5A010E - Serious and Complex Fire Investigation 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | 5A010E | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Serious and Complex Fire Investigation | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Life Sciences and Education | ||
| Faculty Group: | Policing and Criminology | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Policing | ||
| Module Leader: | |||
| Module Team: | Daniel Welch, Beth Dando, Helen Martin, Mark Iggulden, Matthew Labanciw | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2026 | Final Year of Intake: | |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100647 - public policy | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2026 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2030 |
Module Aims
The main aims of the module are:
Develop students' ability to apply advanced fire investigation processes, specialist resources and multi-agency approaches to serious and complex fire scenarios.
Enable students to critically evaluate scientific, operational, legal and evidential information in order to justify investigative decisions and findings.
Develop the professional judgement, resilience and confidence required to plan, manage and communicate the outcomes of high-consequence fire investigations.
Content Summary
This module develops the specialist knowledge and professional skills required to investigate serious and complex fires, including incidents involving fatalities, substantial loss, multiple scenes, public interest or suspected criminality. Building on the Level 4 Fire Investigation module, students progress from foundational principles to advanced practice, examining complex fire behaviour, multi-agency working, investigation planning, risk management, specialist resources and forensic recovery. The module culminates in an immersive, hands-on investigation of a simulated serious or complex fire scene, followed by a structured formative debrief and a summative professional debrief in which students justify their decisions and findings. The module prepares students to operate with the professional judgement, critical analysis and confidence expected of investigators managing high-consequence, multi-agency fire investigations, and directly supports the wider aims of the course in developing practice-ready fire investigation professionals.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | 80 |
| Direct Study | 60 |
| Practical Classes and Workshops (specialist resources, immersive investigation) | 36 |
| Assessment (preparation and professional debrief) | 24 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Apply advanced fire investigation processes, specialist resources and multi-agency approaches to a serious or complex fire scenario. |
| LO2 | Critically justify investigative decisions and findings through the evaluation of scientific, operational, legal and evidential information. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment | Group Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) | A group professional debrief based on the serious or complex fire investigation undertaken during the immersive practical exercise | 30 | N/A | 100 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Group Presentation (Synchronous Onsite) | ✔ | ✔ | |