Fall Scheduling

Meetings:

Lecture, Section 1001: Tuesday 11:30am-12:45pm, Room TBA

Recitation Sections (Enrollment Section, enrollment in one section below enrolls you in lecture section):

Section 1002 Tuesday   1:00 -2:15pm in LSC 133

Section 1003 Thursday 11:30am-12:45pm in LSC 133

Section 1004 Thursday   1:00 -2:15pm in LSC 133

A survey of the field of forensic science--the application of science to the law. Topics include the identification, proper collection/documentation, and analysis of evidence through microscopy, wet chemistry, spectroscopic methods, toxicology, serology, DNA typing, and fingerprinting. Prerequisite: Forensic Science majors specializing in Forensic DNA Analysis, Forensic Drug Analysis, or Forensic Examination; or consent of instructor. Credit allowed for only one of CHEM 1770 or CRJU 3100.

Lecture 6:00-9:00pm Tuesday in LSC 133

Principles, probative value, and methodologies used by crime laboratories in the analysis and comparison of trace evidence.  Lecture-based with hands-on practical exercises.  Prerequisite: CHEM 1770 and Forensic Science majors specializing in Forensic Examination.

Lecture 6:00-9:00pm Wednesday in LSC 133

Principles, probative value, and methodologies used by crime laboratories in the collection, examination, and comparison of ballistics, gunshot residue, and firearms evidence. Lecture-based with hands-on practical exercises. Prerequisites: FSCI majors; Forensic Examination Specialization only.

Meetings:

Lecture, Section 1001/5001: 11:30am-12:45pm Tuesday, room Psychology 108

Recitation Sections (Enrollment Section, enrollment in once section below enrolls you in lecture section):

Section 1002: 11:30-12:45 pm Thursday in LSC 326

Section 1003/5002 (graduate students): 1:00pm -2:15pm Thursday in LSC 326

Overview of the various sub-disciplines that comprise forensic biology and an introduction to biological evidence examination typically performed in a crime laboratory. Lecture-based with hands-on practical exercises. Prerequisite: BIOL 2050 and FSCI majors specializing in Forensic DNA Analysis or Forensic Examination only. Credit cannot be received for the following: BIOL 4230 or FSCI 5230.

NOTE- the BIOL 4230 sections are for non-majors only. Forensic Science students should request to be enrolled in the FSCI sections.  

Lecture 11:30am-12:20pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday in LSC 133

Overview of why some drugs are addictive, how addiction can be treated, and the social and toxicological consequences of drug addiction.  Prerequisite: CHEM 1770 and Forensic Science majors specializing in Forensic Drug Analysis.

Lecture 6:00-9:00pm Monday, Room Overman Hall 095

Examination of the interface of law, science, and ethics in Forensic Science. Overview of the legal aspects of physical evidence including rules of evidence, procedural rules, and the role of expert witnesses. Focus on ethics, professional responsibility and codes of conduct, and bias related to forensic science. Prerequisite: FSCI Majors only. Credit cannot be earned for both FSCI 4400 and FSCI 5400.

Course Description:

Forensic science is the application of science to the law.  In this course, students will review and discuss significant current research/case studies in a discipline of forensic science that interests them. Students will use that information to produce a work of scholarly writing to serve as the capstone academic experience as a Forensic Science major.  Additionally, we will explore career opportunities, resume preparation, job interviewing skills, and some general forensic topics such as quality assurance and ethics.

This course will be remote, meeting via Zoom once a week on Wednesday 8:30-9:20am

NOTE- This is a culminating experience course that must be taken by accelerated MS students, and honors students, although honors students will register as FSCI 4700 H.

ADDITIONALLY- Accelerated students will be required to attend the Friday research meetings 2:30-3:30pm.

Students receive credit for an external internship via FSCI 4890: This course provides Forensic Science majors with hands-on experience in a professional setting. Prerequisite: FSCI majors only, consent of the instructor. Graded S/U. Note: A background check may be required by the employing organization

FSCI 4890 is an external internship that students find themselves, usually at a crime laboratory although other options may be allowed at the discretion of the faculty advisor. External internships are off-campus experiential learning activities designed to provide students with opportunities to make connections between the theory and practice of forensic science study and the practical application of that study in a professional work environment. External internships offer the opportunity to observe real-life applications while gaining relevant experience and professional connections. External internships are completed under the guidance of an on-site supervisor and a BGSU instructor, who in combination with the student will create a framework for learning and reflection. The specific topics covered will be dependent upon the individual experience. Students must complete and submit the signed “Employer Internship Agreement” (below) for review and approval by the first day of the semester in which the internship is to take place. Generally, for an internship to be approved for course credit and to satisfy the requirements of a culminating experience it must meet the following requirements and a student must agree to the terms found in the BSFS Student Handbook.

