Undergraduate Programs
Student Learning Outcomes
Bachelor of Science in Forensic and Investigative Sciences
Students who graduate from the Forensic and Investigative program will learn:
- Forensic Science System - Understand the general overview of the forensic science system.
- Explain and describe areas in forensic science.
- Understand the fundamentals of crime laboratory culture and organization.
- Understand 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.
- Prepare a resume and coverletter for a job in forensic science.
- Demonstrate proper interviewing skills for a job in forensic science.
- Forensic Chemistry - Understand how chemical and instrumental techniques can be applied to forensic chemical evidence.
- Describe the possible job functions of a chemist in a forensic science laboratory.
- Describe 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 the principles, instrumentation and applications of chromatographic techniques such as TLC, HPLC, and GC.
- Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of spectroscopic techniques such as UV/vis/fluorescence, FTIR and Raman.
- Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of mass spectrometry using EI and ESI ionization.
- 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.
- Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of microscopic techniques such as light microscopy, polarized light microscopy, hot stage microscopy and microspectrophotometry.
- Demonstrate the ability to prepare and examine samples using microscopic techniques such as light microscopy, polarized light microscopy, hot stage microscopy and microspectrophotometry.
- Describe the chemical composition, origins and significance of the most commonly encountered types of trace evidence such as ink, paint, fibers, explosives, ignitable liquids, glass and hairs.
- 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.
- Pattern Evidence - Understand pattern evidence in forensic science and the appropriate analytical techniques.
- Explain, evaluate, and identify characteristics of fingerprints.
- Understand the application of firearm and toolmark analysis used in forensic science.
- Describe forensic techniques used on questioned documents.
- Understand the application of impression evidence such as tiretreads and footwear.
- Forensic Biology - Understand how to identify and analyze forensic biological evidence.
- 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 identification of the species of biological evidence.
- 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.
- Photography and Imaging - Explain and implement the basic and advanced principles of photography and imaging in the processing of a crime scene.
- Describe the basic elements of the theory of photography.
- Understand and describe the photographic process.
- Describe and apply the principles of photography to crime scene analysis.
- Describe how the techniques and methods of processing images are used on photographic evidence obtained at a crime scene.
- Ethics - Understand the importance of ethics in the practice of forensic science.
- 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.
- Forensic Science and the Law - Understand how criminal and civil laws and procedures are applied to Forensic Science.
- Apply the evidentiary rules and law of evidence in the 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 and 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.
- Research - Understand how to conduct forensic science research.
- Conduct a literature search on a forensic scinece research topic.
- Participate in the design of a research project.
- Carry out experiments to properly collect data.
- Ability to document research data.
- Ability to evaluate and interpret research data.
- Effectively communicate research results through written, oral and visual presentations.