Master of Science in Forensic Science (M.S.F.S.)

Forensic science is the application of science to the purposes of law that is highly interdisciplinary by nature and has become a vital part of the judicial and regulatory systems in the USA.

Three institutions in suburban Philadelphia have united in order to provide an outstanding graduate program in Forensic Science. Arcadia University, The Forensics Mentors Institute, and NMS Labs have come together to develop an intensive, practical masters program that leaves their graduates with the ability to obtain jobs in a variety of forensic science specialties, including Forensic Toxicology, Forensic Biology, and Forensic Chemistry.

Arcadia University is a coeducational, comprehensive private university located in suburban Philadelphia. Arcadia is ranked in the top tier of Best Master's Universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report. This university promises a distinctively global, integrative and personal learning experience that prepares students to contribute and prosper in a diverse and dynamic world.

Students entering into the Masters of Science in Forensic Science Program are required to take courses at Arcadia University throughout their first year in order to ensure that each student has had the required coursework to become a forensic scientist. Also, Arcadia offers the students the chance to work for the university as a graduate assistant. Graduate assistants earn a set stipend for each semester; the amount of the stipend depends upon the number of hours the student works each week.
 

The Forensics Mentors Institute (FMI) is a subsidiary of The Fredric Rieders Family Renaissance Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of forensic science education. The FMI is located only a short drive from Arcadia University and is responsible for teaching all of the forensic science curriculum in the masters program. Students also have the opportunity to take part in original forensic research projects with the possibility of publishing their hard work in scientific literature.

 

NMS Labs, formerly National Medical Services, is a private laboratory located only 1 mile from the FMI. NMS Labs responds to the needs of healthcare providers, medical researchers, coroners, and the criminal justice system with state-of-the-art tests that other labs don't or can't provide. The testing performed at this private laboratory covers a variety of areas including: Forensic Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology, Criminalistics (Forensic Biology), Forensic Chemistry, and esoteric testing. At their state-of-the-art headquarters, which includes clinical, forensic and research facilities, a dedicated and secure crime laboratory, and a staff of more 200 than highly trained professionals, NMS Labs successfully handles the needs of over 2,000 clients worldwide each year.

A number of our adjunct faculty members come straight from the hustle and bustle of forensic science at NMS Labs to teach our students the ways of the field. Such a diverse experience among our faculty allows are students to receive an extremely well-rounded, practical education. The lab also offers our students a chance to work part-time in a forensic setting gaining valuable experience in the field, and a number of our students have gone on to obtain positions working within the laboratory after graduation

Program Curriculum:

Each Student's Curriculum is tailored to their specific needs and dependent upon their undergraduate degree

Summer Activities:

During the summer break, student's have numerous opportunities to keep them busy. Some of these opportunities are listed below:

1.     Part-time work at NMS Labs

2.     Summer Research Program at the FMI

3.     Internship Opportunities

4.     Graduate Assistantships

For more information contact Larry Presley, Program Director (presley@arcadia.edu) to set up a tour of our program and facilities as well as to meet current students in the program.