BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation (with Foundation Year option)

Designed specifically for those interested in the investigative side of forensics, the course deals with the theoretical and practical aspects of forensic investigation of crime scenes and disaster investigations.

UCAS Code:
F401
Institution:
B50
Delivery:
Full time according to Funding Council definitions

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With foundation year: F402

Why study BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation at BU?

Forensic investigation is a wide-ranging and compelling subject, drawing from scientific methods and practical training within criminal investigation, taught by professional practitioners and guest speakers who are experts in their fields
Covering biological and analytical science, the degree provides an understanding and knowledge of key concepts in relevant law, professional skills, crime scenes and forensic sciences
Carried out in a variety of stimulating environments, including science labs, IT labs, field trips, and dedicated crime scene teaching labs in used for crime scene reconstruction
Year one is shared with students taking BSc (Hons) Forensic Science, with the option to switch degrees at the end of the year
Gain valuable work experience on your placement if you choose to take one and springboard into a career as a forensic investigator post-graduation
You'll be career-ready, with 87% of graduates from our forensic and archaeological sciences courses in employment or further study after 15 months.

Find out more about the content of this course.

Foundation year: We have a foundation year option for UK 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.

For September 2022 entry: In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in industry to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses. This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page soon to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.

Course accreditation

Accreditation by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences provides an indicator of quality and can help you work towards Chartered Forensic Practitioner status.

See what it's like to study on this course

Next start date:

September 2022, September 2023

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

3 years with an optional short placement, or 4 years with a minimum 30-week placement. Foundation year: 4 years full-time with a 5-week placement or 5 years with a 30-week minimum placement.

Accreditations:

The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2022 and September 2023 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A levels or equivalent. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. Foundation year: 48-72 UCAS tariff points. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

For September 2022 and September 2023 entry: If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each of the components or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry. Teaching methods include practical experiences within lab and field, lectures, discussions and group work.

Field trips are an important part of this course, to ensure you are exposed to as many real-world situations as possible - click on the tab for more information about the places you might visit. The laboratory work is varied and includes science labs, IT labs and crime scene reconstruction within a dedicated crime scene teaching lab.

How you will be assessed

You will be assessed by coursework culminating in your final year research project, and you will also undertake group work and written exams. The assessment methods for each unit can be found in the programme specification for your course.

Download the programme specification (pdf 2.22mb)Download the foundation year programme specification (pdf 338kb)

Foundation year

Core units

Academic Study Skills: You will gain the fundamental academic and research skills required for degree level study. The unit will introduce you to a broad grounding in literature searching, literature review, data collection, methodological approach, data analysis and interpretation and ethical practice. It will also support you to begin to develop a critical and analytical approach to your work and identify areas for personal development.
Applied Sciences: You'll gain a basic understanding of some fundamental aspects of science underpinning more specific disciplines, and an appreciation of how various scientific disciplines impact human life. You'll understand the differences between pure and applied science, as well as the roles of different ways applied science can be funded, and implications of these funding mechanisms.
Introduction to Biology: Biology is the study of life and hence knowledge of plant and animal cell biology is fundamental to understanding wider concepts in biology. This unit also introduces key themes in human, environmental and ecological sciences to provide a sound underpinning in knowledge for future studies.
Introduction to Psychology: This unit is designed to prepare you for advanced coursework in psychology. You will complete the unit with a good understanding of the various areas of psychology and how they seek to explain behaviour.
Mathematics in Science: You will build your confidence in mathematics, in order to perform calculations on a range of scientific data from biology, chemistry and psychology and to be able to represent the findings in an appropriate format, including graphs. In order to carry this out it is essential to be able to convert the data between systems of units and to understand how to present very large and very small numbers in standard form. Basic statistical analysis of tabulated data will be carried out to introduce the concept of confidence limits and familiarisation of statistical testing.
Foundation Year Project: You will carry out a research task on scientific topics chosen by the unit leader which you will be able to conduct a scientific investigation on. You will devise your own investigation and produce a literature review as a final scientific report.

