Media Forensics Emphasis, Recording Arts MS

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

►Graduate School Rules apply to this program. Contact leah.haloin@ucdenver.edu for information on how to access these rules.

Program Overview
Application Components
Curriculum

Program Overview

The master of science in recording arts, media forensics emphasis, prepares students from various backgrounds for work in the field of forensic audio, video, and image analysis, utilizing the state-of-the-art methods and technology necessary to fight crime in the digital age. Housed in the National Center for Media Forensics (NCMF), this program is unique in providing a hybrid format (online and onsite) graduate education in forensic multimedia analysis.

Students from all disciplines (media production, electrical engineering, general forensics, etc.) are encouraged to apply, as this program enhances scientific inquiry while guiding students through a two-year cohort curriculum. The hybrid delivery format affords students the option to work full-time while completing most of the program in an online classroom with additional onsite study at the NCMF and its partner institutions. Classes are comprised of online self-guided lectures, interactive learning, discussion boards and reading responses, as well as scheduled video conferencing. Onsite coursework provides students with hands-on and practical experiences which augment and enrich the curriculum. Additionally, experiential learning activities include visits to regional crime labs and scientific conferences to understand the application of forensic media technology and laboratory procedures.

Courses lead students through three areas of study: foundational knowledge, core analyses and capstone experiences, which fully prepare students for research in forensic science and expert witness testimony. Digital media evidence acquisition through computer forensics applications is emphasized in an environment that fosters creativity and individual skills. The research thesis on a topic of the student’s choosing is conducted under the advisement of the director and associate director of the NCMF with input from forensic professionals from around the world. The thesis is a topic of exploration throughout the program and serves to enhance a graduate’s area of specialty as they prepare for work in private forensic practice, corporate research and development, academic research and teaching, or crime labs at the local, state or federal level.

Note: The application process, requirements and deadlines for the master of science in recording arts, media forensics emphasis (MSRA-MF), differ from those listed for the MSRA recording arts program .

MSRA Media Forensics Application Components

Application Components – Domestic Students

Domestic Student Application Deadline: March 15th
Program accepts students in Fall only.

Graduate Application for Admission

Complete the online Graduate Application for Admission: https://soa.prod.cu.edu/degreeprog/applyDEGREEPROG_CUDEN/login.action.
Indicate program of study: On the online application, the Career field should be selected as Graduate, Campus as Downtown Campus, Program as College of Arts & Media GRAD, and Field of Study as Recording Arts or Media Forensics. All of these designations must be accurately included; otherwise application materials will not be received by the MSRA-MF Admissions Committee.
Contact the administrative manager via email at leah.haloin@ucdenver.edu with notification of intent to apply. This is recommended so that application materials can be more closely tracked by the program.

Application Fee

Domestic applicant non-refundable application fee of $50.00.
Fee must be paid in U.S. dollars, via the online Graduate Application for Admission.

Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test Scores

Applicants to the MSRA-MF degree program must submit scores from the GRE test dated within the past five years. The “General Test” offered by the Educational Testing Service assists in evaluating applicants to the degree program. It evaluates the analytical writing, verbal and quantitative reasoning skills of candidates. This examination is offered internationally by the Educational Testing Service on a continuous schedule. No minimum score is required for admission, as each student’s score will be evaluated as a portion of the complete application. This examination is not intended to exclude any applicant from the degree program.
Scores must be received by the application deadline; therefore students should plan accordingly when scheduling their testing dates. Late GRE scores are not accepted, and these applications will not be reviewed.
The institution code for the University of Colorado Denver where scores should be sent is: 4875. There is no department code for the program.
Information on the GRE can be obtained at www.ets.org/gre.

Transcripts

Applicants must have two (2) official academic transcripts from each college or university attended sent directly from the issuing institution to:

Leah Haloin

MSRA-MF Graduate Admissions Committee
National Center for Media Forensics
Campus Box 154
P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364

While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed.
”Official transcripts” exhibit the official seal and signature of the registrar.
Transcripts that are marked “student copy” or “unofficial” are not accepted as official and cannot be used in the admission decision.

