- Why did you take this class?
- I am interested in forensics psychology, and I am interested on how criminals minds work. I find the behind the scenes work people do is really interesting because you never get to see how much work they actually put in.
- What was your first impression of the class?
- I was intimated at first, but I enjoy it because it is very hands on. We learned how to take fingerprints and got to use ink and poiwder to lift finger prints. Right now we are talking about the different types of hairs and fibers under microscopes.
- Do you enjoy the class?
- yes
- Is it different then what you expected it to be or is it what you expected?
- It is what I expected but mrs. Hudak has done a really good job on mirroring what it is actually like in the real world.
- Would you recommend this class to a friend?
- Yes.
- Do you think this is a good class for someone who is interested in pursuing criminal justice as a career?
- 100%
- How is it different from previous science classes you have taken?
- Then only reason I don’t like science is because its very math based. Where as this class is more critical thinking and expiriemtns. I get tpo use my reason rather than math skills.
- Would you potentially further your career in forensics?
- This class makes me more interested in pursuing this career, but probably not.
- Would you take it if it was online?
- If it was solely online, I wouldn’t have taken it. I am glad they have mde it an actual class.
“I felt like having an online class would help free up my schedule more”
“It’s a website where the teacher lives in Kansas and the assignments are of her explaining something and the there is a follow up assignment. There is no zoom unless we have questions and want to meet w her”
“helps with mental stress. Lowers my stress levels going the pace I want. All assignments are due on Tuesdays and Fridays but its harder for me to get in touch with my teacger if I have questions”
“if I don’t understand something I can do extra research at that time without fear of missing out on something.”
“wont be able to make that good relationship with my teacher which is soe thing I really value in the classroom.”
UA Criminal Investigation Department
The forensics and criminal justice aesthetic are rapidly growing day by day due to the popular show Criminal Minds and Law and Order. Due to its popular demand, what used to be an online only class, Ursuline Academy is offering their first in-person forensics class for the class of 2022.
Already, this new class is an Ursuline favorite and is expected to grow in upcoming years. Isabelle Bruty 22’ said “My favorite thing about this class is the hands-on experience and how you are actively learning how to do things rather than just taking notes on the material.”
The students in forensics are currently learning how to take fingerprints and how to identify the different minutiae to match it with a suspect.
“Taking fingerprints is actually pretty challenging because you have to be gentle, but not too gentle, and use a good amount of ink, but not too much ink. It definitely gets easier as you practice it.”
Bruty says she knew four girls who dropped the class and believes that they did not give it enough time to be able to enjoy it.
“You definitely have to give your first impression of the class a couple days. At first, I thought it was going to be the hardest class I ever take, but the class is organized in a very project-based way” said Bruty.
A project-based type class is very popular amongst Ursuline students because the girls are able to manage their time and show that they really learned the material rather than having the information stay for the test, then leave their brain right after they finished.
Lilly Schroeder 22’ said “Ms. Houdak does an excellent job at keeping the class very hands on and project based. She really mirrors what an actual detective does in the real world.”
This class would be great for anyone interested in becoming a detective or even criminal psychologist because the classroom environment is very interactive. It is also a great class to take because unlike usual science classes, there is not much math to it.
“The only reason I do not like science is because its very math based. Whereas this class is more critical thinking and experiments. I get to use my reason rather than math skills” says Bruty.
A lot of the students taking forensics this year said that the main reason they took it was because they knew it was not going to be heavily math based and because it was an actual in person class rather than online.
Danna Lerma 22’ who is taking the online version of forensics said, “I wish I took the in person class so I can get the hands on experience of labs because I am a very visual learner and I feel like I would retain information better if I was actually in class.”
There are pros and cons to both the in person and online class. A plus about taking the class online is that you are able to do it from the comfort of your own bed or in quiet coffee shop.
“It is beneficial for me to take it online because I can take my time on assignments. It lowers my stress levels going the pace that is best fit for me rather than trying to keep up like I sometimes have to do in an in-person class” says Lerma.
A pro to the in-person class is that focusing is much easier for the students.
“One thing that will not happen in the classroom is that you will not get distracted by outside factors, rather you get distracted because you do not want to stop what you are doing. It is easy to want to keep going and continue even when class has ended” says Schroeder.
Lerma also said that one thing she doesn’t like about the on-line class is that her relationship with her teacher is not personal like the one she makes with teachers at Ursuline. “My teacher lives in Kansas and the only time I get face-to-face interaction with her is if I schedule a meeting with her,” said Lerma.
The UACID is a first year department that is loved by every employee that attends and is excited for the growth of the department in the following years.
