Medicolegal Death Investigation, MS

Contact:

Michael Sponsler
315-443-4880
sponsler@syr.edu

Faculty:

Robert Silver, James T. Spencer, Michael B. Sponsler, Kevin Sweder, Ulrich Englich, David Knaebel, Shannon Novak, Sanjay Chhablani, James Hewett

Description:

The M.S. in Medicolegal Death Investigation is a focused degree program designed to prepare students for all aspects of a career as a death investigator.

This degree is intended for students who have selected this career path, and the objective is to prepare them both for the various aspects of this occupation (case investigation, understanding the body along with pathologies and trauma, autopsy, interviewing skills, securing and documenting evidence, courtroom testimony), as well as working effectively with and understanding other professionals whose roles intersect with death investigation (forensic pathologists, forensic scientists, crime scene investigators, law enforcement officers, toxicologists, and other medical and legal personnel). Graduates of this program will be exceptionally well prepared for this career relative to most applicants for the positions.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Accurately define the field of forensic science and describe how it overlaps with their particular interests

2. Describe the relationship and interplay between forensic science and the legal system

3. Appreciate the importance of ethical standards and describe the means through which such standards are upheld in forensic science

4. Explain the importance and structure of quality assurance protocols and standards

5. Apply QA standards and protocols in death scene settings

6. Employ statistical methods and evaluate statistical results to solve problems in forensic science and to communicate findings

7. Demonstrate how crime scenes are processed, how chain of custody is preserved and documented, and how medicolegal death investigators and crime scene investigators work together

8. Demonstrate the methods of forensic pathology

9. Explain the duties of a medicolegal death investigator

Total Credits: 36

Gateway Courses: 27 Credits Required

FSC 606 - Advanced Forensic Science 3 credit(s)
FSC 631 - Statistics for Forensic Science 3 credit(s)
FSC 633 - Quality Assurance and Ethics 3 credit(s)
FSC 635 - Medicolegal Death Investigation I 3 credit(s)
FSC 636 - Medicolegal Death Investigation II 3 credit(s)
FSC 640 - Special Topics in Advanced Forensics 3 credit(s) Anatomy and Physiology for Forensic Investigations
FSC 651 - Forensic Pathology 3 credit(s)
FSC 663 - Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 3 credit(s)
FSC 668 - Crime Scene Investigation 3 credit(s)

Electives: 6 Credits Required

ANT 633 - Human Osteology 3 credit(s)
ANT 634 - Anthropology of Death 3 credit(s)
ANT 636 - Bioarchaeology 3 credit(s)
FSC 640 - Special Topics in Advanced Forensics 3 credit(s) Forensic Biochemical Analysis
FSC 644 - Forensic Chemical Analysis 4 credit(s)
FSC 653 - Forensic Toxicology 3 credit(s)
FSC 657 - Principles of Human Toxicology 3 credit(s)
FSC 661 - Firearms and Impression Evidence 3 credit(s)
FSC 662 - Forensic Entomology 3 credit(s)
FSC 665 - Latent Prints 3 credit(s)
FSC 667 - Forensic Photography 3 credit(s)
FSC 671 - Firearms and Impressions Evidence II 3 credit(s)
FSC 672 - Advanced Light Microscopy 3 credit(s)
LAW 604 - Criminal Law 3 credit(s)
LAW 708 - Constitutional Criminal Procedure - Investigative 3 credit(s)

Internship: 3 Credits Required

Each student is required to participate in an internship in a medical examiner’s office, related to forensic pathology and/or medicolegal death investigation. Credits in excess of 3 will be counted as elective credits.

FSC 690 - Independent Study in Forensic Science 1-6 credit(s)