There are varied and exciting research opportunities in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, forensic sciences, and life & environmental sciences. A Master's by Research (MRes) allows you to explore a specific research question that interests you and by undertaking this degree within our Faculty of Science & Technology your research project will be developed in collaboration with our academic University staff who will provide you with specialist knowledge and supervisory input, while accessing BU's technical facilties and information resources.
Our unrivalled location, which has the greatest levels of biodiversity in Britain and includes the UNESCO Dorset and East Devon World Heritage Coast and the New Forest, will give you easy access to sand dunes, coastal cliffs, rivers, forests, meadows and heathlands for any necessary field research. You’ll also have access to some of the best teaching and research laboratories in the UK. We have one of the most extensive collections of human and animal skeletal reference materials in the UK, including an exceptional range of human, hominin and modern primate teaching casts. Previous excavation trips have contributed to our archaeological collections of human and animal remains from sites spanning the Bronze Age to Post-Medieval periods.
You will also be part of BU's wider postgraduate community and have access to the suite of research, professional and personal training offered through the Doctoral College and your Academic faculty.
We strongly encourage collaboration across specialisms, and an MRes provides an opportunity to work with supervisors from various backgrounds to deliver truly impactful research.
The minimum completion time for the full-time course is 12 months with flexibility to take up to 18 months. If you would prefer to complete the course part-time, the minimum completion time is 24 months with flexibility to take up to 36 months to complete.
The MSc in Forensic Science is the UK’s longest established forensic science degree course, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016/2017.
You’ll join a global network of Strathclyde forensic science graduates in highly respected positions all over the world.
In addition to preparing you for life as a forensic scientist, you’ll also graduate with a wide range of practical skills, problem solving and investigative thinking relevant to a wide range of careers.
Following a general introduction to forensic science in semester 1, you can choose to specialise in either forensic biology or forensic chemistry. As a forensic biologist you’ll study a range of topics including:
If you choose to specialise in forensic chemistry, you’ll develop expertise in:
The focal point of the course is our major crime scene exercise, in which you are expected to investigate your own mock outdoor crime scene, collect and analyse the evidence, and present this in Glasgow Sheriff Court in conjunction with students training in Strathclyde Law School.
In semester 3, MSc students undertake a three-month project, culminating in the production of a dissertation.
Students may be given the opportunity to complete their project in an operational forensic science provider either in the UK or overseas (subject to visa requirements). Alternatively, students may complete their project within the Centre for Forensic Science itself, under the supervision of our team of academics.
Examples of institutions that previous Strathclyde students have been placed in to undertake their project include:
The MSc in Forensic Science runs for 12 months, commencing in September.
Teaching takes place in the Centre for Forensic Science. It’s a modern purpose-built laboratory for practical forensic training, equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for analysis of a wide range of evidence types. This includes a microscopy suite, DNA profiling laboratory, analytical chemistry laboratory, blood pattern analysis room, and a suite for setting up mock crime scenes.
The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences is a professional body with members in over 60 countries and is one of the oldest and largest forensic science associations in the world.
Our MSc in Forensic Science is accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, demonstrating our commitment to meeting their high educational standards for forensic science tuition.
Assessment consists of written coursework, practical work assessments, oral presentations and formal written examinations. Practical work is continually assessed and counts towards the award of the degree. The project is assessed through the completion of a dissertation.
The award of MSc is based upon 180 credits.
Most forensic scientists in Scotland are employed by the Scottish Police Authority.
In the rest of the UK, forensic scientists are employed by individual police forces, private forensic science providers such as LGC Forensics and Cellmark Forensic Services, or government bodies such as the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) and the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
Outside of the UK, forensic scientists may be employed by police forces, government bodies or private companies.
Forensic scientists can specialise in specific areas such as crime scene examination, DNA analysis, drug analysis, and fire investigation.
Most of the work is laboratory-based but experienced forensic scientists may have to attend crime scenes and give evidence in court.
Where are they now?
Many of our graduates are in work or further study.**
Job titles include:
Employers include:
*information is intended only as a guide.
