Forensic Studies Certificate
The Certificate in Forensic Studies is primarily designed as a step toward a baccalaureate degree for those interested in a career in the forensic sciences or a related field. It is also designed as an avenue for law enforcement agents, forensic scientists, or other professionals in the justice system to satisfy mandatory continuing education requirements for continued employment or promotion.
Students may complete the requirements either as resident students at UM-Missoula or completely online.
To earn a certificate in Forensic Studies the student must complete a minimum of 18 credits, including 6 credits in core forensic science courses.
General Certificate Requirements
Additional requirements for graduation can be found on the Degree/Certificate Requirements for Graduation page.
Unless otherwise noted in individual program requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all work attempted at the University of Montana-Missoula is required for graduation. Please see the Academic Policies and Procedures page for information on how your GPA is calculated.
Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a major, minor, or certificate program must be completed with a grade of C- or better unless a higher grade is noted in the program requirements.
Online Program Option
This program may be completed in an online format. Students interested in pursuing an online degree or certificate program are strongly encouraged to contact the offering department to discuss specific program and course modalities and create a plan of study with an academic advisor. The course requirements listed below may not be consistently offered via online delivery.
Post-Secondary Certificate - Forensic Studies
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| CJUS 125N | Fundamentals of Forensic Science | 3 |
| CJUS 488 | Forensic Science the Crime Lab and Beyond | 3 |
| Science Electives | ||
| Complete six credits in courses with a suffix of "N" (courses that have been designated as University of Montana- Missoula General Education Group XI, Natural Sciences) in any department. Any Criminology courses offered through the Sociology department also count towards meeting this requirement. Courses numbered under 100 may not be counted toward meeting this requirement. Please speak with your advisor about which courses may meet this requirement. | 6 | |
| Communication Elective | ||
| Complete one 3-credit course related to written, oral, or pictorial communication, including selected courses in Art, Curriculum & Instruction, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Forestry, Journalism, Linguistics, Media Arts or any intermediate or advanced writing course. Courses numbered under 100 may not be counted toward meeting this requirement. WRIT 101 will not be accepted as fulfilling this requirement. Please speak with your advisor about which courses may meet this requirement. | 3 | |
| Ethics Elective | ||
| Complete one 3-credit course that has been designated as a University of Montana - Missoula General Education Group VIII (Ethics and Human Values) course in any department. | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |