MSci (Hons) Forensic Science Integrated Master's degree at the University of Kent

Embark on a fascinating journey into the heart of matter with our Fundamentals of Chemistry module, designed to ignite your curiosity and lay the foundations for your understanding of the chemical world. Delve into the fundamental principles that govern the behaviour of atoms and molecules, explore the mysteries of chemical reactions, and investigate the endless possibilities that chemistry offers in shaping our world. From understanding atomic structure to unraveling the complexities of bonding

Why do we make molecules? Why does nature make molecules? What do these molecules do? What makes carbon so vital to life? What makes one molecule a medicine and another a poison? You'll start your journey in organic chemistry by answering some of these questions. We'll introduce you to the basics of fundamental organic chemistry, looking at the structures of carbon-based molecules and how they can be put together in millions of different ways. We'll see how they bond with other elements to give

What is a crime scene? What happens at a crime scene? What is forensic science and what role does it play in legal proceedings? In this module, you'll explore how scientific techniques are utilised and applied to gathering and analysing evidence in criminal investigations. Gain an insight into how a range of scientific disciplines can be used to uncover mysteries and bring justice to light. You'll consider numerous types of evidence that make up the 'toolkit' of a forensic scientist, and their e

What happens when someone pulls the trigger? How do bullets remain stable during flight? What makes one bullet more lethal than another? In this module you'll look at how ammunition is constructed, how different classes of firearm function and develop skills in fundamental maths and physics that underpin basic bullet trajectories and impact phenomena. You'll develop a strong understanding in the fundamental principles upon which the field of ballistics relies and begin to apply this knowledge to

Inorganic and physical chemistry play a key role in underpinning broad areas of the forensic and analytical sciences, including identification of unknown substances, key biological processes and the chemical analysis of trace evidence. This module provides you with an understanding of the core range of inorganic and physical chemistry that underpins forensic analysis, including the states, stability and reactivity of matter and the patterns amongst the elements across the periodic table that are

Knowing how to approach a crime scene is imperative for all forensic practitioners to maintain integrity and ensure the delivery of justice. You'll will develop the toolkit of core practical skills that are employed to process an incident scene and prepare for crime scene investigation. Alongside this, you'll work through a range of exciting laboratory sessions to teach you the fundamental chemical techniques that a forensic scientist needs to excel in all areas of the profession, from chemical

Why is analytical chemistry important within the chemical and forensic industries? What approaches should we take when considering the chemical analysis of an unknown sample? Analytical chemistry is essential throughout the chemical and forensic world - covering not only how we design experiments to understand the composition of unknown samples, but also how we confirm and quantify results and assign a level of confidence to our findings. This module takes a pragmatic, application-driven approac

Do you want to know more about the structure of DNA and how its structure has evolved to provide the building blocks of life? Have you wondered why different drugs behave in different ways inside our bodies? How do we create new treatments and therapies to tackle disease? This module introduces you to the key ideas and fundamental molecular components of biochemistry. You'll look at simple biomolecules and non-covalent interactions, building up to biological oligomers before you are introduced t

As a forensic scientist, what would you do if someone comes across buried human remains? How do we collect evidence from a scene, document it and ensure we maintain a clear legal chain of custody? Why should we care about this? This module will develop your appreciation of a range of physical techniques applied to the collection of bulk and trace evidence materials in forensic science. You'll look deeply into aspects of physical evidence, practical issues of item examination, legal process and g

What happens when the police seize computers during an investigation? How do we use cutting edge technologies to identify criminals? This module introduces you to a broad range of established, and emerging, computer based forensic methods that involve consideration of key digital forensic techniques, use of facial identification, and the construction of facial composites (eFITs) to aid criminal investigations. Your awareness of modern digital image processing and photo forensics investigation me

How do we investigate a shooting? What happens when someone gets shot? Why do different human tissues react differently under different impact conditions? You'll be introduced to a wide range of experimental and theoretical processes that may be undertaken in aid of understanding what happened in a shooting incident. You'll also develop a deep understanding of the science that underpins high energy trauma and how scientists measure and interpret this to draw valid forensic conclusions in the spe

The careful and considered collection of evidence from an incident scene along with the accurate and robust analysis of this evidence are the cornerstone of forensic science. But how do you decide upon the best ways to collect evidence, and which techniques to use, to assemble the best case with the evidence you have? In this practical and laboratory based module, you'll develop advanced scene investigation and evidence collection skills before applying previously developed core chemical and for

Modern Chemistry and Forensic Science rely heavily on a suite of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. But which of these should we apply for our particular cutting-edge chemical research, or to obtain the specific, precise and robust forensic evidence we require? This module builds upon your knowledge of fundamental concepts and methods to understand the specificity, advantages and limitations of these more advanced techniques, and explore approaches to best apply them across a broad ra

What properties of a material define its value as trace evidence? How can we use this understanding to shape our approach to collecting and analysing these evidence types? Understanding trace evidence is of fundamental importance to Forensic Science, providing links between people and locations or objects. In this advanced module you will delve into the analytical techniques and chemical principles critical for examining trace materials. From fibres and hair to glass fragments and makeup, you'll

What causes a fire to rage out of control? What makes an explosion so destructive? How do we gather and analyse evidence we normally rely upon from a scene that may have been compromised by a powerful blaze or destructive explosion? This advanced module develops your understanding of the chemical and physical processes that drive fires and explosions. You'll learn how to identify accelerants, detonators and types of explosives, reconstruct fire scenes and develop insights as to the nature of fir