Forensic Science with a Year In Industry

Forensic science is the application of scientific knowledge and method to the investigation of crime and the presentation of evidence in legal proceedings. It draws on chemistry, biology, physics and the behavioural sciences to analyse physical evidence, from trace materials and fingerprints to digital data and biological samples, providing information that can support or challenge accounts of what happened at a crime scene. Forensic scientists must combine rigorous scientific training with an understanding of the legal and ethical context in which their work is used, including the high standards of integrity and precision required when evidence is presented in court.

At the University of Kent this four-year, full-time programme includes a year in industry, which gives you direct experience in a professional forensic science environment before graduation. You will study across the scientific disciplines that underpin forensic practice, including trace evidence analysis, ballistics, DNA analysis, toxicology, digital forensics and scene examination, building both the technical knowledge and the practical laboratory and analytical skills that the field demands. You will also develop your ability to deliver expert witness testimony and will engage with the legal and ethical dimensions of forensic science work, understanding how evidence must be gathered, documented and communicated to be both scientifically valid and legally useful.

Graduates pursue careers in forensic science laboratories, police scientific support units, the forensic services arms of law enforcement agencies, environmental forensics, digital forensics, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, and research. Many also move into related roles in criminal justice, laboratory management, quality assurance and science communication. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in forensic science, chemistry, molecular biology or criminal justice, building on the undergraduate foundation to develop specialist expertise.