Cover Letter

Applicants must submit a typed, double-spaced cover letter detailing the following:
- Professional/educational background
- Reason for wanting to participate in program
- Research interests
The cover letter should be uploaded in the online application.

Resume

Students are required to submit a typed resume as it relates to the field of forensic science. The resume must include educational background, work experience and relevant skills. Students are also welcome to include any published works, scholarly/creative work, exhibitions, awards, or other relevant achievements.
The resume should be chronological, beginning with educational background, and progressing to employment history. Please refrain from “functional” resumes, or those that simply summarize qualities or competencies.
The resume should be uploaded in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

References: The required three letters of recommendation should be written by responsible persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional accomplishments.
The names and e-mail addresses of all three reference providers must be included in the online Graduate Application for Admission. Once the full application package is submitted, an e-mail message will automatically be generated to the three reference providers with a secure link to the online recommendation form and letter upload tool. Applicants are advised to submit the online application early enough to allow each reference provider time to submit the letter prior to the deadline.
All three (3) reference providers must complete their letters of recommendation by doing both of the following:
- Online Recommendation Form: This is an online multiple-choice form where the recommender will be asked to evaluate certain indicators of success for the applicant.
- Personal Letter: This should be a formal, narrative letter uploaded by the recommender via the online recommendation form.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted online directly by each of the reference providers; letters cannot be submitted by the applicant.
Incomplete letters of recommendation will not be considered, and the application will not be reviewed.

Two (2) Technical Writing Samples

The applicant must provide two (2) samples of material authored by the applicant that demonstrate scientific/non-fictional writing skills. These could be undergraduate research papers, published or unpublished articles, grant proposals, prepared reports or affidavits, etc.
Each writing sample should be 1,000 words or more.
The technical writing samples should be uploaded in your online application.

Applications which do not include all of the requirements listed above, or that include partial components, are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Application Components – International Students

(Note: International applicants are encouraged to visit the Office of International Admissions website at http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/InternationalPrograms/OIA/admissions/Pages/default.aspx.)

International Student Application Deadline: March 15th
Program accepts students in Fall only.

International Student Graduate Application for Admission

Complete the online application: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/InternationalPrograms/OIA/admissions/Pages/default.aspx.
Indicate program of study: On the online application, the Career field should be selected as Graduate, Campus as Downtown Campus, Program as College of Arts & Media GRAD, and Field of Study as Recording Arts or Media Forensics. All of these designations must be accurately included; otherwise application materials will not be received by the MSRA-MF Admissions Committee.
Contact the administrative manager via e-mail at leah.haloin@ucdenver.edu with notification of intent to apply. This is recommended so that application materials can be more closely tracked by the program.

Application Fee

International applicant non-refundable application fee of $75.00.
Fee must be paid in U.S. dollars via the online International Student Graduate Application for Admission.

Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test Scores

Applicants to the MSRA-MF degree program must submit scores from the GRE test dated within the past five years. The “General Test” offered by the Educational Testing Service assists in evaluating applicants to the degree program. It evaluates the analytical writing, verbal and quantitative reasoning skills of candidates. This examination is offered internationally by the Educational Testing Service on a continuous schedule. No minimum score is required for admission, as each student’s score will be evaluated as a portion of the complete application. This examination is not intended to exclude any applicant from the degree program.
Scores must be received by the application deadline; therefore students should plan accordingly when scheduling their testing dates. Late GRE scores are not accepted, and these applications will not be reviewed.
The institution code for the University of Colorado Denver where scores should be sent is: 4875. There is no department code for the program.
Information on the GRE can be obtained at www.ets.org/gre.

