FP1S007 - Forensic Awareness 17 Jul 2024 - 31 Aug 2029 | Version 3

Associated Module Information

Module Code: FP1S007
Module Title: Forensic Awareness
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Biological and Forensic Sciences
Faculty Sub Group: Biological Science
Module Leader:
Module Team: Hannah Seale, Peter Miedziak, Rhian Kinsella, James McCormack, Niamh Breslin
First Intended Intake: SEP 2024 Final Year of Intake: 2028
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh:
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100388 - forensic science 100400 - applied mathematics 100485 - law
HECOS Code Weighting: 33 34 33

Document Version Information

Version 3
Valid From 17 Jul 2024
Valid To 31 Aug 2029

Module Aims

To introduce students to the legislative and criminal justice system of England and Wales. 

Understand the role of a forensic expert witness.  

Content Summary

Introduction to the legal system of England and Wales: 

  • The structure of the judicial system and the court process. 

  • The role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). 

  • Legislation and offences. 

  • Miscarriages of justice. 

Presenting Forensic Evidence in Court: 

  • The role of the expert witness. 

  • Probability and bayes theorem. 

  • Cognitive bias in investigations. 

  • Case studies.  

Forensic Evidence and its value in investigations.  

  • Context and value of evidence.  

  • Scientific interpretation 

  • Exploration of legal issues relevant to forensic evidence, chain of custody, and expert witness testimony. 

  • Interpretation of the value of evidence in court. 

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 48
Independent Study 76
Directed Study (including online independent learning) 76
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative and criminal justice system.
LO2 Understand the value of evidence in court and cases.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Student Choice 1 1. Report. 2. Recorded PowerPoint Presentation. 3. Onsite Poster Presentation. 20 2500 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Student Choice 1

Reading List

Brodsky, S.L. Expert Expert Witness: More maxims and guidelines for testifying in court. American Psychological Association. 2004.  

Grafen A. Modern statistics for the life sciences. Oxford 2008. 

Huxley-Binns, R. Unlocking the English legal system. 2010. Hodder Education. 

Migon. H.S. Gamerman.A. Statistical inference: An integrated approach. Arnold. 1999. Lee,P.M. Bayesian Statistics: An introduction. Arnold 1989. 

P. White, Crime Scene to Court. RSC Publishing 

R. Saferstein, Criminalistics – An Introduction to Forensic Science, Prentice Hall. 

R. W. Jackson, M. Jackson, Forensic Science. Pearson, Prentice Hall