Admission Requirements
Application to the graduate degree program requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants to the degree program should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
Master of Science in Forensic Sciences (M.S.F.S.)
Specializations in Forensic Biology, Forensic Pathology, Forensic Psychology, and Forensic Toxicology
To pursue M.S.F.S. specialization in forensic biology/DNA, forensic pathology/microbiology, forensic psychology, or forensic toxicology, the applicant must have an academic background in the behavioral, biological, medical, or physical sciences or in a forensics-related discipline, with the college major and/or courses supportive of the desired specialization. Applicants to these tracks must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), with a recommended score of at least 1000 for the verbal and quantitative sections and with the analytical writing score also considered as a factor in admission.
Options in Forensic Science Administration and Forensic Document Examination
For the M.S.F.S. option in Forensic Science Administration or in Forensic Document Examination (FDE), the applicant must have at least one year’s professional experience in the forensic sciences or in related fields. The FDE option requires specific training or experience in document examination. Applicants to these options may take either the Miller Analogy Test (MAT), with a score above the 50th percentile recommended, or the GRE, with the same recommended standards as described above for specialization.
GRE/MAT Substitutions
Depending on the intended specialization or option, an applicant may petition the Program Director to consider scores from another graduate or professional school entrance exam OR passing scores on a national professional board exam or a state bar licensing exam.
International Applicants
International students must also take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Required minimum scores are: for the TOEFL, 100 on the iBT (Internet-based test) with least 20 on the written portion; or 600 on the PBT (Paper-based test) with 5 on the TWE; or for the IELTS, a score of 7.0. These exceed minimum requirements for OSU international admission.
