Criminalistics
Criminalistics is the scientific investigation, identification, and comparison of physical evidence for criminal or civil court proceedings. Criminalists must be trained in many disciplines including chemistry, biology, law enforcement, physics, and mathematics. The four-year criminalistics curriculum leads to a bachelor of science degree and includes a half-time internship in a criminalistics laboratory during the senior year. Students in the criminalistics program are encouraged to complete all the requirements for a degree in chemistry approved by the American Chemical Society while completing the criminalistics degree program. Graduates of the program are prepared for employment in criminalistics and have completed the requirements for admission to graduate school in chemistry or criminalistics, medical school, dental school, or law school. Chemistry students with a concentration in Criminalistics can choose from: ACS certified BS in Chemistry or BS in Chemistry. Both degree programs are accredited by Forensic Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC).
Chemistry Course Sequence Sheet
BS Chemistry Criminalistics Sheet
About the Criminalistics Program
The Chemistry Department and Criminalistics program is housed in the new Science Building (opened January 2010) on the Auraria Campus. The new 195,000 square-feet facility is paired with a renovated existing 143,000 square-feet Science Building. The Chemistry and Criminalistics programs occupy the third floor of the building. Laboratories include two general chemistry, one analytical, one physical/inorganic, one instrumental, one shared biochemistry and two organic laboratories. The Criminalistics program also has a dedicated laboratory, darkroom, and microscopy lab. A biosafety hood and DNA extraction and PCR areas are also located within the department. All of the laboratories are equipped with prep areas and mini-Mac computers. There is a dedicated student research lab and common areas on the floor. There is also office space for faculty and staff. The nuclear magnetic resonance laboratory is located in the basement of the building.
Crim Internship Policies (17 KB)
Recent graduates have secured jobs at Georgia Bureau of Investigations, Augusta, Georgia, Idaho State Police - Meridian, Idaho, Agilent Technologies, Boulder, Colorado, Ora Labs, Parker, Colorado, Newmont Mining, Centennial, Colorado, Environmental Protection Agency, Denver, Colorado, and the University of Colorado - Anschutz, Aurora, Colorado.
Recent student conference presentations
Gesick, K.M.; Elkins, K.M. “Evaluation of DNA recovery from chewing gum simulated forensic samples by seven DNA extraction methods,” CHED Poster #167, 242nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Denver, CO, August 29, 2011.
Radulovich, M.D.; Elkins, K.M. “Modifications to the Chelex DNA extraction method to reduce cost and extraction time,” CHED Poster #173, 242nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Denver, CO, August 29, 2011.
Bevins, P.D.; Elkins, K.M. “Preparation and Evaluation of Nanoparticles for Latent Fingerprint Recovery,” poster presentation in the Metro State Student Research Forum, Denver, CO, April 1, 2011.
Gesick, K.M.; Elkins, K.M. “Evaluation of Six Methods to Extract DNA from Chewing Gum Simulated Forensic Samples,” poster presentation in the Criminalistics Section (A129) at the 63rd Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) National Meeting, Chicago, IL, February 25, 2011.
Bevins, P.D.; Elkins, K.M. “Preparation and Evaluation of Nanoparticles for Latent Fingerprint Recovery,” poster presentation in the Criminalistics Section (A162) at the 63rd Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) National Meeting, Chicago, IL, February 25, 2011.
Bevins, P.D.; Elkins, K.M. “Preparation and Evaluation of Nanoparticles for Latent Fingerprint Recovery,” poster presentation at a meeting of the Colorado Section of the American Chemical Society, Colorado Springs, CO November 29, 2010.
Kadunc, R.E. and Elkins, K.M. “Comparison of quantity and quality of DNA recovered from simulated arson cases in which burn temperatures and conditions were varied,” poster presentation in the Criminalistics Section (A138) at the 62nd Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) National Meeting, Seattle, WA, February 26, 2010.
Mann, G.R.; McLaughlin, S. and Elkins, K.M. “DNA Degradation in Simulated Arson Cases using Various Accelerants,” poster presentation in the Criminalistics Section (A19) at the 61st Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) National Meeting, Denver, CO, February 19, 2009.
