Forensic Investigation

Learn how to manage crime scenes, analyse crucial evidence and help with real forensic cases on this exciting hands-on course.

From day one, you’ll learn real-world skills including crime scene photography. To prepare you for the ever-evolving nature of crime, we’ve also brought digital forensics into the heart of the course. You’ll be able to handle video and audio evidence and extract data from mobile phones, computers and drones.

Using our £2m simulation facilities, you’ll process scenes, interview witnesses and present your findings in our mock courtroom. In our specialist labs, you’ll analyse hairs, fibres, glass marks and documents, and use our automated fingerprint ID system. There will be strong support from our technical team.

You’ll also get to apply your skills as a forensic investigator in the real world. Through our Staffordshire Forensic Partnership, we offer placements with Staffordshire Police. Students can join our Cold Case Unit too, supporting investigators on missing person cases.

The degree is ideal for careers with police forces, forensic providers and investigative agencies.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation

Course Modules

Please note, we are refreshing our curriculum which means the module structure may be subject to change. These planned changes aim to further develop your professional skills to equip you for the careers of tomorrow.

Modules for our previous intakes have included:

Year One Core: Case Studies in Criminal Justice; Crime Scene Processing; Digital Evidence Processing; Introduction to Forensic Science Techniques; Policing Theory
Year One Optional: Detection and Analysis of Drugs; Missing Persons Investigation

Year Two Core: Advanced Digital Evidence Processing; Bodies of Evidence; Investigative Skills; Marks and Traces; Research Skills and Forensics
Year Two Optional: Chemical and Biological Interactions in Forensics; Forensic Anthropology in the 21st Century; Specialist Scene Investigation; Vehicle Collision Investigation

Year Three Core: Collection and Analysis of Scene Evidence; Expert Witness and the Legal System; Forensic Research Project; Modern Forensics
Year Three Optional: Forensic Field School; Intelligence Led Policing and Major Crime Investigation; Techniques in the Identification of Human Remains

Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. 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.

• The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences