Master of Science in Forensic Science

This course introduces the participant to forensic science paradigms, crime scene investigation and evidence recognition. Collection, documentation and processing evidence are addressed. The course will include an introduction to crime scene photography. Students will be oriented in professional values, concepts, and ethics.

Prerequisite(s): Admittance to the Forensic Science graduate program.

The course introduces the participant to the forensic science paradigms regarding evidence processing, including lab practices, statistical evaluation of the evidence, and scene reconstruction.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 505 Fundamentals of Crime Scene Investigation.

In the course, the elements of violent crimes will be reviewed, as well as criminal procedure, constitutional and statutory limitations of criminal investigation, the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, and writing search warrants and affidavits. The requirements of conviction, or burden of proof (criminal vs. civil standards), and rules and policies pertaining to evidence will be studied.

Prerequisite(s): Admittance to the Forensic Science graduate program.

This course provides an overview of death investigation. The specialties of forensic pathology, forensic odontology, forensic anthropology, and forensic entomology are introduced and the expectations of the death investigator regarding the specialist outlined. Forensic science technique related to identifying the victim(s), establishing time of death, cause and manner of death, postmortem interval, and presumptive and confirmed identifications are presented.

Prerequisite(s): Admittance to the Forensic Science graduation program.

In this course, the participants will develop a summary of salient facts in a case investigation reconstruction. The summary will include a timeline of the crime event and subsequent investigation, an index of physical evidence with results of forensic analyses citing potential for additional testing due to new technology, a listing of witnesses, suspects and persons of interest with suggestions for further interviews and new investigative leads.

Prerequisite(s): Admittance to the Forensic Science graduation program.

This course is designed to present the students with a real life crime to work from beginning to end. Students will be assigned to groups that include representatives from the behavioral sciences, biology/chemistry, and investigative sciences tracks. Each investigative team will be assigned a case to work for the duration of the course. This will include processing the scene, processing and evaluating evidence, developing victim and offender profiles, following up on leads, and seeing the case through to completion in either a grand jury or court room simulation.

Prerequisite(s): Satisfactory completion of FORSC 505 Fundamentals of Crime Scene Investigation, FORSC 506 Fundamentals of Evidence Processing, FORSC 507 Criminal Law and the Law of Evidence, FORSC 508 Medicolegal Death Investigation, FORSC 509 Cold Case Practicum, and FORSC 597 Internship.

The internship consists of 90 contact hours in a medical examiner's or coroner's office. The student will participate in the activities of the office and observe a minimum of six autopsies. The course will allow the student to put into practice the theoretical material learned in the prerequisite courses. The student will turn in a reflective essay about their internship. This will be a synopsis of what the student learned over the course of the internship. The paper will discuss what materials learned during the master's program were reinforced by the internship and what procedures differed from what was learned in the program.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 505 Fundamentals of Crime Scene Investigation, FORSC 506 Fundamentals of Evidence Processing, FORSC 507 Criminal Law and the Law of Evidence, and FORSC 508 Medicolegal Death Investigation with grades of "B-" or better; proof of completion of the three-shot Hepatitis B series of inoculations (should be completed prior to registration of course; instructor may accept proof that inoculations are in process, with the understanding that they will be completed when student leaves for internship). A current tetanus is recommended. Some internship sites may require a recent TB test and/or other additional requirements.

This course will explore the place of analytical chemical concepts and instrumentation in the robust and dependable identification and quantification of those biological and chemical compounds that are of interest for forensic investigations. The use of statistical techniques, including Bayesian statistics, are examined in the forensic context. Forensic evidence collection and chain-of-custody requirements are examined. Laboratory exercises include familiarization with chromatographic and mass-spectrometric techniques and instruments.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 505 Fundamentals of Crime Scene Investigation, FORSC 506 Fundamentals of Evidence Processing, FORSC 507 Criminal Law and the Law of Evidence, FORSC 508 Medicolegal Death Investigation, FORSC 509 Cold Case Practicum, and FORSC 597 Internship, with grades of "B-" or better in each course.

Forensic serology has remained one of the most important areas in the crime laboratory because of the significant information which the analysis of blood and body fluids can provide in examining what has happened at a crime scene. Course content includes the biology and biochemistry of blood and other body fluids, as well as various presumptive and confirmatory laboratory testing methods. The broader context of collection of trace evidence and the analysis of such evidence is also provided. Laboratory exercises provide experience in evidence collection, packaging, laboratory analyses, interpretation, and testimony.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 540 Analytical Sciences as Bases for Forensic Analyses with a grade of "B-" or better, or permission of the instructor.

In recent years, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology has become important to individualize crime scene evidence. This course explores the structure of DNA and RNA, the technology of DNA profiling, testing of forensic DNA samples, and understanding the results and discerning the relevant information in a forensic context. The statistical examination of profiling results is combined with a study of human genetics. Laboratory exercises provide experience in handling of evidence under chain-of-custody rules, search for and analysis of bodily fluids on evidentiary items, DNA-profiling of the evidence, calculation of statistical significance, and finally - testimony.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 540 Analytical Sciences as Bases for Forensic Analyses and FORSC 541 Advanced Forensic Biology with grades of "B-" or better; Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry, or permission of the instructor.

This course will explore the use of modern chemical techniques in the identification and quantification of chemical compounds of interest, in or on objects of forensic importance. These include the classified groups of substances as defined in the Controlled Substance Act, various deadly substances, and substances appearing at fire and arson scenes. Techniques for the investigation of illegal clandestine laboratories will be studied. In laboratory exercises students will be introduced to presumptive and confirmatory tests, utilizing laboratory techniques from simple color tests to chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses.

Prerequisite(s): FORSC 540 Analytical Sciences as Bases for Forensic Analyses and FORSC 541 Advanced Forensic Biology, or permission of the instructor.

An opportunity for a student to engage in an individually arranged internship in an area closely aligned with his/her interests and goals. Students will also engage in a final research project in an area of interest to them. Students will split the internship time and research time, as agreed upon through a contract with the program director. One of the requirements for graduation is a formal presentation of the research project. This presentation may occur at a local, regional, nation, or international conference. The most likely place the presentation will occur is in front of program students, faculty, and interested community member at the annual Nebraska Wesleyan University Forensic Science Symposium. May not be repeated.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor of program director and completion of two courses in chosen track.