On-Demand Course
Course Description:
The Forensic Criminalistics Board Certification Preparation Course is a 16 module on-demand online course taught by professionals in the field that are certified in their area of study. The courses are taught by experienced criminalists with a collective practical perspective on forensic materials/trace analysis, drug chemistry, and serology/forensic biology. The course is designed for forensic criminalists who are preparing to take a board certification exam in comprehensive criminalistics, drug analysis or molecular biology or for those who want a practical comprehensive overview of the field of criminalistics.
Each module consists of lectures focusing on all areas of the study curriculum recommended by criminalistics certification boards. The course is split into two 8 module sections. The first 8 modules cover general forensic subject areas outside of the focused track (emphasis) including: Crime Scene Reconstruction, Firearms and Tool Marks, Fire Debris and Explosives, Photography, Trace Evidence, Safety, Ethics, Quality Assurance, Forensic Standards and Accreditation, Drug Analysis, Molecular Biology and DNA, and areas of criminal and civil law.
The final 8 modules focus on the specific topic, Molecular Biology, and goes into a greater depth of focus on the history, methodology, instrumentation, analysis, interpretation, and quality assurance/control in the specific fields. The on-demand format allows you to learn and study when it is convenient for you, and allows you to focus on topics you wish to review and focus on. Each module includes a graded multiple-choice practice quiz based on all lecture content. A final multiple-choice practice exam is provided at the end of the course. An open message discussion board is available for questions and class discussions, and feedback is provided by the course coordinator. Please expect this course to be 3-4 hours of work per module including watching videos, reading any supplemental materials, and quizzes.
Detailed Learning Objectives:
• Understand the different disciplines that exist in forensic science including basic concepts and testing strategies for each field.
• Understand basic quality assurance and quality control elements within a forensic laboratory.
• Understand the importance of ethics in forensic science.
• Understand the application of forensic science to the law.
• Review basic scientific terms in chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics.
• Comprehend and understand in great detail your topic, Molecular Biology or Chemistry, in forensic science.
Full Course Syllabus
Module 1: History of Forensic Science, Crime Scene Preservation & Evidence Handling
Module 2: Overview of Common Forensic Disciplines: Controlled Substances, Trace Analysis, Toxicology, Fire Debris, and Questioned Documents
Module 3: Overview of Common Forensic Disciplines: Firearms & Tool Marks, Latent Fingerprints, Digital Evidence, and Forensic Biology
Module 4: QA/QC for Forensic Laboratories & Personnel and & Lab Safety
Module 5: Application of QA/QC for Forensic Laboratories
Module 6: Legal Aspects of Forensic Science
Module 7: General Science Terms and Principles General Chemistry Terms, General Physics Terms, Stoichiometry, and Metric System
Module 8: Scientific Methods, General Biology Terms: Anat and Phys, Botany, Cell Structure, Genetics, General Statistics
Molecular Biology Track:
Module 9: Blood and Semen ID
Module 10: Saliva, Urine, and Feces ID; Evidence Screening Techniques
Module 11: Anatomy, Physiology, and Reproductive Biology Review; Cell and Molecular Biology Review
Module 12: Genetics Review
Module 13: Evolution and Non-Human Forensic Applications; Introduction into Forensic Biology
Module 14: Extraction, Quantification, and Amplification
Module 15: Amplification cont.; Capillary Electrophoresis; Analysis and Interpretation
Module 16: F. Biology Standards and Guidelines; Statistics, CODIS, Sequencing
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