Specialization in Ballistics

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Program Presentation

The Specialization in Ballistics program trains specialists in obtaining evidence related to criminal proceedings to develop ballistic expert reports and be able to provide them in trial, making their defense with the certainty of having done a good job.

It is, therefore, a matter of providing evidence to the justice system in order to clarify the crimes and ascertain the responsibility of individuals. Decisions in a Tribunal are based on the evidence provided, which basically has to be obtained by scientific means. In this sense, the ballistics technician is in charge of this type of work.

Each country's police forces and corps have qualified specialists, but the private, business, and research sectors are increasingly using the services of private ballistics technicians as required.

The training provided by this Specialization allows to obtain a university degree with a professional approach. The program offers training that is closely connected to the context of professional practice. Its design responds to this objective from the didactic approach of the subjects, as well as thanks to the professors and tutors in charge, who have a consolidated trajectory in the field.

The professional opportunities are those specific to the professional working in the world of Justice, making expert reports at the proposal of a party or by judicial appointment, advising lawyers, or working in private forensic laboratories.

The professional who successfully completes the Specialization will be qualified to:

  • Determine whether a weapon apprehended by the Police is fit for effective use.
  • Determine whether a projectile has been fired by a particular weapon or whether two projectiles have been fired by the same weapon.
  • Determine whether an imitation gun has undergone modifications to make it fire.
  • Determine the trajectories of the projectiles involved in the crime scene.
  • Determine the distances from where the shots were fired and hit the victim's body.

Who is the programme for?

The Specialization in Ballistics program trains students in this professional sector and provides them with a rigorous and comprehensive training to be able to develop their expertise and consultancy tasks.

This Specialization can be very useful for lawyers, criminologists, prosecutors, detectives, private security chiefs or directors, police officers, etc.

Diploma

Successful completion of the Program will lead to a Specialization in Ballistics.

Upon successful completion of the Program, the student will receive the degree issued by the university where they have enrolled.

Program Structure

The Specialization in Ballistics program includes eight subjects, totaling 39 credits.

Subjects Creditsa
Weaponry 5
General Ballistics 5
External Ballistics 4
Interior Ballistics 4
Forensic Ballistics 5
Police Ballistics 5
Terminal Ballistics 5
Cartridges 6
TOTAL 39

a. The equivalence in credits may vary according to the university where the student has enrolled. One (1) ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credit is equivalent to 10 hours of supervised and directed activities and 15 hours of independent work. If the student is enrolled in a university that does not belong to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the relation between credits - hours may vary.

Duration

The Specialization in Ballistics program has 39 credits.

The duration of the Specialization in Ballistics program varies between 9 and 12 months, depending on the student's commitment. During this period, the student must have successfully passed all the corresponding evaluations as well as the Final Project, if any.

Objectives

General Objective

Train professionals capable of working jointly with the Department of Justice and to be appointed by the Courts and Tribunals as Judicial Ballistics Expert to act as such, with the ability to gather evidence and collect it in expert reports and defend them in court proceedings, integrating resources and adding methods and techniques.

Specific Objectives

  • Know how firearms work.
  • Know the theory of projectile motion.
  • Know the signs on the victim's body that indicate the distance of the shot.
  • Recognize the individual marks left by the bore of a gun on a projectile.

Career Opportunities

  • Judicial expert in ballistics.
  • Counsel to attorneys in criminal cases.
  • Specialist in ballistics in the police forces.

Study Plan

The Specialization in Ballistics program is described in the following table:

# SUBJECTS
1 Weaponry
2 General Ballistics
3 Exterior Ballistics
4 Interior Ballistics
5 Forensic Ballistics
6 Police Ballistics
7 Terminal Ballistics
8 Cartridges

Description of the Subjects

SUBJECTS

  1. Weaponry

    The main objective of this subject is to teach the student the types of weapons, their operation, and cartridges in order to be able to apply them in the corresponding weapons regulations and their possible use in a ballistics and armament laboratory. Some of the topics covered are:

    FIREARMS
    Muzzleloader. Breechloader. Forging a gun barrel. Firearms accessories.
    COLD WEAPONS
    Swords. Pocket knives. Knives. Hunting bayonets.
    BASIC INTRODUCTION TO BALLISTICS
    Ammunition. Identification of the projectile. Cartridge case. Projectile. Gunpowder. Percussion cap. Caliber. Identification codes.
    INTRODUCTION TO FIREARMS REGULATIONS
    Generalities of firearms regulations. Classification of regulated weapons. Banned weapons. War weapons.
    ILLICIT TRAFFICKING OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS
     
