1 GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 9 May 2012 102 Kern Graduate ...
1 GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 9 May 2012 102 Kern Graduate ... 1 GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 9 May 2012 102 Kern Graduate ...
E3 Master of Professional Studies in Forensic Science Penn State The graduate faculty in forensic science is requesting changes to the curriculum of the Master of Professional Studies in Forensic Science degree program. These changes will more accurately reflect degree requirements, will address accreditation requirements, and will provide the graduates of the program with an outstanding level of preparation as they enter the field of forensic science. We have added 3-4 credits to the program curriculum, but the length of the program has remained the same, at two years. The typical length of a Master’s program in forensic science is two years. Most of the proposed changes to our program will address accreditation requirements by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC), of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A copy of the accreditation requirements can be found at www.aafs.org/fepac. In addition, we identified a flaw in the delivery of our undergraduate and graduate courses. First, the demanding nature of three of our undergraduate courses warranted a change to 400-level course numbers; FRNSC 410, 411, 413 and 415W (one of the three courses was split into two). These changes have been approved by the Faculty Senate. Second, our undergraduate program is highly advanced when compared to other programs in the country. Therefore, our incoming graduate students from other universities must take a sequence of 400-level courses to prepare them for the 500 and 800-level courses; including those listed above. While the Master’s program has a number of required 400-level courses, this reflects the outstanding nature of our program, and does not translate into a reduction in the quality or rigor of the Master’s program. In fact, the proposed changes outlined below will increase the number of graduate level courses from 16 to 19-20 credits at the 500 and 800 levels. To meet FEPAC requirements, we converted 11 elective credits to 11 prescribed credits, and have added them to the original 16 core course credits. Therefore, we now require 27 core course credits. Proposed increase in core courses from 16 to 27 credits: 1. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level graduates to have coursework in drug chemistry/toxicology, regardless of their area of emphasis. Therefore, we have added a core course to satisfy this requirement (FRNSC 532 – Drug Chemistry and Toxicology). (+3 CREDITS) 2. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level students to conduct formal research. Therefore, we have added a requirement for six (6) credits of research (FRNSC 894). (+6 CREDITS) 3. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level students to have formal training in courtroom proceedings and testimony. Therefore, we have added FRNSC 400 to the core curriculum (Courtroom Proceedings and Testimony). (+1 CREDIT) 4. A change was made in the structure of FRNSC 500 (6 credits) to limit the content to crime scene investigation (CSI) components, and to separate the course into the
E4 following two classes: FRNSC 410 (2 credit lecture) and FRNSC 415W (2 credit lab). This will allow students to take the lecture and lab portions of the course separately. (-2 CREDITS) 5. We felt that is was unnecessary to give the graduate students two capstone-like experiences, so we have deleted FRNSC 501. (-4 CREDITS) 6. To better prepare the graduate students for FRNSC 541, we have added a Forensic Science Seminar course to the core curriculum (FRNSC 475). (+1 CREDIT) 7. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level graduates to have coursework in trace evidence, regardless of their area of emphasis. The trace components of FRNSC 501 have been included in a new course, FRNSC 411. (+3 CREDITS) 8. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level graduates to have coursework in forensic biology, regardless of their area of emphasis. The forensic biology components of FRNSC 502 have been included in a new course, FRNSC 413. (+ 3 CREDITS) The Master of Professional Studies in Forensic Science degree program is structured so that students can emphasize either forensic chemistry or forensic biology. Therefore there are 11 or 12 additional credits that students will need to complete depending on their area of interest (Chemistry or Biology). Additional courses: 1. Forensic Chemistry Emphasis: (11 credits) CHEM 425 (3) – Chromatography and Electrochemistry (Analytical Separations) FRNSC 427W (4) – Forensic Chemistry FRNSC 831 (3) – Forensic Chemistry II CHEM 500 (1) – Seminar in Chemistry 2. Forensic Biology Emphasis: (12 credits) BMB 400 (3) – Molecular Biology of the Gene FRNSC 421W (4) – Forensic Molecular Biology FRNSC 821 (4) – Forensic Molecular Biology II BMMB 590 (1) – Colloquium
- Page 1 and 2: GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 9 May 2012
- Page 3 and 4: 5. Reports of Special Committees 6.