**Based on the results of the National Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (2010/11 and 2011/12).
The Forensic Science programme will provide you with advanced knowledge of the forensic processes (particularly chemistry and biology) and analytical techniques used in crime investigation. It is the longest-running accredited programme of its type in England.
Accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, our Forensic Sciences study programme is the longest-running programme of its type in England, having been first established in 1985.
You will benefit from an advanced and flexible study programme devised and delivered by internationally leading researchers, and recognised forensic providers including our accredited DNA analysis and Drug Control Centre testing laboratories. We also collaborate closely with the Metropolitan Police Forensic Services Directorate in both teaching and research.
The course is made up of two 15 credit modules and three 30 credit modules followed by a 60 or 120 credit research module. If you are studying full-time, you will complete the course in one year, from September to September. If you are studying for the MRes qualification, you will study an extended research module that carries a further 120 credits to complete the course.
Teaching
For flexibility, a significant proportion of the course will be delivered by narrated PowerPoint. Teaching time includes workshops, group discussions and problem-based learning exercises. Approximate total contact hours for the taught modules is 360-hours.
You are also expected to undertake 840 hours of team and individual study.
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Assessment
Current evaluation methods include examinations, MCQs, witness statements, courtroom appearance, crime scene management and assignments.
Formative assessments are carried out as teamwork with both peer and academic feedback. This is designed to help students with the subsequent summative assessments.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
You will also need to have either started or completed a course of Hepatitis B vaccinations.
Most of our students go on to work in the forensic science sector with forensic service providers within the UK, European and International field being the major employers. Others have taken employment with the Metropolitan Police or crime scene departments of other police forces. Many of our Canadian graduates now work for the RCMP or the Toronto Centre for Forensic Sciences. Some of our students go on to do a PhD either at King's College London or other universities across the country.
The PgDip/MSc Forensic Science concentrates on practices, procedures and analytical techniques used within forensic science, and how they are applied in support of the investigation of crime and the criminal justice system as a whole.
This course is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.On completing this course you will be able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of forensic science and how scientific methods are applied to the investigation of crime. You benefit from our links with practitioners and other professional organisations relevant to the field of forensic science. Key members of staff are former forensic scientists or crime scene scientists with considerable operational experience.Expect to carry out analytical and practical work in the University’s on-campus forensic facilities including specialist analytical laboratories, crime scene house laboratory and forensic chemistry and biology laboratories. Watch a short video and hear what Matthew Grima, a former student, says about this course.
Professional accreditation
This course has been accredited and commended by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences - the international professional body for forensic science.
For the PgDip award you must successfully complete 120 credits of taught modules. For an MSc award you must successfully complete the 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit master's research project.
Course structure
PgDip and MSc core modules
MSc only
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The course provides a number of contact teaching and assessment hours (through lectures, tutorials, projects, assignments and laboratory work).
You are also expected to spend time on your own (this is called self-study time), to review lecture notes, prepare course work assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments.
As an example, each 20-credit module typically has around 200 hours of learning time.
Industrial experience
On this programme you complete a project related to professional practice. This, along with the involvement of practitioners and academics in the delivery of these courses, ensures that they are relevant to the requirements of the criminal justice system.
How you are assessed
Modules are assessed by in-course assignments, including a courtroom-based expert witness assessment and end exams.
Employment opportunities exist in the field of forensic science and forensic investigation with forensic science providers and law enforcement agencies. Other roles include scientific investigation where the application of science in a legal or regulatory context is important.
This MSc programme has been accredited and commended by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, the international professional body for forensic science.
See the career path of one of our graduates
Our world leading courses use innovative teaching methods to develop your knowledge and skills in forensic imaging and support you in your distance learning experience wherever you are in the world - for radiographers, technologists, and other forensic imaging professionals.These courses will support you to develop a forensic protocol that adheres to relevant guidance and legislation, and develop skills in producing images that will be acceptable in court by learning about the requirements for high-quality evidence.
