Universities for Forensic Science

Do you guys know any Universities in UK or Canada that provide a good Forensic Science course?

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

According to UCAS, these are the UK universities which provide an undergraduate degree entitled "Forensic Science":

Anglia Ruskin University
University of Bedfordshire
Bournemouth University
University of Bradford
Bristol, University of the West of England
University of Central Lancashire
University of Cumbria
De Montfort University
University of Derby
Glyndwr University, Wrexham
University of Greenwich
University of Hull
Keele University
University of Kent
Kingston University
University of Lincoln
Liverpool John Moores University
London Metropolitan University
Northumbria University, Newcastle
Nottingham Trent University
Plymouth Marjon University
University of South Wales
Staffordshire University
University of Suffolk
Teesside University, Middlesbrough
University of West London
University of the West of Scotland
University of Winchester
University of Wolverhampton

There are also two which have an undergraduate degree entitled "Forensic Sciences" (i..e plural):

Abertay University
London South Bank University

I'm not in a position to judge whether any of the above are "good" for Forensic Science, I'm afraid. I suggest you visit each university's web site and read about their course - to see if it seems "good" to you.

The concept of "good" is a bit nebulous anyway.

Reply 2

ARUOfficial

Official Rep

Original post by annette13T

Do you guys know any Universities in UK or Canada that provide a good Forensic Science course?

Hello @annette13T

Forensic Science is a great choice! It is a really interesting subject and opens a lot of doors into different careers in the criminal justice sector and beyond. The UK and Canada will have plenty of universities offering this choice which is great news, the world is your oyster :cool:

If you have a think about what you're looking for, this will help narrow down your search. Different institutions can offer you different experiences.

As @DataVenia has kindly already pointed out this is a subject we offer, and we are based in England, UK in Cambridge. It's a beautiful city full of historical architecture and a good mix of green space and social/shopping city space. We're a very global university with students coming from the UK, the states, Nigeria, India, Europe and more - we have a great international team on hand for inductions, orientations and support too, so if you're an overseas student that's something to consider.

Another topic to consider is whether you want a placement year and support finding that placement. To some, the opportunity to get work experience and build a stand-out CV is really important.

You also might want to think about facilities. Our course is mostly taught in our £45m Science Centre and we have a series of crime scene rooms and forensic labs to explore and put your learning into practice.

Here is our course page if you would like to know more. And, please do let us know if you have any questions. We're always happy to help.

Best wishes
Megan

Reply 3

annette13T

Original post by DataVenia

Thank you, i will definitely check them out

Reply 4

annette13T

Original post by ARUOfficial

Thank you so much, this is such a great help

Reply 5

Trinculo

If you are looking to work in the UK, a Forensic Science undergrad degree is a highly questionable choice. If you are looking to be employed directly by the police - as in you want to work as a Scene of Crime Officer actually collecting exhibits at the scene or working directly on them - then the training will normally be delivered to National Standard by the force you are employed by and a Forensic Science degree forms no part of your recruiting process. The route in is often that you apply to be a junior SOCO and working as a fingerprint examiner. You can then progress to all the other things.

If you are looking to work for a secondary employer in the field (i.e. not the Police) then you are much better off with a straight up sciences degree of almost any flavour, be it Chemistry, Biochemistry, Natural Sciences, Physics, Maths, whatever. You will also have better exit routes or alternatives.

The only thing different you will get from a Forensic Science degree is a bit of dressing up and a few talks from practitioners - and this comes at the cost of losing a "pure" sciences degree in favour of something a little bit weak and a little bit wishy-washy.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 6

University of Kent Reps

Official Rep

Original post by annette13T

Do you guys know any Universities in UK or Canada that provide a good Forensic Science course?

Hi!

If you are looking to study Forensic Science in the UK, I am happy to share some information on what the University of Kent has to offer.

The course will be focused on studying and examining the science behind a crime scene, implemented with thorough knowledge on criminal law, ballistics, DNA analysis and digital forensics, preparing students to venture into the industry and equipping graduates with skills transferrable to do other sectors as well. This course is fully accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and you will carry out your studies in the universities facilities and laboratories, where you can create simulated crime scenes and conduct major incident exercises, and even prepare a case for court and present it at a simulated trial in a realistic court environment. You also have the option to further enrich your studies with a year on professional placement or a year abroad before you graduate. I will copy the link to the university's official page where you can find extensive information about the course, its entry requirements, its modules, how it will be taught and how you will assessed: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/73/forensic-science-bsc
The course is taught under The School of Chemistry and Forensic Science and you can find more information here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/chemistry-forensics

Also, the University of Kent is extremely supportive and there are systems and services put in place to support students in their academic journey and helping them find a suitable career path by allocating academic advisors and having the Careers and Employability Service in place. If you are coming from abroad, the University of Kent is known to be an international university attracting and housing students from across the world. Finally, the Canterbury campus is close to London, which is very handy :smile:

I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Tracy
UKC Rep

Reply 7

Northumbria University UG Rep

Official Rep

Original post by annette13T

Do you guys know any Universities in UK or Canada that provide a good Forensic Science course?

Hi,
Thank you for your message. It is great to hear you are thinking about studying Forensic Science. Here at Northumbria our Forensic Science course gives you opportunity to combine both the theoretical and practical knowledge from the very beginning. Throughout your degree you will build on the skills obtained in your first and second year, by becoming a more critical thinker and independent learner, setting you up for your career after graduation. Additionally, we offer the opportunity to merge both Criminology and Forensic Science in one course, where you can learn how crime and the criminal justice system work alongside each other. Both courses discussed are accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. I have attached the links to both course pages. I hope this helps, please reach out if you have any other questions.

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/criminology-and-forensic-science-uuscmg2frs

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/forensic-science-uusfrs1/

Thanks,
Jess,
UG Student Rep.

(edited 1 year ago)