Criminal Justice and Forensic Science
University of the West of Scotland
UCAS Code: F420 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
University of the West of Scotland
UCAS Code: F420 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
plus GCSE Chemistry or Biology at Grade 4 above, OR triple Science at Grade 4
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
including Chemistry or Biology
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Including Chemistry
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Entry into Year 2 with HNC Applied Science, or other relevant science-based title with appropriate criminology background
Entry into Year 3 with HND Applied Science or other relevant science-based title with appropriate criminology background
Scottish Higher
plus National 5 Chemistry or Biology/Human Biology at Grade B, and National 5 Maths/Applications of Maths and English at Grade C
T Level
Pass (C and above)
For year 1 entry
UCAS Tariff
including Chemistry or Biology
About this course
OVERVIEW
Kick-start your career in the criminal justice system with UWS’s BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice and Forensic Science programme. You will develop expertise in criminal justice and the forensic examination of evidence. The programme draws on modules from the existing successful programmes in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science. This will prepare you for a career in the criminal justice system in policing, criminology or as a forensic examiner capable of analysing and interpreting evidence from crime scenes.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
• This programme will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to work as a forensic examiner in a lab or crime scene.
• Study the processes and practices of the criminal justice system.
• Learning is consolidated through site visits, workshops, role-play and presentations.
• The programme will focus not only on Scotland, but the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond. You will also acquire a range of key transferable critical,
analytical and evaluative skills.
• Guest lectures from practitioners, case-based projects and work placements will increase your employability.
• This programme is recognised by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
PROGRAMME DETAILS
This programme will provide you with a practical understanding of the techniques used in the forensic examination of evidence, including material from crime scenes, drugs and DNA evidence. The chance to present evidence in moot court scenarios and group projects will help you develop the presentational, time management and IT skills sought after by employers. As a graduate of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science from UWS, not only are you equipped with the specific knowledge and skills associated with the criminal justice system and the wider scientific community, but key transferable skills required by employers.
CAREERS
As a BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice and Forensic Science graduate, you’ll have expertise in both criminal justice and science giving you a wide range of career
possibilities. Graduates of this programme will be well prepared for careers in areas such as:
• Crime scene examination
• Police and prison services
• Courts and restorative justice
• Drug and alcohol services
• Customs and excise
Postgraduate study is an important option for some careers including forensic science, education, alcohol and drug studies or criminology.
Modules
Year 1
In year 1 you will study the differences between deviant and criminal behaviour, the foundations of criminal law, and the way in which the criminal justice system operates.You will also cover core forensic science, data analysis and biomolecular science.
Forensic topics introduced include drink driving, drugs, fingerprint development, explosions and crime scene investigation.
Laboratory work is an important part of your studies, practical exercises include microscopy, biochemical tests, forensic anthropology, fingerprint development and CSI. Other activities will develop transferable skills, these include writing a report on a
high-profile case, making a poster presentation, participating in a mock court and giving a presentation on a crime scene.
Learning and teaching will involve scheduled lectures, workshops, laboratory classes as well as independent study. Extensive use is made of the virtual learning environment Moodle, to deliver teaching materials and complete assessments.
Year 2
In Year 2 the theoretical underpinnings for understanding policing and contemporary perspectives on crime are studied.
Science study will build your knowledge of topics important to forensic science such as statistical evaluation of DNA evidence, laboratory analysis and crime scene investigation. Practical skills are key for careers in forensic science and they are further developed with a range of practical activities that reflect the diverse work of forensic scientists.
Year 3
In year 3 crime scene expertise is developed with topics such as contamination prevention, trace evidence recovery and presumptive tests for blood and drugs. Laboratory classes will focus on trace evidence identification and drug analysis. Criminal justice studies include policing communities and prisons and penology. Normal teaching schedules are supplemented by a variety of activities such as group work, guest speakers from industry and employability activities.
Following-on from your Year 3 studies, there is the option to undertake a 12-month, paid, work experience placement. Optional 12-month work placement. These placements are dependent on availability but could be spent working in a laboratory or in a criminal justice setting.
Year 4
In year 4 specialist modules will deepen your understanding how physical and biological evidence is recovered and examined. You will carry out a major crime scene investigation activity and present the results in a mock court. The effect of crime on society and victims is studied and there are options to study topics such as global security. A major part of your studies will be a supervised research project relating to forensic science and/or criminal justice in a topic of your choice. To assist our students in their research they have access to excellent computing facilities with the latest software for crime scene investigation, statistical analysis of evidence and research literature searching.
Assessment methods
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, workshops and practical classes.
You will also have the opportunity to take part in group work and independent learning to develop your transferable skills such as research, presentation, communication and working as part of a team.
Extensive use is made of the virtual learning environment as well as the latest software packages.
This degree is assessed using a variety of assessment methods including:
• Written examinations
• Coursework
• Practical assessment
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Visit www.uws.ac.uk/scholarships
The Uni
Paisley Campus
Computing, Engineering and Physical 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)
Law
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
Law
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
Law graduates tend to go into the legal industry, and they usually take similar routes. Jobs are competitive — often very competitive - but starting salaries are good and high fliers can earn serious money - starting on over £24k in London on average. Be aware though - some careers, especially as barristers, can take a while to get into, and the industry is changing as the Internet, automation and economic change all have an effect, If you want to qualify to practise law, you need to take a professional qualification — many law graduates then go on to law school. If you want to go into work, then a lot of law graduates take trainee or paralegal roles and some do leave the law altogether, often for jobs in management, finance and the police force. A small proportion of law graduates also move into another field for further study. Management, accountancy and teaching are all popular for these career changers, so if you do take a law degree and decide it’s not for you, there are 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.
£20k
£23k
£28k
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.
Law
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
£21k
£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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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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