Criminology and Forensic Biology BSc (Hons)

In this module, you will learn the essential concepts and skills that form the backbone of a degree in biological sciences. Through theory and practical sessions this module will systematically guide you through every level of biological organisation, from the smallest cellular structures through to studying animal behaviour and ecology. Throughout this module you will develop academic, practical and analysis skills to support your career development as you advance your studies in the biological sciences.

Option on Minor in Forensic Biology

The module will introduce you to a range of analytical and identification techniques used in forensic investigations. There will be a focus on contact traces recovered from crime scenes and how they are used as evidence. Practicals will enable you to have hands on experience in applying techniques.

This module will explore how crime, deviance and harm are constructed, perceived and responded to in society. This content will include key ideas associated with differential treatment and experiences of the criminal justice system for marginalised and under-represented groups in society. There will also be a theoretical and practical exploration of the interrelationships between crime and harm, social problems and their context. This will support students to look beyond traditional frameworks to focus on non-conventional forms of crime and harm, especially those committed by the ‘powerful’. The module will also assist students in developing the core academic skills needed throughout their Undergraduate degree. This will include guidance for searching, identifying and engaging with relevant academic literature to effectively organise and articulate ideas and arguments. Furthermore, students will be encouraged to seek opportunities to develop their career readiness. Through this, students will be guided and supported to discover their interests and passions to enable them to explore potential career paths.

This module offers a critical excursion of theory, legislation, policy and practice in the domain of contemporary youth justice. Children and young people may be considered both victim and offender and students within this module will explore representations of this stage of the life-course. This module provides students with a critical insight into criminal justice and societal responses to children and young people in conflict with the law. Through exploration of public, political and media attention to children and young people alongside modern reformers and activists, students will develop an ability to communicate arguments relevant to youth justice. This module aims to provide students with the key skills to develop an alternative assessment of the ‘youth crime problem’. Students will learn about personal and professional opportunities and develop an ability to respond to feedback about practical and academic work relevant to contemporary youth justice.

Chinese: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE in Chinese or equivalent. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

French: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed A-Level or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

French: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

German: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module enables students with A-Level German or equivalent to further develop their grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed a A-Level or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed GCSE or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

Subsidiary Language for Beginners (20 Credits) Option

This module provides the opportunity to study a new language from scratch and introduces you to basic grammar, vocabulary and cultural contexts. You will apply the language to practical situations using both oral and written skills. 

This module will enable students to critically develop their existing knowledge and understanding of current – and former – representations of crime and criminal justice. Through analytically deconstructing a wide array of historical, geographical, social and political representations of crime and criminal justice. Students upon the module will be encouraged to identify and assess how and why these representations of crime and criminal justice are constructed and disseminated among society. Considerations of gender, class, disability, age, race, religion and sex will therefore be acknowledged to emphasise the spectrum of individuals within society (sub-)consciously influential in, as well as influenced by representations of crime and criminal justice. Whilst the philosophical and theoretical concepts which are embedded throughout the module will serve to highlight to students the advantages and limitations of representations throughout practice. This module will allow students to acquire meaningful skills which can be pivotal in their personal and professional lives as champions of social justice reform. From having explored and discovered the pervasive influence representations hold over the ongoing (re-)configuration of culture in practice, as well as developing their digital proficiencies in communication.

This module offers students an understanding of the interactions between race, ethnicity and migration in the contemporary governance of global injustice, inequality, and in the structuring of society. It introduces students to race and ethnicity as fluid and contradictory categories, and as social constructions with real social and legal consequences. It further discusses migration, both as a range of practices and relations that people enact, and as a system of governance that manages inequality in the freedom to move, and in life opportunities.

The module approaches race and ethnicity to show the global variation of the concepts, going beyond the criteria used in the Global North and in anglophone contexts. It further discusses migration, both in terms of different practices of global mobility and participation and society, and in terms of specific aspects of governance, from border controls and migrant detention, to the attribution of citizenship rights. It also explores how systemic inequities in race and ethnicity intersect with criminal justice practices, influencing outcomes such as policing, sentencing, and incarceration.

The module introduces students to how race, ethnicity, and migratory experience and background can lead to diversity in the impact of social issues. It encourages students to critically examine the ways in which race, ethnicity, and migration inform societal responses to crime, law enforcement, and broader patterns of injustice. The module further guides students to consider life histories and the mutual relation between social concepts and individual biographical experiences.

This module will take you through the stages of crime scene examination, analysis of exhibits, preparation of legal documents and the presentation of oral evidence in a courtroom setting. 

In this module, you will have the opportunity to put theory into practice and build essential skills for your future career by gaining invaluable real-world experience through a range of experiential activities (e.g., volunteering, workplace engagement, research projects, field trip (where available and dependent on course), or through a combination of activities). You will develop practical, analytical, and professional skills relevant to your subject, while also enhancing transferable skills that are vital in any graduate-level role. 

