JS 504: Serial Killers

Taken Spring 2009
Instructor: James Sparks

This class was awesome!! The course begins with an overview of the various types of serial murderers, which acts as a foundation for the rest of the course. Each week a different serial killer is covered. Information covered in each case includes background of the serial killer, victimology, timeline of the crimes, evidence obtained, trial highlights, and sentencing of the offender. The instructor also uses lots of visual aides such as interviews, TV footage, documentaries, crime scene photos, and other photographs.

There are a couple of drawbacks to this course. Students taking the course for graduate credit are required to write a 20 page paper on a US serial killer. Grading is also based on weekly 10-point quizzes and attendance. Sparks is very strict on attendance (but why would you want to miss a class? I mean come on). I can't comment on the difficulty of the quizzes since I audited the course and didn't have to take them.

Now, for the primary drawback of this course... As it currently stands, this course will not count towards the credits required for completion of the MSFS Program. However, I personally think a case can be made to the Program Director (in conjunction with Mr. Sparks) that if the research paper focused on the forensic evidence that was used to find and convict the serial killer, then the course could potentially count for credit. Admittedly, my co-auditor and I made this pitch to Dr. Linvillain, who promptly shot us down. But, never hurts to ask.

Overall, I found the course to be fascinating and very enjoyable and the instructor to be extremely knowledgeable about all facets of each of the serial killers covered. I highly recommend it.