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Forensic Biology (with Foundation Year)

Entry requirements


GCSE/National 4/National 5

There are no GCSE requirements. The Foundation Year will cover these skills in preparation for degree study.

UCAS Tariff

48-72

48-72 UCAS tariff points.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

4years

Full-time including foundation year | 2024

Other options

5 years | Sandwich including foundation year | 2024

Subject

Forensic biology

**Whether it’s working on criminal investigations to analyse crime scenes and identify victims, working in the field of endangered species to identify illegal trading, or investigating diseases, Forensic Biologists are in growing demand**

**Why study BSc (Hons) Forensic Biology (with Foundation Year) at BU?**
- Taught by leading academics, experienced practitioners and a range of professional guest lecturers, you will develop a comprehensive grounding in forensic biology

- Take part in invaluable lab and fieldwork experience, including mock crime scenes and disasters and live-fire exercises in your final year

- Use sophisticated lab and field equipment to collect and analyse biological evidence, write detailed logs and reports, and even collaborate with staff on current forensic research projects

- Pick from subject modules that suit your own interests, passions, and career goals in your second and final year

- Gain valuable work experience on your placement if you choose to take one and improve your chances of gaining employment after you graduate.

- 88% of graduates are in employment or further study fifteen months after completing the course. (source DiscoverUni 2023)

**Foundation year:** We have a foundation year option for students who do not meet the entry requirements for the degree course. This additional year of study will give you a grounding in the scientific skills required for this course, building your confidence, knowledge and skills for further study. After successful completion of the foundation year, you will progress to the full degree.

Modules

During the foundation year, you will study the following units: Applied Sciences; Academic Study Skills; Introduction to Biology; Introduction to Psychology; Mathematics in Science; and Foundation Year Project.

As part of the degree, in Year 1 you will study: Exploring and Understanding Science | Cell Biology | Chemistry | Introduction to Forensic Psychology | Human Anatomy & Physiology | Introduction to Forensic Investigation

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£18,800
per year
International
£18,800
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Bournemouth University

Department:

Department of Life and Environmental Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

74%
Forensic biology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

Teaching and learning

79%
Staff make the subject interesting
75%
Staff are good at explaining things
63%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
63%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

78%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
68%
Course specific equipment and facilities
55%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

97%
UK students
3%
International students
36%
Male students
64%
Female students
79%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,500
high
Average annual salary
92%
med
Employed or in further education
40%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

21%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
16%
Science, engineering and production technicians
8%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£26k

£26k

£26k

£26k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Chester | Chester
Forensic Biology (including a Foundation Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 72-84
Lower entry requirements
Teesside University, Middlesbrough | Middlesbrough
Forensic Science (with Foundation Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 32-88
Nearby University
University of Portsmouth | Portsmouth
Criminology and Forensic Studies
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 120-136
Same University
Bournemouth University | Poole
Forensic Biology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time including foundation year 2024
UCAS Points: 104-120

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here