Course summary

Forensic science is the application of science to law and is carried out through the recovery, analysis, interpretation and presentation of scientific evidence, from crime scene to court. If you have an enquiring mind, are great at solving scientific problems, want to work with cutting-edge equipment and facilities and develop in-depth industry specific knowledge and skills, then this could be the right course for you. You can choose to study a three-year BSc pathway or a four-year integrated masters (MSci) pathway. In year 1, you will study the foundations of both chemistry and biology for forensic science, you will develop your forensic, professional and quantitative skills, including crime scene and forensic photography skills, and learn much more about a broad array of areas of forensic science in the essentials of forensic investigations module. In year 2, you will learn about bodies, tissues and fluids, drugs and trace evidence, analytical forensic chemistry and will go on to learn more about the legal system within which we operate in the issues in criminal justice module. In year 3, you will learn about how forensic science is practiced and what can happen when things go wrong in the forensic case studies module. You’ll learn much more about DNA profiling and the presentation of evidence, fire and toxicology and will also conduct forensic science research in our research project and professional skills module. In year 4 (MSci only) You will have the opportunity to specialise, focusing your studies towards one of three subject areas (Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, Criminalistics) according to your career aspirations and subject interests. You will study a specialist module in your subject area, learn more about forensic science practice in our contemporary issues in forensic science module and will conduct an advanced master’s level project, learning an array of skills vital to scientific practice. Key features Our courses are developed in collaboration with Leicestershire Police and professionally accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences ensuring your learning is of high-quality and remains relevant to current practice and standards. You will have lots of opportunity to develop your practical and professional skills in our crime scene house, crime studio, crown court and our excellent forensic science laboratory facilities. Our strong links with industry mean you’ll not only develop practical and professional skills, but may also be offered the opportunity to apply them to real-world scenarios by spending a year on placement. Our teaching is delivered by a team of expert academics and former practitioners, including Leisa Nichols-Drew, who was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to help her to develop her work exploring international approaches to the forensic investigation of knife crime. Students have gained valuable and often unique international experience as part of their studies with our DMU Global programme, which has enabled students on previous trips to unearth information on human rights abuses and genocide in Guatemala, attend the New York Supreme Court to learn about judicial processes, and support refugees in Berlin. Our graduates have gone on to work for world-leading employers including the Home Office, Forensic Science Regulator, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, GCHQ, National Crime Agency, Eurofins, Cellmark Forensics, Key Forensic Services, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Reckitt Benckiser, 3M and many others. Our MSci course has been developed to extend your learning beyond the BSc Forensic Science programme, and will allow you to specialise, focusing your studies towards one of three subject areas (Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, Criminalistics); helping you to develop more advanced and in-depth knowledge aligned to your career aspirations.