    TRANSFER CONTROL OF SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGIES
    Nuclear Suppliers Groups (NSG). Australia Group (AG). Missile technology control regime. Nuclear, biological, chemical, and aerospace technology.
    ASSAULT RIFLES
    History of the assault rifle. Modern assault rifles.
    SUBMACHINE GUNS
  2. General Ballistics

    This subject studies the history of ballistics, its various classifications, the factors that influence the mechanics of firing, and the development of the barrel of a firearm as analogous disciplines, necessary for a good ballistics and armament technician. Some of the topics covered are:

    INTRODUCTION TO BALLISTICS
    Classification of ballistics. Introduction to the concept of weaponry.
    INTERNAL BALLISTICS
    Percussion. Piston. Combustion of gunpowder. Pressure increase and gas sealing. The mechanics of shooting. Other factors that influence the mechanics of the shot. Weapons recoil.
    EXTERNAL BALLISTICS
    Practical ballistic trajectories. Development and theory of external ballistics.
    TERMINAL OR EFFECTS BALLISTICS
    History. Shock wave. Testing with live animals. Thompson-LaGarde commission tests. Penetrating power and stopping power. Measures of effect.
    FIREARMS BARREL
    Shape and length of the barrel. Gun caliber.
    GUNPOWDER
    Black powder. Magnitudes related to the deflagration of gunpowder. Difference between gunpowder and breaker explosive. Determination of gunpowder by qualitative assessment. Gunpowder additives.
  3. Exterior Ballistics

    BALLISTIC CONSIDERATIONS
    Ballistic process. Speed. Effective outreach. Accuracy. Recoil. Boom. Projectiles.
    TRAJECTORY MOTION
    Points. Levels. Curved lines. Straight lines. Angles with the horizon. Angles with the trajectory. Distances.
    TRAJECTORY IN VACUUM
    Gravity acceleration. Trajectory. Velocity of a projectile. Properties.
    AIR RESISTANCE AND FORM FACTOR
    Air resistance studies. Sectional density. Ballistic coefficient. Air density. Speed factor. Trajectory. Shape coefficient. Derivation of a projectile.
    RANGE TABLE
    ACCURACY
    Dispersion. Probabilities. Shot dispersion and accuracy. Aiming elements. Evolution of sights. Open sights. Point. Rear sight. Diopter. Optical viewers. Optical determinations. Ocular occlusion viewers. Optronic scopes. Laser emitters.
  4. Interior Ballistics

    In this subject, we study the ballistic processes that affect the gun-cartridge combination, the factors that influence the mechanics of firing, and the development of the barrel of a firearm as analogous disciplines, necessary for a good ballistics and armament technician. Some of the topics included are:

    GUN-CARTRIDGE ASSEMBLY
    Thermal machine. Cartridge composition. Gunpowder. Initiators. Cartridge case. Projectiles.
    CHAMBER SEATING
    Cartridge cases. Cartridge seating. Headspace. Maximum cartridge and minimum chamber.
    PERCUSSION AND IGNITION
    Firing point. The percussion lock. Firing chain. Needle-fired system. Hammer percussion system. Capsule and primer.
    GUNPOWDER COMBUSTION
    Explosive substance. Detonation and combustion. General gunpowder problem. Black powder. Single-base gunpowder. Double-base gunpowder. Triple-base gunpowder. Shape of the gunpowders. Characteristics and properties of gunpowder.
    CHAMBER PRESSURE
    Combustion chamber. Load density. Gunpowder load. Measurement of the pressure. External signs of overpressure.
    CALIBER
    Caliber between fields. Bullet caliber. Caliber between splines. Other calibers. Actual and nominal caliber Designation of cartridges.
    BARREL
    Rifling. Manufacture of barrels. Minié ball. Smoothbore barrel. Chokes.
    RIFLING
    Rifled barrel. In ancient times. Elaboration of the rifling. Rifling shape. Rifling pitch. Rotation speed. Polygonal rifling.
    BALLISTIC CALCULATIONS
  5. Forensic Ballistics

    In this subject, we will study the parts of the cartridge, the operation of the weapons, the firing process, the ballistic indications, and all the necessary tests to discover which weapon has fired, the caliber, the firing distance, as well as the injuries produced in a human body. Some of the topics covered are:

