Forensic Investigation, BSc - 2017/18

Our degree in Applied Criminology and Forensic Investigation has a 100% overall student satisfaction rating. National Student Survey, 2015 We believe that excellent forensic investigators exhibit key features, and our course encourages development of these features in our students. Knowledge of key theory is achieved through the compulsory elements of the curriculum, while optional modules provide variety. Our students report that our curriculum is engaging and exciting, while visiting lecturers state that the course is current, accurate, innovative and aligned to the requirements of forensic employers. Practical experience is vital and allows you to put theory into practice and we house a range of crime scene, laboratory, policing and court facilities to allow you to develop practical skills. High quality mentoring is also important and our staff have all worked as practitioners/researchers in the forensic field and therefore have significant experience that they are able to pass on to you. Finally, self-awareness is a key personal quality for forensic investigators, as it enables you to develop all aspects of your practice and therefore, our ethos is to invest in our students. This investment is highly valued by our students and visiting practitioners, as is the holistic nature of our educational approach. “Choosing to study Forensic Investigation was a great decision for me because it has helped me to gain confidence in the use and application of multiple forensic techniques.” Natasha Mallett, Forensic Investigation student Our forensic investigation degree is delivered by staff who have worked as practitioners within the forensic field and we therefore have a wealth of experience that brings the theory to life and we have an excellent understanding of the core knowledge and skills required for forensic roles. We also have a range of visiting lecturers, who are practitioners working in the forensic field currently, who support the core content of the course with lectures about their field of expertise. The scope of the forensic investigation course is innovative, as the compulsory modules enable you to gain a solid grounding in core areas of forensic investigation, while the optional modules allow you to either focus on forensic investigation or explore related professions, such as policing, law, psychology and cybercrime and this variety is appreciated by our students and highly regarded by forensic professionals/ employers. In addition to ensuring that the scope, quality and currency of the programme content meets the demands of forensic employers, we have also embedded a significant amount of practical and laboratory work into the crime scene and forensic science modules, to enable the development of practical skills, competency in completing forensic documentation and an understanding of the application of concepts to real cases. We also support our students in gaining work experience in the field through volunteer work, paid work, projects with external partners and through regular exposure to forensic professionals through guest lectures, again increasing the chance of employment. Finally, we view our students as partners in learning, as you know the career that you wish to embark on and we understand the knowledge, skills and personal qualities required to achieve that career. We know that self-awareness is very important in forensic careers and we therefore invest significant resources in helping you to understand yourself as a practitioner and provide you with opportunities to develop your academic and professional skills and to work on personal qualities (e.g. confidence) that may impact your chances of attaining employment. This holistic approach is appreciated by our students and has been noted as excellent and innovative practice by professionals working in the field. In 2014, one of our final year students entered the Forensic and Policing Services Association (FAPSA) essay competition and she achieved second place and a special mention on their website regarding the quality of her work.