Year 1

Core units

Forensic Research Skills: This unit provides you with the skills to conduct the independent research needed for this course. These skills involve finding and evaluating academic literature, formulating scientific arguments and discussion, writing and presenting these ideas as essays, opinions and research papers. To facilitate discussion and questions, much of the unit will be taught in tutorial sessions, which also allows you to get to know the teaching team.
Cell Biology: Cells are the basic unit of life and hence knowledge of cell biology is fundamental to understanding wider concepts in biology. This unit introduces key themes in cell biology to provide a sound underpinning knowledge of cells and the way they function. The unit will equip you with an understanding of cell structure, function, control, basic molecular biology, the interaction of cells with viruses and the basic experimental techniques used to investigate cells.
Chemistry: You will be provided with an understanding of some aspects and processes within fundamental chemistry and analytical chemistry and develop your laboratory skills. The unit will predominately be delivered through lectures and practical laboratory sessions. The laboratory sessions will enable reinforcement of the theoretical concepts by dealing with experimentally generated data and will allow for one-to-one and small group discussions.
Human Anatomy and Physiology: Giving you an overview of the structure and function of the human body, you will be introduced to the principal concepts underlying pathophysiological processes that disturb health. Key biological and physiological practical techniques relevant to measuring human health and disease are covered, together with the skills you will need for the analysis and presentation of the resulting data.
Introduction to Forensic Investigation: This unit will provide you with a deeper appreciation of the legal aspects, command structure and operational procedures of UK forensic investigations and provide a deeper insight into a range of forensic sciences available. It will provide you with the theoretical understanding to enhance practical experience in the recovery of physical evidence.
Introduction to Psychology: This unit will demonstrate the way in which psychological research underpins the understanding of deviant and aggressive behaviour and the concept and utility of offender profiling in forensic investigations. As well as providing a critical understanding of the psychological processes at work during interview, you will be introduced to the potential biases inherent in the courtroom environment.

Year 2

Core units

Crime Scene and Advanced Crime Scene: These two units provide details on the legal aspects, command structure and operational procedures of UK scene of crime investigations and provide an introduction to a range of forensic sciences. Both units will also provide practical experience in the recovery of evidence from potential scenes of crime.
Digital Forensics Fundamentals: This unit will provide you with the fundamental skills and understanding of the techniques and technologies of forensics as they apply in a digital (computer-based) environment. You will be able to construct appropriate plans for the conduct of digital investigations, and select and execute relevant forensic techniques.
Forensic Law & Practice: You will critically consider the criminal justice system in England and Wales and engage with the central issues common to any major criminal justice system. You will be equipped with a greater knowledge of criminal procedure including a comprehensive coverage of the entire criminal process from police investigation through to trial process to appeals and rectifications of miscarriages of justice.
Forensic Science: The basic scientific and analytical principals underlying the practice of forensic science will be explored in this unit. You will be introduced to a range of basic case types and to the analytical techniques commonly employed in forensic casework.

Option units

Semester 2 (choose one):

Case studies in Forensic Science: Discover how forensic science has developed and impacted on the investigation of crime and Criminal Justice System by studying and discussing a selection of cases from the published literature and trial transcripts. You will learn about the process of case investigation in modern policing; how a lawyer/barrister prepares a case for court and understand the role and responsibilities of the forensic expert and the impact that may have on a legal investigation.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): On completion of this unit, you will be able to select and plan GIS analysis using the appropriate software and manipulate the software for specific tasks. Emphasis is on data capture and analysis, and the presentation of data as cartographic maps.
Introduction to Toxicology: The basic principles of toxicology will be explored in this unit, designed to offer foundation knowledge for those intending to study toxicology at higher levels or for those intending to study subjects peripheral to toxicology or where a basic understanding of toxicology will be relevant.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Optional placement year

