1. Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment regarding the analysis of evidence samples in a forensic chemical and analytical setting

Application & Problem Solving; Personal Development & Entrepreneurship

2. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and application of forensic chemical and analytical techniques to evidence samples

Knowledge & Understanding; Application & Problem Solving

Observation – Learning Outcome 1 Students will be observed as they work in a group to undertake an assessed laboratory session. The decision making, method design and analytical processes will be observed by staff, with questions regarding justification and knowledge for the associated techniques.
Scientific Laboratory Report – Learning Outcome 2 Students will need to complete a scientific laboratory report to summarise their findings from an industry-informed laboratory session. Students will have a choice in which laboratory session they chose to base their assessment on.

Formative Assessments Formative assessments will be set in the form of practical tasks, in-class exercises, pop quizzes, and intersessional activities. You will be provided with formative feedback in taught sessions.

This module will focus on the analysis of evidential samples using forensic chemical and analytical techniques. This will be supported through online theory recorded sessions and application-based taught lectures. The focus on application-based taught content will allow students to understand the breadth of techniques that can be applied to identify or quantify a sample, as well as focusing on industry standard practice.

The practical element of this module will offer opportunities to have hands-on experience analysing various forensic samples, for example, drugs, alcohol and fire accelerants, in line with industry standard practice. The samples will all originate from one simulated complex scene and will feed into the Criminalistics in Context module and the Forensic Biology and Human Identification module.

European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Best Practice Manuals and Forensic Guidelines and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International standards will inspire the practical methods applied to the analysis of the sample types.

Tutorials will be focused on data interpretation and analysis of the techniques used within the laboratory sessions, allowing students to fully explore the results gathered.

This module will equip you with the skills to analyse evidential samples using forensic chemical and analytical techniques. You will engage with online theory and application-based lectures to grasp the breadth of industry-standard techniques for sample identification and quantification. The practical component offers hands-on experience analysing forensic samples from a simulated complex scene, including samples like drugs, alcohol, and fire accelerants, adhering to standards from organisations, such as ENFSI and ASTM. Tutorials will focus on the interpretation and analysis of the data you gather from your laboratory work.

The lectures and online learning material will be available to focus on the fundamental application of theory to practice, with each session covering an evidence type or practice within forensic chemistry. Sessions will be centred around industry, with research included when discussing exploratory aspects.

Practical laboratory sessions will focus on simulating industry, with relevant techniques used to analyse evidential sample types. The supporting tutorials will be available to process the data produced and develop understanding of the relevance of the outputs generated.

An assessment surgery tutorial will be available to offer support for Assessment 2.

Bell, S. (2022) Forensic Chemistry. 3rd edition. Harlow: Pearson.

European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) (2025) Best Practice Manuals and Forensic Guidelines. Available at: https://enfsi.eu/about-enfsi/structure/working-groups/documents-page/documents/best-practice-manuals/ (Accessed 30/09/2025)

Moffat, A. et al. (2020) Clarke’s Analysis of Drugs and Poisons. Online edition. London: Pharmaceutical Press.

Rouessac, F. and Rouessac, A. (2007) Chemical Analysis: Modern Instrumentation Methods and Techniques, 2nd edition. Chichester: Wiley.

Skoog, D. et al. (2021) Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry. 10th edition. Boston: Brooks/Cole.

- University specialist laboratories within the Science Centre
- Chemicals, including those covered by the Home Office Drugs Licence
- Blackboard VLE
- MS Excel, Word and Teams
- University library and associated online learning materials