Criminalistics

Prepares students to make data-driven decisions about crime patterns across space and time. Students will have an integrative experience, learning the criminal justice system, urban geography, and how to perform spatial analysis using industry-leading techniques and software. This concentration will prepare students for a career as a crime analyst.

Crime Mapping & Spatial Analysis Concentration Courses (30 Credit Hours)

• GSCI 240 Intro to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 360 Intermediate GIS (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 290 Cartography (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 330 Remote Sensing Concepts (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 603 Urban Geography (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 630 Geostatistics and Spatial Data Analysis (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 625 Advanced GIS (3 Credit Hours)
• GSCI 655 GIS Programming (3 Credit Hours)
• CRJ 275 Crime & Society (3 Credit Hours)
• SOC 384 Social Problems (3Credit Hours)

Potential Career

• Crime Data Analyst

Real World Applications

• Identifying the spatial patterns of crime incidents geographic profiling

The forensic chemistry concentration trains students to analyze the physical properties, and determine the chemical composition and nature of materials from physical evidence collected from crime scenes brought in from crime scenes. Evidence may include bloodstains, paint chips, glass/metal fragments, hair samples, and fingerprints. Training in forensic chemistry encompasses organic and inorganic analysis, arson investigation, toxicology, serology, DNA analysis, biochemical methods and other skill sets and techniques in criminalistics. Students on this track are exposed to the use of instrumental methods of chemical analysis. A well-trained forensic chemist is able to predict evidence sources, match substances sample against sample, and must be able to provide an impartial explanation to the jury that will assist to reach a verdict.

Forensic Chemistry Concentration Courses (26 Credit Hours)

• CHEM 342/L Organic Chemistry II + Lab (5 Credit Hours)
• CHEM 350/L Chemical Analysis + Lab (5 Credit Hours)
• CHEM 656/L Instrumental Analysis + Lab (5 Credit Hours)
• CRJ 350 Drugs & Society (3 Credit Hours)
• CRJ 390 Sex Crimes (3 Credit Hours)

One of the following:

• CHEM 352/352L Environmental Chemistry + Lab (5 Credit Hours)
• CHEM 666 & CHEM 634L Inorganic Chemistry (3 Credit Hours) + Advanced Physical and Inorganic Laboratory (2 Credit Hours)
• CHEM 664/L Biochemistry II + Lab (5 Credit Hours)
• CHEM 430/430L Survey of Physical Chemistry + Lab (5 Credit Hours)

Potential Career

• Crime Lab Analyst
• Forensic Lab Analyst/Pathologist Quality Investigator Scientist
• Chemical Safety Officer
• Pharmaceutical Chemical Methods Lab Development Scientist

Real World Applications

• Forensic evidence recovery/research/molecular testing
• Instrumental methods of chemical analysis
• Qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis

The Biology concentration will prepare students to perform casework with the Kansas Bureau ofInvestigation (KBI), or other state’s bureau. Casework includes testing to identify biological samples (i.e., blood, seminal fluid, DNA), and isolating and analyzing DNA fingerprints. Student swill also learn the skills needed to compare offender DNA samples with DNA profiles submitted to the Combined DNA Index System database.

Forensic Biology Concentration Courses (27 Credit Hours)

• BIOL 180/180L Principles of Biology + Lab (4 Credit Hours)
• BIOL 240/240L Microbiology for Allied Health + Lab (4 Credit Hours)
• BIOL 325/325L Genetics + Lab (4 Credit Hours)
• BIOL 345/345L Human Anatomy + Lab (4 Credit Hours)
• BIOL 346/346L Human Physiology + Lab (4 Credit Hours)
• BIOL 685 Molecular Biology (4 Credit Hours)

One of the following:

• CRJ 350 Drugs & Society (3 Credit Hours)
• CRJ 375 Serial Predators (3 Credit Hours)
• CRJ 390 Sex Crimes (3 Credit Hours)

Potential Careers

• DNA Analyst
• Deputy Coroner

Real World Applications

• Identification of unknown individuals through DNA, biometrics or friction ridge impression (e.g., fingerprints)