Through hands-on experiences, you will critically reflect on your personal and professional growth, using these insights to shape your career path and identify areas for continued development. You'll take ownership of your learning, ensuring that you can effectively articulate your employability skills in a professional context, and be well-prepared for the workplace. This module empowers you to explore new environments, apply your knowledge, and discover how your academic training translates into real-world impact, boosting your confidence and work readiness. 

It is your responsibility to organise any experience undertaken outside of the university as part of this module although you will be provided with support from university staff.

All activities within this module must be university-level; this means:  

• Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc.)  
• Meeting the professional expectations of the experiential activities you undertake 
• Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as an experiential activity provider, if the role aligns with your career development and provides you with high skilled work commensurate with level 5 study. 

In this module, you will have the opportunity to put theory into practice and build essential skills for your future career by gaining invaluable real-world experience through a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). You will develop practical, analytical, and professional skills relevant to your subject, while also enhancing transferable skills that are vital in any graduate-level role. Therefore this module will enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

Through hands-on experiences, you will critically reflect on your personal and professional growth, using these insights to shape your career path and identify areas for continued development. You'll take ownership of your learning, ensuring that you can effectively articulate your employability skills in a professional context, and be well-prepared for the workplace. This module empowers you to explore new environments, apply your knowledge, and discover how your academic training translates into real-world impact, boosting your confidence and work readiness.

It is your responsibility to organise the placement as part of this module although you will be provided with support from university staff.

All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:

• Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc.)
• Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 4, 5 or 7 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement
• Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.
• All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.

The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

• Experiential Learning: Social Impact Leadership in Action (40 Credits) Optional
  This experiential module is designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that complement their academic studies. This module aims to bridge the gap between personal social missions, theory and practice, equipping students with critical awareness, essential skills and experiences for their future plans, including employment, further study and other ventures. The module is enriched through partnership working between academics and others working in a range of organisations promoting social impact. Students will have opportunities to foster their own social missions, develop and apply academic understanding and key skills through working on real-world projects. Key components of teaching and learning include:
  • Real-World Projects: Students engage in projects that address actual challenges faced by organisations, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge and key skills in practical settings.
  • Service Learning: Initiatives that combine community service with learning objectives, promoting social responsibility and civic engagement.
  • Reflective Practices: Encouraging students to reflect on their experiences through journals, discussions, and skills analyses to enhance critical thinking and personal growth.
  • Networking Opportunities: A range of networking opportunities will be shared that students can engage in during independent study to build sector insights and develop their networks.
  • Skills workshops: Experts will deliver Social Impact Leadership workshops giving insight into personal success and challenges in their paths and teaching key skills towards success.
  • Career Guidance workshops: Knowledge from Career Experts will underpin career guidance to support students to develop personalised plans for actioning towards aspirations, including employment, further study and other aspirations.
  This module aims to empower students with the tools and resources necessary to secure meaningful employment and embark on successful careers.

• Work Placement (40 Credits) Optional
  This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.
  The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.
  All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:
  • Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)
  • Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 4, 5 or 7 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement
  • Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.
  • All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.
  The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

Choose one of the following:

1. Professional Placement (40 Credits) Optional
2. Term abroad (40 Credits) Optional
3. One of the following Language options

Advanced Language Development and Global Sustainability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at advanced level. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a sustainability issue in a target language country. The first half of the module will prepare you for placements abroad where appropriate as well as a deeper understanding of sustainability in target language contexts. 

Developing Intercultural Literacy and Cross-Cultural Skills (40 Credits) Optional

• The multiple facets of global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Culture shock
• Cultural adjustment
• Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess-with a strong focus on understanding the intercultural competencies (ICC) needed to live and work abroad.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of individual requirements in relation to culture/cultural adjustment/culture shock/visas/medical.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of skills already acquired in relation to key skills related to ICC.
• Devising strategies to improve one’s own prospects of working abroad in the future.
• Devising an action plan to address gaps in transferable skills based on organisational analysis and sector opportunities.

Experiential Overseas Learning (40 Credits) Optional

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the University of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

• The multiple facets of Global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Theories, models and strategies of learning

Theories and models Intercultural competence

• Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism
• Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection
• Experiential learning models
• Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

• Enhanced independence
• Improved command of multicultural behaviour
• Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development
• Team building and team work

Part B: Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 

Post Beginner Language Development and Global Cultures (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at beginner level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a cultural issue in a target language country. 

Upper Intermediate Language Development and Global Employability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at intermediate level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes an placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a business or tourism issue in a target language country. 

