I. ASCRC General Education Form
(revised 1/27/11)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change existing gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status .
Group
(submit separate forms if requesting more than one general education
III. Language
III Exception: Symbolic Systems *
IV: Expressive Arts
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
VII: Social Sciences
VIII: Ethics & Human Values
IX: American & European
X: Indigenous & Global
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies XI: Natural Sciences w/ lab

w/out lab X group designation)
*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language requirement
Dept/Program Anthropology Course # CJUS 125
(Formerly ANTH
286N)
X
Course Title Fundamentals of Forensic Science (Formerly Survery of the Forensic
Sciences)
Prerequisite none
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Credits
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Instructor Randall R. Skelton
Phone / Email
Program Chair
Dean
4245/randall.skelton@umontana.edu
Gilbert Quintero
Christopher Comer
III. Type of request
3
Date
11/20/12
New One-time Only Renew X
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Description of change
Change
4 year review
NA
Remove
IV. Description and purpose of new general education course: General Education courses must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course content to students’ future lives: See Preamble: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/archives/minutes/gened/GE_preamble.aspx
A survey of the forensic sciences and related disciplines and their use in criminal investigations, the role of forensic scientists in the investigative process and as expert witnesses.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx

1. Courses explore a discipline in the natural sciences and demonstrate how the scientific method is used within the discipline to draw scientific conclusions;
2. Courses address the concept of analytic uncertainty and the rigorous process required to take an idea to a hypothesis and then to a validated scientific theory;
This course combines basic knowledge from a variety of scientific disciplines (chemistry, physics, genetics, biology, etc.) to explore how evidence collected at a crime scene is interpreted and matched to a suspect with an acceptable degree of certainty. The scientific method is presented explicitly.
The concept of analytic uncertainty is expressed in levels of identification: positive
ID, consistent ID, or ID undetermined. This illustrates the progression of a hypothesis that a certain person committed a crime to the validation (or lack thereof) by physical evidence that the person was very likely to have been the one who committed the crime.
3. Lab courses engage students in inquiry-based learning activities where they formulate a hypothesis, design an experiment to test the hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present the data to support their conclusions.
Not applicable – no lab.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning goals. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
1. understand the general principles associated with the discipline(s) studied;
Readings, lectures, and assessments will be used to guide the students into understanding the general principles of forensic science.
2. understand the methodology and activities scientists use to gather, validate and interpret data related to natural processes;
3. detect patterns, draw conclusions, develop conjectures and hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means and experiments;
Readings, lectures, and assessments will be used to help the students understand the methodology and activities that scientists use to gather, validate and interpret data related to processes.
Readings, lectures, and assessments will be used to help students understand how to detect patterns in evidence, form hypotheses, choose the correct tests to evaluate the hypotheses, and draw conclusions.
4. understand how scientific laws and theories are verified by quantitative measurement, scientific observation, and logical/critical reasoning; and
5. understand the means by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and expressed in the natural sciences.
Readings, lectures, and assessments will be used to help the students understand how selected scientific theories were/are verified.
Readings, lectures, and assessments will be used to help the students understand how analytic certainty and uncertainty are handled in the forensic sciences.

VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level.
If the course has more than one pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200 level), provide rationale for exception(s).
NA
VIII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.

The syllabus should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
See below.
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.
ANTHROPOLOGY 286
Dr. Randy Skelton 225 Social Sciences Building
Office Hours: MWF 10:10-11:00
Phone: 243-4245, Email: randall.skelton@umontana.edu
GOALS AND PURPOSE
Successful students in this class will:

