This course introduces students to the science of cannabis. Students will learn about the constituents of cannabis, methods of analysis and the pharmacology of cannabinoids. In addition, the role of cannabis in forensic case work will be explored.

This course provides senior undergraduate students who have developed some knowledge of a discipline and its research methods an opportunity to work in a research project. Students enrolled have an opportunity to become involved in original research, develop their research skills and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. This course is aimed at facilitating International Research Opportunities offered at U of T's partner institutions and coordinated through the Centre for International Experience. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

This is a general introduction of the scientific and medical basis of forensic pathology. The scientific aspects of death investigation will be emphasized including cause, manner, and time of death. Emphasis will be placed in developing skills to critically examine the published forensic scientific and medical literature. Also included are human rights death investigation, and custodial death.

Forensic toxicology involves the study of the adverse effects of drugs, alcohol and poisons on biological systems in a medicolegal context. This course will include a review of pharmacokinetics, analytical techniques and quality assurance measures used in forensic toxicology, the effects of drugs on human performance and post-mortem toxicology of illicit drugs, pharmaceutical drugs and other poisons. The major focus of this course will be the role that a forensic toxicologist plays in criminal and death investigations.

Analytical toxicology is the isolation, detection, identification, and quantitation of foreign compounds (xenobiotics) in biological and other specimens. This course integrates theoretical and practical aspects of analytical chemistry with forensic toxicology. General aspects of method development, implementation, validation, and laboratory operation will be explored.

This course introduces students to both standard and innovative methods of documenting, mapping, analyzing, and visualizing/reconstructing a crime scene for investigative purposes, including: total stations; laser scanners; panoramic images; and photogrammetry. Course topics range from basic measurement theory and statistics, to legal considerations such as admissibility and preparing courtroom-ready visualizations. Students will learn to use forensic mapping software to create courtroom-ready graphics.

A field course to complement the material covered in both FSC300H5, Forensic Identification & FSC302H5, Advanced Forensic Identification. The field school will be held on the U of T Mississauga Campus over a 2-week period during the summer term and during weekly two hour labs in the fall term. In these classes, students will experience practical exposure to field and laboratory methods related to evidence recognition, collection and interpretation. Emphasis will be placed on the types of evidence collected, processed, and analyzed by forensic identification specialists. General evidence and small object photography techniques will be an important component of the course.

Course Application is required. See the Forensic Science Program website for details.

This advanced course explores the methodologies and data interpretation of forensic DNA typing, and other forensic biology techniques. The course will cover the principles, protocols, and current practices in an effort to understand the “what”, “how” and “why” of DNA analysis in a forensic context. Students will also learn about new and future trends in the field of forensic DNA typing, where discussion and evaluation of the primary literature is a key component of this course. Practical sessions will focus on the advanced techniques discussed in lecture.

This course introduces students to the genetic variation between and within populations. The topics include evolutionary forces, quantitative genetics, and Baysian statistics as it applies to forensic biology.

This course introduces students to field practices and research procedures in Forensic Psychology. The topics in field practice may include, but are not limited to: administrating risk assessment; conducting semi-structured patient interviews; fitness to stand trial assessment; mental health diagnostics; psychological profiling in criminal investigation; administering patient records; trial preparation. The tasks related to research procedures may include, but are not limited to: research literature searches and citation management; writing ethics proposals; data collection, annotation, analysis, and storage; writing abstracts, critical analysis, and methods; writing peer-review responses; formalizing and executing research theory, hypotheses and design.

As a capstone course, FSC430H5 is intended to apply the unique interdisciplinary perspectives acquired by students enrolled in the Forensic Science Minor. This course will address key themes in forensics, and culminate in a collaborative course project, informed and shaped by these perspectives. Students can expect to work in partnerships, groups, or teams to investigate and discuss major issues, hot topics, historical events or growing bodies of knowledge that contribute to a broader understanding of forensic science and how it is relevant across many, if not all disciplines.

Restricted to students enrolled in the Forensic Science Minor.

This course offers a case-based approach to forensic anthropology. Students will critically evaluate real forensic anthropological cases, in addition to completing their own mock cases - from the transfer of evidence to a mock trial.

As the capstone experience for the Forensic Science Specialist Programs, this course provides students with professional practice and research experience. Students are required to attend classes that address proper research design and methodology, as well as issues of professional practice in the forensic sciences including: ethics; research protocols; written and verbal communication skills; professional communication (interviews, letters, emails, reports, presentations, and publications); and expert witness testimony. Students will also be placed with a participating forensic agency to conduct research and gain an understanding of the unit's daily operations. In addition to practice presentations, critiques, an ethics approval application, a 10-15 page research proposal, and a mock interview, students are required to formally present the results of their research at the annual Forensic Science Day symposium and submit a publication quality manuscript of their work.

Note: Internship Placements are arranged by the FSC Program. Students MUST apply for this course and the Course Application is due in the February preceding the placement. See the Forensic Science Program website for details on course application, information, and procedures. There will be an information session regarding Internship Placements, preceding the application period. Students must have one free day (Monday - Friday) to work at their internship placement site and must be in the final year before graduation. Students are expected to provide their own transportation to placement work site.