    APPROACH TO FORENSIC BALLISTICS
    Generalities of the ocular inspection in crimes with firearms. Preliminary examination. Witness statements.
    INJURIES BY FIREARMS
    Classifications of firearms. Elements that make up a shot. Morphology of firearm wounds. Medical-legal problems in firearm injuries. Explosions. Types of blast injuries.
    OCULAR INSPECTION AND ANALYTICAL FORENSIC BALLISTICS
    BIdentifying and comparative ballistics. Repetitive and accidental marks related to forensic ballistics. Marks on the bullet. Control bullets collection systems. Methods of bullet comparison in forensic ballistics. Additional markings and objects attached to the fired bullets. Study of bullet deformation in relation to technical police investigation. Forensic ballistic study on marks on the cartridge case. Identification of gunpowder traces in the visual inspection. Different systems for the collection of gunshot residues for transfer to the laboratory. Techniques for the investigation of gunpowder traces in the laboratory. Analytical procedures to identify antimony and barium. Other microchemical methods to detect substances derived from a gunshot. Method of searching for metallic residues in the interior of a firearm.
    INDICATIONS AND RESOURCES FOR THE PREPARATION OF A FORENSIC BALLISTICS REPORT
    Sequences in safety measures in the handling of a firearm. Micro-comparative study. Basic safety equipment. Laser trajectory finder kit. Reconstruction of the numbering of an erased gun. Sample report. Most frequent types of forensic ballistics studies.
    NOTIONS OF CALIBER AND CARTRIDGE IN FORENSIC BALLISTICS. COMPILATION OF USEFUL PARAMETERS
    Shotgun caliber. Caliber of smoothbore weapons. Caliber of rifled weapons. Evolution of cartridges. Cartridge case. Initiating systems. Initiating explosives. Bullet. Crimping and bullet manufacturing process. Hunting bullets. Handgun bullets. Lead bullets. Compressed air pellets. Gunpowder.
  6. Police Ballistics

    Police ballistics is a branch of general ballistics that is specifically dedicated to the study of weapons and cartridges from the police point of view, divided into interior, exterior, and effects ballistics. A central task of police ballistics is the study of the so-called caliber of a weapon. Therefore, this subject is focused on training in general and police ballistics, weapons, cartridges, and calibers, applicable to modern ballistics laboratories, necessary for research. Some of the topics included are:

    INTRODUCTION TO POLICE BALLISTICS
    Basic classification of ballistics. Introduction to the concept of weapons. Technical concept of weapon. Firearms. Modern percussion systems. Introduction to firearms safety. Safety rules in the shooting gallery.
    GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF WEAPONS
    Weapons classification based on gunpowder. Classification of weapons according to their use. Definition of firearms by the CIP.
    CRIMINALISTICS CLASSIFICATION OF PORTABLE FIREARMS
    By the length of the weapon. By its charging and ignition procedure. By its autonomy. By its percussion. By the number of cannons. By its caliber. By its bore. By the purpose of use or employment.
    THE BARREL OF FIREARMS
    Rifling characteristics. The polygonal canyon. Weapon and cartridge measurements. Identification data and name. Smoothbore firearms.
    CARTRIDGE
    Metal cartridge. Semi-metallic cartridge. Projectiles for smoothbore weapons. Special cartridges.
    INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL BALLISTICS
    Interior ballistics. External ballistics. Effects or terminal ballistics. Identifying ballistics. Current problems of ballistics.
  7. Terminal Ballistics

    In this subject, the general considerations of terminal ballistics are studied, highlighting the stopping and penetrating power, lead, the behavior of the various projectiles, as well as the stopping powers and the injurious effects of the various projectiles. Some of the topics included are:

    BALLISTIC CONSIDERATIONS
    Generalities of terminal ballistics. Objectives of terminal ballistics. Ballistic process. Mass and weight. Speed. Effective outreach. Accuracy.
    KINETIC ENERGY
    Questions about energy. Shotgun cartridges. Supersonic flight. Penetration and perforation.
    STOPPING POWER
    Studies and tests. Josserand's system. Shotgun cartridges. Hatcher system.
    PENETRATION POWER
    Shotgun cartridges. Josserand's system. Penetration and stopping.
    CALIBER
    Chokes. Flight of pellets. Lead measurement. Plummet. Hunting application. Police application.
    PROJECTILE BEHAVIOR
    Projectile factors. Deformation of the bullet. Types of bullets. Effects of ammunition.
    OTHER STOPPING POWERS
    The form factor. Matunas method. Comparison of detention powers.
    HARMFUL EFFECTS
    Power transmission. Fatal injuries. Elements that make up the shots. Projectile entry wound. Atypical wounds produced by the bullet. Trajectory of firearm injuries. Exit orifice of the bullet. High-velocity bullet injuries. Buckshot wounds.
  8. Cartridges

