Graduate Program in Forensic Sciences: Approved Courses
Updated 9/20/071
FRNS 5000 Supervised Forensic Research Project and Thesis Prerequisites: Consent of major advisor, 5063 Scientific Writing and Presentation (or equivalent course), and STAT 5013 Statistics for Experimenters I. Research in forensic sciences for M.S. degree. [Independent Study, laboratory course]
FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences Prerequisites: None. Provides overview of various forensic sciences and their relation to presentation of evidence and problems of law. Covers major areas and reviews current guidelines for quality assurance/control, and certification/accreditation. [Web course]
FRNS 5023 Forensic Examination of Questioned Documents Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences2 OR consent of instructor. Instructs students in functions of questioned document examiners, beyond document analysis to related services and issues. Covers history of field, process for obtaining exemplars, types of document examination, collection/preservation of evidence, and courtroom procedures. (This course does not train the student as a document examiner and in no way certifies or qualifies the student to conduct questioned document analysis at the conclusion of this course.) [Web course]
FRNS 5033 Forensic Handwriting Examination: Theory and Practice Prerequisite: FRNS 5023 Forensic Examination of Questioned Documents and approval of lead instructor for questioned documents. Theoretical and practical aspects of handwriting as forensic evidence. Covers production of normal and false handwriting, variables in handwriting production, standards of comparison, identification theories, examination methodologies, expression of conclusions, characterization and validation of examiner skills, legal admissibility of handwriting expertise, and challenges to professional practice. [Web course]
FRNS 5043 Technical Aspects of Forensic Document Examination Prerequisite: FRNS 5023 Forensic Examination of Questioned Documents and approval of lead instructor for questioned documents. Basic theory in visual examination of questioned documents. Includes visual and color theory, measuring tools, instruments, simple microscopy, and photographic techniques. Also provides technical description, theory, operation, and practical use of various instrumentation used in the field such as the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) and Video Spectral Comparator (VSC). [Web course]
FRNS 5053 Historical Aspects of Forensic Document Examination Prerequisites: None. This course presents historical aspects of forensic document examination. It covers the development of handwriting, the acceptance of document examination expertise in Britain and North America, the early luminaries, and famous cases.
FRNS 5063 Scientific Writing and Presentation [Web course] See description for FRNS 6010-014
FRNS 5073 Quality Assurance in Forensic Science Prerequisites: None. Preparation for the forensic scientist to develop and implement quality assurance and quality control procedures to ensure the excellence of a laboratory. Covers preparation of laboratory procedures and policies, use of appropriate standards and controls, and validation methods for establishing an effective quality assurance program in their laboratory. [Web course]
FRNS 5213 Molecular Biology Prerequisites: College-level biology. Develops a solid foundation of knowledge in molecular biology for understanding the concepts of genetic marker analysis, especially DNA typing. [Web course]
FRNS 5223 Forensic Biology Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences and FRNS 5213 Molecular Biology. Covers derivation of forensic evidence from biological sources for criminal and civil investigation. Includes progression of laboratory testing to identify human body fluid and its source, detection and characterization of stains or fluids, and genetic marker testing.
FRNS 5242 Population Genetics Prerequisites: FRNS 5513 Forensic Bioscience. Population genetics relevant to DNA analysis technologies to identify perpetrators of crime. Includes foundation of statistical knowledge in forensic DNA analysis and family relatedness testing, history and application of statistical and population genetic theory to assigning weight to matches in DNA profiles for the court. Student will perform appropriate calculations in sample cases and interpret in layman’s terms.
FRNS 5282 Methods in Forensic Biology and Forensic Toxicology Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Advanced-level laboratory course in which students apply knowledge from earlier coursework in a hands-on setting and employ fundamental techniques and methodologies pertinent to forensic biology and forensic toxicology. [Lab course]
FRNS 5413 Forensic Pathology and Medicine Prerequisites: None. Deals with medico-legal investigation of death and injury due to natural causes, accidents, and violence. Covers analysis/investigation of transportation injuries, of homicides/suicides due to various causes, rape, or injury; methods for identification; and guidelines for quality control/asssurance. [Web course]
FRNS 5513 Forensic Bioscience Prerequisites: FRNS 5233 Molecular Biology or instructor permission and college-level biology. Teaches concepts of identity testing, relating history, theory, application, and quality assurance concepts to the material presented. Covers effects of identity testing in the laboratory. Presents basic concepts in genetics and use in tracing origin of biological samples. [Web course]
FRNS 5523 Forensic Toxicology Prerequisites: None. Introduces fundamental aspects of forensic toxicology and emphasizes major subfields of postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance toxicology, and forensic drug testing. Also examines methodologies and analytes associated with these three major subfields. [Web course]
FRNS 5533 Drug Toxicity Prerequisites: None. Introduces fundamental aspects of abused drugs from a toxicological perspective and examines major disciplines of toxicology. Also covers basic principles of toxicology applied to different classes of commonly abused drugs. [Web course]
FRNS 5613 Criminalistics and Evidence Analysis Prerequisites: None. Introduces crime investigation techniques and tools; analysis, operation, and function of laboratory; application of scientific concepts; instrumentation and microscopy; use of physical evidence; and guidelines for quality control/assurance and accreditation in the gathering of evidence. [Web course]
