THE CERTIFICATE IN FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION
Students wishing to pursue a career in one of the forensic sciences should consult advisers in anthropology, biology, or chemistry. Entry level employment in criminalistics commonly requires a major in one of the physical or natural sciences, including a year of General Chemistry and a course in Quantitative Analysis.
Graduate programs in criminalistics commonly require a major in one of the physical or natural sciences.
Prerequisites to Program:
Candidates for the certificate must have completed a Bachelor's degree or must complete the Bachelor's degree concurrently with the certificate.
Course Requirements for the Certificate: 27-38 units
The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this certificate.
CORE PROGRAM: 12 units
4 courses required:
| ANTH | 311 | Survey Forensic Science | 3.0 | FS |
| ANTH | 489 | Internship1.0 | 5.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
This course must be taken twice for a total of 6 units.
| ENGL | 230 | Intro to Technical Writing | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130.
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES: 12-23 units
These courses must be selected from outside the student's major department and chosen with the prior approval of the certificate coordinator. A specific program of courses may be required depending upon the student's major and previous preparation.
12-23 units selected from:
| ANTH | 301 | Physical Anthropology | 4.0 | FA |
| ANTH | 380 | Field Archaeology | 4.0 | F1 |
| ANTH | 481 | Human Identification | 3.0 | SP |
Prerequisites: ANTH 301.
| BIOL | 209 | General Botany | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: BIOL 152 or faculty permission.
| BIOL | 210 | General Zoology | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: BIOL 152 or faculty permission.
Note: BIOL 209, BIOL 210 are listed here as prerequisites to many upper-division Biology courses but do not count toward the minimum 12 required methods and techniques units for the certificate.
| BIOL | 430 | Comparative Anat: Vertebrates | 4.0 | FA |
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 210.
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 210.
Prerequisites: BIOL 152. Recommended: BIOL 424 and CHEM 270.
| BIOL | 485 | Electron Microscopy | 2.0 | SP |
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A, PHYS 202B.
| BIOL | 585 | Elect Microscope Operation Lab | 2.0 | SP |
Prerequisites: May be taken concurrently with BIOL 485 and
| CHEM | 111 | General Chemistry | 4.0 | FS * |
Prerequisites: Second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)
| CHEM | 112 | General Chemistry | 4.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: CHEM 111.
| CHEM | 270 | Organic Chemistry | 4.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: CHEM 112.
| CHEM | 320 | Quantitative Analysis | 4.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: CHEM 112.
| CHEM | 370 | Organic Chemistry | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: CHEM 270.
| CHEM | 370L | Organic Chem Laboratory | 1.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: CHEM 370 may be taken as a prerequisite or concurrently with CHEM 370L.
LEGAL SYSTEMS: 3 units
Select a course with the prior approval of the certificate coordinator.
1 course selected from:
| PHIL | 438 | Jurisprudence/Phil of Law | 3.0 | FA |
| POLS | 250 | Intro to Criminal Justice | 3.0 | FS |
| POLS | 438 | Jurisprudence/Phil of Law | 3.0 | FA |
| POLS | 459A | Criminal Procedure | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: POLS 250.
Professional Standards:
The forensic certificate signifies readiness to begin professional work in an area requiring trust and high ethical standards. Students are expected to meet the ethical and professional standards set by the agencies with which they may serve as an intern. Should it be determined that students do not meet such standards, they may be disqualified from fulfilling the internship component of the certificate and thus prevented from completing the certificate.
An overall GPA of 2.5 is required for the entire program.