This course will address practical considerations of professional practice, including professional writing, ethics in research, interviews, mock trial, and journal publication. Students MUST apply for this course. Course Application & Procedures: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/forensic/applications

As the alternative capstone experience, this course provides students the opportunity to work in a cross-disciplinary collaborative environment to address case-based research questions.

Note: Topics will be made available at the time of application. Students MUST apply for this course and the course application is due in the February preceding the internship. See the Forensic Science Program website for details on course application, information and procedures. There will be an information session regarding this course, preceding the application period. Students must have one free day (Monday - Friday) to work on their collaborative research internship and must be in the final year before graduation.

As a pre-professional training experience, this capstone course will prepare students in media literacy for communicating their forensic sub-discipline in a variety of avenues. Students will learn how to present forensic content through writing, digital media (podcasts, vlogs, etc.), interviews, and outreach engagement. The course will develop skills as they pertain to converting complex science to accessible testimony, both for public and academic/educational settings, as well as handling/engaging with journalism media.

Elements of course completion will include commitments external to class time, including, but not limited to: Forensic Skills Development workshops, HMALC workshops, RGASC workshops, and Forensic Outreach programming, all in conjunction with lecture components. Students are required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of communication experience outside of scheduled class time.

Major assignments will include presentations through various media of the student's choice, as well as a cumulative interviews with police forensic science and professionals.

Course application is required. See the Forensic Science Program website for details.

This course provides students with the opportunity to engage in, and reflect on, a professional forensic experience that contributes to their employment eligibility after graduation. They will develop networking skills, enhance professional competencies, and are given the opportunity to locate and select their own experience relevant to their career goals, which may include (but is not limited to) a possible: work-study position, conference workshop, professional certification, field school, paid or unpaid internship or agency co-op. All opportunities must be approved by the program director in the term prior to enrolment.

Course application is required. See the Forensic Science Program website for details.

For students wishing to complete original research, a feasibility study, critical review of the literature or position paper leading towards a publishable report.

For students wishing to complete an extended research project across the Fall and Winter terms. Students are responsible for identifying a supervisor, after which they must seek Program Director approval.

The objective of this course, which serves as a starting point in our series of FSL courses, is to introduce students to the phonetic system of the French language, to teach basic vocabulary and to develop awareness of the functions of language in different situations and contexts. An awareness of various francophone cultures and communities will be developed. All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca/) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

Through the use of teaching materials adapted to their level, students will continue to develop their linguistics abilities and to use them in specific situations. For instance, students will learn how to ask for information, how to refuse or accept an offer. On completion of this course, a linguistic system of basic but useful structures will have been assimilated. An awareness of various francophone cultures and communities will be developed. All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca/) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

This course focuses on nuancing acquired written and oral communication skills and on further developing students’ fluency and accuracy through the production and understanding of complex sentences, refined forms and idiomatic expressions, and the further development of discourse-oriented abilities to create meaning.

This course focuses on understanding information, comparing and reformulating types of discourse, developing more refined fluency and spontaneity in proficiently discussing current and cultural affairs and contentious topics, using different registers and tone in a broad range of situations and texts & media encountered in their academic experiences. Understanding various francophone cultures and communities will be part of the course discussion.

All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca/) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

This course focuses on analyzing and synthesizing information, comparing and evaluating diverse types of discourse, developing advanced fluency and spontaneity, accuracy and complexity in proficiently discussing and writing about current and cultural topics, using different registers and tone in a broad range of situations, texts & media. Understanding various francophone cultures and communities will be integrated in the course content and student learning experience.

All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca/) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

Course will focus on developing both oral and written skills in the production and understanding of complex discourse (including organization, cohesion, nuanced lexical forms and expressions) in order to participate in varied, sustained and unscripted situations. An awareness of various francophone cultures and communities will be developed. All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

Students will focus on developing both oral and written skills in the production and understanding of complex discourse (including organization, cohesion, nuanced lexical forms and expressions) in order to initiate and sustain varied and unscripted exchanges. An awareness of various francophone cultures and communities will be developed. All students are REQUIRED to complete the French Placement Test (https://frenchpt.utm.utoronto.ca) before enrolling in ANY FSL or FRE language course for the FIRST time.

This project-based course advances practical uses of written and spoken French in business contexts. Activities and assignments are scaffolded to privilege deeper level of learning and simulate an authentic job search process in order to improve and strengthen reading comprehension, communication, writing and presentation skills that students can directly apply in the workplaces.

This course invites students to explore sights, sounds, and tastes of the French-speaking world, including cuisine, cinema, arts, media, music, comics, and literature. Students will expand their oral and written French language skills to enjoy, share their understanding of, and reflect on Francophone cultural products, practices, and perspectives including through comparisons with students’ home cultures. This course may include an experiential learning component some semesters, with opportunities for field experiences (e.g., restaurants, performances) to discover Francophone sights, sounds, and tastes. When these field experiences are offered, additional costs and application processes may apply.

An intensive language course for students with no previous knowledge of German. Practice in listening, reading, writing and speaking while cultivating an awareness of German culture. This is an interactive course with an emphasis on communicative expression and authentic materials. The Department reserves the right to place students in the appropriate course in the series (GER100Y5, GER200Y5, GER300Y5).