FRNS 5622 Advanced Criminalistics Prerequisites: FRNS 5073 Quality Assurance in Forensic Sciences, FRNS 5616 Criminalistics and Evidence Analysis, FRNS 5653 Scientific Evidence, and FRNS 5000 Research and Thesis. Examines practical aspects of criminalistics, duties of crime scene investigator, and techniques/procedures of crime scene processing. Also covers law-enforcement/crime-lab relationships, evidence recovery, and investigation types. One meeting is moot court session. [Lab course with collaboration, assigned times]3
FRNS 5653 Scientific Evidence Prerequisites: None. Reviews of ways in which the law, particularly the law of evidence, affects the work of the forensic scientist. Starts with the beginning of the case, most often the crime scene, and works through the legal process up through trial and including appeals and motions for a new trial. Covers, at each stage, legal doctrines of interest to the forensic scientist, such as chain of custody, work product privileges, laying the proper foundation, exhibits, and the standards necessary to obtain a new trial. [Web course]
FRNS 5713 Forensic Psychology Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences.2
Introduction to the relationship between the disciplines of law and psychology by examining and contrasting the issues at the interface of both disciplines. Covers legal terminology, criminal behavior; ethical, competency, defense, and testimony issues; insanity defense; polygraph testing; and the role and functioning of legal and mental health systems. [Web course]
FRNS 5723 Advanced Forensic Psychology Prerequisities: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences and FRNS 5713 Forensic Psychology. Expands on topics covered in FRNS 5713 Forensic Psychology; also covers function of the mental health professional in criminal cases, nature and impact of mental illness on individual life and freedom, reasons behind crimes, gender differences in the criminal justice system, laws pertinent for mental health professionals. [Web course]
FRNS 5913 Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences.2 Introduces concepts and tools used in the fields of forensic accounting and financial fraud investigations. Focuses on aspects of fraud investigation, including overview and types of fraud, indicators, and international investigations. Covers methods for litigation/investigation and compliance issues for expert reports. [Web course]
FRNS 6010 Forensic Specialization (up to 5 repeats) Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences. Additional prerequisites specified by Program Director or major advisor may be required. Advanced research study in a related specialty at OSU campuses in Tulsa or Stillwater may be used to satisfy requirements for this course. [Independent study or specially arranged courses may be offered as Web or campus-based courses]
FRNS 6010-014 Scientific Writing & Presentation Prerequisites: None. This course focuses on genres of scientific writing and personal writing abilities, especially relative to thesis development around a scientific question. The student will apply organization and design components for various types of scientific writing and presentations, including development of related media such as digital slides and posters. The course also strengthens one’s personal writing style, with activities prescribed to correct individual problems with grammar, punctuation, and usage. [Web course]. Beginning Spring 2008, this course may include aspects of research methods/design and appear as a permanent, three-hour course.
FRNS 6043 Forensic Management and Organizational Development Prerequisites: FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences and FRNS 5073 Quality Assurance in Forensic Science. Application of managerial and organizational leadership skills to the demands of forensic sciences, including attention to the human resource/relations and development issues. Attention also given to interagency cooperation, quality control/assurance, certification/accreditation issues, and internal security. [Web Course]
BIOM 5013 Medical Biostatistics Prerequisites: Graduate standing. Fundamentals of biostatistics including parametric and non-parametric statistical methods with applications to biomedical research, clinical epidemiology and clinical medicine. [On-campus course, offered fall semester, even years]
BIOM 6023 Research Methods and Design4 Prerequisite: None. An introduction to the concepts of research design, methodology, sampling techniques, internal and external validity, and the scientific method. Students will gain the ability to analyze published research. Specifics of research design, measurement, and systematic study are considered in the course. [Web Course]
FRNS 6543 Neurochemical Toxicology Prerequisites: BIOM 5215 Medical Biochemistry and BIOM 5616 Medical Physiology. Instructor permission required. Graduate level course designed to introduce a student to the fundamental aspects of neurochemistry using both cellular and molecular approaches in neurochemistry and toxicology. The fundamental aspects of neurochemistry and neurotoxicology using both cellular and molecular approaches in neurotoxicology will be emphasized using the effects of exogenous toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, solvents and drugs of abuse and their role in the pathogenesis of neurological toxicity.
BIOM 6573 Neurotoxicology Prerequisites: Graduate standing and BIOM 6543 Neurochemistry. Instructor permission required.Fundamental aspects of neurotoxicology using both cellular and molecular approaches.
STAT 5013 Statistics for Experimenters I5 Prerequisites: Graduate standing and MATH 1513 (college algebra). Introductory statistics course for graduate students. Descriptive statistics, basic probability, probability distributions, fundamentals of statistical inference, hypothesis testing, regression, one-way classification, analysis of variance, comparative experiments, correlations and linear regression, introduction to categorical data analysis. [Available at OSU campuses in Tulsa and in Stillwater; Web option available through OSU Arts & Sciences Extension]
1Other courses authorized or pending approval by OSU or the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education since this printing may be available. Contact the Graduate Program in Forensic Sciences for more information.
2For courses with FRNS 5013 Survey of Forensic Sciences as a prerequisite, concurrent enrollment is allowed.
3This course, previously offered as a Web course, will be offered as FRNS 6010 Advanced Crime Scene Investigation in 2007, then re-offered under the original course name in 2008, with all meetings on campus.
4A combined research and scientific writing course may be offered as an alternate for this course in 2008.
5Meets the requirement for a statistical analysis course for the M.S. program.
