Forensic Investigation

"Our Forensic Investigation degree gives you the skills required for a career with the police, forensic providers, or investigative and intelligence agencies.

Our Forensic Investigation degree is ideal for those who have a strong interest in criminalistics, forensics, crime scene science and evidence analysis.

We will equip you for a career working with the police, a forensic provider or any other investigative or intelligence agency, such as the Home Office, HM Customs and Excise.

Our industry standard facilities include a crime scene house, specialist laboratories and equipment to capture fibre evidence and fingerprinting. You will also benefit from expert practitioner input into your degree through our Staffordshire Police Forensic Partnership.

By opting to study the MSci route, you will graduate with an Integrated Masters qualification in Forensic Investigation. You will follow the route of the BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation then in the fourth year you will take Masters’ level modules, including a research project or placement in an area that has captured your interest.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSci Forensic Investigation"

Year 1
Policing Theory, Digital Evidence Processing, Crime Scene Processing, Case Studies in Criminal Justice, Introduction to Forensic Scientific Techniques, option module.
Options include: Forensics in the Media, Fraud and Forgeries, Detection and Analysis of Drugs, Missing Persons Investigation

Year 2
Designing Research Projects, Investigative Skills, Bodies of Evidence, Marks and Traces, Advanced Digital Evidence Processing, option module.
Options include: Firearms Investigation, Forensic Archaeology, Vehicle Collision Investigation, Forensic Anthropology in the 21st Century

Year 3
Forensic Research Project, Collection and Analysis of Scene Evidence, Expert Witness and The Legal System, Modern Forensics, option module.
Options include: Mass Death Scenarios, Forensic Advice Clinic, Forensic Field School, Intelligence-led Policing and Major Crime.

Year 4
Integrated Masters Placement, Statistical Approaches in Forensics, Policing Complexity or Cyber Crime and one option.
Options include: Environmental Forensics and Wildlife Crime, Forensic Advice Clinic, Policing Complexity, Cyber Crime.

Each module normally includes practice or ‘formative’ assessments, for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences