Texas Forensic Science Commission
I. General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam II - Effective January 1, 2023
As of January 1, 2023, candidates for licensure must take and pass the General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam II (GFALE II). GFALE II exam candidates can access study materials by following the instructions below and can individually register for the exam using the registration link below. The exam is a remotely administered test that can be taken from a computer that utilizes exam security software administered through Blackboard. You do not need the assistance of your laboratory management to register for and take the exam. *In certain circumstances where the laboratory is unable to permit individuals to take the exam on their own computer or the laboratory issued device(s) or computer(s) present security barriers that prevent individuals from taking the exam using the Respondus exam security software, a laboratory manager may request to administer and proctor the test.
GFALE II REGISTRATION FORM LINK
NOTE:
- Please allow at least (7) days advance notice to schedule your exam.
- If you are located outside of Texas, please request your exam time with the understanding exam times are scheduled for the Central Time zone.
- If you fail to successfully download the required software prior to your exam date you will not be given additional time on test day.
- You may be required to reschedule for another exam date/time with a (7)-day advance notice using the GFALE II REGISTRATION FORM LINK above.
Exam Security and Technology Instructions
*In certain circumstances where the laboratory is unable to permit individuals to take the exam on their own computer or the laboratory issued device(s) or computer(s) present security barriers that prevent individuals from taking the exam using the Respondus exam security software, a laboratory manager may request to administer and proctor the test. For instructions on laboratory-proctored exams, see section V. of this page below.
II. General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam II Study Materials
To access GFALE II Study Materials --
To create your account if you don't already have one (refrain from creating multiple TopClass registrations, if you need assistance to reset your password, contact TFSC at Licensing@fsc.texas.gov):
- Go to the TopClass Learning Management System website
- Click the "Register Now" button
- Fill out the form to create your account username and password
Once you have an account, to access the study materials:
- Log into your account in TopClass
- Click the magnifying glass ("Catalog") in the lefthand menu.
- In the search bar in the Catalog page, type "GFALE II" and the course will pop up.
- Click "ENROLL" or "APPLY".
The materials will be added to your "Learning" tab in TopClass.
III. Student Exam Eligibility
Undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible to sit for the General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam one time if they meet the following requirements:
- Enrollment at an accredited university
- Completed coursework within 24 credit hours of graduating
To apply for approval to take the exam as a student:
First, email your request to take the exam to licensing@fsc.texas.gov, along with proof you have completed enough coursework to be within 24 hours of graduation from an accredited university. Please send proof in the form of a transcript or otherwise. We must be able to see the total hours needed for graduation based on the document(s) you send.
If you meet the requirements for enrollment at an accredited university and are within 24 hours of graduation, to register for the General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam, you must designate a University representative from your school and have them send a request for your specific exam date and time to licensing@fsc.texas.gov, along with a completed copy of the Student Exam Administration Request spreadsheet.
- Student Exam Administration Request spreadsheet (to be completed and returned by proctor/university representative).
University representatives must be a university official (including professors) willing to sign a confidentiality agreement to administer the exam for you at a designated time and place at the University. Once we have your exam scheduled with a University proctor, we will send exam information and further instructions directly to the proctor/university representative.
All exams are taken electronically through the Commission’s Blackboard platform using an exam security software.
IV. Exam Eligibility for Disciplines Not Required to be Accredited
Beginning April 1, 2021, an employee of a crime laboratory accredited under Texas law that performs forensic analysis in a forensic discipline not subject to accreditation or licensing requirements by the Commission is eligible for the General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam II and Modified General Forensic Analyst Licensing Exam II if the analyst is authorized to perform independent casework in one of the following forensic disciplines:
(i) forensic anthropology;
(ii) crime scene investigation and crime scene reconstruction;
(iii) latent print processing and latent print examination;
(iv) digital evidence (including computer forensics, audio, or imaging);
(v) breath specimen testing under Transportation Code, Chapter 724, limited to analysts who perform breath alcohol calibrations; and
(vi) document examination, including document authentication, physical comparison, and product determination.
To register for and study for the exam, candidates should follow the regular instructions outlined in Sections I. and II. above.
V. Special Requests for Laboratory Proctored Exams
Special Requests for Laboratory-Proctored Exams
In certain circumstances where the laboratory is unable to permit individuals to take the exam on their own computer or the laboratory issued device(s) or computer(s) present security barriers that prevent individuals from taking the exam using the Respondus exam security software, a laboratory manager may request to administer and proctor the test. Commission staff may designate a laboratory representative (typically a laboratory manager) as an exam proctor to administer the test to an examinee on a designated test date and time by special request. To request a laboratory proctored test date and time, please submit the request form at the link below for review and approval at least seven (7) business days in advance of the exam date and time you are requesting:
LABORATORY-PROCTORED EXAM REQUEST FORM (LINK FOR LAB MANAGERS)
Please direct all individual examinees regardless of whether they will take the test in-person at the laboratory to follow the regular instructions above to register and obtain a Blackboard account for the test registration at the GFALE II REGISTRATION FORM LINK (LINK FOR INDIVIDUAL TEST TAKERS). The must follow these steps to obtain a Blackboard user account and password.