Prospective students desiring further information on any program of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry should visit the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biochemistry Program websites. High School Preparation: In addition to the general University admission requirements, it is strongly recommended that a student take four years of mathematics, four (or more) years of science (earth and space science, biology, chemistry, and physics), four years of a foreign language, and four years of English. The core modules are:

• Forensic Chemistry
• Forensic Research
• Laboratory Safety
• Organic Spectroscopy
• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry + Laboratory
• Physics: Thermodynamics

UM’s Office of Research and Creative Scholarship supports the educational and research mission of the University through advocacy and advancement of basic and applied research, creative work, and academic scholarship, and fosters an environment where research, scholarly activities, entrepreneurship, and economic development thrive.

Use the Administration link to find the appropriate office within Research and Creative Scholarship to assist you, or Resources to find information on our facilities, equipment, core facilities, and UM Centers and Institutes. The Outreach link provides information on the variety of methods we are using to inform the community about our achievements in innovation and imagination from print media, such as Research Vision and Research View.

Forensic Science is the application of scientific principles to matters defined by civil and criminal law. It is a compilation of all the hard core sciences, including the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and mathematics in the solving of crimes by the evidence left behind at a crime scene. All three of the major tracks and the minor are designed to prepare students with a strong scientific background directed to the recognition, identification, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence.

The major, minor and tracks focus on the main elements of criminalistics, including analysis of blood, fibers, glass, paint, soils, hair and the fields of toxicology, DNA analysis, serology, forensic anthropology, human pathology and numerous other areas germane to the scientific study of evidence. Forensic Science at UGF is unique compared with the many other programs in the USin that most programs spend their time on criminal justice topics. UGF’s program spends the majority of time on forensic sciences, hard-core sciences, and mathematics necessary to be a well-rounded and educated forensic investigator or laboratory expert. This is reinforced by the numerous laboratory classes for the diverse areas of forensic investigation.

The entire range of forensic sciences topics are covered at UGF, ranging from the most useful, such as fingerprint analysis, DNA analysis, serology, and blood spatter analysis, to the less well-studied, such as evidence and lab analysis of hair, glass, soils, bones, drugs, poisons, and some thirty other areas. The current literature in a variety of fields is used to ascertain the students know the most up-to-date techniques and methods applicable, either in field investigations or for laboratory analysis. As an additional aid to becoming proficient in the field, numerous opportunities have been developed for internships during the summer, including working at real crime laboratories in Montana, other states, and for the federal government. The core modules are:

• Introduction to Law Enforcement
• Patrol Operations and Procedures
• Criminal Investigation
• Introduction to Forensic Science
• Physical Evidence for Forensic Science
• Impression Evidence Lab Analysis
• Patterned Evidence Lab Analysis
• Forensic Anthropology
• Introduction to Forensic Studies

In addition to the courses offered, the unique character of the program depends on the faculty. Dr. Arthur Alt has ten degrees, including a doctorate in science education and degrees in chemistry, mathematics, anthropology, archaeology, history, and computers, with minors covering other sciences, and a passion for teaching that has sustained him for more than 30 years. A tremendous variety of teaching techniques in addition to lectures, are applied.

This forces students to become creative and develop abilities in critical analysis and problem-solving. Dr. Diane Lund is an expert in biology and chemistry, with special expertise in DNA analysis and cellular biology. She has a wide range of interests in student undergraduate research. Dr. Craig Ganster has over 25 years of experience as a practicing police/homicide investigator and brings a wealth of knowledge to the program on dealing with forensic investigations. Professor Cynthia Matthews, head of the Criminal Justice program, reinforces the learning for students on criminal procedures and dealing with the legal system. Finally, Professor Steve Nelson teaches the law and how it applies to solving crimes, procedures in court, and being a competent witness for forensic investigations.

For the Forensic Sciences program, there are three possible tracks: Forensic Sciences for students wanting to be crime scene investigators, to law school or to graduate school, or work outside of a laboratory field mandating extensive chemistry or biology backgrounds (such as Forensic Anthropology or Fingerprint Analysis; Forensic Chemistry for working in laboratory environ­ments dealing with chemistry problems; Forensic Bi­ology for working in laboratory environments special­izing in biology problems, particularly DNA analysis. Forensic Science at UGF is unique compared with the many other programs in the USin that most programs spend their time on criminal justice topics. UGF’s program spends the majority of time on forensic sciences, hard-core sciences, and mathematics necessary to be a well-rounded and educated forensic investigator or laboratory expert. This is reinforced by the numerous laboratory classes for the diverse areas of forensic investigation.

The entire range of forensic sciences topics are covered at UGF, ranging from the most useful, such as fingerprint analysis, DNA analysis, serology, and blood spatter analysis, to the less well-studied, such as evidence and lab analysis of hair, glass, soils, bones, drugs, poisons, and some thirty other areas. The current literature in a variety of fields is used to ascertain the students know the most up-to-date techniques and methods applicable, either in field investigations or for laboratory analysis. As an additional aid to becoming proficient in the field, numerous opportunities have been developed for internships during the summer, including working at real crime laboratories in Montana, other states, and for the federal government. The core modules for the Forensic Biology track are:

• General Biology
•  General Zoology
• Microbiology
• General Botany
• Genetics
• Introduction to Criminal Justice System
• Introduction to Forensic Sciences
• Physical Evidence + Lab
• Impression Evidence Lab Analysis
• Patterned Evidence Lab Analysis
• Blood, Body Fluids and DNA Lab Analysis
• Forensic Biology and Microscopy

