Forensic Science
UCAS Code: F410
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
96 to 112 UCAS points at A2 including Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science
96 to 112 UCAS points including 15 level 3 credits in Biology or Chemistry
GCSE/National 4/National 5
5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above including Maths and English or equivalent. Equivalent qualifications are Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English or Level 3 Key Skills in Maths and Communication.
Pass IB Diploma including 96 - 112 UCAS points from Higher Level subjects including HL Biology or Chemistry
96 - 112 UCAS points including Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
including acceptable Chemistry and Biology units
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
including acceptable Chemistry and Biology units
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC Applied Science from 2016 - Must include 6 of the following BTEC modules at Merit - Principles and Applications of Science I, Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques, Science Investigation Skills, Laboratory Techniques and their Application, Principles and Applications of Science II, Investigative Project, Physiology of Human Body Systems, Human Regulation and Reproduction, Biological Molecules and Metabolic Pathways, Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Diseases and Infection, Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry, Microbiology and Microbiological Techniques, Industrial Chemical Reactions, Practical Chemical Analysis, Biomedical Science, Materials Science, Forensic Evidence, Collection and Analysis, Forensic Fire Investigation BTEC Applied Science pre 2016 - Must include 6 of the following modules at Merit - Fundamentals of Science, Scientific Investigations, Scientific Practical Techniques, Mathematical Calculation for Science, Using Statistics in Science, Physiology of Human Body Systems, Physiology of Human Regulation and Reproduction, Biochemistry and Biomechanical Techniques, Microbiological Techniques, Chemistry for Biology Technicians, Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Practical Chemical Analysis, Biomedical Science Techniques
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
BTEC Applied Science from 2016 - Must include 6 of the following BTEC modules at Merit - Principles and Applications of Science I, Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques, Science Investigation Skills, Laboratory Techniques and their Application, Principles and Applications of Science II, Investigative Project, Physiology of Human Body Systems, Human Regulation and Reproduction, Biological Molecules and Metabolic Pathways, Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Diseases and Infection, Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Applications of Organic Chemistry, Microbiology and Microbiological Techniques, Industrial Chemical Reactions, Practical Chemical Analysis, Biomedical Science, Materials Science, Forensic Evidence, Collection and Analysis, Forensic Fire Investigation BTEC Applied Science pre 2016 - Must include 6 of the following modules at Merit - Fundamentals of Science, Scientific Investigations, Scientific Practical Techniques, Mathematical Calculation for Science, Using Statistics in Science, Physiology of Human Body Systems, Physiology of Human Regulation and Reproduction, Biochemistry and Biomechanical Techniques, Microbiological Techniques, Chemistry for Biology Technicians, Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Practical Chemical Analysis, Biomedical Science Techniques
96 to 112 UCAS points including Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science
96 to 112 UCAS points including Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science
UCAS Tariff
Including Biology, Chemistry or Applied Science. Our typical offer is 96 to 112 UCAS Points. We operate a flexible admissions policy and treat everyone as an individual. This means that we will take into consideration your educational achievements and predicted grades (where applicable) together with your application as a whole, including work experience and personal statement.
About this course
**Course Overview**
- Explore the science of investigation, learning the skills to collect, analyse and interpret evidence. It’s a highly specialised course, designed to put you on a high-impact career path.
- We are one of the few universities in the UK with the experience, facilities and industry connections to offer such a professionally relevant programme in forensic science. Here, you’ll learn from experts in their fields, whether seasoned CSIs or leading academics.
- The course is built around three core topics of forensics – investigation, biology and chemistry – with a range of options to help you steer your studies toward your strengths and interests. You’ll learn the theory and practice of forensic investigation, crime scene processing and laboratory-based analysis.
- With our own crime scene houses and professional-standard labs, you’ll develop workplace-ready skills. And, thanks to our partnership with Lancashire Constabulary, you could even get the chance to shadow a professional forensic scientist in an operational environment. So, by the time you graduate, you should have everything you need to pursue a future as a forensic scientist.
**Why study with us**
- This course is ranked 1st in the North West and in the UK’s top 10 (Complete University Guide 2020)
- Forensic and Archaeological Sciences are 1st in the North West for overall student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support - National Student Survey (NSS) 2019.
- We have joined forces with Lancashire Constabulary to create the Lancashire Forensic Science Academy, a ground-breaking partnership that gives our students the chance to shadow operational CSIs at crime scenes.
**Further Information**
There are three core topics that run throughout the course, and others which are options during the first and second years:
- **Forensic Investigation** involves the management and analysis of crime scenes, the collection of forensic evidence and its analysis by means of methods such as fingerprinting, footwear impressions, document analysis, tool marks, forensic photography, glass fragment analysis, trace evidence, body fluids, hair and fibre analysis and ballistics.
- **Forensic Biology** includes topics such as the identification of body fluids, forensic medicine, forensic entomology and DNA profiling, the identification and analysis of molecular genetic variation which can be used to match body fluids such as blood, semen or saliva to individuals, or to carry out paternity analysis.
- **Forensic Chemistry** examines a variety of compounds from narcotics to paints and accelerants, using chemical and physical methods to characterise and match trace samples.
- **Forensic Anthropology** is an option in years one and two and involves the study of the skeletal remains in order to determine a profile of a deceased individual as well as aspects of decomposition and burial.
Modules
Year 1: Compulsory modules; Crime Scene Science, Skills for Forensic Scientists, Introduction to Osteology and Anthropology, Biology for Forensic Scientists, Chemistry for Forensic Scientists. Optional modules; Introduction to Biology, Introduction to Chemistry, Bones Bodies and Burials, Elective
Year 2: Compulsory modules; Criminalistics, Forensic Practice, Forensic Chemistry, Introduction to Forensic Genetics, Law for Forensic Scientists. Optional modules; Death Science, Forensic Anthropology
Year 3: Compulsory modules; Dissertation (double module), Application of Forensic Science, Forensic Genetics, Advances in Forensic Chemistry. Optional modules (choose one) Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Central Lancashire
School of Natural 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.
General, applied and forensic 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
£20k
£22k
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...
Same University
Nearby UniversityNearby UniversityLower entry requirements
Higher entry requirements
Higher entry requirementsThis is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
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
