Forensic Science (Forensic Biology) MSc

Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

1 year full-time

About the course

Reasons to study

You'll be taught by an experienced forensic science team with links to industry, academia, government and policing.
You'll be able to use state of the art facilities and instrumentation.
You'll have the opportunity to undertake original research in an area that interests you.

This course provides postgraduate education in Forensic Science with a further specialisation in DNA/Body fluids; which is the main discipline of Forensic Biology. Forensic Science involves the use of scientific techniques and principles to address questions of interest to a court of law. This course aims to provide you with an overview of forensic science in general, following the crime scene to court model. This includes a series of crime scene exercises in our crime scene facilities, covering strategies for crime scene examination and an exploration of techniques associated with crime scene examination.

Course detail

The modules are:

Crime Scene Science Awareness

An overview of Search and Recovery of evidence at the crime scene, Handling Exhibits, Collection of Evidence, Crime Scene Management, Quality, Continuity, Storage of Evidence, Finger Marks, Finger Marks Development, Footwear Marks, Documents, Handwriting and Signatures, E-forensics, Photography and CCTV.

Forensic Science Awareness

This module will give an overview of forensic science awareness in chemistry, biology, trace, and impression evidence types. This will provide critical awareness which will enable students to process cases without compromising evidence outside their own specialism. As well as the systematic understanding of knowledge, they will learn how to evaluate forensic evidence and interpret the findings.

Quality and Presentation of Evidence

Quality control and assurance, An introduction to case assessment and interpretation, Note taking (Crime Scene Reports and Forensic Examination Notes), Report Writing and Production of Expert Witness Statements, Giving oral Evidence and the Role of Forensic Sciences in the courts.

Forensic Casework Practice

This module will use simulated case data in the relevant subject speciality. The students will be expected to identify and critically evaluate the most up to date forensic literature in order to interpret, write-up and report the case in a mock court room exercise as an expert witness.

Advanced Forensic Skills

The module aims to provide students with a more in-depth knowledge in two forensic disciplines: core and an elective. The core will be based on the student’s MSc pathway and the elective from one other area. Typical topics covered could include: • Anthropology: and interpretation of skeletal evidence • Biology: DNA profiling and body fluid examination, • Toxicology: drugs and metabolites and the use of techniques such as GC and HPLC, • Entomology: insect recovery, identification and PMI estimation. Other electives may also be offered but the University reserves the right not to run an elective if insufficient students choose it. The module includes a statistics section initially covering basic methods (mean, standard deviations, probability theory, etc.) before moving on to more applied statistical methods including the analyses of variances, and assessing significance. In addition this module will cover various skills required of a good forensic scientist and practitioner, including literature searching, critical analysis of published works and presentation skills.

Forensic Research Project

The overall aim of the project is to train the student in methods of experimental design and either to develop new forensic biology or chemistry methods (for example, to select by critical comparison and apply the most suitable method to a particular problem) or to solve a novel forensic biology or chemistry problem. Research topics that could be covered include: bodily fluid identification, chemical analysis, DNA, toxicology, entomology, etc.

Forensic Taphonomy

This module will give the student a general knowledge about the death process, the taphonomic changes of the body. In addition the module will provide the student the principles and methods of post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation, potentiality and limitations of the techniques

You will also receive a comprehensive overview of most of the forensic science disciplines through the forensic biology and forensic chemistry module. You will also explore quality, which is an increasingly fundamental issue within forensic science industry; as well as the presentation of evidence and preparations for defending your evidence in a court of law.

The course then moves onto more specialised modules including forensic genetics and body fluid examination. Forensic genetics covers biochemistry and molecular biology as pertaining to forensics, STR analysis, including interpretation of DNA profiling results. In addition you will explore body fluid examination.

This course is comprised of two thirds taught component and one third research project component.

The course is designed to train you in the scientific methodology relating to forensic biology and extend your interest and knowledge in all areas of the subject. The taught part of the course consists of four general forensic science modules (covering fundamental and basic principles of forensic science). The research project requires 50 days of laboratory work and takes place during the summer term.

Teaching and Assessment

Considerable emphasis is placed on independent learning. You will be taught through regular lectures, tutorials and workshops and practical laboratory classes. Additional learning materials are provided on the University’s VLE. There is an Academic Skills Tutor within the School of Applied Sciences who can help with report writing, revision and examination technique, numeracy skills, etc. Assessment will include assignments, problem solving exercises, laboratory skills and written examinations. The research project is assessed by written report and oral presentation.

On average 37% of the study time on this course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars, tutorials etc.

Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks - unless the submission was made toward the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feed back on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

Teaching excellence

Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).
We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for this course are normally:

A minimum of a lower second class honours degree in any science related subject or equivalent is required.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Career support

Graduates of the course can obtain forensic science positions in the UK with forensic science providers or with police services, which have their own in-house forensic provisions. There are also forensic opportunities overseas. In addition, the course provides transferable skills, meaning that the graduate is also employable in other sectors, particularly in those where a degree of quality control and assurance is required. This course can also act as a precursor to a research position or a higher degree such as a PhD.

96.4% of our postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2016/17, UK domiciled graduates).

Career support

Career support

96.4% of our postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2016/17, UK domiciled graduates).

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £9,900 (Band 3).

Tuition fees for UK students will cover the cost of your study at the University. For more information about funding, fees and finance for UK students, including what your tuition fee covers, please see our Fees and Finance. Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

If you are an EU or international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £9,900 (Band 3).

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.