Final year

Core units

Advanced Forensic Science: You will enhance your knowledge and critical thinking skills associated with the scientific and analytical principals underlying the practice of forensic science in this unit. You will gain in depth knowledge of key areas of forensic science.
Independent Research Project: The Independent Research Project provides you with an opportunity to gain experience of research in a topic of your choice relevant to your degree and to demonstrate your ability to report that research. Such experience is considered essential for those students interested in pursuing academic and/or professional research at a higher level of responsibility and achievement.
International Investigations: Covering events ranging from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, transport disasters and design failures, you will learn about the role of professionals & organisations at major incident sites and national systems of emergency response & recovery and the legal and cultural issues. You will gain an understanding of the principles of search, location and scene management of crimes, accident, major incidents and disasters and an awareness of the organisations involved in recovery of victims, investigating and prosecuting on local, national or international scale. You will develop an appreciation of the cultural difference between northern European, Mediterranean and Eastern cultures and the International agreements on search, recovery and repatriation protocols. You will take part in group work exercises, presentations from appropriate organisations and some practical activities.

Option units

Semester 1 (choose one):

Environmental Forensics: Issues in Environmental Forensics range from pollution investigations to wildlife crime at local, national and international levels. You will learn to select appropriate analytical and forensic techniques used in an environmental crime investigation and understand both the legal and cultural issues faced when investigating wildlife crimes nationally, internationally and trans-frontier. You will need an awareness of the organisations involved in investigation and prosecution, so there will be presentations from appropriate organisations and the opportunity to take part in practical activities.
Forensic Toxicology: Following on from the Introduction to Toxicology in year 2, this unit provides you with a knowledge and understanding of the complex issues involved with the analysis of common drugs and poisons in human tissues and the ways in which they exert their effects on the body and influence behaviour.
The Science of Human Remains: Practical lab sessions will allow you to examine skeletal material of modern humans in archaeological and forensic contexts. You will examine the ways in which disease can inform health status in past societies and how disease, trauma and skeletal pathology can identify individuals in a forensic context.

Semester 2 (choose one):

Forensic Practice: You will enhance your knowledge and critical thinking skills associated with the scientific and analytical principals underlying the practice of forensic science in this unit. You will gain in depth knowledge of key areas of forensic science.
Occupational Health & Safety: The technology and safety issues associated with machinery design, manual handling, chemical safety, electrical and fire safety and safety associated with construction are dealt with. Any employer will expect you to be aware of safety management techniques in the following areas; accident prevention, risk assessment and health and safety training; and specific health and safety regulation and enforcement procedures. You will also learn about occupational health and safety issues which include workplace exposure limits, routes of entry and the body’s response to hazardous substances, noise, radiation. You will participate in an initial safety audit of an unknown area.

Please note that option units require minimum numbers in order to run and may only be available on a semester by semester basis. They may also change from year to year.

Scheduled learning and teaching activities

Contact hours

The hours below give an indication of how you can expect to spend your time during each year of this course. You will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and practical sessions.

Your independent learning could include reading books and journal articles, working on group projects, preparing presentations, conducting library research and writing your assignments.

Learning and teaching activities includes demonstrations. Contact time across the different years varies, ensuring an academic basis for learning prior to practice, and a reflective understanding of the task.

Year 1 – 23% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 262 hours
Independent learning: 938 hours
Non-assessed learning and teaching: 20 hours

Year 2 – 31% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 368 hours
Independent learning: 832 hours
Non-assessed learning and teaching: 6 hours

Year 3 - 18% of your time will be spent in timetabled learning & teaching activities

Learning and teaching: 200 hours (estimated)
Independent learning: 1000 hours (estimated)
Non-assessed learning and teaching: 6 hours

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Placements

At BU, we recognise that placements are extremely valuable and can give you a head start when it comes to your future career. That’s why we offer every new student the opportunity to undertake an industrial placement as part of their course.

A placement plays a vital role in developing well-rounded and industry-ready graduates, and we have many links to outside agencies and organisations to best support you along your professional development. You can also choose to take your placement abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop yourself personally, academically, and professionally and gain skills to help you stand out in the job market.

Find out about BU students’ experiences on placements All you need to know about placements

How placements benefit you

A placement should be a highly rewarding experience for you and the employing company and we do our best to ensure that everyone involved feels that they have got the most that they can from the experience.

