Forensic Science

Crime Scene Processing

This module will provide you with a fundamental understanding of crime scene processing. During the module you will practise digital photography, utilising our Crime Scene House to give you a ‘real world’ setting to develop your skills. Alongside which we will give you the knowledge and skills you need to be able to protect a scene and fully document it through sketching, measuring and logs in addition to photography. You will also be introduced to the collection and appropriate methods of packaging for items of evidence. All of these skills will provide an excellent basis for a potential future career as a Crime Scene Investigator.

Module code: FORE40347

Fraud And Forgeries

According to the National Economic Crimes Centre the estimated cost of fraud to the UK is 190 billion pounds annually. However, it is thought that less than 20 per cent of incidents of fraud are actually reported, so the true economic cost is unknown. The module aims to provide an insight into fraud and forgery providing an understanding of the principles of their detection and investigation. It is designed to offer understanding of deception within the United Kingdom and techniques used in the collection, preservation and analysis of evidence. Case examples will be used to show the application of the techniques to specific case studies. The students will have the opportunity to gain hands on experience of the scientific techniques used in detecting forgeries and counterfeits.

Module code: FORE40350

Introduction To Forensic Chemistry

An introduction to forensic science will provide the students with a core understanding of the role of a forensic scientist in both criminal and civil cases. The module will review real cases to highlight forensic techniques, the development of the rules governing expert witnesses, a general understanding of the legal system and the reasons for the procedures to be followed in scene / evidence management. The use of real cases will allow the students to appreciate and understand why the various procedures are required and need to be followed, by both showing failures in cases as well as successes.Completion of the module will provide the student with a solid basis to proceed into more detailed forensic science or scene management roles.

Module code: FORE40352

Case Studies In Criminal Justice

Have you ever wondered why miscarriages of justice occur and how many offenders may never be convicted for their crime(s)? This module will enable you to consider a range of factors, challenges, issues and mistakes that can and have influenced criminal justice outcomes and explore how change can overcome and improve these outcomes in both UK and international contexts. You will consider and explore real-world cases from criminological, policing and forensic perspectives by working with students from related courses and staff with subject expertise in these specific criminal justice sectors. As a result, you will be able to consider the contribution of professionals in your subject areas as well as those of others who all work together to deliver justice in society.

Module code: FORE40354

Detection And Analysis Of Drugs

Would you like you know more about the analysis of drugs and alcohol? In this option module you will gain an understanding of what drugs of abuse are, their effects on the body, how they may be made and how they can be tested in an analytical laboratory. You will get practical experience of initial testing of seized samples and consider evidence

Module code: FORE40348

Practical Forensic Scientific Techniques

Utilise forensics in practical scenarios; understand how the laboratory translates into the real-world. Build scientific models of data and apply them to what you see experimentally. This module will introduce you to the biological, chemical, mathematical and computational tools you need to succeed as a forensic scientist.

Module code: FORE40353

Digital Evidence Processing

Module code: FORE40358

Introduction To Forensic Biology

This module incorporates the fundamental aspects of biology to support the biological aspects contained in later levels of your degree. The basics of the diversity of life will be covered, including DNA as the central dogma of molecular biology and the unifying mechanism in all life. Students will learn the fundamentals of inheritance starting with the structure, replication and organisation of DNA within the genome. How information flow is regulated and translated into a form useable by a cell will be addressed and the module will culminate with consideration of the vertical transmission of genetic material (reference to Mendelian principles) and introduction to population genetics.

Module code: FORE40351

Designing Research Projects

This module gives students step-by-step guidance and support to produce a group project proposal that outlines how their cross-discipline team would investigate and respond to a current problem or issue faced in the criminal justice, police or forensic science industry/sector. The module also equips students with the practical skills & competencies to retrieve, analyse and write up both quantitative and qualitative data.

Module code: SOCY50586

Forensic Archaeology

This module will examine the role of the forensic archaeologist, both within UK criminal investigations and international mass death scenarios. The fundamental principles of search, recovery and post-recovery analysis will be explored and the various scenarios in which forensic archaeologists can become involved in investigations centred around buried or concealed remains will be discussed. Students will be introduced to the various methods that can be employed by forensic archaeologists at crime scenes, such as intelligence gathering, remote sensing, geophysical survey and excavation. Case studies involving the search for, and recovery of, human remains, drugs, weapons and other clandestinely buried items will be presented, whilst specific sessions focusing on the logistical and environment factors that may hinder these investigations will be delivered. Sessions discussing the variety of trace evidence and samples that can be taken from a grave and their evidential value will allow the students to consider the methods introduced to them in other modules, such as Introduction to Forensic Science and Science For Justice, in the context of the burial environment. Practical sessions in geophysics and excavation will complement the taught components and provide the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of the methods discussed. Lectures by specialist practitioners regularly involved in case work will offer a `real-world' perspective. Additionally, students will be expected to critique specialist reports in order providing an opportunity to understand up-to-date developments within the discipline, and as enhance their research and analytical skills.

