Students will be required to complete 2 pieces of summative assessment:

CW: (50%) 4000 words. This report will be used to show understanding of the concepts and application of techniques from the biological sciences that are used in forensic investigation (Outcomes 1-3)

Test: (50%) 1.5 hours. This test will be used to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical basis of forensic biology, encompassing all aspects covered in this module (Outcomes 1-4)

Formative guidance will be provided throughout the module, mainly via tutor feedback and discussion with individual students during laboratory sessions, especially re results obtained, and their presentation, analysis and interpretation, and also via tutors dealing with specific issues in workshops and lectures.

The wide scope of forensic biology, including investigation of crimes against the person (such as murder, rape and other sexual offences, assault), endangered species, paternity. Biological evidence at crime scenes. Blood stain pattern analysis. Visualising body fluid stains. Collection and handling of biological evidential samples. Clothing examination. Body fluid stains. Presumptive tests for blood, semen and saliva. Extraction of body fluid stains. Microscopy of spermatozoa. Hair growth, structure and microscopy analysis. Conventional blood grouping. Determination of species of origin. Applications of microscopy to other biological evidential material. Basic forensic entomology. Overview of DNA profiling, its massive impact and huge potential. Professional aspects including hypothesis forming and testing, quality assurance, proper documentation, presenting written reports of investigations to courts of law. The prominent role of biology in modern forensic science. An introduction to the concepts in ante-mortem and post-mortem pathologies using appropriate examples.

11 x 2 hours of workshop, 15 hours of supervised laboratory practical and 5 hours of workshop support. The lectures may include tutor-led seminars, videos, distributed learning and invited expert speakers. Full review of practical techniques, and data analysis and interpretation will form an integral part of workshops, lectures and practical sessions. There is 108 hours of independent study to include data analysis and interpretation, and reflection on methods being used.

Module handbook
Access to a lecture room with projection equipment for PC-enhanced lectures with suitable blackout.
Access to library, computers and books
Blackboard VLE

Study of SHS82107-1 Biological Principles for Forensic Science or SHS80105-1 Genes & Genomes

- Gunn, A. (2006) Essential Forensic Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Sussex.
- Jones, SH (2005) Principles of bloodstain pattern analysis: theory and practice, CRC Press.
- Langford, A. et al. (2005) Practical Skills in Forensic Science, Pearson, Essex.
- VJM DiMaio and D DiMaio (2001) Forensic Pathology, Second Edition, CRC Press
- Butler, JM (2001) Forensic DNA Typing: Biology and Technology behind STR Markers, Academic Press, London.