You will learn about how to image children for suspected physical abuse and investigation of infant deaths, location of forensic evidence (for example drug smuggling, ballistic material), age assessments for human trafficking or illegal immigration, and identification of the deceased. A new module will develop skills in post-mortem imaging utilising CT and MRI to replace the conventional autopsy. The PgCert develops forensic imaging skills, enabling you to undertake forensic imaging in your department and to comply with the forensic radiography guidelines from the Society and College of Radiographers and the International Association of Forensic Radiographers. The second year develops more advanced forensic imaging skills in mass fatalities and Disaster Victim Identification, and a practice area of your choice. During your third year (MSc) you develop the research skills needed to contribute to the forensic imaging knowledge base.
Professional accreditation
Our courses are recognised by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and accredited by the Society and College of Radiographers.
Two modules ensure that you are fit for practice within the scope of forensic practice relevant to the needs of a clinical radiology department. The first is Medico-Legal Issues in Forensic Imaging Practice (Sept - Jan) and the second is Principles of Forensic Imaging (Jan - June). All sessions are facilitated by recognised specialists in the field of forensics, demonstrating the multi-disciplinary nature of forensic practice.
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Option modules (choose one of the following):
Year 2 core modules (MSc only)
Option modules (choose one of the following):
Year 3 core module (MSc only)
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
These courses are taught by distance learning, and are structured to keep you on track throughout your studies. You never need to attend the university, and apart from the webinars, you can complete the online activities at times that work best for you.
The three-week induction at the start of the course gives you time to get to know the virtual learning environment, learn what electronic learning resources are available to you, and introduces you to each other and the course. You will also have the opportunity to improve your writing skills with online workshops. So when the forensic topics start, you are read to concentrate on the subject.
Weekly contact with your tutor and peers via instant messaging or email, for support when you want it.
Topics are delivered at a pace that gives you more time to learn about that area and relate this to your own practice.
Structured activities help you to think about each topic and discuss ideas with your peers – videos, screencasts, quizzes, directed reading, virtual workspace for discussion, and interactive and collaborative work.
Regular webinars where you and your peers join together online at the same time to engage in a teaching session with your tutor or other forensic specialist.
Webinars take place on an evening (6.30pm - 8.30pm) and there are approximately six per 12-14 week module.
Courtroom simulation – learn how to give evidence and experience being cross-examined.
International specialists in the field of forensics, demonstrating the multidisciplinary nature of forensic practice in mass fatalities incidents, will facilitate all sessions. Previously, these specialists have included forensic radiographers and technologists, consultant paediatricians, consultant paediatric radiologists, forensic pathologists, forensic biologists, forensic researchers, rorensic anthropologists, HM Coroner, and a post-mortem imaging service provider.
How you are assessed
The assessment strategy is designed to be compatible with distance learning and to provide a variety of methods, enabling a more inclusive assessment strategy – written assignments and presentations. These are submitted online or presented in the webinar room.
The Society and College of Radiographers advocates that those who undertake forensic imaging examinations must be educated and trained at postgraduate level. This course addresses this. Successfully completion of the course enhances your career as a practitioner with specialist imaging skills.
Most advanced posts in the NHS require a master’s degree. If you plan to become the lead radiographer/technologist for forensic imaging in your department, the advanced skills you develop in this course will give you an advantage.
Feedback from previous students indicates that as a result of this course, they have become articulate and confident in presenting their research at conferences, aspiring, creative and confident in changing practice, aspiring to enhance practice resulting in promotion to forensic lead, and becoming more confident as a person. In addition, they have become articulate in writing at Level 7, critical of research, creative with learning and adaptable to learning and time management. Furthermore, they have been facilitated to be adaptable, confident, articulate leaders in forensic radiography with some becoming active committee members of the International Association of Forensic Radiographers, with some also engaging with the Department of Health and Home Office as a result, demonstrating the significant impact of this course on forensic imaging nationally and internationally.
This MSc is highly practical and hands-on. It is designed to give an understanding of the cutting-edge research and latest forensic methodologies and is intended to enable graduates to resolve issues in relation to civil and criminal law.
The course offers students a wide range of different experiences with unique facilities available to no other university in the UK.
Places on the MSc Forensic Investigation course are competitive. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, usually with a science or forensic science first degree. Many students come from abroad, especially Europe, Africa and North America.
The MSc Forensic Investigation course is part of the Forensic MSc Programme which has been formally accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce forensic experts capable of giving expert witness testimonies in a courtroom situation and elsewhere.
