Forensic Science
Entry requirements
A level
Minimum number of A Levels required: 2 Maximum AS UCAS Points: 20
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
To obtain the required UCAS points from a related subject area. Contact the Course Enquiries team for details.
UCAS Tariff
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Why study Forensic Science at Liverpool John Moores University?**
- Opportunity to undertake a year's industrial placement
- Option to focus on biological or chemical aspects of analysis
- £6 million investment in teaching facilities, including specialist forensic analysis and scene-of-crime labs
- Opens up careers in the police, analytical laboratories, insurance or legal firms, independent forensic laboratories and the teaching sector
- Accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences
- This degree is available to study following a foundation year
- International Foundation Year course available offering direct progression onto this degree programme - visit LJMU's International Study Centre to find out more
**About your course**
You will spend a large proportion of your time in the lab, carrying out drug spot tests, analysing fingerprints, processing crime scenes and analysing DNA while studying the BSc (Hons) Forensic Science at Liverpool John Moores University.
Over the past 50 years the analytical methods employed by forensic scientists have become very powerful indeed and have made a significant impact on conviction rates. Forensic science is all about using the power of scientific analysis to resolve legal disputes. It requires a sound knowledge of the analytical methods of biology and chemistry combined with training in crime scene investigation, as well as a basic knowledge of law and how to assess the value of evidence. You will be expected to have an attention to detail that is second to none for the microscopic analysis of hairs and fibres, DNA profiling and drug analysis.
This is a practical, hands-on course in which you will spend a large proportion of your time in the lab, carrying out spot tests for drugs, fingerprint and footwear analysis, crime scene processing, DNA analysis and forensic microscopy.
Throughout this professionally-accredited course you will be supported by our team of experts, with additional input from external speakers from all areas of forensics. There will also be plenty of opportunities for you to gain experience through work-based learning and/or on an optional sandwich placement.
Modules
Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.
Assessment methods
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
We acknowledge that all students perform differently depending on the way they are assessed. This is why we use a range of assessment methods and a combination of exams and coursework for each module, though some practical modules are assessed by coursework only.
- Exams may include multiple choice, short answer, interpretative, problem-based learning and essay questions
- Coursework may be in the form of phase tests, fieldwork/practical reports, data handling, oral presentations, poster presentations, podcasts, online or real-time group discussions, essays or practical skills evaluations
Some assignments are done in groups. Your final year research project will be assessed by literature review and scientific report plus an oral presentation.
Feedback is normally provided within three weeks of submission and may be via Canvas, face-to-face or as written comments. This is a vital part of the assessment process, as it gives you a chance to identify your successes and areas that may need further attention.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Please see our Bursaries and Scholarships page for more information: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/fees-and-funding/bursaries-and-scholarships
The Uni
Liverpool John Moores University
School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
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)
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
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
£20k
£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.
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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:
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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:
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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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