Contact:

Michael Sponsler, Sponsler@syr.edu
315-443-4880

Faculty:

Robert Silver, James T. Spencer, Michael B. Sponsler, Kevin Sweder, Ulrich Englich

Description:

This CAS is intended both for students who wish to become firearm and toolmark examiners and for newly hired examiners in need of training. A great need exists for training of firearm and toolmark examiners. Even after a candidate is hired into such a position, training of two years or more is typically needed before the new examiner can work independently on casework. This training comes at great expense particularly to smaller agencies, where efficiencies associated with the simultaneous training of multiple candidates cannot be achieved. This CAS, while not intended to fulfill all of the required training, can provide a useful start and/or supplement. The same courses may be counted toward a graduate degree at Syracuse University.

Admission:

For students already admitted to Syracuse University as graduate students, an internal application for the CAS is required. For students not already at SU, the graduate school application with undergraduate transcript and one recommendation letter will be required, through which the applicant must show either that he or she holds a position for which the certificate is relevant or is aiming to obtain such a position and has a good undergraduate background.