Departments & Centers
Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program
Graduate Program
Admission Requirements
The prospective student should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, show promise of ability to engage in advanced work, and have adequate preparation.Incoming students with an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) will automatically be recommended for admission as regular graduate students. Those with a GPA below 3.0 will be admitted as temporary graduate students with the provision that a 3.0 average must be achieved in the first three graduate courses (or 9 credit hours) if they are to be admitted as regular graduate students.
Application for Admission
Applications for full-time study should be completed by March for the following fall semester to ensure complete consideration for fellowships and other financial support (see “Graduate Program Financial Aid” in this section). Applications for part-time graduate admission may be submitted at any time.
Temporary graduate students who wish to enroll in courses, though not necessarily in a degree program, should contact the IUPUI Graduate Office, Union Building, Room UN-207, 620 Union Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5167; phone (317) 274-1577. Students should be aware that no more than 12 credit hours earned as a nondegree student may be counted toward a degree program.
Graduate Program Financial Aid
All full-time thesis graduate students receive support stipends through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, departmental fellowships, or through university fellowships. Students with assistantships and fellowships are also eligible for health insurance. Consult the graduate advisor for current funding levels.
Master of Science Program
The M.S. Program in Forensic Science, which awards a Purdue University degree, requires 35 credit hours of study beyond the baccalaureate level. It is designed for students seeking careers as professional forensic scientists who desire employment in the criminal justice field or a related area. Graduates are in demand throughout the United States and worldwide.General Degree Options and Requirements
Students must apply in one of the following concentrations: forensic chemistry or biology. All students take a core of required courses, including a professional issues course, law courses and a clinical law course. Each concentration contains specific required courses taken by students in that concentration.With the exception of students who are employed full time in an analytical or forensic science laboratory, all students must include a thesis. This program requires 20 credit hours of course work and 15 credit hours of thesis completion and defense and is available to full-time and part-time students. Students who are employed full time in an analytical or forensic science laboratory may elect the non-thesis option. This program includes 35 credit hours of classes approved by the Program. This may include up to six credits of internship.