Students are able to choose from a wide range of subject areas, providing a highly flexible course where learners are able to tailor their MSc to their interests.
The course consists of a short period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study. Students are required to take four core modules and choose seven elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and either a thesis or literature review and paper.
The Forensic Investigation course has been devised by academics with operational experience in forensic science and police investigation. Its graduates are highly successful at progressing into forensically-based careers.
The Forensic Modular Masters Programme at Cranfield Forensic Institute is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Students are required to take four compulsory modules and then choose seven elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interest. This is followed by a four-month research project and thesis.
Individual project
The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.
Assessment
By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and viva voce.
The Forensic Investigation course offers career opportunities across a broad range of applications. Past students have gone on to work in forensic laboratories, government bodies and police forces.
This course is designed to give a broad introduction to the application of engineering and physical sciences to forensic problems. Particular emphasis is given to understanding metallic component failures and the principles of failure analysis.
The course offers students a wide range of different experiences with unique facilities available to no other university in the UK.
Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, usually with a science, engineering or forensic science first degree. Many students come from abroad, especially Europe, Africa and North America.
The MSc Forensic Engineering and Science course is part of the MSc Forensic Programme which has been formally accredited by The Chartered Society for Forensic Sciences.
The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce forensic experts capable of giving an expert opinion in a courtroom situation and elsewhere.
The course consists of a one-week period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days' duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study. Students are required to take four core modules, four role specific modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and either a thesis or literature review and paper.
Made up of serving forensic practitioners.
The Forensic Modular Masters Programme at Cranfield Forensic Institute is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Students are required to take eight core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements, or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and thesis.
Individual project
The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.
Assessment
By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and viva voce
Opens career opportunities in forensic engineering and science with, for example, forensic laboratories, government bodies, police departments and independent consultants working for insurance companies.
This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive insight of the field of firearms, ammunition and ballistic investigations.
The course offers students a wide range of different experiences with unique facilities available to no other university in the UK.
The MSc in Forensic Ballistics course usually has around 10-15 students per year. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, usually with a science or forensic science first degree. Many students come from abroad, especially Europe, Africa and North America.
The MSc Forensic Ballistics course is part of the MSc Forensic Programme which is formally accredited by The Chartered Society for Forensic Sciences.
The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce a clear understanding of how firearms and ammunition function, the science of ballistics, the role of the forensic firearms examiner and how the forensic evidence produced in gun crime can be used to help resolve issues in relation to criminal and civil law.
The course consists of a one-week period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study. Students are required to take eight core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and either a thesis or literature review and paper.
Made up of serving Forensic Practitioners from different disciplines.
The Forensic Modular Masters Programme at Cranfield Forensic Institute is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Students are required to take nine core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements, or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and thesis.
Individual project
The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.
Assessment
By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and viva voce.
Prepares you to practice as a professional expert witness in forensic ballistics, within forensic laboratories, police departments, government bodies and non-governmental organisations. It is also a necessary introduction that could lead into conducting research at PhD level in the subject.
The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how traditional and advanced techniques from archaeology and physical anthropology can be applied in the forensic context.
The course offers students a wide range of different experiences with unique facilities available to no other university in the UK. The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce forensic experts with a strong background to later enter the field and be capable of giving expert witness testimonies in a courtroom situation and elsewhere.
Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, usually with a science or forensic science first degree. Many students come from abroad, especially Europe, Africa and North America.
The MSc Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology course is part of the MSc Forensic Programme which has been formally accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
This course is designed to give a broad introduction to the subject, rapidly advancing into the understanding of cutting-edge research and the latest methodologies. Students have access to our purpose-built outdoor research facility - the Forensic Fieldwork Facility one of only two in the country. The facility has been specifically designed to enable research into animal decomposition, taphonomy, search, location and excavation of buried remains.
The Forensic Modular Masters Programme at Cranfield Forensic Institute is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Students are required to take eight core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and thesis.
Individual project
The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.
Assessment
By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and oral exam.
Prepares you to work in the field of forensic archaeology or anthropology within forensic laboratories, police departments, government bodies, non-governmental organisations, museums, commerical archaeological companies and universities. It is also a necessary introduction that could lead into conducting research at PhD level in the subject.