Placements provide a great opportunity to make your first career steps and enhance your employability while you’re completing your studies. You’ll get the opportunity to:

Put the theory learnt throughout the course into professional practice
Enhance your study and help you decide on subject options (where appropriate)
Learn a wide range of skills such as time management, problem solving and team work (all of these are important to succeed in any career)
Make contacts, as it is not uncommon for our students to be offered permanent positions to return to after graduating
Gain a real insight into how the industry operates in roles that would be almost impossible to achieve for an outsider.

Many of our students, during their placement, are given responsibilities normally associated with graduate trainees.

How long will your placement be?

What support will be available?

The faculty running your course will offer the support of a Placement Co-ordinator.

They’ll help you plan your placement so make sure you get the right experience for you. That includes offering help and support if you need to move to another part of the UK – and even another country – to get the most out of your time.

We’ve also built close industry links over the years – so our network of employers that are keen to work with placement students is always growing. Or if you’d prefer to arrange your placement independently, we can offer advice on how to do that too.

Entry requirements

This course requires 104–120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. We are happy to consider a combination of qualifications and grades to meet the overall tariff, for example A-levels A*CC, ABC, BBB or BCC, BTECs DDM or DMM. You can use the UCAS calculator to see how your qualifications equate to UCAS tariff points.

If you do not meet these you may want to consider our foundation year, a one-year course that will prepare you for degree-level study.

Calculate your UCAS tariff points

2022 and 2023 entry
Numeracy and literacy requirements (e.g. GCSEs)	GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics grade 4 (or grade C in the old grading system). We also accept iGCSEs, Key Skills and Functional Skills and other qualifications at Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework. See all of the equivalencies.
A-level and AS levels	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two A-levels.
Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate – Skills Challenge Certificate	We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
Access to HE Diploma	102–118 UCAS tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit, Pass grades.
BTEC National	Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points) Diploma: Distinction, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points) Foundation Diploma/90-credit Diploma:* We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff Extended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma: We accept this qualification as part of the overall tariff.
Cambridge International Pre-U Diploma	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two principal subjects.
Cambridge Technical	Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points) Diploma: Distinction, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points) Subsidiary Diploma:* We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff Introductory Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
Extended Project Qualification	We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by two A-level sized qualifications to meet the overall UCAS tariff.
International Baccalaureate Certificates	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Higher Level certificates.
International Baccalaureate (Diploma)	An overall score of 28–31 points.
Scottish Highers	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of four Scottish Highers.
Scottish Advanced Highers	104–120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Scottish Advanced Highers.
T Levels	Merit (120 UCAS tariff points).

Foundation year entry requirements

Numeracy and literacy requirements	There are no GCSE requirements. The foundation year will cover these skills in preparation for degree study.
For September 2022 and September 2023 entry	48–72 UCAS tariff points.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.	You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page. Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2022 and September 2023 entry: Chinese Senior High School Graduation Certificate (Huikao) average 80%, or Gaokao 61-71%. Grade depends on the course Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma (4,4,3 to 4,4,4 from three subjects). Grade depends on the course All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Standard XII) 60-70% Italian Esame di Stato with 60-70%. Grade depends on the course Titulo de Bachillerato with 6 or 7. Grade depends on the course We offer a number of preparatory programmes through Bournemouth University International College. These courses offer you progression from High School in your home country to a Bachelor’s degree at BU. Options include: Foundation Certificate in Science English language requirements If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally: For September 2022 and September 2023 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent. View further information about our English language requirements. If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2022 and September 2023 entry:

Chinese Senior High School Graduation Certificate (Huikao) average 80%, or Gaokao 61-71%. Grade depends on the course
Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma (4,4,3 to 4,4,4 from three subjects). Grade depends on the course
All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Standard XII) 60-70%
Italian Esame di Stato with 60-70%. Grade depends on the course
Titulo de Bachillerato with 6 or 7. Grade depends on the course

We offer a number of preparatory programmes through Bournemouth University International College. These courses offer you progression from High School in your home country to a Bachelor’s degree at BU.

