School of Life Sciences

BSc (Hons) Forensic Science with Policing with Sandwich Placement

BSc (Hons) Sandwich 4 years

This course aims to produce graduates who are primarily able to use selected forensic science and crime scene investigation techniques to assist the police and legal professions. 

This course aims to produce graduates who are primarily able to use selected forensic science and crime scene investigation techniques to assist the police and legal professions. 

Award
BSc (Hons)
Start date(s)
16 September 2024
UCAS Code
L43G
Course specifications
Course length
Sandwich (4 years)
Campus location
Wolverhampton City Campus
School
School of Life Sciences
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

Accredited by The Chartered Institute of Forensic Sciences

University of Wolverhampton and West Midlands Police Forensic Science Partnership

Teaching Innovation Award winners 2022

Logo of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences    Logo of the West Midlands Police   Teaching Innovation Award Winner icon

This course aims to produce graduates who are primarily able to use selected forensic science and crime scene investigation techniques to assist the police and legal professions. 

Success in this course could enable you to follow a career in either Forensic Science or the Police Service or associated disciplines.

This course will enable you to develop your skills in scientific and critical thinking as well as independent study.

In addition, if you choose to undertake a sandwich degree, the course will allow you to acquire technical skills in the workplace and enable you to integrate knowledge gained in the theoretical aspects of the course into the professional environment.

What happens on the course?

A broad range of subjects related to Forensic Science and Policing modules can be studied.  There are other BSc Forensic Science and BSc Policing courses available in the UK but, at the time of writing, it appears there are no BSc Forensic Science with Policing courses.  We believe this course will be well suited to the student who has an interest in Forensic Science and wishes to pursue a career in either the Forensic Science or Policing arena.

Forensic Scientists and Crime Scene Investigators who have an awareness of police procedures and Police Officers or Police Detectives who are forensically aware are likely to have an advantage over the student who studied the single subject degree in those interdisciplinary areas bordering forensics and policing.

The BSc Forensic Science with Policing programme contains a core policing module in every semester of study combined with judiciously selected aspects of Forensic Science such that Forensic Science is the major component, approximately 66%. The benefit of this is that two major avenues of employment are opened up to the successful graduate.  The first is that of a typical laboratory scientist both within and without of forensically orientated science.  If within a forensically orientated environment then the knowledge of policing and related procedures can help with communication with both police officers and members of the legal profession, i.e., clients who provide evidence for analysis. Secondly, the avenue of policing or working with the police in the capacity of a scene of crime officer, can be possible.  The former, a forensically aware police officer, can be thought of as beneficial to the service and, given the current severe shortage of police detectives, could be construed as a route into police detective work for the graduate with the right skills mix.  

There are also many other employment or further training options available to the graduate with BSc Forensic Science with Policing that range from science-based teacher training to further study to MSc or PhD level, or working in many other fields that some of our previous forensic science-based graduates have entered, such as trading standards, public and industrial health and safety and accident investigation. 

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

Many companies have stressed the need for key transferable (professional) skills in the workplace.  We have embedded the development of key transferable skills, reflective practice and continuing professional development into the curriculum by using the Undergraduate Skills Recording (USR) tool as a vehicle to instil the concepts of reflective practice and professional development into each year of the course.  We envisage that the students will be able to demonstrate how they have developed the key transferable skills and should be able to articulate (and evidence) their strengths and weaknesses, via the USR tool, to potential employers, because they are well versed with the concepts of continuing professional development. We have embedded the University of Wolverhampton Enterprise and Employability Silver Award into the current Level 4 skills module and this will be transferred over into the Level 4 introductory forensic science module from 2019 onwards.

We have developed links with both the West Midlands Police and the West Midlands Police Forensic Science Support service. We have engaged in placement programmes, for example project Blue-Line with the West Midlands Police aimed at placing students with the Police and gaining valuable work experience. The sandwich version of the programme will permit students to engage in project blue-line or other sandwich placement opportunities.  We also have placement opportunities with the West Midlands Police Forensic Science Support Service.  Students who take advantage of these opportunities naturally increase their own employability post-graduation.

Using as close to real life simulations as possible, particularly with our crime scene scenarios, helps to prepare students for real world crime scene situations.

There are several modules that utilise special visiting lecturers (practitioners) that impart real world knowledge and experiences as much as possible to the classroom or practical setting to help prepare students as much as possible to work in the real world.  This includes several forensic science and policing activities that we run in career development week.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

The University of Wolverhampton and West Midlands Police Forensic Science Partnership formed in 2023, provides an enhanced student experience and important employability opportunities, including policing and forensic science professional practice guest lecturers, opportunities for professional practice research projects and work experience placements, and access to West Midlands Police careers events as well as important networking and employability links with West Midlands Police and their Forensic Services department.

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Sandwich £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Sandwich £9250 per year 2022-23
Home Sandwich £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Sandwich £9250 per year 2023-24
Home Sandwich £9250 per year 2024-25
International Sandwich £13950 per year 2022-23
International Sandwich £13950 per year 2022-23
International Sandwich £14950 per year 2023-24
International Sandwich £14950 per year 2023-24
International Sandwich £15450 per year 2024-25

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

  • 96 UCAS points
  • A Levels - grades CCC / BCD, to include Biology or Chemistry.
  • BTEC L3 Extended Diploma or OCR Cambridge L3 Technical Extended Diploma in Applied Science - grades MMM
  • Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (96 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at merit, to include 36 credits in Science)

 

Use the UCAS Tariff calculator to check your qualifications and points

Students must usually have studied for a minimum of two years post GCSE level. However, we will consider applications from mature students who do not have two years of post-16 study, where they have relevant work experience. Please see http://wlv.ac.uk/mature for further information.

If you've got other qualifications or relevant experience, please contact The Gateway for further advice before applying.

International entry requirements and application guidance can be found at http://www.wlv.ac.uk/international/apply

English language requirements also apply

Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences

The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences provides an accreditation system for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in forensic science and related topics. Accreditation is given provided the course content meets with the Society's component standards which provide a quality endorsement of the course.

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.


Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

Order a prospectus

How We Compare

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Sandwich Course