This course introduces students to the investigation of explosive and CBRN crime scenes. It considers both pre and post blast scenes, and associated scenes. The MSc also develops the student's ability to apply Forensic Intelligence and exploitation techniques, and blend it with Open Source Intelligence.
The course offers students a wide range of different experiences with unique facilities available to no other university in the UK.
Places on the MSc Forensic Explosive and Explosion Investigation are competitive. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, usually with a science or forensic science first degree. Many students come from abroad, especially Europe, Africa and North America.
The MSc Forensic Explosive and Explosion Investigation course is part of the MSc Forensic Programme which has been formally accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
This course is designed to give a broad introduction to the subject, rapidly advancing into the understanding of cutting-edge research and the latest methodologies. The course is highly practical and hands-on, aiming to produce forensic experts capable of giving expert witness testimonies in a courtroom situation and elsewhere.
The course consists of a one-week period of introductory studies followed by academic instruction in modular form. Most modules are of five days duration, interspersed with weeks devoted to private study. Students are required to take eight core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project and either a thesis or literature review and paper.
Multiple strong relationships with forensic service and equipment providers such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Smiths Detection, Bruker, KeTech and others.
The Forensic Modular Masters Programme at Cranfield Forensic Institute is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Students are required to take eight core modules and choose three elective modules based on their particular background, future requirements or interests. This is followed by a four-month research project or thesis.
Individual project
The individual project takes four months from April to July. The student selects from a range of titles, or may propose their own topic. Most are practically or experimentally based using Cranfield’s unique facilities.
Assessment
By written and practical examinations, continuous assessment, project presentation and viva voce
Supports professional development for those in security and defence occupations related to explosives, intelligence or search. Excellent grounding for career starters looking to join government scientific services, forensic laboratories, police departments and insurance companies.
The MSc Forensic Science (with Advanced Practice) postgraduate course concentrates on practices, procedures and analytical techniques used within forensic science. It considers how these are applied to support the investigation of crime and the criminal justice system as a whole.
On completing this course you will be able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of forensic science and how scientific methods are applied to the investigation of crime. You benefit from our links with practitioners and other professional organisations relevant to forensic science field. Key members of staff are former forensic scientists or crime scene scientists with considerable operational experience. Expect to carry out analytical and practical work in the University’s on-campus forensic facilities including specialist analytical laboratories, a crime scene house laboratory, and forensic chemistry and biology laboratories.There are three routes you can select from to gain a postgraduate Master’s award:
The one-year programme is a great option if you want to gain a traditional MSc qualification – you can find out more here. This two-year master’s degree with advanced practice enhances your qualification by adding to the one-year master’s programme an internship, research or study abroad experience.
The MSc Forensic Science (with Advanced Practice) course offers you the chance to enhance your qualification by completing an internship, research or study abroad experience in addition to the content of the one-year MSc. This two-year programme is an opportunity to enhance your qualification by spending one semester completing a vocational internship, research internship or by studying abroad. Although we can’t guarantee an internship, we can provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own internship position.
For the MSc with advanced practice, you complete 120 credits of taught modules, a 60-credit master’s research project and 60 credits of advanced practice.
Course structure
Core modules
Advanced Practice options
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You learn through a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, projects and assignments. You are also expected to participate in self-directed study, to review lecture notes, prepare assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments. Each 20-credit module typically has around 200 hours of learning time.
How you are assessed
Modules are assessed by in-course assignments – including a courtroom-based expert witness assessment – and end exams.
Career opportunities
Employment opportunities exist in the fields of forensic science and forensic investigation with forensic science providers and law enforcement agencies. Other roles include scientific investigation where it’s important to be apply forensic science in a legal or regulatory context.
This MSc programme has been accredited and commended by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, the international professional body for forensic science.
Work placement
On this programme you complete a project related to professional practice. This, along with involving practitioners and academics in delivering these courses, ensures that your learning is relevant to the requirements of the criminal justice system.
Study Applied Conservation Genetics with Wildlife Forensics with The University of Edinburgh
School of Social Sciences- a nationally and internationally recognised centre for the study of engaged social science