Module code: FORE50365

Chemical And Biological Interactions In Forensics

Module code: FORE50360

Forensic Anthropology In The 21St Century

This module will focus on how the analysis of human remains can assist in the identification process. It will also focus upon Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and the growing field of forensic humanitarianism. In Semester 1, you will learn about the techniques utilised in body identification and identification of pathology, trauma, and taphonomy. You will use a variety of osteological techniques to analyse human skeletal remains, construct a biological profile, and identify and interpret pathology, trauma, and taphonomy. In Semester 2, you will learn about DVI protocols and the value of forensic humanitarianism not only within forensic science, more society more broadly. You will learn about contemporary issues within these fields and how forensics can be used to overcome these challenges.

Module code: FORE50364

Vehicle Collision Investigation

Vehicle collisions are a common occurrence, and their effective investigation involves a range of forensic techniques and investigative processes. The more serious collisions are managed by a Lead Investigating Officer who is responsible for appropriately resourcing the scene and the resulting investigation. The module will initially focus on the roles of the collision investigator and vehicle examiner who are responsible for the collection and preservation of evidence and the reconstruction of the collision. Methods which assist in establishing what factors contributed to the collision, whether they be human, mechanical or environmental, will allow greater understanding of how and why collisions occur. The role of the lead investigating officer will be examined, along with others key roles involved in the investigation of the Collison and the policy decisions made during the investigation.

Module code: FORE50368

Firearm Investigations

Ever wondered how firearm crime gets detected and solved when no one reported it to police? This cross-disciplinary module focuses on the criminal use of firearms, ammunition and other weapons used to commit violent and serious crime. You will consider the methods used in detecting, linking, investigating, solving and preventing various firearm-related offences in both UK and international contexts. You consider the criminal justice process from policing, forensic and judicial perspectives and will develop a court room aide that helps you explain to a mock jury, the relevant aspects of a simulated firearm-related case.

Module code: FORE50362

Analytical Methods In Forensic Science

Chemical analysis is crucial to modern forensic investigations, as such this module will introduce students to a range of current and state-of-the-art in analytical techniques. A thorough understanding will be gained of the theory and application of chromatographic techniques with different detection methods. Similarly, the theory and role of molecular and atomic spectroscopic techniques in qualitative and quantitative analysis will be addressed, along with other specialist techniques.Students will gain hands-on experience of the preparation of samples for analysis and then generate practical data from their use of the analytical equipment. As such students will develop a range of laboratory skills allowing them to interpret the analysis of a variety of forensic evidence.

Module code: FORE50358

Biological Methods In Forensic Science

Forensic Genetics and DNA-profiling: Basic genetics (classical, molecular and population) relevant to forensics - patterns of inheritance (nuclear and cytoplasmic), alleles and polymorphisms. Detection of polymorphisms, genes in populations. Genetic material and its isolation from diverse sources. The practical content includes some basic techniques of molecular biology related to DNA analysis and genotyping, including purification and gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids, hybridisation technology and the polymerase chain reaction. What information can be gleaned from genetic data? Lectures will give the scientific background to the techniques, an overview of the typing systems used (STR typing, mitochondrial sequencing and the developing SNP analysis), when certain systems are applied rather than other ones, the significance and interpretation of the results, DNA profiling databases, quality control and regulation. Laboratory sessions will give practical experience of the procedures from collection of samples to interpretation of results.Forensic Biology: The wide scope of this area includes the investigation of crimes against the person (such as murder, rape and other sexual offences, assault), endangered species and paternity. In addition you will specifically focus on biological evidence at crime scenes; blood stain pattern analysis; visualising body fluid stains; collection and handling of biological evidential samples; clothing examination; presumptive testing for body fluids; extraction of body fluid stains; microscopy of spermatozoa; hair analysis; conventional blood grouping; determination of species of origin. Applications of microscopy to other biological evidential material. Basic forensic entomology. An introduction to the basic concepts in ante-mortem and post-mortem pathologies using appropriate examples. Professional aspects including hypothesis forming and testing, quality assurance, proper documentation, presenting written reports of investigations to courts of law.

Module code: FORE50359

Marks And Traces

Marks and traces are a key forms of evidence seen in criminal investigations. This very practical based module will provide you with the knowledge and skills to analyse a variety of evidence types using a range of techniques. This module will cover marks and traces such as fingerprints, footwear impressions, toolmarks, fibres and glass. You will explore their use in casework, understand the methods used to analyse samples and learn to interpret this evidence for the courts. You will learn to apply your skills to mock cases, in which you analyse samples and report results. The practicals and assessments are based on real-world workplace activities and provide you with the skills needed to be a forensic scientist/investigator.

