Forensic Studies BS

This curriculum integrates the theoretical perspectives of different disciplines pertaining to deviant and criminal behavior with the practice of identification, procurement, and presentation of evidence resulting from criminal activity.

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The Bachelor of Science in Forensic Studies provides students with the skills requisite to the investigation of criminal offenses and the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of criminal offenders. This curriculum integrates the theoretical perspectives of different disciplines pertaining to deviant and criminal behavior with the practice of identification, procurement, and presentation of evidence resulting from criminal activity. This program builds upon a solid liberal arts core to achieve a balanced criminal justice perspective, which includes an emphasis upon the victim, the offender, the criminal justice system and society. Recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of Forensics, this curriculum blends crime scene analysis, laboratory analysis, behavioral analysis, and Constitutional Criminal Law. The program’s objective is to develop a sound educational foundation for graduate work or professional practice at the bachelor’s level. It is designed as a scholar/practitioner curriculum providing students with advanced levels of knowledge in criminal investigation, thus increasing the employment potential for the graduates of this degree.

Department Contacts

Walsh-Haney, Heather

Program Coordinator/Professor

ETI 0112C

239-590-7693

hwalsh@fgcu.edu

Accreditation
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Admissions Information
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Admissions Information for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
If you are not yet an FGCU student, visit the Admissions Office Website
If you are a newly-admitted FGCU student please be sure to sign up for an Eagle View Orientation session. As part of this session you will be meeting with an academic advisor who will assist you in registering for classes for your major.
Admission Deadlines
Visit the Admissions Office Web site for information on admission deadlines of the university.
Program Requirements
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Program Requirements for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
The General Education Program Website is located at https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
- Attend an orientation session.
- Sign an Advising Agreement document.
In addition to the program requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
- Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy the Service-Learning requirement.
- Satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Program Requirements
1. FGCU General Education Program (https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/)
  To prevent or minimize excess hours, select general education courses that satisfy common prerequisite requirements for your intended major.
2. Common Prerequisites
  For this major, common prerequisite courses with an asterisk (*) require prior knowledge and skills demonstrated through degree acceleration programs (e.g., the College Board's Advanced Placement Program [AP], International Baccalaureate Program [IB], College-Level Examination Program [CLEP], Advanced International Certificate of Education Program [AICE]); dual enrollment; placement exam; or college coursework.
  
  FGCU Course: BSC 1010C General Biology w/Lab I (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: BSCX010C or (BSCX010 and BSCX010L)
  
  FGCU Course: *CHM 1025 Introductory General Chemistry (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: CHMX025 or CHMX025C or CHMX032 or CHMX032C or CHMX045 or CHMX045C
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  FGCU Course: *STA 2023 Statistical Methods (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: STAX023 or STAX037
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
3. Required Courses in the Major (39 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  ANT 2511C Intro to Physical Anthropology (3)
  ANT 3520C Forensic Anthropology (3)
  CCJ 1080 Intro to Forensic Studies (3)
  CCJ 3603 Forensic Behavioral Analysis (3)
  CCJ 3670 Crime Scene Investigation (3)
  CCJ 3700 Meth Criminal Justice Research (3)
  CCJ 3701 Criminal Justice Data Analysis (3)
  CCJ 4054 Ethics in the Crim Justice Sys (3)
  CCJ 4934 Senior Seminar (3)
  CJE 4612 Interview and Interrogation (3)
  CJE 4940 Forensic Studies Internship (3)
  CJL 4133 Criminal Evidence (3)
  DSC 2006 Homeland Security (3)
4. Restricted Electives in the Major (9 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  Select 9 credits from any of the following:
  ENY 4701C Forensic Entomology (3)
  PLA 3205 Courtroom Techniques (3)
  PLA 4570 Globalization &the Rule of Law (3)
  Upper division (3000-4999 level) course(s)* with any of the following prefixes: CCJ, CJC, CJE, CJJ or CJL
  
  *Courses used to fulfill required courses in the major cannot also be used to fulfill restricted electives.
5. University Requirements (3 credits)
  Select one of the following:
  IDS 3920 University Colloquium (3)
  Or at least 3 credits in sustainability coursework (SCGR Attribute)
6. Additional Electives - as needed to reach total credits required for the degree.
Total Credits Required: 120
Degree Map
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Degree Maps are to be used as a general guideline for students. Some students scheduling needs may vary based upon completed courses and transfer credits. Please see your advisor for assistance and verification.
2024-2025 Forensic Studies BS Degree Map

Additional Graduation Requirements include:
- A minimum of 120 credit hours.
- A minimum of 48 of the 120 hours must be at the upper division (3000 - 4999) level.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- A minimum grade of C for each course used to satisfy the following categories: common prerequisites, required courses in the major, and courses in the concentration.
- Satisfaction of the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfaction of the Service Learning requirement (See www.fgcu.edu/connect).
- Satisfaction of the residency requirement: thirty of the last sixty credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Completion of the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an online Application for Graduation via Gulfline by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Transfer Notes and Acceptable Substitutes

For All Majors: Students are strongly recommended to select required lower division electives that will enhance their General Education coursework and that will support their intended baccalaureate degree program. Students should consult with an academic advisor in their major degree area.
Course Description
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Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search
Course Schedule
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Getting Started With the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.
*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)
Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the various stakeholders and lines of evidence that are part of the medico-legal systems and processes used to identify and understand forensic investigations.
2. Apply ethical practices and behaviors in all aspects of the social and physical sciences that relate to forensic casework and research.
Each semester, we assess CKS at the program level through exams and/or group projects that are completed in the one or more of the following required courses: Senior Seminar (CCJ 4934), Forensic Anthropology (ANT 3520), Crime Scene Investigation (CCJ 3670) and Ethics in the Criminal Justice System (CCJ 4054).
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Effectively communicate using appropriate scientific terminology as individuals and as team members by listening, speaking, and writing.
2. Approach and solve forensic investigation issues through applying appropriate social and physical science literature to the problem and subsequently organizing and evaluating that information.
Each semester, we assess CS at the program level through the exams, group projects and/or research papers that are completed in one or more of the following required courses: Forensic Anthropology (ANT 3520), Methods in Criminal Justice Research (CCJ 3700), and Criminal Justice Data Analysis (CCJ 3701).
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Identify and assess evidence of a crime by gathering and analyzing data and synthesizing the findings.
2. Identify scientific, qualitative, and quantitative assumptions underlying relationships related to the physical and behavioral manifestations of crime.
Each semester, we assess CTS at the departmental level through exams, research papers, and/or oral presentations that are completed in one or more of the following required courses: Forensic Anthropology (ANT 3520), Criminal Justice Data Analysis (CCJ 3701), and Methods in Criminal Justice Research (CCJ 3700).
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available on the Office of the Bursar web site.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Web site for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.