Common Course Outline

Course discipline/number/title CHEM 1031: Introduction to Forensic Chemistry

Catalog Description

Credits 3
Hours/Week 4 (2 lecture, 2 lab)
Prerequisites (Course discipline/number) None
Other requirements None
MnTC Goals (if any) Goal 3/Natural Sciences

Course Description

Forensic science is the application of scientific knowledge in the criminal justice system. A forensic chemist uses the principles and techniques of chemistry to analyze physical evidence within the crime lab. This introductory lecture/laboratory course for non-science majors teaches the elementary concepts of chemistry through the lens of forensic chemistry.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

November, 2025

Outline of Major Content Areas

  1. Introduction to forensic chemistry
  2. Chemistry, crime and global society
  3. Physical evidence: Matter and its forms
  4. The periodic table
  5. Critical thinking and the crime scene: The Scientific Method
  6. Evidence collection and preservation
  7. Reactions, properties and changes
  8. Mass, weight and units
  9. Unit conversions
  10. Measurements
  11. Significant digits
  12. Experimental results: Accuracy and Precision
  13. Chemical Evidence
  14. Nature of chemical evidence: Regions of the Periodic Table
  15. Types of Compounds: Covalent and Ionic
  16. Names of compounds
  17. Types of chemical reactions
  18. Balancing chemical equations
  19. Mole concept and elementary stoichiometry and limiting reactant
  20. Structure and Function of Drug Molecules
  21. Nature of Covalent bods
  22. Lewis Structures, Resonance Structures and VSEPR Theory
  23. Molecular geometry of drugs, drug receptors and brain chemistry
  24. Solutions
  25. Colligative properties
  26. Concentration units
  27. Acid-Base Chemistry
  28. Organic Chemistry
  29. Identification of functional groups in pharmaceuticals
  30. Match nomenclature of functional groups
  31. DNA Analysis
  32. DNA basics
  33. DNA profiles
  34. Mitochondrial DNA

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate basic forensic and chemical vocabulary.
  2. Connect chemistry to its role within the crime lab.
  3. Solve scenario-based problems using chemical concepts and the scientific method.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

Goal 3/Natural Sciences

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate understanding of scientific theories.
  2. Formulate and test hypotheses by performing laboratory, simulation, or field experiments in at least two of the natural science disciplines. One of these experimental components should develop, in greater depth, student’s laboratory experience in the collection of data, it’s statistical and graphical analysis, and an appreciation of its sources of error and uncertainty.
  3. Communicate their experimental findings, analyses, and interpretations both orally and in writing.

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Critical Thinking
Students will think systematically and explore information thoroughly before accepting or formulating a position or conclusion.

Special Information (if any)

The initial lab session explains and familiarizes the student with general safety hazards and safety equipment in the lab. During the pre-lab discussion, the hazardous characteristics of the chemicals used during the lab are discussed. The students will be instructed on the proper disposal of any hazardous products. The instructor will direct all students to wear necessary protective equipment while working with the chemicals.