Forensic Science

Faculty: Mykal Gernaat, M.A.

Forensic Sciences 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 tracks are directed to preparing the student to work either as a crime scene investigator or in a laboratory environment, or to continue their education at the graduate school level. As such, the majors, minor and concentration focuses 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. The concentration in the area focuses on assisting those students who want to primarily go into law enforcement as a police officer to be able to use science in the process of solving crimes but do not want to become immersed in the required sciences.

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.

Forensics Major/Minor Program Outcomes (all tracks)

  • Describe connections between science and other disciplines, and express the relevance of science to daily life and health.
  • Work effectively in groups, collaborating in team investigations as well as providing constructive feedback to peers, utilizing constructive feedback from peers, and developing self-assessment skills.
  • Interpret scientific information accurately, drawing logical conclusions. Interpret laboratory data accurately, and draw logical conclusions.
  • Practice analytical laboratory skills. Critique scientific literature thoroughly, and distinguish between credible and non-credible scientific information. Analyze the experiments of other scientists.
  • Integrate fundamental scientific knowledge in the solution of scientific and criminal problems, making use of crime scene investigation techniques, evidence collection and preservation methods, and proper techniques of data gathering and analysis.
  • Communicate scientific information with clarity, accuracy, and conciseness, both orally and in writing. Critique scientific literature thoroughly, and consider the impact on the lay public of inaccurate or biased communication of scientific information.
  • Evaluate actual and hypothetical ethical issues related to science technology, and argue convincingly on more than one side of a given issue, drawing upon scientific knowledge and personal belief systems.
  • Evaluate the impact of current technologies on human society and the environment, and consider the questions and problems society will face as technology advances.

Degree Requirements

Forensic Science Track (B.S.)

BIO 151GENERAL BIOLOGY I4
BIO 152GENERAL BIOLOGY II4
CHM 111GENERAL CHEMISTRY I4
CHM 112GENERAL CHEMISTRY II4
CRJ 100INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYST3
FSC 201INTRO TO FORENSIC SCIENCE3
FSC 310IMPRESSION EVIDENCE LAB ANALYS3
FSC 320PATTERNED EVIDENCE LAB ANALYSI3
FSC 330BLOOD, BDY FLUID & DNA LB ANAL3
FSC 340FORENSIC BIOLOGY & MICROSCOPY3
FSC 350FRSC CHEM & INSTRUMENTATION3
FSC 360PHYSICAL EVIDENCE LAB ANALY3
FSC 430FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY W/ LAB3
FSC 499SR CAPSTONE SEMINAR3
MTH 241CALCULUS I4
MTH 252STAT METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES3
Two of the following sets:16
Option 1:
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II
Option 2:
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
Option 3:
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
BIOCHEMISTRY I
Approved FSC Electives:3
INTERVIEWING AND INTERROGATION
SPECIAL TOPICS:
SPECIAL TOPICS
INTERNSHIP IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
Total Credits Required:72

Forensic Science Biology Track (B.S.)

BIO 151GENERAL BIOLOGY I4
BIO 152GENERAL BIOLOGY II4
BIO 221CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY4
BIO 311GENETICS4
BIO 499SENIOR THESIS3
or FSC 499 SR CAPSTONE SEMINAR
CHM 111GENERAL CHEMISTRY I4
CHM 112GENERAL CHEMISTRY II4
CHM 261ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I4
CHM 262ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II4
CHM 350QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS4
CHM 401BIOCHEMISTRY I4
CRJ 100INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYST3
FSC 201INTRO TO FORENSIC SCIENCE3
FSC 310IMPRESSION EVIDENCE LAB ANALYS3
FSC 320PATTERNED EVIDENCE LAB ANALYSI3
FSC 330BLOOD, BDY FLUID & DNA LB ANAL3
FSC 340FORENSIC BIOLOGY & MICROSCOPY3
FSC 360PHYSICAL EVIDENCE LAB ANALY3
MTH 241CALCULUS I4
MTH 252STAT METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES3
Approved Electives for Major4
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I ((And))
HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II
MICROBIOLOGY
SPECIAL TOPICS:
IMMUNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
CELL BIOLOGY
VIROLOGY
CONSERVATION ECOLOGY
RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY
BIOCHEMISTRY II
FRSC CHEM & INSTRUMENTATION
SPECIAL TOPICS
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY W/ LAB
INTERNSHIP IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
CLASSICAL & MODERN PHYSICS I (And)
CLASSICAL & MODERN PHYSICS II
Total Credits Required:75

Forensic Science Chemistry Track (B.S.)

BIO 151GENERAL BIOLOGY I4
BIO 152GENERAL BIOLOGY II4
CHM 111GENERAL CHEMISTRY I4
CHM 112GENERAL CHEMISTRY II4
CHM 261ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I4
CHM 262ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II4
CHM 350QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS4
CHM 401BIOCHEMISTRY I4
CHM 499SENIOR THESIS1-3
or FSC 499 SR CAPSTONE SEMINAR
CRJ 100INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYST3
FSC 201INTRO TO FORENSIC SCIENCE3
FSC 310IMPRESSION EVIDENCE LAB ANALYS3
FSC 320PATTERNED EVIDENCE LAB ANALYSI3
FSC 330BLOOD, BDY FLUID & DNA LB ANAL3
FSC 350FRSC CHEM & INSTRUMENTATION3
FSC 360PHYSICAL EVIDENCE LAB ANALY3
MTH 241CALCULUS I4
MTH 252STAT METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES3
PHS 241CLASSICAL & MODERN PHYSICS I4
PHS 300CLASSICAL & MODERN PHYSICS II4
Approved Electives for Major3
FORENSIC BIOLOGY & MICROSCOPY
SPECIAL TOPICS
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY W/ LAB
INTERNSHIP IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
Total Credits Required:72-74

Forensic Sciences Minor

CRJ 100INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYST3
CRJ 251CRIMINAL EVIDENCE & PROCEDURE3
FSC 201INTRO TO FORENSIC SCIENCE3
FSC 310IMPRESSION EVIDENCE LAB ANALYS3
FSC 320PATTERNED EVIDENCE LAB ANALYSI3
FSC 330BLOOD, BDY FLUID & DNA LB ANAL3
Approved FSC elective3
Total Credits Required:21

Approved Forensic Science Minor Electives

CRJ 381INTERVIEWING AND INTERROGATION3
CRJ 392SPECIAL TOPICS:1-3
FSC 392SPECIAL TOPICS1-3
FSC 430FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY W/ LAB3
FSC 495INTERNSHIP IN FORENSIC SCIENCE1-15

Forensic Investigation Concentration

(only available with a major in Criminal Justice)

CRJ 100INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYST3
CRJ 261PATROL OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES3
CRJ 451CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION3
FSC 201INTRO TO FORENSIC SCIENCE3
FSC 300PHYSICAL EVIDENCE3
FSC 310IMPRESSION EVIDENCE LAB ANALYS3
FSC 320PATTERNED EVIDENCE LAB ANALYSI3
FSC 430FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY W/ LAB3
Total Credits Required:24
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