Forensic Science and Criminology
Keele University
UCAS Code: F4L6 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Keele University
UCAS Code: F4L6 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
BBC in three A levels including C in Chemistry or Biology
Access to HE Diploma
112 UCAS points in an Access to HE Diploma with Chemistry or Biology related content, including Distinction in at least 15 Level 3 credits. Please contact the University Admissions Team for advice on whether your chosen course would qualify
GCSE/National 4/National 5
You will also need: 4 / C in GCSE Maths or Level 2 Functional Skills Maths, plus an English language qualification (see the Keele website)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
554 in three Higher Levels including 5 in Chemistry or Biology, or 29 points including 5 in Higher Level Chemistry or Biology
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DMM in any of the following BTEC Extended Diplomas / National Extended Diplomas: Applied Science Forensic and Criminal Investigation
T Level
Merit in any of the following T levels: Health, Healthcare Science, Science
UCAS Tariff
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
From gathering evidential traces at a crime scene and analysing DNA to exploring policing and why people commit offences. Develop the analytical skills and train in the methods and techniques to enter a wide variety of rewarding careers with Forensic Science with Criminology at Keele.
**Why choose this course?**
- This programme is accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Science
- Top 10 in the UK for Forensic Science (Guardian University Guide, 2024 and Complete University Guide, 2025)
- Use a wide variety of industry-standard instrumentation in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories
- Develop your practical and professional skills in our indoor and outdoor crime scene facilities
- Keele pioneered the teaching of undergraduate Criminology in the UK
From day one, you’ll immerse yourself in forensic chemistry, crime scene investigation and understanding crime, criminal justice and why people undertake crime. The course has two distinct themes – through criminology you will delve into the motivations behind those who commit crime and gain hands on experience in forensics training on how science can be applied to solve and understand criminal activities. Our contemporary programme will set you up with the skills and experience for a wide variety of exciting careers.
What sets this programme apart is its emphasis on real-world application and hands-on training in all aspects of forensics. You will gain practical experience with professional equipment and techniques in well-equipped teaching laboratories and modern forensic science facilities. Our dedicated crime scene simulation areas cover indoor and outdoor scenarios including vehicle and fire examinations and our Crime Scene House. Our unique 600-acre campus offers a fantastic environment to apply your theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios you may encounter within forensic investigation. Additionally, you’ll use outdoor equipment such as metal detectors, UAV drones, and near-surface geophysical equipment, soil augers and sample preparation and analysis.
Boost your employability with opportunities to gain additional certifications in digital forensics and expert witness testimony, offered by leading external trainers. This programme ensures you graduate not just with knowledge, but with the confidence and practical skills to excel in your career. With opportunities for work or education placements, you'll be fully prepared for your career.
**About Keele**
Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.
We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.
Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.
Modules
For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Sociology
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
Sociology
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.
Top job areas of graduates
We have quite a lot of sociology graduates, although numbers fell last year. But graduates still do pretty well. Most sociology graduates go straight into work when they complete their degrees, and a lot of graduates go into jobs in social professions such as recruitment, education, community and youth work, and housing. An important option for a sociology graduate is social work - and we're short of people willing to take this challenging but rewarding career. Sociology is a flexible degree and you can find graduates from the subject in pretty much every reasonable job — obviously, you don't find many doctors or engineers, but you do find them in finance, the media, healthcare, marketing and even IT. Sociology graduates taking further study often branch out into other qualifications, like teaching, law, psychology, HR and even maths, so don’t think a sociology degree restricts you to just one set of options.
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.
£18k
£24k
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.
Sociology
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
£22k
£23k
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.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (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?
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