English Language Requirement

International Applicants to the MSRA-MF degree program whose first language is not English are required to provide evidence of English language competency. The language requirement can be satisfied as follows:
- Submitting TOEFL scores (minimum score of 71 IBT or 525 PBT.)
- Submitting IELTS scores (minimum 6.0.)
- Graduation from a CU Denver approved English language program with a recommendation letter from the program’s director.
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution in the United States.
- Following the Graduate School Policy, the English language requirement is waived for international students who have graduated from a foreign institution where the language of instruction for their bachelor’s degree was English. These students are required to provide a letter from their home institution verifying this information.
- International students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in the United States or completed at least one year of study in a master’s program at an accredited institution in the United States may demonstrate English language competency via submission of their transcripts from the U.S. institution.
Evidence of English language competency should be uploaded in the online application.
Please contact the Office of International Admissions for more information.

Transcripts

Applicants must have two (2) official academic transcripts from each college or university attended.
Foreign language transcripts must be translated word by word into English by a certified translator. The translator should not attempt to convert grades into the American system.
Transcripts should be uploaded in the online application.
Please contact the Office of International Admissions for more information.

Cover Letter

Applicants must submit a typed, double-spaced cover letter detailing the following:
- Professional/educational background
- Reason for wanting to participate in program
- Research interests
The cover letter should be uploaded in the online application.

Resume

Students are required to submit a typed resume as it relates to the field of forensic science. The resume must include educational background, work experience and relevant skills. Students are also welcome to include any published works, scholarly/creative work, exhibitions, awards, or other relevant achievements.
The resume should be chronological, beginning with educational background and progressing to employment history. Please refrain from “functional” resumes, or those that simply summarize qualities or competencies.
The resume should be uploaded in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

References: The required three letters of recommendation should be written by responsible persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional accomplishments.
The names and e-mail addresses of all three reference providers must be included in the online International Student Graduate Application for Admission. Once the full application package is submitted, an e-mail message will automatically be generated to the three reference providers with a secure link to the online recommendation form and letter upload tool. Applicants are advised to submit the online application early enough to allow each reference provider time to submit the letter prior to the deadline.
All three (3) reference providers must complete their letters of recommendation by doing both of the following:
- Online Recommendation Form: This is an online multiple-choice form where the recommender will be asked to evaluate certain indicators of success for the applicant.
- Personal Letter: This should be a formal, narrative letter uploaded by the recommender via the online recommendation form.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted online directly by each of the reference providers; letters cannot be submitted by the applicant.
Incomplete letters of recommendation will not be considered, and the application will not be reviewed.

Two (2) Technical Writing Samples

The applicant must provide two (2) samples of material authored by the applicant that demonstrate scientific/non-fictional writing skills. These could be undergraduate research papers, published or unpublished articles, grant proposals, prepared reports or affidavits, etc.
Each writing sample must be 1,000 words or more, and provided in English.
The technical writing samples should be uploaded in the online application.

Applications which do not include all of the requirements listed above, or that include partial components, are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

International Students must submit all application components in English, where applicable.

Transcripts, cover letter, recommendation letters, and evidence of English language proficiency should be uploaded in the online application. Should the technological resources be unavailable, the applicant should send the documents to the University using the following mailing address:

University of Colorado Denver
International Admissions
Campus Box A005/141
P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364
USA

Curriculum

The master of science in recording arts, media forensics emphasis, comprises 33 semester hours: 29 hours are required courses and 4 hours are thesis. All courses must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better and students must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Grades of C+ (2.3) or lower, or a cumulative GPA below 3.0, will result in the student’s dismissal from the program. Students are admitted to the program in the Fall as a cohort, and must follow the curriculum in sequence.

Curriculum and application requirements for the master of science in recording arts, media forensics emphasis, are subject to change. Refer to the National Center for Media Forensics website at http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/CAM/Centers/ncmf/Pages/ncmf.aspx for up-to-date information regarding curriculum and application requirements.