View Transfer Guide - WCU Forensic Science (BS) - Forensic Biology (2024)

Program Admission Notes:

Transfer students should apply to Western Carolina University at applynow.wcu.edu. A minimum 2.2 GPA is required for consideration, however, this does not guarantee admission. We recommend that you aim for an average cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on 12+ hours of college credit for competitiveness with other incoming transfer applicants.

Please note that admission to the institution does not guarantee admission to specific programs, and some programs do require a supplemental application. Check the program website at WCU.edu for supplemental application details and instructions, or reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 828.227.7317.

Contact:

Advising Center
transferadvising@wcu.edu

Revised:May, 2024

Students must take an additional 17 hours of Forensics and Science courses.

14 hours should be from the following list:

• CJ 150 - Introduction to Criminal Justice & Criminology Credits: 3 (CJC 111: Intro to Criminal Justice)
• CJ 323 - Crime Scene Investigations Credits: 3 (CJC 222: Criminalistics)
• BIOL 361 - Principles of Biochemistry Credits: 3 (CHM 271: Biochemical Principles)

OR

• CHEM 361 - Principles of Biochemistry Credits: 3
• CHEM 475 - Biochemistry Laboratory Credits: 1

OR

• CHEM 575 - Biochemistry Laboratory Credits: 1
• FS 466 - Physical Methods in Forensic Science Credits: 3
• FS 495 - Seminar in Forensic Science Credits: 1

Forensic Science students must complete 3 semester hours from the following:

• CJ 305 - Social Justice and the Law Credits: 3
• CJ 343 - Criminal Procedure and Judicial Process Credits: 3
• CJ 370 - Ethics in Criminal Justice Credits: 3
• FS 110 - Survey in Forensic Science Credits: 3
• LAW 201 - Individual Rights Credits: 3
• PAR 230 - Legal, Scientific, & Critical Reasoning Credits: 3
• PAR 313 - Philosophy of Law Credits: 3
• PAR 366 - Science, Religion & Knowledge Credits: 3

The concentration requires a total of 21 hours.

Students must take the following (15 hours):

• BIOL 240 - Introduction to Genetics Credits: 4 (BIO 250: Genetics)
• BIOL 330 - Population Genetics for Forensic Science Credits: 3

OR

• FS 330 - Population Genetics for Forensic Science Credits: 3
• BIOL 333 - Cell and Molecular Biology Credits: 4 (BIO 265: Cell Biology)
• FS 422 - Forensic Biology Credits: 4

OR

• BIOL 422 - Forensic Biology Credits: 4

AND choose two from the following (6 hours)

• BIOL 412 - Cellular and Molecular Immunology Credits: 3
• BIOL 413 - Principles of General Microbiology Credits: 4
• BIOL 414 - Methods of General Microbiology Credits: 2
• BIOL 415 - Plant Physiology Credits: 3
• BIOL 416 - Plant Molecular Biology Credits: 3
• BIOL 418 - Advanced Techniques in Microscopy Credits: 4
• BIOL 419 - Cell Biology Credits: 3
• BIOL 420 - Darwin’s Origin of Species Credits: 3
• BIOL 421 - Principles of Biotechnology Credits: 4
• BIOL 424 - Pharmacology Credits: 3
• BIOL 425 - Flora of the Southern Appalachians Credits: 4
• BIOL 433 - Ecological Co-Adaptations Credits: 4
• BIOL 434 - Terrestrial Landscape Ecology Credits: 4
• BIOL 435 - Aquatic Ecology Credits: 4
• BIOL 441 - Conservation Biology Credits: 3
• BIOL 453 - Principles of Systematics Credits: 3
• BIOL 455 - Vascular Plants Credits: 4
• BIOL 467 - Biostatistics Credits: 3
• BIOL 470 - Biology of Arthropods Credits: 4
• BIOL 471 - Animal Behavior Credits: 4
• BIOL 472 - Ornithology Credits: 4
• BIOL 473 - Microbial Ecology Credits: 4
• BIOL 475 - Animal Development Credits: 4
• BIOL 476 - Contemporary Fisheries Credits: 4
• BIOL 477 - Herpetology Credits: 4
• BIOL 480 - Research in Biology Credits: 1-3, R6
• BIOL 493 - Studies in Biology Credits: 1-6, R12
• BIOL 498 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 2
• BIOL 499 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 1
• CHEM 450 - Advanced Biochemistry Credits: 3

OR

• CHEM 550 - Advanced Biochemistry Credits: 3
• CHEM 462 - Molecular Bioinformatics Credits: 3

OR

• CHEM 562 - Molecular Bioinformatics Credits: 3
• CHEM 463 - Molecular Biotechnology Credits: 3

OR

• CHEM 563 - Molecular Biotechnology Credits: 3
• FS 493 - Topics in Forensic Science Credits: 1-4, R9
• CHEM 464 - Genomics Credits: 3

OR

• CHEM 564 - Genomics Credits: 3
• FS 380 - Research in Forensic Science Credits: 1-3, R15
• FS 388 - Internship in Forensic Science Credits: 1-3, R9
• FS 389 - Cooperative Education in Forensic Science Credits: 3

To complete 120 hours, students may need to take additional General Electives (the number depends on how many Liberal Studies courses also count toward the major).

Though not required and depending on the desired career path, students may wish to consider some or all of the following electives to aid in their development as a professional forensic scientist and/or to prepare for further professional, post-baccalaureate training.

• ANTH 251 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology Credits: 3
• ANTH 333 - Medicolegal Death Investigation Credits: 3
• BIOL 291 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Credits: 4
• BIOL 292 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Credits: 4
• CS 150 - Problem Solving and Programming I Credits: 4
• CS 151 - Problem Solving and Programming II Credits: 4
• PSY 375 - Forensic Psychology Credits: 3
• PSY 470 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3