Options include:

Foundation Certificate in Science

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

For September 2022 and September 2023 entry: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

Other useful information

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

Your application

This course will be suited to students with:

An understanding of what archaeology and forensic sciences are
Enthusiasm for applying science to solve problems both in the study of the past and the present
An interest in both laboratory and field sciences
Good written and oral communication skills, and the ability to think analytically
An interest in archaeology, and forensic science (e.g. by attending an excavation, visiting museums, entering science competitions, school project work, or relevant volunteer work).

How to apply

What we’re looking for

Students on this course will have a lively interest in the application of science in forensic contexts, and have an interest in studying human remains. The study and practice of forensics involves a variety of skills, including those used in the field, in the laboratory, and based on wide reading so applicants should be happy learning to work in all these areas. We look for innovative thinkers who are interested in understanding the past and present through practical and scientific investigation.

Applicants will have strong analytical problem-solving and communication skills, both written and oral, as a career in forensics involves working well as an individual and also as part of a multi-disciplinary team. We seek students with enquiring minds who are comfortable using science, technology and creative thought to apply in their studies and would encourage applicants who are interested in exploring new ideas and concepts and applying knowledge across disciplines.

Selection methods

How we assess your application

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Our offer making process

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

Supporting your study

These courses have compulsory elements involving working with dangerous substances in laboratory conditions and/or undertaking field trips in less accessible environments. Students must complete a health and safety risk assessment taking part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely.

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

Careers

Forensic investigation is a broad and fascinating area of study that predominantly prepares you for work in the field of criminal investigation, although the principles and skills you learn can be applied in a variety of scientific and investigative contexts.

They have gone on to work for organisations such as Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs, and The Environment Agency, as well as taking positions in forensic laboratories and private consultancies.

Typical starting job roles

Industries worked in

In addition to law enforcement and criminal investigation, the skills you’ll learn on your degree could be applied in a variety of contexts, including finance, trade and for government agencies.

As you progress through the course, option units and setting up your placement will help you establish the exact career path you want to follow, and the sector in which you want to put your studies to use.

Further study

Fieldwork

Types of projects

Field trips are an important part of this course, to ensure you are exposed to as many real-world situations as possible.

Day visits include the Tank Museum in Bovington, where you will get the chance to examine vehicles and other exhibits at the museum for battle damage which will help you enhance your perception and investigation skills. Forensic investigators need to be extremely perceptive and be able to quickly spot damage or unusual features. The tank museum provides an ideal setting in which to test this perception.

You may also get the chance to visit Purbeck Shooting School for the opportunity to handle and fire high powered rifles and shotguns. After the shooting you can take ‘gun shot residue’ test samples from your hands and clothes for analysis in our forensic laboratories. The Purbeck Shooting School will give an in-depth talk on sporting weapons such as shotguns and rifles to supplement other firearms lectures as part of the course.

We make extensive use of Dorset County Council’s Streetwise facility; a large warehouse with street, beach and domestic scenes in which we can stage large scale crime scenes. Watch a video of students at the Streetwise facility.

We have our own ‘crime-scene house’ facility on campus, where we simulate incidents for you to investigate. We also have access to a field station locally where we are able to simulate mass graves.

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be. You’ll also find you could benefit from a range of discounts as a student.

Find out more about budgeting and living expenses

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course, including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team
Loan of lab coats and safety glasses.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately
Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Information about funding your placement year can be found on our website.
Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study
SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

Repeat units

The Royal Television Society Bursary Scheme

The RTS wants the television industry to reflect the exciting, diverse, and talented voices of the Britain of today, and that starts by changing the industry from the inside out. The Royal Television Society Bursary Scheme is officially open for submissions. Applications will be accepted until the 15th of July 2022.

Bursaries are awarded to talented students from lower-income backgrounds studying an undergraduate degree in the subject of Journalism, VFX, Television Production, Humanities and Social Sciences, and STEM-related courses. The RTS runs three pioneering schemes – the TV Production and Journalism Bursary, the Digital Innovation Bursary, and the Steve Hewlett Scholarship. What is important is an evident interest in pursuing a career in television, film, or related media industries.

