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Forensic Science at De Montfort University - UCAS

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.

Modules

Year one Forensic, Professional and Quantitative Skills Foundations of Biology for Forensic Science Essentials of Forensic Investigations Foundations of Chemistry for Forensic Science Year two Analytical Forensic Chemistry Issues in Criminal Justice Bodies, Tissues and Fluids Operation Vestigium - Drugs and Trace Evidence Casework Year three Forensic Case Studies Operation Ignis – A Fire and Toxicology based investigation Research Project and Professional Skills DNA Profiling and the Presentation of Evidence Professional Portfolio Specialist Pathway module – Either Advanced Concepts in Forensic Biology, Advanced Concepts in Forensic Chemistry or Advanced Concepts in Criminalistics. Research Project and Professional Skills 2 Contemporary Issues in Forensic Science Year four (MSci only) Specialist Pathway module – Either Advanced Concepts in Forensic Biology, Advanced Concepts in Forensic Chemistry or Advanced Concepts in Criminalistics. Research Project and Professional Skills 2 Contemporary Issues in Forensic Science

Assessment method

Teaching and assessment Your precise timetable will depend on your modules, however, you will normally benefit from up to 22 hours of teaching materials each week, which may consist of asynchronous and live lecture content, seminars, tutorials, practical laboratory sessions and workshops. You will also be expected to devote a considerable amount of time to independent study, typically 18 - 20 hours per week. Practical work forms a large part of teaching and includes exercises at our mock crime house facility. You will also learn from visiting lecturers involved in forensic science. Assessments include coursework, practical reports, exams, phase tests, and written and oral presentations. Teaching contact hours Typically you will have around 22 hours of teaching and this will break down as: Personal tutorial/small group teaching: approximately 2 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week Medium group teaching: approximately 12 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week Large group teaching: approximately 2 hours of large group discussions and lecture style teaching Flexible teaching content: approximately 6 hours of screencast content each week, allowing you to learn when it best suits you Personal study: approximately 20 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
F411
Institution code:
D26
Campus name:
Leicester Campus
Campus code:
Y

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9250 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9250 Year 1
EU £15750 Year 1
England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
International £15750 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Please note that fees for subsequent years of study for continuing students are subject to an annual review. Any increase in fee will be in line with RPI-X (linked to the retail price index) and the fee cap set by the Government.
Forensic Science at De Montfort University - UCAS