Chemistry/Biochemistry Major with Forensic Science Option, Bachelor of Science (BS)
The forensic science option prepares students for entry-level positions in state and federal forensic science labs as well as for graduate and professional schools.
Major Declaration Requirements
Students must complete 45 hours of specified core courses with a combined minimum GPA ≥3.0 before being eligible to declare the forensic major (see note below).
It is assumed that the student will enter the program ready to take MATH 161.
For all internships with law enforcement agencies, students will be required to pass a thorough background check. Competitive internships at regional forensic labs are integrated into the curriculum along with research and independent study.
This option will require more than 12 terms (or 4 years) to complete at an average of 15 credits per term.
Note: these core courses are to be completed before formal acceptance into the forensics major and enrollment in the forensics science internship course: BIOL 171, BIOL 172, CHEM 140, CHEM 171, CHEM 171L, CHEM 172, CHEM 172L, CHEM 173, CHEM 173L, CHEM 304, CHEM 304L, PHYS 151.
Grade Requirements: due to the cumulative nature of chemistry courses, the department strongly recommends that students receive a grade ≥C in all prerequisite chemistry courses.
| Required Chemistry Courses | ||
| CHEM 140 | CRIMINALISTICS AND FORENSIC CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 171 & 171L & CHEM 172 & CHEM 172L & CHEM 173 & CHEM 173L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II and GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III | 15 |
| CHEM 304 & 304L | QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS and QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS LAB | 6 |
| CHEM 319 | MODERN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CHEM 351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CHEM 352 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CHEM 353 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 372 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I | 3 |
| CHEM 373 | ORGANIC CHEM LABORATORY II | 3 |
| CHEM 420 | INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS | 5 |
| CHEM 421 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CHEM 422 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CHEM 431 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 1 |
| CHEM 445 | TOPICS IN FORENSIC CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 450 | ADVANCED FORENSIC CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 480 | BIOCHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CHEM 495 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| or CHEM 399 | DIRECTED STUDY | |
| or CHEM 499 | DIRECTED STUDY | |
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| BIOL 171 | BIOLOGY I | 5 |
| BIOL 172 | BIOLOGY II | 5 |
| BIOL 173 | BIOLOGY III | 5 |
| BIOL 310 | FUNDAMENTALS OF GENETICS | 5 |
| BIOL 438 | MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 5 |
| CRIM 300 | INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM | 5 |
| MATH/HONS 161 | CALCULUS I | 5 |
| MATH 162 | CALCULUS II | 5 |
| MATH 163 | CALCULUS III | 5 |
| MATH 380 | ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS | 5 |
| PHYS 151 | GENERAL PHYSICS I | 4 |
| PHYS 152 | GENERAL PHYSICS II | 4 |
| PHYS 153 | GENERAL PHYSICS III | 4 |
| PHYS 161 | MECHANICS LABORATORY | 1 |
| PHYS 162 | HEAT AND OPTICS LABORATORY | 1 |
| PHYS 163 | ELECTRONICS LABORATORY I | 1 |
| Required Senior Capstone | ||
| CHEM 491 | SENIOR THESIS (variable credit–must be taken for 5 credits) | 5 |
| Total Credits | 150 | |
| Suggested Supporting Courses | ||
| BIOL 301 | MICROBIOLOGY | 5 |
| CMST 201 | PUBLIC SPEAKING | 5 |
| CRIM 304 | FORENSIC INQUIRY | 5 |
| POLI 306 | BASIC CONCEPTS OF CRIMINAL LAW | 5 |
| TCOM 205 | INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION | 5 |
Plan of Study
The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.
Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| CHEM 171 & 171L (Natural Science BACR 1) | 5 | CHEM 172 & 172L (Natural Science BACR 2) | 5 | CHEM 173 & 173L | 5 |
| MATH 161 | 5 | ENGL 101 | 5 | ENGL 201 | 5 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 11 | 5 | MATH 162 | 5 | MATH 163 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| BIOL 171 | 5 | BIOL 172 | 5 | BIOL 173 | 5 |
| MATH 380 | 5 | CHEM 140 | 5 | PHYS 153 & PHYS 163 | 5 |
| PHYS 151 & PHYS 161 | 5 | PHYS 152 & PHYS 162 | 5 | Social Science BACR 11 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| BIOL 310 | 5 | CHEM 304 & 304L | 6 | CHEM 353 | 3 |
| CHEM 351 | 4 | CHEM 319 | 4 | CHEM 373 | 3 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 21 | 5 | CHEM 352 | 4 | CHEM 450 | 5 |
| CHEM 372 | 3 | CHEM 495, 399, or 499 | 4 | ||
| 14 | 17 | 15 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| BIOL 438 | 5 | CHEM 422 | 4 | CHEM 420 | 5 |
| CHEM 421 | 4 | CHEM 491 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement ) | 5 | CHEM 445 | 5 |
| CHEM 431 | 1 | CRIM 300 | 5 | CHEM 480 | 5 |
| Social Science BACR 21 | 5 | Diversity - graduation requirement 2 | Global Studies - graduation requirement 2 | ||
| 15 | 14 | 15 | |||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||
- 1
University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
- 2
This major option will require more than 12 terms (or 4 years) to complete at an average of 15 credits per term.
University Competencies and Proficiencies
English
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB
General Education Requirements (GER)
- Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
- 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
- Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0
Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)
Humanities and Arts
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
University Graduation Requirements (UGR)
Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).
Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:
- The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
- The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.
Students who earn a BS in Chemistry/Biochemistry with Forensic Science Option from EWU should be able to:
- demonstrate a broad-based knowledge of major concepts in the areas of inorganic, organic, analytical, and physical chemistry;
- demonstrate sufficient preparation in chemistry to successfully compete in a graduate or professional program or to realize employment in a chemistry- or biochemistry-related career;
- demonstrate a capacity to use modern instrumentation and classical techniques for the analysis and/or separation of chemicals and an ability to interpret data;
- demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills and critical thinking skills as related to the field of chemistry;
- demonstrate knowledge of safe practices in the handling, usage, and disposal of chemicals.