The Bursary provides free RTS membership; industry mentoring; access to the latest events and lectures; and numerous networking opportunities. We also support our Scholars financially, awarding £1000 per academic year of study.

For more information about the bursary, how to apply and eligibility criteria, please see the RTS website.

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that staff can change.

Dr Cassandra Edmunds - Programme Leader

Dr Richard Paul- Associate Professor in Bioanalytical Chemistry

Richard Paul is a bioanalytical chemist with a particular interest in biomarker research for forensic and medical application. Richard is Chief Investigator on a multidisciplinary research project on cancer metabolomics. In collaboration with Dorset County Hospital and Poole Hospital the project aims to show proof of concept in a novel study for the early identification of skin cancer.

Richard also leads a project commissioned by the Prison Officers Association to investigate the issue of NPS abuse in UK prisons. NPS are new narcotic or psychotropic drugs (not controlled by the UN drug conventions) many of which pose serious health risks.

View Dr Richard Paul's staff profile

Paul Kneller – Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science

Paul Kneller has interests in environmental management and environmental applications of forensic techniques, the health and safety and environmental impacts of industrial and commercial activities. For some time Paul has been involved with the public understanding of science particularly the claims of consumer products.

Following a COPUS grant, he has given talks to local groups on evaluating environmental claims for a number of years and is the academic supervisor for a KTP associate project based upon ISO 14000 in a local engineering company.

View Paul Kneller’s staff profile

Course changes

Changes for 2022 entry

Date	Changes to this course
29/03/2022	Where the change was made: L6 Independent Research Project. Change: The Independent Research Project unit has 12 contact hours. Previous text: Had been incorrectly stated previously as 40 hours.
01/10/2021	Where the change was made: Fees box. Change: Placement fee for September 2022 entry amended to £1,850. Previous text: £850.

Changes in 2020

Date	Changes to this course
07/01/2020	Where the change was made: Course details Change: Removal of first year unit 'AAFS Study Skills' and replaced with 'Forensic Research Skills'.

Changes in 2018

Date	Changes to this course
23/08/2018	Where the change was made: Entry requirements When the change takes effect: From September 2019 entry Change: Removal of required subjects Previous text: A Science or Mathematics subject

Changes in 2017

Date	Changes to this course
15/11/2017	Where the change was made: Fees Change: After an annual review of the placement year tuition fee, a price increase in line with current inflation, equating to 3% has been introduced. Previous text: £790
06/9/2017	Where the change was made: Key facts and 2018 entry requirements Change: 2018 entry requirements have changed to: 104 - 120 tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM. Previous text: The entry requirements for this course are 104-120 tariff points from 3 A-levels. BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM.
06/09/2017	Where the change was made: 2018 entry requirements Change: 2018 GCSE entry requirements have changed, this course now requires GCSE English and Mathematics grade C (or grade 4 in the reformed GCSE grading) or equivalent qualifications. Previous text: This course requires a minimum of 4 GCSEs grades A* - C (or grade 4 or above in the newly reformed GCSE grading) including Maths and English or equivalent qualifications.

Hear from our students

Zoe Fradley

The career prospects for students on this course are very broad as it covers many different areas such as labwork, law or the investigation route.

Hear from our staff

Professor David Osselton

You will participate in many practical exercises in our unique purpose-designed facilities. Our Crime Scene Training Centre has bedrooms, a lounge-kitchen-diner, a bank and a drugs lab.

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation (with Foundation Year option)

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Forensic Science student Michael's placement at Hampshire Police

Read Carlyle's story about his time as a Forensic Science student

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Forensic investigation students take part in a live fire exercise

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The Royal Television Society Bursary Scheme

Our staff

Dr Cassandra Edmunds - Programme Leader

Dr Richard Paul- Associate Professor in Bioanalytical Chemistry

Paul Kneller – Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science

Course changes

Changes for 2022 entry

Changes in 2020

Changes in 2018

Changes in 2017

Hear from our students

Zoe Fradley

Hear from our staff

Professor David Osselton