•gain an appreciation for the scientific method as a way to learn about the world
•be introduced to the basics of a wide variety of sciences
•explore the breadth of forensic science in the 21 st century
•understand the roles of police, forensic scientists, attorneys, expert witnesses and others in the process of a criminal investigation and trial
•learn about careers in the forensic sciences and how to prepare for them
•hear presentations by actual crime lab and law enforcement professionals
ADMINISTRIVIA
Text: Stuart H. James and Jon J. Nordby, 2005. Forensic Science . 2 nd Edition.
CRC Press.
This text is also required for ANTH488: Forensic Science &
Technology.
Class Blackboard Supplement: The course supplement will contain class notes, announcements, and other materials. Point a web browser at umonline.umt.edu
for access. You will be supplied with a handout with instructions on how to get into Blackboard.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is not required, but is highly recommended. Experience shows that those who attend regularly do much better.
Academic Integrity: Students will be held to the provisions of the Student
Conduct Code with regards to cheating, plagiarism, abusive language, and other issues. Violations will not be tolerated.
Disabilities: Students with disabilities are encouraged to meet with me to discuss any accommodations they require. I assume that accommodation services and facilities will be provided by DSS.
Exams and Grading: Three non-cumulative midterm examinations will be held, one after each third of the course. In addition, there will be a comprehensive final examination on the designated final exam day. You must take at least three of the four exams. If you take all four, the best three scores will be used to compute your grade. The three exams will each count for one third of your final score in the class. The grade you will receive depends on your overall cumulative score in the course, assigned using this system: 100%-90% = A, 89%-80 = B, 79-60% = C, 59-50% = D,
49-0% = F. All exams with be 50 multiple choice, true/false, or other objective style questions marked on the exam itself (no scantron forms).

Because one exam may be dropped make-up exams will not be allowed except in those cases deemed excusable by the University, and you will have to show documentation.
DATE DAY LECTURE
8/29
8/30
9/2
9/5
9/7
9/9
9/12
9/14
9/16
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
1. Intro to the class
2. What is forensic science
3. The scope of the forensic sciences
!!! Labor Day Holiday !!!
4. The scientific method
5. The criminal investigation
TEXT
READING IN
Forward &
Preface
Chapter 33
Chapter 1
6. The crime scene
7. Forensic photography & art
Chapter 10
Guest Speaker: Jim Bruckner, Crime Scene Photography, Rocky Mtn
Labs
9/19 M
9/21 W
9/23 F
8. Evidence & the comparative method
9.Microscopes & the physics of light
Chapter 12
10. Crime labs & trace evidence
Guest Speaker: Bill Unger, Director, Montana State Crime Lab
Review of 1 st section of the course
Chapter 16
9/26 M
9/28 W
9/30 F
10/3 M
10/5 W
10/7 F
10/10 M
Midterm 1
11. Oxidation: the chem of fire, bombs & gunpowder
12. Ballistics: the physics of projectile motion
13. Firearms examination Chapter 20
Chapters 18 & 14. Toolmarks, impressions, and basic genetics
19
10/12 W Guest Speaker: Travis Spinder, Firearms & Toolmarks Examiner, State
Crime Lab
10/14 F
10/17 M
10/19 W
15. The Inheritance of Fingerprints
16. Fingerprints Chapter 17
Guest speaker: Connie Muller-Ford, Latent Prints, State Crime Lab
10/21 F
10/24 M
10/26 W
10/28 F
17. Questioned documents
18. Basic analytical methods
19. Serology of blood
Chapter 21
10/31 M
11/2 W
11/4 F
11/7 M
11/9 W
11/11 F
11/14 M
11/16 W
11/18 F
20. Other issues in serology
Review of 2 nd
Midterm 2
section of the course
21. DNA testing
Guest speaker: Megan Ashton, DNA, State Crime Lab
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
22. Forensic chemistry and toxicology
22
Chapters 5 &
!!! Veterans’ Day Holiday !!!
23. Death investigation
24. Forensic pathology
Chapter 4
Chapter 2
Guest speaker, Willy Kemp, Deputy State Medical Examiner (and Clinical
Assistant Professor at Southwestern University)
11/21 M 25. Forensic anthropology Chapter 7

11/23-25
11/28 M
11/30 W
12/2 F
12/5 M
12/7 W
12/9 F
12/15 R
!!! Thanksgiving Holiday !!!
26. Forensic odontology Chapter 6
Guest speaker, Garry Kerr, Forensic Anthropology, University of Montana
27. Pseudoscience
28. Careers in the forensic sciences
Review of 3 rd section of the course
Appendix C
Midterm 3
1:10-3:10pm: Final Exam