2023-2024 Graduate Course Catalog 
    
    May 01, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Course Catalog

Firearm and Toolmark Examination, CAS


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Contact:

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

Faculty:

Kathleen Corrado, James Crill, Deepika Das, Ulrich Englich, James Hewett, Matthew Kurimsky, Michael Marciano, Natalie Novotna, Maria Pettolina, Robert Silver, James T. Spencer, Michael B. Sponsler

Description:

This CAS is intended both for students who wish to become firearm and toolmark examiners and for newly hired examiners in need of training. A great need exists for training of firearm and toolmark examiners. Even after a candidate is hired into such a position, training of two years or more is typically needed before the new examiner can work independently on casework. This training comes at great expense particularly to smaller agencies, where efficiencies associated with the simultaneous training of multiple candidates cannot be achieved. This CAS, while not intended to fulfill all of the required training, can provide a useful start and/or supplement. The same courses may be counted toward a graduate degree at Syracuse University.

Admission:

For students already admitted to Syracuse University as graduate students, an internal application for the CAS is required. For students not already at SU, the graduate school application with undergraduate transcript and one recommendation letter will be required, through which the applicant must show either that he or she holds a position for which the certificate is relevant or is aiming to obtain such a position and has a good undergraduate background.

Student Learning Outcomes


  1. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND PRINCIPLES - Describe the impact of manufacturing methods on forensic firearm identification, firearm safety, and the types of analyses implemented by firearm examiners.
  2. COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION - Practice presenting court testimony of forensic analysis of firearms and impressions evidence.
  3. ETHICS and QUALITY - Assess and apply ethical standards, integrity, professionalism, and quality assurance standards including ones specifically related to firearms discipline.
  4. PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION - Successful demonstration of comparison microscope operation, forensic firearm identification, supervised firearm assembly/disassembly and operability/armorers training.

Requirements:


Total Credit: 12


Degree Awarded:


Certificate of Advanced Study in Firearm and Toolmark Examination

Transfer Credit:


Limit of 3 transfer credits.

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