Combine the rich and diverse study of biology and the living world with the forensic challenge of using scientific analysis to explain or solve legal cases.
Embark on a journey of scientific discovery and stand out from the crowd with a combination of skills in biology and forensic science.
Gain practical experience in DNA profiling, blood spatter analysis, fingerprinting and more, while developing your skills in bioinformatics and data analysis.
Explore diverse topics from molecular biology to anthropology, with the opportunity to explore and develop your own specialism in a final year research project.
Equip yourself with a broad perspective that employers value—develop expertise in a versatile skillset applicable to careers from laboratory-based research to crime scene investigation.
Why you should study this course
Biology meets forensic science: combine the latest advanced biological science with practical forensic techniques, gaining a unique combination of skills that sets you apart in the job market.
Real world learning: from mock crime scene investigations to simulated courtroom presentations, actively participate in hands-on laboratory sessions, mastering essential techniques and analysing biological evidence.
Industry-relevant facilities: explore realistic crime scene simulation both indoors in our purpose-built houses and outdoors. Develop your search-and-recovery skills in our decomposition facility, analyse DNA in our super-lab and practice your courtroom presentation techniques in our mock courtroom.
Hone key transferable skills: develop your critical thinking, teamwork, communication and professionalism.
Diverse career paths await: prepare for a wide range of careers from traditional forensic roles to opportunities in biological research and industry, scientific writing, teaching and more.
Our award-winning Green Superlab
This course includes a sandwich (placement year) option.
For the most update to date course details, please visit our website.
This course has a common first year. The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.
If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).
Common First Year Courses
In your first year, you will join a vibrant community of students studying bioscience-related courses in biomedical science, human biosciences and pharmacology. The common first year ensures that you have a firm understanding of core areas of modern biosciences, from the cellular and molecular level through to whole body anatomy and physiology. These subjects are underpinned by relevant aspects of chemistry, maths and data analysis.
The topics are taught in an integrated manner to ensure that the links between disciplines such as biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology are evident. You will also have the opportunity to start to apply your knowledge to collecting and analysing evidence from a crime scene, in the Applied Techniques in Biology module. You are supported with the aim of becoming a confident, competent and safe laboratory scientist.
First Year Modules
Year Two
In your second year, you will build on your knowledge of biology in areas such as genetics, microbiology, neurophysiology and human health and disease. You will study forensic aspects including crime scene evaluation, collection, preservation and analysis of evidence linked to legal aspects of criminal cases. You will continue to extend your skills and competencies, including effective communication to diverse audiences, in both scientific and non-scientific arenas. Individual professional development activities enable you to identify strategies and approaches to enhance your own capabilities and to build your professional profile.
Year Two Modules
Placement Year
There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.
Final Year
The final study year will build on your knowledge of biological and forensic sciences. You will further develop research skills and will undertake a research project which will be designed and reported with the support of an academic supervisor, providing a capstone experience to the course. You will also study the application of cutting-edge forensic techniques to real-life cold cases and test your presentation skills reporting forensic evidence in a mock courtroom.
Final Year Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. Before accepting any offers, please check the website for the most up to date course content.
*For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website.
This course is assessed using methods that vary by module. Assessment methods may include:
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Coventry University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available.
Course optionsDiscover what it's like to study Biological and Forensic Sciences at Coventry University: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.
We’re here to help you achieve your study goals. If your qualifications or expected levels of grades differ from those outlined above, chat with our admissions team and between us we will explore the possibilities open to you. We accept a range of qualifications and our study experience is designed to give you options and support from the start.
Contact us via our website to find out more.
Grades alone don’t tell us everything about your potential and your story. We use information from your application to assess achievements in your personal situation to support fair and equal access. For example, we consider where you live, your school, if you are a carer or a care leaver or have experienced disruption to your education.
We have different schemes that recognise this context that may result in a reduced offer by up to 24 UCAS points or equivalent.
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands & Republic of Ireland | £9790* | |
| EU & International | £19200* |
* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
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.
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Email:applications.io@coventry.ac.uk
Phone:+44 024 7765 2152
Email:ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk
Phone:024 7765 2222
Priory Street
Coventry
CV1 5FB
At Coventry University