Forensic Science is the application of scientific principles to matters defined by civil and criminal law. It is a compilation of all the hard core sciences, including the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and mathematics in the solving of crimes by the evidence left behind at a crime scene. All three of the major tracks and the minor are designed to prepare students with a strong scientific background directed to the recognition, identification, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence. The major, minor and tracks focus on the main elements of criminalistics, including analysis of blood, fibers, glass, paint, soils, hair and the fields of toxicology, DNA analysis, serology, forensic anthropology, human pathology and numerous other areas germane to the scientific study of evidence. In addition to the courses offered, the unique character of the program depends on the faculty. Dr. Arthur Alt has ten degrees, including a doctorate in science education and degrees in chemistry, mathematics, anthropology, archaeology, history, and computers, with minors covering other sciences, and a passion for teaching that has sustained him for more than 30 years. A tremendous variety of teaching techniques in addition to lectures, are applied. This forces students to become creative and develop abilities in critical analysis and problem-solving. Dr. Diane Lund is an expert in biology and chemistry, with special expertise in DNA analysis and cellular biology. She has a wide range of interests in student undergraduate research. Dr. Craig Ganster has over 25 years of experience as a practicing police/homicide investigator and brings a wealth of knowledge to the program on dealing with forensic investigations. Professor Cynthia Matthews, head of the Criminal Justice program, reinforces the learning for students on criminal procedures and dealing with the legal system. Finally, Professor Steve Nelson teaches the law and how it applies to solving crimes, procedures in court, and being a competent witness for forensic investigations.

For the Forensic Sciences program, there are three possible tracks: Forensic Sciences for students wanting to be crime scene investigators, to law school or to graduate school, or work outside of a laboratory field mandating extensive chemistry or biology backgrounds (such as Forensic Anthropology or Fingerprint Analysis; Forensic Chemistry for working in laboratory environ­ments dealing with chemistry problems; Forensic Bi­ology for working in laboratory environments special­izing in biology problems, particularly DNA analysis. Forensic Science at UGF is unique compared with the many other programs in the USin that most programs spend their time on criminal justice topics. UGF’s program spends the majority of time on forensic sciences, hard-core sciences, and mathematics necessary to be a well-rounded and educated forensic investigator or laboratory expert. This is reinforced by the numerous laboratory classes for the diverse areas of forensic investigation.

The entire range of forensic sciences topics are covered at UGF, ranging from the most useful, such as fingerprint analysis, DNA analysis, serology, and blood spatter analysis, to the less well-studied, such as evidence and lab analysis of hair, glass, soils, bones, drugs, poisons, and some thirty other areas. The current literature in a variety of fields is used to ascertain the students know the most up-to-date techniques and methods applicable, either in field investigations or for laboratory analysis. As an additional aid to becoming proficient in the field, numerous opportunities have been developed for internships during the summer, including working at real crime laboratories in Montana, other states, and for the federal government. The core modules for the Forensic Chemistry track are:

•  General Chemistry I and II
•  Organic Chemistry I and II
•   Physical Chemistry
•  Quantitative Analysis
• Biochemistry
• Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
•  Introduction to Forensic Science
•  Impression Evidence Lab Analysis
• Patterned Evidence Lab Analysis
• Forensic Chemistry
•  Calculus
• Classical and Modern Physics

Forensic Science is the application of scientific principles to matters defined by civil and criminal law. It is a compilation of all the hard core sciences, including the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and mathematics in the solving of crimes by the evidence left behind at a crime scene. All three of the major tracks and the minor are designed to prepare students with a strong scientific background directed to the recognition, identification, individualization, and evaluation of physical evidence. The major, minor and tracks focus on the main elements of criminalistics, including analysis of blood, fibers, glass, paint, soils, hair and the fields of toxicology, DNA analysis, serology, forensic anthropology, human pathology and numerous other areas germane to the scientific study of evidence. In addition to the courses offered, the unique character of the program depends on the faculty. Dr. Arthur Alt has ten degrees, including a doctorate in science education and degrees in chemistry, mathematics, anthropology, archaeology, history, and computers, with minors covering other sciences, and a passion for teaching that has sustained him for more than 30 years. A tremendous variety of teaching techniques in addition to lectures, are applied. This forces students to become creative and develop abilities in critical analysis and problem-solving. Dr. Diane Lund is an expert in biology and chemistry, with special expertise in DNA analysis and cellular biology. She has a wide range of interests in student undergraduate research. Dr. Craig Ganster has over 25 years of experience as a practicing police/homicide investigator and brings a wealth of knowledge to the program on dealing with forensic investigations. Professor Cynthia Matthews, head of the Criminal Justice program, reinforces the learning for students on criminal procedures and dealing with the legal system. Finally, Professor Steve Nelson teaches the law and how it applies to solving crimes, procedures in court, and being a competent witness for forensic investigations.

Students may develop and demonstrate research skill by formulating a research project designed to contribute original knowledge to the field of forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, human variation, or human skeletal biology, with the findings presented in a thesis. Pursuing this track will help the student prepare to pursue a career as a forensic or physical/biological anthropologist, or to continue their graduate education toward a doctorate. Students who complete the core requirements and one of the tracks described below will earn the M.A. Degree in Anthropology with the Forensic Anthropology Option. The core modules are:

• Forensic anthropology
• Osteology
• An archaeological field experience
• General forensic science
• Statistics

Students may design a MA program in which they specify aset of goals and a set of courses and other experiences that lead to achievement of these goals. Students demonstrate progress toward and satisfaction of their goals by collecting the work produced in their courses and other experiences into a portfolio. This track requires more course work than the thesis track or professional paper track. This track is designed for students who do not plan to work professionally as a forensic orphysical/biological anthropologist or who plan to use their MA degree inanother context (for example, educators seeking an MA degree in a field of science).