News and Events
[printer friendly version]posted on 2/1/13
SJC Approves Development of Master's Level Programs in Forensic Science
Saint Joseph's College has approved the development of three new programs in Forensic Science. Two options for Master of Science degrees and a professional development program have been added to the curriculum, giving students the opportunity to further their education in this growing field.
SJC's Master of Science in Forensic Science offers students coursework in several forensic disciplines, including blood spatter, fingerprints, firearms and toolmark identification, and toxicology. This degree is a non-thesis option that can be tailored to a student's particular field of interest.
The Master of Science in Forensic Entomology requires a thesis for completion. This degree specializes in the utilization of insect evidence in determining time of death. Students who wish to pursue their doctoral degree in Forensic Entomology can obtain their masters from Saint Joseph's College while working alongside one of the world's preeminent practitioners in the field, SJC Professor of Forensic Science and Biology Dr. Neal Haskell, who will instruct several of the courses.
Dr. Haskell has testified in hundreds of cases that involve insect evidence. He is joined by several faculty members who are experts in their respective fields at universities, governmental crime laboratories, and private practices. The programs are unique in that much of the coursework is done on site at other universities and facilities around the Midwest and beyond. This gives the graduate student experience studying under and working alongside mentors who can prepare them for their professional endeavors.
The third program offered is a professional development series, and the courses are designed to further the knowledge of the students in a variety of forensic subjects that will be offered. Created for those who need or want to bolster their knowledge in forensic science, there is no thesis or specific number of credits required. Law enforcement personnel and educators who require continuing education are two groups that will benefit most from these courses.
Saint Joseph's College, named a "character-building college" by the Templeton Foundation and a "best Midwestern college" by the Princeton Review, is a four-year, Catholic college offering 27 majors, 4 group majors, 34 minors, and 9 pre-professional programs, complemented by the nationally acclaimed Core Program. Founded and sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, SJC is located in Rensselaer, Indiana, approximately 90 minutes from both Chicago and Indianapolis, on a park-like campus of 180 acres and has an enrollment of 1,100 students.
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