COURSE CURRICULUM

Wichita State University’s Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Firearms, specifically the Firearms Examiner Track, is a professionally focused 30-credit-hour program designed to prepare students for specialized careers as forensic firearms and toolmark examiners in crime laboratories and investigative agencies. The curriculum combines academic coursework with prior nationally recognized training, allowing students to earn 18 credit hours directly through Wichita State coursework while receiving 12 CPL credit hours for approved prior professional training. The program is structured to build deep technical expertise in firearm identification, toolmark comparison, forensic validation, and courtroom testimony, ensuring graduates are fully prepared for both laboratory analysis and legal proceedings. Core courses begin with FS 740 Introduction to Firearms and Toolmark Examinations, which establishes foundational knowledge of firearm evidence analysis, followed by FS 742 History of Firearm Examination and FS 744 Modern Firearms: Manufacture and Operating Systems, which provide historical and mechanical understanding of firearm design and function. Advanced technical proficiency is developed through FS 746 and FS 747 Advanced Analysis of Firearms and Toolmarks Examination I and II, where students refine microscopic comparison techniques and evidence interpretation skills. Professional readiness is reinforced through FS 748 Court Testimony for Firearms and Toolmark Examiners and Research Project, which prepares students to present forensic findings in legal settings, and FS 703 Professional Responsibility and Quality Assurance in Forensic Science, which emphasizes ethics and laboratory standards. Additional applied training includes FS 704 Applied Forensic Science Research Methods, FS 706 Criminal Law for Forensic Scientists, and FS 749 Forensic Validation and Laboratory Techniques, all of which strengthen scientific rigor and legal awareness. A key feature of the program is its applied learning requirement, embedded across multiple hands-on courses such as FS 740, FS 744, FS 746, FS 747, FS 748, and FS 749, ensuring that students gain extensive real-world forensic experience. Overall, the track is designed to produce highly skilled forensic professionals capable of delivering accurate firearm evidence analysis and contributing effectively to criminal investigations and courtroom proceedings.