Course details and structure

Aims and objectives

• To provide you with detailed, specialised knowledge and understanding of a wide range of the latest analytical techniques used in forensic science.
• To enable you to analyse critically different techniques and to apply these in the forensic workplace.
• To develop independent thinking and learning, enabling you to apply these to select the most appropriate techniques for a particular case and subsequently analysing and interpreting the resulting forensic evidence.
• To help to extend and develop your career as a professional in forensic science and criminal justice.

Course outline

This Masters Degree is studied by distance learning and takes 24-27 months to complete, starting in October each year. It consists of a number of compulsory and elective modules and culminates in a dissertation.

You will have the choice of studying for the general MSc or opting to follow one of our specialist routes. The specialist routes include:

• Physical Evidence
• Biological Evidence
• Human Remains

Course structure

Each 60 credit year of taught study comprises a number of modules that you have to take and pass in order to proceed to the next year.

The first year comprises four compulsory 15 credit modules that will equip you with the basics of understanding how forensic science is used to solve crime and how to critically analyse its use.

The second year comprises elective modules. You will select your modules from a wide list offered by the Universities of Leicester, Florida and Canberra. You have choices across a number of topics but, if you wish, you can focus your choices around specialist themes that may be of particular interest to you or your sponsor.

Your dissertation topic will be chosen from a number of broad fields and should reflect an area of particular interest to you.

If you do not complete the course

If you choose to leave before completing the full Masters but have successfully completed part of the course, you may be able to claim a lesser qualification.