The Forensic Science concentration is provided by UF’s College of Pharmacy. This degree program consists of 18 credits of required courses and 14 credits of electives covering a wide range of forensic disciplines.
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Who is this concentration for?
This program may be of interest to those currently working or seeking employment in the following areas: crime laboratories, medical examiners' office, police departments, criminal defense firms, prosecution attorneys' offices, hospital and clinical chemistry labs, pharmaceutical companies, or high school science programs.
Degree Completion
Upon completion of the program, graduates will earn a Master of Science in Pharmacy with a major in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a concentration in Forensic Science issued by the Graduate School of the University of Florida. Your transcript will read Master of Science in Pharmacy, graduation date, major Pharmaceutical Sciences, concentration Forensic Science. Your diploma will read Master of Science in Pharmacy.
Course Progression
Core-Required Courses
Note: Core-required courses must be completed before your final semester and must be completed before the required courses.
Required Courses
At least 14 elective credits must be taken in addition to the above 18 credits. Of the 14 elective credits required for the degree, at least 4 credits need to be a PHA course number. Electives can be taken in any semester prior to the final semester.
Elective Courses
| Course # | Course title | Credits | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHA 6535 | Principles of Nucleotide Activity | 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VME 6614 | Forensic Toxicology II | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PHA 6534 | Toxicology of Chemical Weapons | 3 | ✓ | ||
| PHA 6935 | Advanced Criminalistics | 3 | ✓ | ||
| PHA 6856 | Bloodstain Pattern Analysis | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PHA 6425 | Drug Biotransformation & Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PHA 6935 | Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics | 3 | ✓ | ||
| PHA 6935 | Crime Scene Investigation | 3 | ✓ | ||
| PHA 6851 | Forensic Analysis of DNA | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PHA 6935 | Forensic Analysis of DNA 2 | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Courses in forensic medicine, forensic anthropology, drug analysis, toxicology, criminalistics, environmental forensics, biological evidence, bloodstain pattern analysis, and forensic DNA analysis are available.
Recommended Course Order
The following is a recommended course order for students pursuing a master’s degree in forensic science:
- Forensic Toxicology I, Biological Evidence and Principles of Forensic Science should be completed early in the program, and Laboratory QAQC should only be taken after successfully completing one of these three courses; these courses must all be completed prior to your final semester in the program.
- Introduction to Forensic Medicine 1 should be completed before Introduction to Forensic Medicine 2.
- Principles of Forensic Science should be completed before Advanced Criminalistics.
- Special Topics and Literature Surveys must be completed in the final semester.
- The University of Florida requires that you are registered for the following number of credits during the term you are graduating: Summer term: 2 credit hours; Fall/Spring term: 3 credit hours. Since the Special Topics course is only 1 credit, you will need to be sure you meet the credit requirement as noted above. It is strongly recommended that students only register for literature survey and special topics in their final term; if you need to register for an additional class due to financial aid or other circumstances, please contact Nancy Toffolo at ntoffolo@ufl.edu. All core required classes must be completed in the terms prior to your final semester.
Course Syllabus Catalog
The general course policies and the most recent course syllabus catalog are available as a PDF for download here.