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Duration of programme: 4 years (where students join the programme in year 1)
Award on successful completion: Bachelor of Science with Honours
Accreditation: Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Graduates are eligible to apply for Associate Members of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSoFS) upon graduation.
Location of delivery: Abertay University, Bell Street, Dundee
Composition of the programme: 120 SCQF (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework) credits in each academic year, delivered largely in modules of 20 credits each, with 3 modules taken in term 1, and 3 in term 2 each year. The first and second year of the programme includes a choice of microcredential modules worth a total of 20 credits per year. Students complete a 40 credit independent project in the final year.
Contact hours and workload: Each academic year typically requires 1200 hours of student effort; on average across the 4 years of this programme, 29% of that time is in lectures, seminars, practicals and similar activities; the remainder is independent study.
Assessment methods: Assessment is by a variety of methods enabling students to demonstrate progress in different ways. Coursework typically includes laboratory reports, essays and oral presentations. Formal exams typically include questions that require either short answers or essays, coupled with problem-solving of forensic-related challenges.
Additional costs: Students must purchase a laboratory coat (cost around £15) and a laboratory notebook.
Academic staff: This programme is delivered by staff in the Department of Built Environment and Life Sciences in the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences. Staff profiles can be viewed at https://www.abertay.ac.uk/schools/school-of-applied-sciences/
Core modules in the programme:
Other modules that may be offered, but are subject to change over time:
Developments in the discipline: It is important to note that the curriculum within all modules, including core modules, is expected to evolve over time, to maintain a real world connection as new scientific, medico-legal and diagnostic paradigms and tools come to the fore. This may, for example, include introduction of novel DNA techniques, alteration to teaching to reflect changes in levels of gun crime, or provision for competencies outlined by industry bodies.