Университет Центрального Ланкашира (UCLan), BSc (Hons), Forensic Biology

Forensic biology combines in-depth forensic investigation studies and practices with specialist techniques used and developed for the study of biological systems; evidence collected is usually human in origin (such as cellular material, blood, semen, saliva, sweat, skin scrapings, hair analysis, bones and dental/bone remains), but may also come from other biological organisms (such as animal hairs, animal remains, plant material, or insects); forensic biologists carefully analyse and interpret this evidence to establish a body of information which can be used by the police and the legal system in the investigation of crimes; these skills and activities are also applied to other related situations, such as disaster scenes, wildlife protection and archaeological investigations; a forensic biologist must have the information technology and statistical skills required for the handling of data and its subsequent analysis; at the core of forensic science is forensic investigation, which provides education and training in the management and processing of crime scenes, and the collection, analysis and interpretation of evidence; students are introduced to the laboratory analysis of a wide range of evidence, from fingerprints to footwear impressions, to hairs and fibres, as well as the analysis of DNA evidence.