Our Mission
The mission of the forensic science program at the California State University, Fresno, is to provide the forensic community with highly qualified professionals, who have been prepared through education and experience to be successful in both entry-level and advanced positions at the intersection of science and law.
Our Program
The Professional Science Master's Degree in Forensic Science at the California State University, Fresno, offers students, who are fundamentally educated in various scientific disciplines, the opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to comprehend and implement emerging technologies and provide reliable evaluation of evidence and testimony for our justice system.
The Professional Science Master’s Degree Program in Forensic Science is an inter-disciplinary and inter-agency collaboration between the College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Social Sciences in concert with the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services Fresno Laboratory. Offered as a two-year Master's program administered by the Department of Chemistry, this program involves a broad range of curricula across the colleges, primarily within the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Criminology, and culminates in a strong applications-based thesis or project. The California State University, Fresno, offers numerous opportunities for students to explore the many facets of science and its relationship to our legal system. After completion of this program, graduates will have a more solid foundation in the applications of forensic science, and will be well-suited for leadership positions within a forensic laboratory.
Program Highlights
- The forensic science program offers an inter-disciplinary approach to the study of science and its application to law. Faculty are drawn from the Departments of Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Criminology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Psychology.
- The University has a history of over 50 years in training graduate students in the Forensic Sciences.
- The Program has strong record in Forensic Biology and Forensic Chemistry, with faculty who have themselves worked in crime laboratories at the State/Regional, National, and International levels.
- The program faculty is composed of innovative educators; whose cutting-edge research is strongly application-based.
- There is a strong commitment to both inter-disciplinary and specialized study. Students may take courses in both the forensic and the forensic behavioral sciences. Our mock trial teams are consistent award winners and national competition champions.
- The University is located in the heart of the Central California Valley, the richest agricultural region in the world, in one of the richest economies of the world.
- There is access to a wide diversity of ecological niches and places of great natural beauty, such as the National Parks of Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon, close to the University.
- The program is comparatively economical, and the cost of living in Fresno is comparatively low.
Our Graduates
Interdisciplinary scientists. Students receive advanced training at the cutting-edge interfaces of science, technology, and law.
Excellent communicators. Students receive "science-plus" training in technical problem solving, writing, and presentation skills. This prepares graduates to serve as the liaison between the scientific community and law enforcement / criminal justice agencies.
Innovative problem-solvers. Research and Internship opportunities train students to address challenges and opportunities in the real world.