School of Chemical and Physical Sciences brochures Forensic Science brochure 2019 | Page 17

FORENSIC SCIENCE | 17
Year 3 Year 3
The final year of the combined honours
course features study of further core
areas of the subject, independent
project work within a team context
and the opportunity to tailor your study
programme by a choice of option module.
In Forensic Toxicology you will study
aspects of pharmacology, biochemistry,
pathology and toxicology and their
application to forensic investigations;
optional attendance at a post-mortem
examination forms part of this module.
Combustion chemistry forms the basis
for the study of explosives and arson
which together with an understanding
of how forensic evidence is evaluated
in the context of the case and the
court, comprise the second module
in this semester. If you are taking the major route you
study all the core modules that form the
combined honours degree route plus both
the option modules and, in addition, take
two more modules, one of which is worth
30 credits (double the size of a standard
module). This double module moves
the focus of the degree towards
understanding the work of the forensic
practitioner and the professional context
within which they work. In the autumn
semester you will study the scientific
examination of a crime scene, carry out
practical scene exercises and write crime
scene reports. This is complemented by
lectures and laboratory work on the
analysis of chemical analytical data plus
lectures and problem classes on forensic
statistics. In the spring semester you will
work on the analysis of evidence from
your final mock scene; this may include
drug residues in drinks, shoe-marks,
transferred fibres or indented writing on
documents. Alongside, there are guest
lectures on expert witness training.
You then write up an expert witness
report and take part in a cross-
examination based on your report,
in the moot courtroom at Keele.
Combined Honours
Forensic Science
Major Route
Forensic Science
At the start of the autumn semester you
will embark on your work for the team
project and this continues through to the
second semester. Here you work with
two or three other students on a topic but
each plans, carries out and writes up their
own particular piece of experimental work
which contributes to the overall outcomes
of the project.
In the spring semester, you select an
option module; for example, Forensic
Geosciences which includes the study of
geophysical techniques for the detection
of buried remains together with aspects
of forensic archaeology and forensic
entomology or Advanced Topics in
Forensic Analysis which includes the
analysis of glass, fibres and paints plus
forensic ballistics.
Autumn Semester Spring Semester
Forensic Toxicology Choose one option
module
Evaluation of Evidence:
Explosives and Arson
Forensic Geosciences
Advanced Topics
in Forensic Analysis
Forensic Science Team Project
“Keele University was
my first choice of study as
it offered me the subject
combination I wanted to
do through its combined
honours programme – this
would provide skills in two
academic areas and open up
a wider range of employment
opportunities after graduation.
My three years at Keele were
the best time of my life. Not
only was Keele great for my
academic ambitions but the
friendly atmosphere in such a
pretty campus made the social
aspect of Keele great fun as
well. Keele has enabled me
to discover what my life-long
goals are for my career and
now I have graduated, I am
going on to postgraduate
study for an MSc in Toxicology
at Birmingham University”.
To complement the team project
you also take another module of
independent work in researching
and writing a short dissertation on a
forensic topic outside the main areas
of study within your degree.
Module Structure of the Combined Honours
in Forensic Science degrees in Year 3
Year 3
Lucy Greenwood
studied BSc Forensic Science
Module Structure of the Major Route
in Forensic Science in Year 3
Year 3
Autumn Semester Spring Semester
Forensic Toxicology Forensic Geosciences
Evaluation of Evidence:
Explosives and Fire Advanced Topics in Fo-
rensic Analysis
Forensic Science Team Project
Interpretation, Evaluation and Presentation
of Evidence
Forensic Science Dissertation
keele.ac.uk/forensic