California has only a small number of master’s programs that genuinely belong in a forensic science comparison. That is useful for students because the choices are easier to separate by career goal: UC Davis and Cal State LA are built around laboratory science and criminalistics, while National University and Alliant University offer broader and more flexible graduate routes that include investigation, crime-scene work, and related specialties.
A master’s degree can deepen scientific training, add a forensic specialty, support research, or help an experienced practitioner move into more advanced work. It does not replace the undergraduate science foundation required for many laboratory jobs. California’s Criminalist classification, for example, requires the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree with a major in a physical or biological science, including at least eight semester hours of general chemistry and three semester hours of quantitative analysis.
For students still comparing degree levels, see our broader guide to forensic science colleges and degree programs in California. If distance study is the priority, the separate guide to online master’s degrees in forensic science includes additional programs available to California residents.
Forensic Science Master’s Programs in California
| School | Degree | Main Focus | Format | Science Background Expected | FEPAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | M.S. in Forensic Science | DNA or criminalistics | In person; full- or part-time | Strong natural/physical science preparation | Accredited through March 2031 |
| Cal State LA | M.S. in Criminalistics | Laboratory criminalistics | Primarily on campus; many evening courses | Natural or physical science bachelor’s plus specific prerequisites | Not currently listed as accredited |
| National University | Master of Forensic Sciences | Criminalistics or investigation | Online, hybrid, or in person depending on specialization | Science degree required for Criminalistics; not for Investigation | Not currently listed as accredited |
| Alliant University | M.S. in Forensic Science, Investigation & Technology | Criminalistics, CSI, or investigative intelligence | Online with two weekend residencies | Varies by concentration | Not currently listed as accredited |
The programs are not interchangeable. A chemistry or biology graduate seeking laboratory specialization should compare UC Davis, Cal State LA, and National’s Criminalistics track first. Someone focused on scene investigation, intelligence analysis, or a more flexible online format may find National’s Investigation specialization or Alliant more relevant.
UC Davis — M.S. in Forensic Science
UC Davis offers the most clearly science- and research-centered forensic science master’s in California. The 54-quarter-unit M.S. in Forensic Science has two tracks:
- Forensic DNA
- Forensic Criminalistics
Both tracks include nine core courses, seminars, electives, and either thesis research or the applicable capstone requirements. The program is in person and can be completed full or part time.
Forensic DNA
The DNA track is aimed at biological evidence and molecular analysis. Students interested in forensic biology, DNA interpretation, genetics, or related laboratory work can build their coursework and research around those areas.
Forensic Criminalistics
The Criminalistics track focuses more heavily on physical and chemical evidence. UC Davis describes coursework and training in instrumental analysis, trace evidence, drug chemistry, toxicology, spectroscopy, microscopy, and other laboratory methods.
The admissions requirements reflect how science-heavy the degree is. Appropriate preparation is normally a bachelor’s degree in a physical or natural science, engineering, or a closely related field. Applicants are expected to have completed general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, calculus, and statistics, with biology, biochemistry, and genetics also recommended.
Students should not view this as a conversion master’s for someone trying to avoid undergraduate science. UC Davis assumes that much of the chemistry, physics, mathematics, and laboratory foundation is already in place.
FEPAC accreditation
UC Davis received full accreditation from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission for a five-year term running from March 1, 2026 through March 1, 2031. The accreditation covers the M.S. in Forensic Science with its DNA Analysis and Criminalistics tracks.
That makes UC Davis the California program with the clearest current FEPAC status at the master’s level.
Cost
The program is self-supporting rather than charged under standard state-supported UC graduate tuition. UC Davis currently lists tuition at $903 per unit for students entering in fall 2025 or later. The same per-unit rate applies to out-of-state and international students.
Health insurance, books, supplies, laboratory materials, and living costs are separate.
For a science graduate who wants advanced laboratory training, research, and current FEPAC accreditation, UC Davis is the most specialized option in the state.
Cal State LA — M.S. in Criminalistics
Cal State LA uses the term criminalistics rather than forensic science, but the degree belongs squarely in this comparison. Criminalistics focuses on the scientific examination and interpretation of physical evidence, and Cal State LA’s master’s is built for students who already have a substantial natural-science background.
The university requires applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in a natural or physical science. Cal State LA specifically says that unrelated majors such as criminal justice, psychology, or anthropology do not satisfy the requirement simply because the student completed some science classes.
Current prerequisites include coursework equivalent to:
- General biology
- Biostatistics
- General chemistry
- Quantitative analysis
- Organic chemistry
- Organic chemistry laboratories
- Physics
Quantitative analysis can be completed concurrently with graduate coursework if it has not already been satisfied.
That prerequisite list closely resembles the kind of preparation California crime laboratories expect from applicants. The program develops advanced knowledge in forensic science along with laboratory-based analytical skills, scientific measurement, interpretation of evidence, legal issues, and research.
Students are encouraged to pursue internships with public or private laboratories, and a research project serves as the graduate capstone. Most criminalistics courses are offered in the evening, although some electives are available only during the day.
The Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center
Cal State LA’s School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics operates in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. The setting gives graduate students access to a program built around forensic science practice rather than a general criminal justice master’s with a few laboratory electives.
Cal State LA previously held FEPAC accreditation for the M.S. in Criminalistics, but that accreditation term ran from 2011 through 2016. Students comparing programs today should use current accreditation status rather than older university announcements.
Cost
For fall 2026, Cal State LA lists California-resident graduate/post-baccalaureate tuition of $4,274 for students taking more than six units. Mandatory campus fees bring the published semester total to $4,821.04 before housing, books, transportation, and other costs.
