BSc (Hons) Forensic Sciences Family (Extended Degree) Bachelor's degree at Northumbria at Newcastle
BSc (Hons) Forensic Sciences Family (Extended Degree) at Northumbria at Newcastle. You'll develop the investigative and analytical skills that forensic professionals rely on, supported by specialist modules and an independent project that lets you pursue areas of genuine interest to you.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Forensic Sciences Family (Extended Degree) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Northumbria at Newcastle, based in Northumbria University. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Physical sciences graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £30,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Physics & Chemistry, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 87% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
- Scientific and Numeracy SkillsCore20 credits
Module details
AP0306 -
- Practical Skills in ScienceCore20 credits
Module details
AP0307 -
- Research and Science Communication ProjectCore20 credits
Module details
AP0309 -
- Introduction to BiologyCore20 credits
Module details
AP0310 -
- Introduction to ChemistryCore20 credits
Module details
AP0312 -
- Digital LiteracyCore20 credits
Module details
AP0316 -
- Practical Skills in Forensic ScienceCore20 credits
Module details
AP0400 -
- Process and Practices in Forensic ScienceCore20 credits
Module details
AP0401 -
- Fundamentals of Analytical ChemistryCore20 credits
Module details
AP0402 -
- Principles of Chemical StructureCore20 credits
Module details
AP0403 -
- Cell Biology and GeneticsCore20 credits
Module details
AP0404 -
- Scientific SupportCore20 credits
Module details
AP0405 -
- Skills for Academic Success in a UK UniversityCore
Module details
SE5000 -
- Research MethodsCore20 credits
Module details
AP0501 -
- Trace AnalysisCore20 credits
Module details
AP0502 -
- Body Fluids and Blood Pattern AnalysisCore20 credits
Module details
AP0503 -
- Drugs and ToxicologyCore20 credits
Module details
AP0504 -
- Specialist Applications in Criminal InvestigationCore20 credits
Module details
AP0505 -
- DNA ProfilingCore20 credits
Module details
AP0551 -
- Study AbroadOptional120 credits
Module details
AP0536 -
- Industrial Placement YearOptional120 credits
Module details
AP0552 -
- Forensic Science Research ProjectCore40 credits
Module details
AP0600 -
- Complex CaseworkCore20 credits
Module details
AP0601 -
- Contemporary Issues in Forensic ScienceOptional20 credits
Module details
AP0602 -
- Advanced Forensic InvestigationCore20 credits
Module details
AP0603 -
- Advanced Analytical ChemistryOptional20 credits
Module details
AP0604 -
- Forensic BiologyOptional20 credits
Module details
AP0642 -
- Unilang - Languages for All - Level 6 PlaceholderOptional20 credits
Module details
ML6001 -
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
Who it's for
You're suited to this course if you're drawn to the natural sciences and enjoy solving problems methodically using evidence. You should be comfortable with detail-oriented work and have a genuine interest in how scientific techniques can uncover facts in real-world contexts. You'll thrive if you're intellectually curious, keen to develop both hands-on laboratory skills and theoretical knowledge, and motivated by the prospect of working in a field where rigour and precision matter. Most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications; typical prior attainment sits around 112–127 UCAS points, though this reflects recent cohorts rather than a fixed entry bar.
Careers & job market
Across Physics and Chemistry courses nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 75% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National earnings data shows typical starting salaries (at 15 months) in the range of £26,500–£34,000, rising to £30,600–£43,200 after five years. Your career path may span forensic investigation, laboratory analysis, research, or specialist roles in the criminal justice and science sectors, though actual outcomes vary by individual opportunity and choice.
University & format
This BSc (Hons) Extended Degree is studied full-time over 4 years at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, a public university. Teaching is delivered in English. The university holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is. The degree is a recognised UK degree-awarding body qualification, nationally recognised.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 93% |
| another higher-education qualification | 3% |
| an Access course | 3% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code Z055). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Northumbria at Newcastle →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Physics & Chemistry graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £30,000 | £25,000 – £34,000 | 6045 |
| 3 years after | £22,000 | £18,000 – £26,000 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £26,500 | £22,500 – £32,000 | 155 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,045. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in physics & chemistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Physics & Chemistry nationally
National figures for Physics & Chemistry graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,045. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Physics & Chemistry courses at the same study level.
Compared with 886 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Physics & Chemistry graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Physics & Chemistry graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Research institutes
- Energy & manufacturing
- Universities
- Government labs
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Physics & Chemistry graduates.
Physics Content Developer for AI-Enhanced LearningUp LearnPhysics PhD, Quantum Data Scientist for AIObsidianPhysics Academic MentorRibbons and Reeves LimitedPhysics TechnicianSapientia Education TrustPhysics Academic Mentor17918Physics Teachers in Calderdale and KirkleesCV-LibraryIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £30,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 77.6% · continued 87%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Physical sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Northumbria University
3,537 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Physics & Chemistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Northumbria at Newcastle from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Northumbria at Newcastle; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Northumbria at Newcastle’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Northumbria at Newcastle and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Northumbria at Newcastle
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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