Module code: FORE50367

Synthetic Chemistry For Forensic Science

Module code: FORE60373

Modern Forensics

In this module you will discuss new and emerging technologies and concepts in forensic science and forensic investigation. All sessions will be interactive, with the opportunity to discuss your ideas with academic staff and experts from the field during an expert panel discussion.You will attend and participate in a modern forensics conference at the university, where you will present your knowledge of a new and emerging technology or concept in forensics and to present your ideas for the future of the discipline, which will be assessed in an evidence based summary. You will also be assessed on your conference presentation and your abstract and biography, which will form part of the conference proceedings.

Module code: FORE60372

Techniques In The Identification Of Human Remains

This module will provide you with advanced theory and knowledge of techniques that are involved in human identification. It will also explore the issues and challenges faced within forensic humanitarianism, and how identification techniques are employed within this specialism. The module will specialise in: - Victim identification, the methods used to identify the dead, and the problems encountered in human identification; - Human identification protocols in mass disaster environments; - The issues and challenges within forensic humanitarianism from a family, researcher, and practitioner perspective. The module will allow you to develop your understanding of advanced forensic techniques, while simultaneously considering the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by researchers and practitioners. As well as acquiring knowledge of specialised techniques, you will made aware of current research and potential future developments in forensic science and forensic humanitarianism.

Module code: FORE60374

Forensic Field School

Gain practical experience of real-world casework and research. This module will give you the opportunity to put into practice the skills you have learnt during your degree program. You will be invited to join active forensic investigators from the School to carry out fieldwork one of their important research projects. You will gain practical experience of the wide range of methodologies used to investigate different crime scenes. Taught by specialists in their field, you will use state of the art technologies. This module represents an important step in your development towards a career in forensics.

Module code: FORE60368

Collection And Analysis Of Scene Evidence

This module will put into practice the knowledge and skills you have developed in earlier modules and enables you to experience all aspects of the ‘crime scene to court’ process.Working as a small team, you will go to the crime scene house and, wearing full personal protective equipment, process a range of different mock crime scenes, collecting all the relevant evidence and documenting your actions. You will also analyse the evidence collected in those scenes using the appropriate laboratory equipment and writing scientific reports on the outcomes. For your final assessment, as well as a scientific report you will also create a court report which you will then be cross examined on in a mock court setting.

Module code: FORE60366

Forensic Research Project

You will devise, plan, execute and report on a substantial piece of independent research work in forensics. The topic will be selected from a list of research projects or you can design your own topic. It will normally include experimental work or fieldwork. The module will allow you to develop skills in defending your work through a viva-voce examination. You will need to select, deploy and adapt techniques, critically interpret and evaluate data, and present your findings both in writing and orally. As part of the viva voce examination you will be expected to give a concise verbal summary of your project, its findings and the significance of the research.

Module code: FORE60369

Expert Witness And The Legal System

You will gain an understanding of the England and Wales legal system, with a particular focus on the role of the forensic scientist within this system. You will gain experience of what it is like to be in a court of law and the roles and responsibilities of an Expert Witness. You will also understand the governance and regulations surrounding the production of expert witness statements and be able to produce expert witness statements yourself. This includes an understanding of Court of Appeal rulings and their impact on expert witness evidence and testimony.You will also gain a greater understanding and appreciation of how probability is used in a court of law and pertaining to the criminal investigation. You will gain an understanding of Bayes Theorem and Case Assessment and Interpretation and will gain practical experience of applying these principles in a range of case studies. This will include learning how to find appropriate published studies, as well as how to design your own experimental study to test an hypothesis/competing pair of hypotheses.There will also be a focus on the role of the UK’s Forensic Science Regulator and the guidelines they have produced, and which forensic science expert witnesses are expected to abide by.

Module code: FORE60367

Chemistry

Module code: BIOL30468

Biology

Module code: BIOL30467

Applied Science

Module code: BIOL30469

Communicating Science Project

Module code: BIOL30464

Maths And Data Handling

Module code: BIOL30466

Academic And Digital Skills

Module code: BIOL30465

Forensic Chemical And Biological Methods

Take the opportunity to review content from Levels 4-6 and delve further into Forensic Science. Hone your skills in the laboratories for the opportunity to develop as an effective researcher.

Module code: FORE70584

Statistical Approaches To Forensics

Module code: FORE70583

Integrated Masters Placement

You will spend the second semester of your final year working on an internal or external placement. This will give you the opportunity to demonstrate that you can work effectively in a professional environment. You will learn new skills and conduct research appropriate to the placement requirements.

Module code: FORE70571

Informatics For Forensics

Module code: FORE70581

Environmental Forensics And Wildlife Crime

Module code: FORE70580