For Southern California students with a chemistry, biology, biochemistry, physics, or similar background, Cal State LA remains one of the strongest in-state routes into graduate criminalistics.
National University — Master of Forensic Sciences
National University’s 36-credit Master of Forensic Sciences serves a wider range of students than UC Davis or Cal State LA because it separates laboratory-oriented study from forensic investigation.
Students choose between:
- Criminalistics
- Investigation
The degree is offered online, in person, and in hybrid formats, although National notes that the exact delivery method varies by specialization and that some Criminalistics courses may require in-person laboratory participation.
Criminalistics
The Criminalistics specialization is designed for forensic evidence analysis and requires an undergraduate degree in a laboratory or physical science.
Specialized coursework includes:
- Trace Evidence
- Advanced Forensic Toxicology
- Forensic Serology and DNA
- Advanced Forensic DNA Analysis
Students also complete broader core work in crime-scene investigation, forensic pathology, anthropology, fingerprints, digital evidence, law, and supervised research.
For a student interested in laboratory work, this is the National specialization to evaluate. Its science-degree admission requirement separates it from the Investigation track.
Investigation
The Investigation specialization does not have a specific undergraduate-major requirement. It includes advanced criminalistics, forensic psychology, forensic photography, and major-case investigation.
This route is better suited to crime and death investigation, scene work, or professionals coming from law enforcement and related fields than to someone seeking a chemistry-intensive graduate program.
National lists an average completion time of about 24 months with year-round starts.
Cost
The university currently lists the MFS at $683 per credit, with a $105 course-material fee per course and an official estimated program cost of $25,830.
National is useful for California students who need more flexibility than a traditional campus master’s provides, but applicants should choose the specialization carefully. Criminalistics and Investigation are aimed at different types of forensic work.
Alliant University — M.S. in Forensic Science, Investigation & Technology
Alliant’s 33-unit M.S. in Forensic Science, Investigation & Technology is the broadest of California’s forensic science master’s programs.
The degree is offered online and has three concentrations:
- Criminalistics and Technology
- Crime Scene and Incident Investigation
- Criminal Investigative Intelligence & Analysis
The Criminalistics and Technology concentration covers the collection, preservation, and analysis of DNA, trace and physical evidence, toxicology and pharmacological evidence, and identification evidence.
Crime Scene and Incident Investigation is more field-oriented, including investigations involving violent crime, transportation incidents, arson, and identity analysis.
Criminal Investigative Intelligence & Analysis moves further toward analytical and technological work through geospatial analysis, crime mapping, digital and open-source intelligence, data analytics, identity analysis, and threat assessment.
Most coursework is asynchronous, with optional synchronous sessions. Students are also required to attend two on-site weekend residencies and complete a research thesis. Alliant says the 33-unit program typically takes less than a year and a half.
The degree’s breadth can be useful for investigators and working professionals, but students seeking traditional chemistry- or biology-intensive criminalistics should inspect the Criminalistics and Technology curriculum carefully rather than assuming all three concentrations provide the same laboratory preparation.
Alliant currently lists tuition for the program at $580 per unit, before additional fees and the travel costs associated with the required residencies.
Do You Need a Master’s Degree to Work in Forensic Science?
Not usually for entry-level work.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for forensic science technicians. The occupation had a national median annual wage of $72,060 in May 2025, and BLS projects employment to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035.
A master’s is more likely to be useful when it adds something beyond the bachelor’s degree: advanced DNA work, criminalistics research, specialized analytical methods, professional advancement, management preparation, or deeper expertise for someone already working in the field.
California’s state Criminalist requirements reinforce why students should not assume the graduate credential itself is enough. Entry-level applicants still need a qualifying bachelor’s degree in a physical or biological science, along with the required general chemistry and quantitative analysis coursework. See the current California Criminalist examination bulletin for the official minimum qualifications.
FEPAC Accreditation at the Master’s Level
The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission accredits specific bachelor’s and master’s programs in forensic science and certain natural- or computer-science programs with forensic concentrations.
As of 2026, UC Davis holds current FEPAC accreditation for its M.S. in Forensic Science through March 2031.
FEPAC status can be helpful when comparing programs, but it should not be the only filter. A strong graduate program can still provide useful preparation without current FEPAC accreditation. Admissions requirements, laboratory depth, research opportunities, practical training, faculty expertise, format, and fit with the student’s intended forensic discipline all deserve attention.
It is also important to check the current accreditation term. Cal State LA’s M.S. in Criminalistics was FEPAC-accredited in the past, but its published 2011–2016 term should not be presented as current accreditation.
Which California Master’s Program Fits Which Goal?
The short California list is easier to use once the programs are grouped by what they actually teach.
For research-heavy laboratory science and current FEPAC accreditation: UC Davis is the clearest match, particularly for DNA or criminalistics.
For in-person criminalistics in Southern California: Cal State LA combines demanding natural-science prerequisites with laboratory methods, internships, evening coursework, and a research capstone.
For flexibility with a choice between lab-oriented and investigative study: National University separates Criminalistics from Investigation and offers online, hybrid, and in-person delivery depending on the specialization.
For online study that reaches beyond traditional crime-lab science: Alliant combines criminalistics with CSI, technology, and investigative intelligence, plus two short residencies.
A master’s degree is most valuable when it adds depth to a foundation that already points toward the work you want. Before applying, compare your undergraduate transcript and the graduate curriculum with a few real California job specifications. That comparison will tell you quickly whether a program strengthens the path you are already on or sends you toward a different part of forensic work.