    The objective of this subject is to learn about the different types of cartridges used in revolvers, pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Some of the topics studied are:

    INTRODUCTION TO CARTRIDGES
    Paper cartridge. Fulminant. Cartridge case.
    DENOMINATION OF THE CARTRIDGES
    Caliber between fields. Bullet caliber. Caliber between rifling. Actual and nominal caliber. European system. American system. English system. Semi-metallic cartridges.
    APPLICATION OF CARTRIDGES
    Military cartridges. Police cartridges. Self-defense cartridges. Sport cartridges. Industrial cartridges.
    REVOLVER CARTRIDGES
    Characteristics of revolver cartridges. Main revolver cartridges.
    PISTOL CARTRIDGES
    Characteristics of pistol cartridges. Main pistol cartridges.
    RIFLE CARTRIDGES
    Characteristics of rifle cartridges. Main rifle cartridges.
    RIFLE CARTRIDGES
    Characteristics of rifle cartridges. Main rifle cartridges.
    SHOTGUN CARTRIDGES
    Elements of shotgun cartridges. Ballistics of cartridges. Use of cartridges.

Management

Academic Management

  • Msc. Luis Jiménez Romero.
    General Director of the School of Criminology of Catalonia since 1995. From 1980 to 1992, he worked as a Spanish government official specialized in security, explosives deactivation, and criminal investigation. Since 1994, he has also been a freelance forensic psychologist, with experience in preparing expert reports on imputability, credibility of testimony, procedural capacity, civil capacities, victim assessment, etc. Academically, he holds a Diploma in Criminology and Private Investigation from the Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia.

Professors and Authors

  • Dr. Miguel Ángel Soria Verde. Doctor in Psychology from the Universidad de Barcelona. Professor of Legal, Criminal Psychology, and Advanced Criminology at the Faculties of Psychology and Law of the Universidad de Barcelona. Director of the Master in Criminal Investigation (UB), as well as the Master in Legal and Forensic Psychology (UAB). Since 1990, he has been involved as a forensic expert in homicide, rape, and child sexual abuse cases. He has published more than 70 articles and chapters and a dozen books on the subject. Violent crime investigator (family homicides, child pornography, and serial rapes).
  • Dr. Tomás Salás Darrocha. Doctor in Law from the Universidad de Barcelona and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the same university. With a long and prestigious career in the judiciary, he is a practicing Magistrate-Judge in the Criminal Courts of Barcelona and was head of the technical office of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC), among other positions.
  • Dr. Eduardo Silva. Doctor in Projects by the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana. Master's Degree in International Business Management from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Lawyer and Notary Public from the Universidad Rafael Landívar. Lawyer in the Legal Department of the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana. Executive Director of the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana, Guatemala.
  • Mg. Alba Hernández Santana. Professor and director of final projects at the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana, lecturer at the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana. Master's Degree in Social Psychology and Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the Universidad de La Habana. Expert in conflict resolution, with more than 20 years of experience in organizational research and consulting.
  • Mg. Sonia Juliana Pérez Pérez. Professor and director of final projects at the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana, lecturer at the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana. Master's Degree in Music Therapy from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bachelor's Degree in Andropology from the Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia; Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Colombia.
  • Lic. David Martínez Bautista. General Secretary of the School of Criminology of Catalonia since 1995. Since then, he has also worked as a Judicial Expert in Ballistics and Weapons and Fire Investigation. Academically, he is a doctoral student in History of Pharmacy from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, has a Bachelor's in Pharmacy from the same university, a Higher Diploma in Criminology and Private Investigation and "Expertus in Paleontology" from the Geological Museum of the Diocesan Seminary of Barcelona.
  • Lic. Nuria Alba Quintero. Practicing lawyer (civil and criminal) with extensive experience in both the private and public spheres, she also teaches at the School of Criminology of Catalonia. Law degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

FUNIBER Training Scholarships

The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) periodically allocates an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Training Scholarships.

To apply, please complete the information request form on FUNIBER's website or contact your country's office directly, which will inform you if it is necessary to provide any additional information.

Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will examine the suitability of your application for the granting of financial aid through a Training Scholarship from FUNIBER.