Forensic Science BSc (Hons)/MSci

Forensic Science is a sought-after qualification by a range of employers. Our programmes explores the techniques used to recover, examine, analyse and present scientific evidence within a legal context. Students gain significant practical skills and experience in our bespoke crime scene house and specialist forensic laboratories.

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That鈥檚 why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You鈥檒l benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you鈥檒l build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Overview

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 forensic science courses are designed in collaboration with Leicestershire Police so they are relevant to current practice and standards.

The BSc course is professionally accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences ensuring your teaching and learning is to a high standard.

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 51漫画 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.

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

BSc course code: F410

MSci course code: F411

Start date: September

Duration:

BSc three years full-time or four years full-time with an optional sandwich year

MSci four years full-time or five years full-time with an optional sandwich year

Fees and funding:

2025/26 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Book an Open Day

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

BSc course code: F410

MSci course code: F41052

Start date: September

Duration:

BSc three years full-time or four years full-time with an optional sandwich year

MSci four years full-time or five years full-time with an optional sandwich year

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £16,250

Find out more about available funding for international students.

How to apply

Order a prospectus

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

GCSE

Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English.

Plus one of the following:

A-Level

A minimum of 112 UCAS points/(120 UCAS points for MSci applicants), from at least two A levels with a science subject (from Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Applied Sciences) at grade C or above

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma in Science BTEC – DMM/(DDM for MSci applicants)

BTEC National Diploma in Science BTEC - DMM/(DDM for MSci applicants)

Alternative qualifications include:

Access to HE Diploma

Pass QAA Accredited AHE with 112 UCAS points/(120 UCAS points for MSci applicants) with at least 15 level 3 credits at distinction and 30 level 3 credits at merit.
GCSE Maths and English grade 4 or above required as separate qualifications.

International Baccalaureate: 26+ (28+ for MSci applicants) with 6 higher level points in a science subject

Interview required: No

Work experience required : No

Personal Statement selection criteria

Clear communication skills, including good grammar and spelling
Information relevant to the course applied for
Interest in the course demonstrated with explanation and evidence

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

English language

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential. English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

Structure and assessment

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

Along with the modules listed above you will also complete a Professional Portfolio throughout all the years of study.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

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.

You will be taught by a team of academics with a wide range of experience in both academic and industrial settings. Academics on this programme also have a range of UK and international experience. Research specialisms include forensic DNA analysis and human identification, wildlife crime, finger-mark development and recovery, fire investigation, firearms chemistry and forensic applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

Facilities and features

Health and Life Sciences facilities

Substantial investment in Health and Life Sciences has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you develop your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

We offer dedicated high-end, state of the art equipment, facilities and laboratories including a mock crime scene house and a crime studio – the ideal opportunity for realistic training in crime-scene processing and evidence recovery in both domestic and more industrial environments.

Our physical evidence, analytical science and DNA analysis laboratories include a variety of specialist industry-standard equipment which includes forensic microscopy, imaging, trace evidence, finger-mark development and other high-end analysis systems.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘51漫画 Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available.

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our , e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose.

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, 51漫画 Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub.

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live , online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our , and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Opportunities and careers

Graduate careers

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of areas including law enforcement, forensic science, crime scene and scientific support work, analytical chemistry, general scientific analysis, health and safety and the insurance industry.

Our graduates have gone on to work for world-leading forensic science employers including the Home Office, The Forensic Science Regulator, DSTL, GCHQ, National Crime Agency, Eurofins, Cellmark Forensics, Key Forensic Services, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Reckitt Benckiser, 3M and many others.

51漫画 Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through 51漫画 Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Students on this course have previously undertaken 51漫画 Global trips to places such as Guatemala, where they witnessed the work of experts from the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation, an organisation that has carried out important work in helping to unearth human rights abuses and genocide in the Central American country.

Students have also visited New York, where they were taken from the crime scene, to the forensic laboratory and all the way to the court, thanks to inside access to some of the USA’s most renowned crime investigation and judicial centres.

Placements

As part of this course you will have the opportunity to complete a paid placement, which offers invaluable professional experience working in a scientific environment. Students have been placed in highly competitive placement settings such as with the Metropolitan Police, East Midlands Special Operations unit (EMSO) and with internationally recognised companies such as Pfizer.

Our Careers Team can help you secure a placement through activities such as mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and you will be assigned a personal tutor to support you throughout your placement.

Forensic Science student Beatriz Silva helped to fight against serious crime during her placement as a research assistant at the National Crime Agency (NCA). Beatriz says, “This year has helped me develop many skills, such as data analysis and the use of databases. It has also helped me boost my confidence as a professional."

Take your next steps

Nine halls of residence and around 2,300 rooms, all of which are within easy walking distance of the campus.

Run by students for students, DSU offers more than 150 societies and almost 40 different sports clubs for you to get involved in.

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