Courses In Forensic Programs
UndergraduateEducatirm In Forensic Science and Chemistry Peter J. Deslo Department of Chemistry University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Science1 Malhematics
Chemistry Generalllab
R. E. Gaensslen
Criminal Justice
Specialty
Law Enforcement Science Biology 1.llllab Introduction Precalculus Criminal Procedure*
Investigation
Statistics
Forens. Sci. 1.11
Criminal Law Criminology
CmpaRment of Forensk Science University of New Haven West Haven. CT
Constitutional Law' Criminal ,justice
Henry C. Leo Connecticut State Police Science Labwatory Meriden, CT There is no generally agreed upon standard curriculum for forensic science programs, but persons responsible for defining forensic science programs have designed them to be heavily scientific in orientation?-3 Because forensic science is a broad, interdisciplinary field and because i t is clear that forensic science majors must have a good fundamental education in the basic sciences.. all nroerams contain courses in . the biological sciences, physics, a& chemistry. Chemistry courses are eenerallv dominant. In addition. several courses peculiar t o t h e forensic science and the legal system are usually included. Our interrelated programs in forensic science, which will be described below, reflect these general trends. The Law Enforcement Science and Forensic Science programs are designed principally for investigative and police personnel and for those seeking careers as laboratory scientists or examiners, respectively. The Forensic SciencelChemistrv oroeram is more scientificallv rieorous than the Forensic Science Program and is desighed-for those who want to have the equivalent of a complete chemistry major. The accompanying table shows the courses that are included in the three programs and is structured to show the progression of scientific rigor moving from Law Enforcement through Forensic Chemistry. Students majoring in Forensic Science take law enforcement courses along with additional courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics, The table also shows that our chemistry requirements are inclose agreement with those courses suggested for certification by the Committee on Professional Training of the ACS. Biochemistry and organic qualitative analysis (including the use of appropriate instruments) are the two courses that we feel are of great importance in the forensic laboratow. Forensic%cience~~hernistr~ students follow the same pro"
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Intro. Forens. Sci. FingerprintsP
Crime Scene Investigation Forensic Seminar
Seminar. Fmnsic Science (in addition to above) Ad". Forensic Organic 1,llllab Physics 1,llllab Science Analyticalllab Cslwius i.11 Forensic Instrumentalllab Histology Medicine Immunology ktemship Qual.Organic Biochemistry Genetics Fwensic Science/Fwensic Chemislry (in addition to above) Physical 1,illlab Calculus Ill Adv. Organic Diff. Equations Adv. Analytical lnoroanic .NOt
ordinarily taken by Forensic Sdenoe or Forensic SclencelForensls ChemisW
mim.
gram as Forensic Science majors but must take a number of additional courses. The number of chemistrv courses required for the programs, along with the accompanying mathematics and other sciences, increases ~roaressivelyin moving from Law Enforcement Science through Forensic Science, to Forensic ScienceIChemistry, as does the number of required credits. Law Enforcement Science is a 122-credit program, while Forensic ScienceIChemistry requires almost 140 credits and cannot be easilv comnleted bv most students in four years without summer sessions. Deeree oroerams for the education and training- of fire " scene and arson investigators and of fire-prevention personnel are related to forensic science and. thus, we include three programs in these areas. The Administration program combines courses in basic sciences, arson analysis, fire suppression, protection, insurance, and codes, in addition to public management and business courses. The Fire Technology program integrates certain features of the Administration propram but is more technical and engineering-oriented, ;eq;iringmathematics through calculus and some courses in civil engineering. The Arson program is designed for field investieators and is related to the Law Enforcement Science program. Our abilitv to ooerate this combination of interrelated programs su~cessfuilyhas depended on a close working relationshin between the chemistry and forensic science departments ?a highly desirable state of affairs in any academic setting), and on careful attention to student advising. Students who have completed the Forensic Science or Forensic Chemistry programs over the past several years have, for the most part, been successful in finding employment or in applying to graduate or professional schools, both here and abroad. A
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Turner, R. F., "Forensic ScienceEducation-A Perspective," pp. 1-7; McGee, W. W., "Educators in Forensic Science-The Men in the Middle." pp. 10-21; and Saferstein,R. andEpstein, R., "An introductory Forensic Science Course in a Law Enforcement Program," pp. 22-27; in Davies, G. (Editor). "Forensic Science," ACS Symposium Series, No. 13, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1975. Peterson,J. L., and De Forest, P. R., J. Forens Sci., 22, 17 (1977). Peterson, J. L., and Angelos, S. A,, J. Forens. Sci., 28, 552 (1983).
Volume 62
Number 12 December 1965
1053