If you would like to gain credit for an external internship to count for credit in FSCI 4890 please do the following:

1. Apply for internship and move through process to obtain internship position.

2. Email Christina at cguinsl@bgsu.edu with job description, internship supervisor and contact information.

3. Information will be sent to your faculty mentor and if approved, Christina will enroll you in FSCI 4890.

4. Complete the Employer Internship Agreement prior to the first day of the semester. See BSFS Handbook.

5. Complete internship externally including the required documents that are found in the BSFS Handbook.

Meets Wednesday 12:30-3:20pm in LSC 133, Mr. Lynn will be instructing.

Course Description:

This course intends to develop students' abilities to properly conduct biological and/or chemical analyses as applied to the law. Students will use, troubleshoot, and maintain instrumentation; handle, analyze, and compare mock evidence samples; draw conclusions, apply statistics, and report results. The course will culminate in a moot court experience where students provide expert testimony. Prerequisite: BIOL 4240 or FSCI 4240 or FSCI 4300 or FSCI 4100.

NOTE- This is the culminating experience that was previously known as FSCI 4890/Internal Internship.

Lecture Monday 6:00-9:00pm in LSC 133

This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the practical aspects crime scene investigation. This course is a blend of classroom instruction, laboratory exercises, and hands-on crime scene investigation. Students should expect varied topics that include evidence handling, photography, sketching, fingerprinting, impression evidence, biological fluid identification, blood-stain pattern analysis, and ballistics/trajectory analysis. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MSFS program or consent of instructor.

Lab 9:30 to 11:20am Tuesday and Thursday in LSC 133

This course intends to develop students' abilities to properly conduct chemical analyses as applied to the law. The course requires knowledge and experience from a broad range of subjects, including: the scope of chemistry in the law; the use and limitations of chemical analyses and expert testimony; using, troubleshooting, and maintaining instrumentation; handling, analyzing, and comparing evidence; drawing conclusions and reporting results; and providing expert testimony. Four contact hours per week. Prerequisite: FSCI 6300.

NOTE- Grad students should choose to enroll in either FSCI 6510 or 6520, not both. Students should pick the lab based on the section of forensic science desired for future jobs and/or type of thesis research project desired. Please consult instructor on choice.

Lab 9:30-11:20am Tuesday and Thursday in LSC 326

Course Description:

This course intends to develop students' abilities to properly conduct biological analyses as applied to the law. The course requires knowledge and experience from a broad range of subjects, including: the scope of biology in the law; the use and limitations of biological analyses and expert testimony; using, troubleshooting, and maintaining instrumentation; handling, analyzing, and comparing evidence; drawing conclusions and reporting results; and providing expert testimony. Four contact hours per week. Prerequisite: FSCI 5230 and FSCI 6200.

NOTE- Grad students should choose to enroll in either FSCI 6510 or 6520, not both. Students should pick the lab based on the section of forensic science desired for future jobs and/or type of thesis research project desired. Please consult instructor on choice.

Course Description

In this course, students will work in cooperation with the course instructor to produce a work of scholarly writing, culminating in a research proposal with an experimental design that is a) thoroughly researched and b) engages with existing scholarship on their topic. The student and instructor will meet weekly to discuss each section of the research proposal and the scientific writing process.

Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MSFS program and consent of instructor.

This course will be remote and meet Wednesday 10:30-11:20am via Zoom.  

Course Description:

Credit is for thesis research. Enrollment in excess of six hours is acceptable for Plan I Master's degree, but no more than six hours creditable toward degree.  Minimum acceptable total for degree is three hours.
Thesis proposal must be submitted to the graduate director for approval prior to submission to the graduate college. Prerequisite: FSCI 6790.

NOTE- Enrollment in FSCI 6990 will also require students to attend a mandatory research group meeting every Friday at 2:30pm.