1530 3rd Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35294
Phone: 205-934-8538
Director: Jason G. Linville, PhD jglinvil@uab.edu
Status: Full Accreditation for the Master of Science Degree in Forensic Science
http://www.uab.edu/home/
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, or UAB is a top ranked university in the United States due to their extensive and high research activity. In fact, the university has more than 100 research centers. The UAB graduate school offers 47 masters and 38 doctoral degree programs, one of which is the Master of Science in forensic science. The Master of Science in Forensic Science (MSFS) is designed to teach students to apply scientific methods and technologies to legal proceedings and to prepare them for careers in various forensic science and conventional analytical laboratories.
The courses provide both classroom and laboratory experience to the field of Criminalistics and familiarizes students in the areas of forensic toxicology and forensic pathology. The goal is to shape the development of each student’s problem-solving skills through curriculum that encourages concentration in at least one forensic science specialty area, exposing them to both relevant laboratory techniques and medico-legal developments. The Alabama State Department of Forensic Science unit allows students to gain internship experience in serology/DNA-typing.
Admission into UAB
Students wishing to get into the forensic science program at UAB need to have a strong educational background in the physical or natural sciences, including disciplines like biology, chemistry, or physics. This is because the MSFS program is laboratory-based. Beyond a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, the admission requires students hold at least a 3.0 GPA. Students are only admitted during the Fall each year, and the usual annual application deadline is January 31st for the following Fall semester. Late applications are accepted until April 30th, however prospective students are taking the chance of non-admittance due to capacity.
To apply online, visit: http://main.uab.edu/sites/gradschool/
Your application will be considered reviewable after the following items are complete:
- Payment of the application fee is received
- The online application (including personal statement) is complete
- Official transcripts are received by the MSFS Director
- 3 letters of recommendation are received by the MSFS Director
- Standardized test scores have been received by UAB
Educational Requirements
Students wishing to enter into the MSFS program at UAB need to have taken at least the following courses:
- 2 semesters of laboratory-based general chemistry
- 2 semesters of laboratory-based organic chemistry
- 1 semester of quantitative analysis (wet analytical chemistry)
Departments and Units
The Department of Justice Science faculty runs the program, however it does receive support from many other departments, facilities and centers throughout Birmingham, including:
- Dept. of Chemistry
- Dept. of Biology
- Dept. of Microbiology
- Dept. of Pharmacology
- Dept. of Pathology
- Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences’ Birmingham Laboratory
- Jefferson Country Medical Examiner’s Office
- Other local forensic science-related private institutions
Most Recent Class Profile:
Type: Public
# of Total Applicants: N/A
# Students Enrolled: 16,874
# of Males Enrolled: 42%
# of Females Enrolled: 61%
Overall GPA: 3.0
Average GRE Score: 1100 combined on verbal and quantitative sections
Resident 1st Year Tuition: $ 14,024
Total Resident Cost for 4 Years: $45,716
Non-Resident 1st Year Tuition: $20,360
Total Non-Resident Cost for 4 Years: $71,060