Forensic Science and Criminology

Forensic science and criminology is a combination that approaches crime and the justice system from two complementary directions: the laboratory and the social science. Forensic science asks how physical and biological evidence is collected, analysed, and interpreted, using chemistry, biology, genetics, toxicology, and digital analysis to establish facts about what happened and who was responsible. Criminology asks broader questions about why crime occurs, how criminal justice systems respond to it, and what the social, psychological, and structural factors are that produce both offending and victimisation.

At the University of Bedfordshire, this part-time programme has been awarded Recognition by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, which means the course content and teaching meet the high, internationally recognised standards of the forensic science profession. This accreditation is meaningful: it signals that the programme prepares graduates for the expectations of professional forensic science practice. The part-time format makes the degree accessible to students who cannot commit to full-time study, whether because of work, family, or other commitments.

The programme has no listed tariff or fixed duration, and admissions are considered individually.

You will study the scientific principles and techniques that underpin forensic evidence analysis, including DNA profiling, drug identification, trace evidence analysis, digital forensics, and the legal frameworks within which forensic science operates. The criminology strand develops your understanding of crime patterns, criminal justice processes, victimology, policing, courts, and the evidence base for effective responses to offending.

Graduates from forensic science and criminology programmes move into careers in forensic science laboratories, law enforcement, criminal justice, probation, the courts service, social research, and a range of applied roles in the criminal justice system and related public services. The CSFS recognition enhances the credibility of your qualification with forensic employers. Further study at postgraduate level in forensic science, criminology, or criminal justice is a common route for those seeking to specialise further.