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Undergraduate

Student Learning Outcomes
Forensic and Investigative Sciences

Students who graduate from the Forensic and Investigative Sciences program will learn:

1. General Forensic Science System

  • Explain and describe areas in forensic science
  • Understanding the fundamentals of crime laboratory culture and organization
  • Understanding the role of forensic science in crime scene investigation
  • Explain and be able to classify evidence
  • Explain and describe quality assurance and control used in forensic science laboratories
  • Describe the possible job functions of a chemist in a forensic science laboratory
  • Understanding of the application of firearm and toolmark analysis used in forensic science
  • Describe forensic techniques used on questioned documents
  • Understanding of the application of impression evidence such as firearms, toolmarks, tire treads and footwear
  • Ability to define ethics
  • Describe how ethics are applied in the analysis of forensic evidence
  • Describe how the criminal and civil laws govern the collection, preservation and admissibility of evidence
  • Describe how the rules of evidence have affected the admissibility of scientific and technical evidence historically
  • Describe the possible job functions of a forensic biologist in a forensic science laboratory
  • Describe how to recognize, collect and preserve biological evidence
  • Describe the principles and techniques of blood spatter pattern analysis
  • Describe the principles and techniques of identification of body fluids
  • Describe the principles and techniques of DNA isolation from various biological evidence
  • Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of DNA typing techniques
  • Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of microscopic techniques such as light microscopy, polarized light microscopy, hot stage microscopy and microspectrophotometry

2. Forensic Chemistry

  • Explain the possible job functions of a chemist in a forensic science laboratory
  • Understanding of how statistical techniques can be used to describe the quality of data, classify samples or determine proper sampling protocol
  • Explain the chemical principles behind acid-base, liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and solid-vapor extractions
  • Explain and describe the principles, instrumentation and applications of chromatographic techniques such as TLC, HPLC, and GC
  • Explain and describe the principles, instrumentation and applications of spectroscopic techniques such as UV/VIS, FTIR and microspectrophotometry
  • Explain and describe the principles, instrumentation and applications of mass spectrometry using EI and ESI ionization
  • Explain and describe the chemical structures, properties and origins of the most commonly encountered illicit drugs
  • Explain and describe the chemical composition, origins and significance of the most commonly encountered types of trace evidence such as ink, paint, fibers, explosives, accelerants, soil glass and hairs
  • Understanding of the application of firearm toolmark, tiretread, and footwear analysis used in forensic science
  • Explain and describe forensic techniques on questioned documents
  • Demonstrate the ability to prepare and examine samples using analytical techniques such as TLC, GC/MS, Pyrolysis-GC/FID, LC/MS, FTIR, Raman, and UV/VIS/fluorescence Spectroscopy
  • Determine the appropriate chemical analytical scheme to be used on physical evidence
  • Successfully apply the chemical and instrumental techniques described above on mock case work
  • Explain, evaluate, and identify characteristics of fingerprints

3. Forensic Biology

  • Describe the possible job functions of a forensic biologist in a forensic science laboratory
  • Describe how to recognize, collect and preserve biological evidence
  • Describe the principles and techniques of identification of body fluids
  • Describe the principles and techniques of DNA Extraction
  • Describe the principles and techniques of the amplification of human DNA for the purposes of forensic identification
  • Describe the principles and techniques of DNA isolation from various biological evidence
  • Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of DNA typing techniques
  • Describe how statistics and population genetics can be used for data interpretation

4. Forensic Microscopy

  • Prepare and examine samples using techniques such as stereomicroscopy, compound light microscopy, and polarized light microscopy
  • Explain the principles and applications of microscopic techniques such as stereomicroscopy, compound light microscopy, and polarized light microscopy on forensic trace evidence
  • Demonstrate the ability to prepare and examine samples using microscopic techniques, stereomicroscopy, compound light microscopy, and polarized light microscopy; samples should include: physical matches, fibers, hairs, glass, spermatozoa, minerals, microcrystals, and impressions

5. Law and Ethics in Forensic Science

  • Understand the fundamentals of crime laboratory culture and organization
  • Explain and describe quality assurance and control used in forensic science laboratories
  • Define ethics
  • Describe how ethics are applied in the analysis of forensic evidence.
  • Describe how ethics are applied to the presentation of expert testimony in court
  • Describe the major features of the Code of Ethics of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and of other major forensic science organizations
  • Apply the evidentiary rules and law of evidence in collection of evidence, examination of the evidence, and preparation of scientific reports and testimony
  • Describe the kinds of evidence that require a scientific foundation for its admission
  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct accurate, comprehensive ad focused scientific investigations and apply appropriate rules of evidence
  • Interpret and implement standards of forensic practice as established by the rules of evidence
  • Apply knowledge of forensic science to case scenarios

6. Capstone in Forensic Science

  • Conduct literature search on a forensic science research project
  • Participate in the design of a forensic science research project
  • Effectively communicate research through written, oral and visual presentation
  • List the expectations of employers when conducting the hiring process
  • Name ways to professionally network and look for jobs
  • Prepare a resume and cover letter for a job in forensic science
  • Demonstrate proper interviewing skills for a job in forensic science
  • General knowledge of forensic science concepts