Undergraduate Programs

Student Learning Outcomes

Forensic and Investigative Sciences

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

  1. Forensic Science System - Understand the general overview of the forensic science system.
    1. Explain and describe areas in forensic science.
    2. Understand the fundamentals of crime laboratory culture and organization.
    3. Understand the role of forensic science in crime scene investigation.
    4. Explain and be able to classify evidence.
    5. Explain and describe quality assurance and control used in forensic science laboratories.
    6. Prepare a resume and coverletter for a job in forensic science.
    7. Demonstrate proper interviewing skills for a job in forensic science.
  2. Forensic Chemistry - Understand how chemical and instrumental techniques can be applied to forensic chemical evidence.
    1. Describe the possible job functions of a chemist in a forensic science laboratory.
    2. Describe how statistical techniques can be used to describe the quality of data, classify samples or determine proper sampling protocol.
    3. Explain the chemical principles behind acid-base, liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and solid-vapor extractions.
    4. Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of chromatographic techniques such as TLC, HPLC, and GC.
    5. Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of spectroscopic techniques such as UV/vis/fluorescence, FTIR and Raman.
    6. Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of mass spectrometry using EI and ESI ionization.
    7. 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.
    8. Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of microscopic techniques such as light microscopy, polarized light microscopy, hot stage microscopy and microspectrophotometry.
    9. Demonstrate the ability to prepare and examine samples using microscopic techniques such as light microscopy, polarized light microscopy, hot stage microscopy and microspectrophotometry.
    10. 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.
    11. Determine the appropriate chemical analytical scheme to be used on physical evidence.
    12. Successfully apply the chemical and instrumental techniques described above on mock case work.
  3. Pattern Evidence - Understand pattern evidence in forensic science and the appropriate analytical techniques.
    1. Explain, evaluate, and identify characteristics of fingerprints.
    2. Understand the application of firearm and toolmark analysis used in forensic science.
    3. Describe forensic techniques used on questioned documents.
    4. Understand the application of impression evidence such as tiretreads and footwear.
  4. Forensic Biology - Understand how to identify and analyze forensic biological evidence.
    1. Describe the possible job functions of a forensic biologist in a forensic science laboratory.
    2. Describe how to recognize, collect and preserve biological evidence.
    3. Describe the principles and techniques of blood spatter pattern analysis.
    4. Describe the principles and techniques of identification of body fluids.
    5. Describe the principles and techniques of identification of the species of biological evidence.
    6. Describe the principles and techniques of DNA isolation from various biological evidence.
    7. Explain the principles, instrumentation and applications of DNA typing techniques.
    8. Describe how statistics and population genetics can be used for data interpretation.
  5. Photography and Imaging - Explain and implement the basic and advanced principles of photography and imaging in the processing of a crime scene.
    1. Describe the basic elements of the theory of photography.
    2. Understand and describe the photographic process.
    3. Describe and apply the principles of photography to crime scene analysis.
    4. Describe how the techniques and methods of processing images are used on photographic evidence obtained at a crime scene.
  6. Ethics - Understand the importance of ethics in the practice of forensic science.
    1. Define ethics.
    2. Describe how ethics are applied in the analysis of forensic evidence.
    3. Describe how ethics are applied to the presentation of expert testimony in court.
    4. Describe the major features of the Code of Ethics of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and of other major forensic science organizations.
  7. Forensic Science and the Law - Understand how criminal and civil laws and procedures are applied to Forensic Science.
    1. Apply the evidentiary rules and law of evidence in the collection of evidence, examination of the evidence, and preparation of scientific reports and testimony.
    2. Describe the kinds of evidence that require a scientific foundation for its admission.
    3. Demonstrate the ability to conduct accurate, comprehensive and focused scientific investigations and apply appropriate rules of evidence.
    4. Interpret and implement standards of forensic practice as established by the rules of evidence.
    5. Apply knowledge of forensic science to case scenarios.
  8. Research - Understand how to conduct forensic science research.
    1. Conduct a literature search on a forensic scinece research topic.
    2. Participate in the design of a research project.
    3. Carry out experiments to properly collect data.
    4. Ability to document research data.
    5. Ability to evaluate and interpret research data.
    6. Effectively communicate research results through written, oral and visual presentations.

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