | ||
| BIOL 1411 | General Botany | 4 |
| or BIOL 1406 | General Biology I | |
| BIOL 1413 | General Zoology | 4 |
| or BIOL 1407 | General Biology II | |
| BIOL 2440 | Introductory Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 3450 | Introductory Genetics | 4 |
| ENGL 3330 | Intro to Technical Writing | 3 |
| MATH 1420 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| MATH 1430 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 1301 & PHYS 1101 | General Phy-Mechanics & Heat and General Physics Laboratory I | 4 |
| PHYS 1302 & PHYS 1102 | Gen Phy-Snd,Lght, Elec, & Mag and General Physics Laboratory II | 4 |
| Major | ||
| CHEM 1411 | General Chemistry I 2 | 4 |
| CHEM 1412 | General Chemistry II 2 | 4 |
| CHEM 2323 & CHEM 2123 | Organic Chemistry I: Lecture and Organic Chemistry I Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 2325 & CHEM 2125 | Organic Chemistry II: Lecture and Organic Chemistry II: Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 2401 | Quantitative Analysis | 4 |
| CHEM 3438 | Biochemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 4100 | Chemical Literature Seminar | 1 |
| CHEM 4367 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 4380 | Forensic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 4448 | Physical Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 4440 | Instrumental Analytical Chem | 4 |
| Forensic Science Minor | ||
| Forensic Science Minor Coursework (18 hrs, at least 6 advanced) | 18 | |
| Electives | ||
| Advanced electives 4 | 4-10 | |
| Total Hours | 126-132 | |
| 1 | MATH 1420 satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics) and the Degree Specific requirement. |
| 2 | CHEM 1411 and CHEM 1412 satisfy the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science) and the Major requirement. |
| 3 | CRIJ 2361 satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for the Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences) and the CJ minor requirement. |
| 4 | Students who are interested in the graduate programs in Forensic Science at SHSU are encouraged to take BIOL 3470 and either BIOL 4480 or BIOL 4381 as advanced electives. Students seek licensing as Forensic Analysts are encouraged to take FORS 4317 (or alternatively MATH 3379) to meet statistics requirements to take the licensing exam (the most up to date licensing requirements can be found at https://www.txcourts.gov/fsc/licensing/). Course selections in minor and electives must ensure at least 42 advanced hours for degree. |
Note: A grade of C or higher is required for CHEM 1411, CHEM 1412, CHEM 2323, CHEM 2123, CHEM 2325, CHEM 2125, CHEM 2401, CHEM 4448 and CHEM 4440, and in all required Physics and Mathematics courses.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BIOL 1406 (or BIOL 1411) | 4 | BIOL 1407 (or BIOL 1413) | 4 |
| CHEM 14111 | 4 | CHEM 14121 | 4 |
| ENGL 13012 | 3 | ENGL 13022 | 3 |
| MATH 14203 | 4 | MATH 1430 | 4 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CHEM 2123 | 1 | BIOL 2440 | 4 |
| CHEM 2323 | 3 | CHEM 2125 | 1 |
| CHEM 2401 | 4 | CHEM 2325 | 3 |
| CRIJ 23614 | 3 | ENGL 3330 | 3 |
| PHYS 1101 | 1 | PHYS 1102 | 1 |
| PHYS 1301 | 3 | PHYS 1302 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Component Area IV | 3 | BIOL 3450 | 4 |
| CHEM 3438 | 4 | CRIJ 2364 (or FORS minor course for FORS minors) | 3 |
| CHEM 4448 | 4 | CRIJ 3378 (or FORS minor course for FORS minors) | 3 |
| CRIJ 2362 (or FORS 3366 for FORS minors) | 3 | Elective (Advanced)6 | 4 |
| POLS 23055 | 3 | POLS 23065 | 3 |
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Component Area IX | 3 | Component Area V | 3 |
| CHEM 4440 | 4 | CHEM 4100 | 1 |
| Elective (Advanced) or Advanced FORS minor course for FORS minors7 | 3 | CHEM 4367 | 3 |
| FORS 3366 (or other FORS minor course for FORS minors) | 3 | CHEM 4380 | 3 |
| HIST 13018 | 3 | CRIJ 4385 (or FORS minor course for FORS minors) | 3 |
| HIST 13028 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Total Hours: 126 | |||
| 1 | Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area III (Life and Physical Science). |
| 2 | Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area I (Communications). |
| 3 | Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area II (Mathematics). |
| 4 | Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VIII (Social and Behavioral Sciences). Students who are Forensic Science minors may choose a different Area VIII course, for Criminal Justice minors this course counts both in the core and in the minor. |
| 5 | Satisfies Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VII (Political Science/Government). |
| 6 | BIOL 3470 recommended—provides a BIOL minor. |
| 7 | BIOL 4480 or BIOL 4381recommended for students interested in the Forensic Science graduate programs. |
| 8 | Satisfies the Core Curriculum requirement for Component Area VI (History). |
Notes
A grade of C or higher is required for CHEM 1411, CHEM 1412, CHEM 2323, CHEM 2123, CHEM 2325, CHEM 2125,CHEM 2401, CHEM 4448 and CHEM 4440, and in all required Physics and Mathematics courses.
This sequence has a built-in minor in Criminal Justice, with alternatives for Forensic Science minors listed. Students should use the elective hours to satisfy the 42-advanced hour requirement. Advanced hours are 3000 and 4000-level courses.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The BS in Forensic Chemistry is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
- Work safely with standard chemicals in a chemistry laboratory.
- Keep thorough and accurate records of chemistry experiments.
- Write final research reports and orally present results of experiments.
- Analyze and interpret experimental data, including spectrophotometric data.
- Understand the use of the major methods of purification of chemical compounds, including chromatographic techniques.
