Bachelor of Criminology Bachelor of Forensic Science

The Bachelor of Criminology Bachelor of Forensic Science prepares students to respond to the changing nature of crime in the 21st century by addressing the realities of crime and forensics in an increasingly digital and transnational age. Students develop a skill set that combines enabling sciences, social sciences, in-depth understandings of forensic science and crime in the context of their chosen specialisations in both components of the course.

This course provides students with a thorough understanding of how forensic science and criminology can solve and prevent crime. This is a hands-on course using world-class facilities that are modelled on operational laboratories.

This degree combines theory and practice to address industry needs for an applied approach to criminology and specifically addresses the increasingly digital and transnational dimensions of crime. Students work with data sets, tools, problems and cases used in industry and contributed by UTS partners to be work-ready.

In the Bachelor of Criminology students are able to select from a standard major or an extended major:

Standard majors – Forensics, Data Analytics, or Justice and Legal Studies.

Extended majors – Analytics and Research, or Digital Security

In the Bachelor of Forensic Science students are able to select from 4 majors: Chemistry, Biology, Crime Scene Investigation, or Digital Forensics.

The course is offered primarily on campus, but individual subjects include aspects of asynchronous self-paced learning, synchronous online activities, collaborative learning and activities on campus, and industry engagement via site visits and/or guest speakers.

Pathways: The service of commissioned officers and those who have completed agency training courses is recognised as part of the basis for admission and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for fast-tracking of degree completion.

Course aims

The aim is to produce professional forensic scientists with highly adaptable scientific skills accompanied by a thorough grounding in social theory, methods and practice. This is a course with strong links to industries such as the federal and state police services, national and international forensic institutions, and government laboratories.

Careers

Career options include police officer, law enforcement agent, corrections officer, border force officer, customs officer, crime prevention analyst, policy analyst, community justice/development worker, government worker, evaluator, cyber security analyst, fraud prevention analyst, digital fraud prevention analyst, intelligence officer, ICT security specialist, security consultant.

Chemistry major: Criminalist, trace evidence specialist, explosive specialist, analytical chemist, toxicologist, clinical or regulatory toxicologist, analytical technician.

Biology major: DNA specialist, forensic scientist, molecular research scientist, hospital scientist, pathology technician, forensic anthropologist, forensic pathology technician.

Crime scene investigation major: Scene-of-crime officer, team leader in investigations, fire investigator, trace evidence specialist, forensic scientist, analyst.

Digital forensics major: Digital forensic scientist or analyst, e-Discovery analyst, cyberthreat intelligence analyst, fraud investigator, information security analyst, malware analyst.

Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

The English proficiency requirement is: Academic IELTS: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL: paper based: 550-583 overall with TWE of 4.5, internet based: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.