- Page 5 and 6: Minutes of the Meeting April 18, 20
- Page 7 and 8: 2012-2013 Graduate Council APPENDIX
- Page 9 and 10: 2012-2013 Graduate Council A3 ROSSO
- Page 11 and 12: APPENDIX B, PAGE B1 Proposed Revisi
- Page 13 and 14: B3 Proposed Revision to Current Pol
- Page 15 and 16: candidate is ready to schedule the
- Page 17 and 18: B7 The membership of doctoral commi
- Page 19 and 20: C2 Proposed Revisions to Current Po
- Page 21 and 22: C4 examinations, pass or fail, must
- Page 23 and 24: C6 should be correct and polished b
- Page 25 and 26: APPENDIX D, PAGE D1
- Page 27 and 28: D3 Laboratory Animal Medicine (L A
- Page 29 and 30: D5 Proposal to Add a Non-thesis Tra
- Page 32 and 33: APPENDIX E, PAGE E1
- Page 36 and 37: E5 A number of the elective courses
- Page 38 and 39: E7 • Bhushan M. Jayarao, (Budapes
- Page 40 and 41: E9 FRNSC 427W (4) - Forensic Chemis
- Page 42 and 43: E11 Graduate courses carry numbers
- Page 44 and 45: E13
- Page 46 and 47: E15 Original e-mail from Mitch Holl
- Page 48 and 49: E17 FORENSIC SCIENCE MASTER’S DEG
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- Page 52 and 53: E21
- Page 54 and 55: E23
- Page 56 and 57: E25
- Page 58 and 59: E27
- Page 60 and 61: E29
- Page 62 and 63: E31
- Page 64 and 65: APPENDIX F, PAGE F1
- Page 66 and 67: F3 Music Theory The 32-credit requi
- Page 68 and 69: F5 music learning and teaching, and
- Page 70 and 71: F7 Darrin H. Thornton, Ph.D. (Penn
- Page 72 and 73: F9 by underscoring the integrative
- Page 74 and 75: G2 SCHOOL OF MUSIC M.MUS. PROGRAM C
- Page 76 and 77: G4 The master of music education de
- Page 78 and 79: G6 Marica Tacconi, Ph.D. (Yale) Pro
- Page 80 and 81: PART C No other departments will be
- Page 82 and 83: H2 A Proposal to the Graduate Counc
E4<br />
following two classes: FRNSC 410 (2 credit lecture) and FRNSC 415W (2 credit lab).<br />
This will allow students to take the lecture and lab portions of the course separately.<br />
(-2 CREDITS)<br />
5. We felt that is was unnecessary to give the graduate students two capstone-like<br />
experiences, so we have deleted FRNSC 501. (-4 CREDITS)<br />
6. To better prepare the graduate students for FRNSC 541, we have added a Forensic<br />
Science Seminar course to the core curriculum (FRNSC 475). (+1 CREDIT)<br />
7. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level graduates to have coursework in<br />
trace evidence, regardless of their area of emphasis. The trace components of<br />
FRNSC 501 have been included in a new course, FRNSC 411. (+3 CREDITS)<br />
8. Accreditation requirements call for Masters-level graduates to have coursework in<br />
forensic biology, regardless of their area of emphasis. The forensic biology<br />
components of FRNSC 502 have been included in a new course, FRNSC 413. (+ 3<br />
CREDITS)<br />
The Master of Professional Studies in Forensic Science degree program is structured so that<br />
students can emphasize either forensic chemistry or forensic biology. Therefore there are<br />
11 or 12 additional credits that students will need to complete depending on their area of<br />
interest (Chemistry or Biology).<br />
Additional courses:<br />
1. Forensic Chemistry Emphasis: (11 credits)<br />
CHEM 425 (3) – Chromatography and Electrochemistry (Analytical Separations)<br />
FRNSC 427W (4) – Forensic Chemistry<br />
FRNSC 831 (3) – Forensic Chemistry II<br />
CHEM 500 (1) – Seminar in Chemistry<br />
2. Forensic Biology Emphasis: (12 credits)<br />
BMB 400 (3) – Molecular Biology of the Gene<br />
FRNSC 421W (4) – Forensic Molecular Biology<br />
FRNSC 821 (4) – Forensic Molecular Biology II<br />
BMMB 590 (1) – Colloquium
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