“FORS”

http://forsforever.blogspot.com

FORENSIC SCIENCE BLOG

AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM OF SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

In the history of Texas community colleges, Forensic Science finally became an option of serious academic study in 2004 due to the efforts of three faculty members at Weatherford College. Don Jacobs, (psychology, and chair of behavioral science), Erin Mackenzie (biology) and Lum Farr (criminal justice) came together to create courses that would become the FORS rubric; the interdisciplinary emphasis program of forensic science was born. As unique needs labs at first, final approval by the Texas Co-Board was granted on August 8, 2008 (08-08-008). Due to the support of Dean Richard Bowers, the collaboration of personalities willing to think “outside of the box”, the sophomore-level lab courses spread over Texas like a wildfire. Today, nearing 2011, 20+ campuses offer FORS 40 & FORS 50. While AS and AA degrees remain the most popular transferrable programs, various certification programs have been added to the mix.

The FORS rubric became permanently emblazoned in course curricula as
• FORS 2440: Introduction to Forensic Science
• FORS 2450: Introduction to Forensic Psychology
& now a “unique needs” course—the first step in statewide approval for academic transfer courses…
FORS 2460: Forensic Chemistry (Criminalistics).

On the WC campus, my office is located in BUSI 209; my direct line 817-598-6431. Please email djacobs@wc.edu if you are considering launching FORS LABS and the forensic science emphasis program.
PROGRAM NOTES

FORS at Weatherford College (WC)

We teach introductory psychology as a brief introduction to forensic psychology. The text The Real Story of Psychology (2008), Hayden-McNeil Publishers, has an entire chapter devoted to forensic science readings. This course is taken in the first semester of the freshman year as students also take their first labs: BIOL for majors, A & P, or CHEM can be selected. The second semester of the freshman year can include FORS LABS: either FORS 40, FORS 50, or soon FORS 60. Criminal investigation (CRIJ 2301) is a natural precursor to FORS 40 and Criminal psychology (PSYC 2302) is a perfect segue to FORS 50. The first semester of the sophomore year will conclude the BIO & CHEM LABS. The final semester is about options: FORS 40, or 50, or 60 can be selected depending on the student’s interest upon transfer to the university. All told, 16 hours of science labs have been taken along with 6-12 hours of interdisciplinary cohorts—psychology, criminal justice, anthropology.

FORS University Articulation Partners

University of North Texas
Peggy Tobolowsky, J.D.
Professor and Associate Chair
Peggy.tobolowsky@unt.edu

University of Texas at Brownsville
Michael Lytle, Forensic Scientist
Program Director for UTB
Michael.Lytle@utb.edu

University of Texas at Arlington
(The FORS articulation, while still active, remains within
the Interdisciplinary Studies Department
going through transition with a new chair.)

St. Edward’s University (Austin)
Dr. David Horton, Chair, Forensic Science
davidh@stedwards.edu

University of Central Oklahoma
(Edmond, Oklahoma)
Dr. Dwight Adams, Director of Forensic Science Institute
Former director of the FBI Lab in Quantico
dadams8@uco.edu


FORS Senior Advisory Board

Dr. Arthur J. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
Professor, Director of DNA Identity Lab
University of North Texas Health Science Center

Dr. Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Toxicology Consulting
Author of patented cyanide poisoning antidote

Ed Hueske, M.S.
Criminalistics, University of North Texas

Michael Lytle
University of Texas Brownsville, Forensic Scientist Program Chair

Dr. Richard Saferstein, Ph.D.
Former Chief Forensic Scientist, New Jersey State Police Lab
Author: Criminalistics 8th Ed.

To visit the WC campus send an email to Don Jacobs, Chair, Behavioral Science, Weatherford College, Weatherford, Texas 76086, USA djacobs@wc.edu or phone 817-598-6431
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