Or you can choose ONE of the following:

• University Placement Year Optional
• Subject Placement Year Optional
• International University Placement Year Optional

This module will provide an insight into the biological aspects of the work of forensic scientists and related professions. It will also provide an understanding of the work of associated services e.g. police, crime scene investigator, identification specialists, legal specialists.

The main aim is to place forensic science in its historical context and give insight into the development of this modern science. Also to give an insight into the use of forensic techniques in areas of  research including crime scene analysis.

A module to discuss advanced analytical and sampling techniques used for forensic science, building on previous material. Underlying theories will be supported with case studies and practical elements, showcasing how to apply these procedures and techniques to active crime scenes.

Core on Equal in Forensic Biology only

This module explores the fundamental concepts and applications of modern biotechnology. It begins by examining the cellular and molecular organization of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the structure and function of biological macromolecules, and key biochemical processes such as transcription, translation, and enzyme catalysis. The module delves into the stoichiometry and kinetics of microbial growth, as well as the metabolic pathways and signalling mechanisms that regulate cellular function.

Building on this foundation, the module connects these biological principles to biotechnological applications, focusing on bioprocesses and industrial biotechnology. Topics include energy metabolism, genetic engineering, bioreactor design, upstream and downstream stages, and bioprocess scalability, with an emphasis on traditional and cutting-edge technologies. Ultimately, this module provides the knowledge necessary to understand and innovate within the biotechnology industry, integrating cellular mechanisms and bioprocess engineering for the production of commercial bioproducts.

Core on Equal in Forensic Biology only

In this module, you will engage in the research of a selected topic relevant to your course. You will have the opportunity to delve deeply into a subject of your choice, utilising primary and secondary sources to inform your work. You will consider the ethics and health and safety aspects of conducting your project, and apply your prior training in experimental design and analysis. Throughout the process, you will develop your critical thinking and analytical skills, whilst conducting this independent research with the support of a lecturer. The dissertation represents a substantial piece of scholarly work that demonstrates your understanding and application of scientific concepts relevant to your course. Additionally, you will refine your skills in academic writing and effective communication of complex ideas. Overall, the dissertation represents the culmination of your education, preparing you to become a biological scientist.

This module critically examines the multifaceted ways in which state actions can contribute to social harms, injustices, and environmental degradation. Students will explore state-induced crimes through a critical criminological lens, focusing on how policies and actions can perpetuate systemic inequalities and harm both individuals and communities globally. The module introduces sense-making theories, providing tools to analyse and evaluate the impact of state actions on broader social injustices, including ecological damage and economic inequality. Through a combination of theoretical insights and real-world case studies, students will critically assess topics such as state violence, environmental harms, economic policies, and human rights violations. Key learning outcomes include the ability to analyse the global impacts of state-induced crimes, apply theoretical frameworks, and devise strategies for mitigating harms. The module emphasises practical, socially responsible approaches to addressing systemic issues, equipping students with actionable skills to contribute to meaningful change. With a structured curriculum spanning ten weeks, topics include the historical and contemporary dimensions of state crime, environmental and social injustices, and the role of human rights frameworks. By the end, students will be well-prepared to critically engage with these pressing global challenges and advocate for justice in diverse contexts.

Major project in Criminology only

This level 6 major project module will take students on a transformative journey that will enhance their critical thinking, analytical abilities, and academic writing.  Students will learn about the philosophical foundations of social research and will be able to reflect on their own philosophical and methodological standpoint. Research design, ethical issues and methodological tensions will be covered throughout the first two terms of this module. A practical focus on quantitative and qualitative data analysis will aid students to become career ready for the research sector. Teaching will be face to face in small groups, where students will work with peers to consider the staged process of research design and apply what they have learnt to real world research phenomena. Once students have developed their knowledge and understanding of research methods and data analysis techniques, they will embark on their own piece of research under the guidance of an academic supervisor. By writing a substantial piece of independent research students will gain essential skills in research methodology, data analysis, and academic writing that will serve them throughout their academic and professional career.

With major project in Forensic Biology only

This module will enable students to critically analyse and evaluate theoretical and philosophical justifications of punishment across time and space. Coupled with an examination of why and how punishment is delivered in practice. This module will encourage students to appreciate the consistencies, contradictions and conflicts which arise across theoretical and philosophical inquiry, as well as among political ideologies. That serve to impact upon the creation, development and application of penal policy. Students upon the module will critically appraise what is (and is not) known of the inner workings and relationships among practitioners. With considerations of gender, race, religion, age, class, sex and disability also being acknowledged to emphasise the role(s) and responsibility(s) of society as determining factors in the development and delivery of punishment. This module will allow students to acquire meaningful skills which can be influential in their personal and professional lives as proponents of criminal justice reform. From having explored and discovered the multiplicity of individuals involved in and impacted by the existence of crime, as well as developing their capacity to communicate effectively to an audience and stimulate change.