Further Education

It's amazing how a chance comment can lead to something much bigger. Yesterday when I was on campus, a friend mentioned a new masters programme in forensics that my university is offering. Now, 24 hours later, I'm trying to figure out how I can save up £3200 by the time I would start it in September 2006!

This is the blurb on the programme that I'm so excited about:

Forensic study is increasingly popular in universities and a forensic approach is often used in the workplace. This course gives you criminology skills and knowledge related to forensic investigation.

You gain an understanding of the legal issues in forensic study. A third of your study involves improving your knowledge of the legal system. Criminology is always studied in a legal context.

This course develops your academic understanding of conceptual and methodological issues. You look at how criminology can provide an insight into forensic investigation and shape its meaning.

You also study how policy is formed and how this influences practice. There is a strong academic focus which means you gain sophisticated critical and analytical skills.

Your skills are used when you do the dissertation, an extended research project investigating a criminological issue of your choice under the supervision of an academic tutor.

Associated careers
You can find careers in social policy related fields or advising the government, judiciary or police force on the development of public policy relating to criminology.

Assessment
Coursework and examinations. Coursework includes essays, short projects, group presentation and conference debates.

Course content
Modules
• criminal law • legal methodology • law of evidence • forensic criminology 1 (conceptual and methodological issues) • forensic criminology 2 (issues in policy and practice) • research project


Entry requirements
• Normally students must have an undergraduate degree in a relevant field. If you don’t have a degree you may be considered if you have at least five years professional experience.

• You need two appropriate references

• You need a high level of English language competence to successfully complete the course. If the language your first degree was taught in was not English, then typically IELTS 6.5 , TOEFL 620.

I really want to do this!