Forensics hosts first class
New science program prepares students for investigating crime scenes
Do not be alarmed if on the way to class you see a group of students examining a body — that is just the forensic science students doing their homework.
Analysis — Students examine human bodily fluid samples as part of their forensics training under the new Forensic Science major. Photo credit: RJ Goodwin
Liberty hosted its first round of forensic science students during the fall 2014 semester. This new undergraduate degree was designed not only for biology students, but also for criminal justice students. The major offers two specializations: biology and chemistry.
“The first class that was offered in the fall of 2014 had 12 students,” Dr. J. Thomas McClintock, director of Forensic Sciences, said.
“It worked out well. We had enough students, and this semester I have 20 students in lecture and in the lab. So the numbers are increasing.”
McClintock said that a forensic science major specializing in chemistry could lead to a career as a forensic toxicologist, who analyzes drugs, toxins and other components found in a body from a crime scene. Specializing in biology could jump start a career in forensic entomology or DNA analysis.
“The forensic entomologist is using insects to help the criminal investigations,” McClintock said. “I taught that last semester, and we had a death scene set up. The students went out and collected insects off of a cadaver. Based on the insects and their identification, they had to give me the time of death. Some hit it on the head. Some were a few days off. They really enjoyed it.”
McClintock started teaching residentially at Liberty in July 2013. He was teaching online for more than four years. In the month before he started teaching biology in the fall semester, he began putting together a proposal for a forensic science degree. While the criminal justice department had already been incorporating mock crime scene investigations for practical student experience, McClintock said there was a need for forensic science to complete that education experience.
“They wanted to take a case all the way to trial, but the middle part was missing,” McClintock said. “You get evidence, and what do you do with it? How do you analyze it? That’s where we come in.”
McClintock started to see an interest in forensic science from students when he used forensic examples in his biology classes.
“I throw in lots of forensic examples, and they get all excited about it, saying, ‘I really like this. I didn’t know we had this major.
What would it take to change?’” McClintock said.
A criminal justice major wanting to switch to forensic science would need to take about four additional forensic classes,
according to McClintock.
The forensic science degree is designed so that a biology major or a criminal justice major can switch to forensic science, as seamlessly as possible. Upperclassmen in those majors can also switch to forensic science, because the required science classes have either biology or criminology prerequisites.
“I don’t need to use 50 syllable words to express a concept,” McClintock said. “I’ll walk you through the science. As long as you pay attention, I’ll get you through if you’re a criminal justice major. That’s the beauty of … trying to mesh these two programs together.
You can come in without having much science background and excel in the class.”
McClintock sees the addition of the forensics degree as a major step forward in Liberty’s education as well as Christian universities in general.
“I don’t know of a university similar to this where you can focus on forensic biology or forensic chemistry, plus you get the criminal justice cognate,” McClintock said. “At a Christian university, that’s a first.”
Hoosier is a news reporter.