Criminal Justice and Forensic Science BSc (Hons)
University of the West of Scotland
Key Course Facts
Student Reviews
Below you can see course specific reviews of 70 graduates of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science BSc (Hons) and other courses in Social Policy at University of the West of Scotland for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Social Policy.
Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.
All Social Policy courses of University of the West of Scotland
Salary
Salary of Graduates in Social Policy
Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Social Policy at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.
15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
---|---|---|---|
Median salary | £21500 | £18500 | £21500 |
25-75 percentile range | £19000 - £25000 | £12500 - £20500 | £17500 - £25000 |
All Social Policy courses of University of the West of Scotland
Salary of all UK Graduates of Social Policy
15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
---|---|---|---|
Median salary | £24750 | £21858 | £25736 |
25-75 percentile range | £21060 - £28402 | £17180 - £27818 | £19394 - £32862 |
All Social Policy courses in the UK
Course Description
OVERVIEW
The BSc Criminal Justice and Forensic Science degree helps you kick-start your career in the criminal justice system by developing expertise in criminal justice and the forensic examination of evidence.
This unique degree offers an opportunity to study criminal justice theory, research and policy alongside the forensic science vital to modern investigations. It draws on learning and expertise from two existing and successful degrees (BA Criminal Justice and BSc Forensic Science) and it covers the study of:
// the concepts, theories, structures, organisations, processes and practices involved with the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, the workings of the criminal law and criminal court system and the treatment of offenders
// crime scene examination, drugs, alcohol and evidence interpretation
This degree will prepare you for a career in the criminal justice system in policing, criminology or as a forensic examiner capable of analysing and interpreting evidence from crime scenes. Throughout your studies, you will gradually develop your scientific knowledge and research and inquiry skills applicable to the interface between criminal justice and science.
- PRACTICAL FOCUS
The course is practical in nature and your learning is re-inforced through site visits, workshops, laboratories, role-play and presentations.
Guest lectures from practitioners and real-world case-based projects form an important part of the course.
After Year 3 you will also have the option to undertake a 12-month paid work experience as part of the Honours sandwich programme. These placements could be spent working in a laboratory or in a criminal justice related setting.
- CAREER PROSPECTS
Jobs
As a BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice and Forensic Science graduate, you’ll have expertise in both criminal justice and science giving you a wide range of career possibilities. Graduates of this programme will be well prepared for careers in areas such as: Crime scene examination / Police and prison services / Courts and restorative justice / Drug and alcohol services / Customs and excise.
Further Study
Our graduates can go on to further academic study leading to Master of Science (MSc), Master of Research (MRes), Master of Philosophy (MPhil), or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in areas such as Forensic Science, Education, Criminology, Alcohol and Drugs and Bioscience.
Jobs & Career Perspectives
15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.
All Social Policy courses of University of the West of Scotland
Current jobs
All courses of University of the West of Scotland
Required skill level of job after 15 months
All Social Policy courses of University of the West of Scotland
Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)
Example below based on all graduates of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science BSc (Hons) at University of the West of Scotland
15% | Media Professionals |
10% | Finance Professionals |
10% | Business and Financial Project Management Professionals |
10% | Business and public service associate professionals |
10% | Administrative occupations |
5% | Elementary occupations |
5% | Teaching Professionals |
5% | Business, Research and Administrative Professionals |
0% | Sales occupations |
0% | Artistic, literary and media occupations |
Entry Requirements / Admissions
UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course
This particular course
Qualification requirements
Including a relevant subject/science @ C or above (80 UCAS tariff points)
HNC in Care and Administrative Practice or Applied Science with B required in graded unit for entry to Year 1 Sufficient science and discursive subjects and a strong academic profile to be competitive. English and Maths at least at National 5 Grade B.
HND Legal Services: AAA in Graded Units. Other relevant HND qualifications will be considered on an individual basis; please contact us for advice.
Scottish Higher qualifications are considered on an individual basis
31-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects.
Entry to Year 1 with SWAP (BBB) in Access to STEM; Access to Humaniies; Access to Social Science; Access to Law and Criminal Justice
English language requirements
test | Grade | Additional Details |
---|---|---|
IELTS (Academic) | 6 | IELTS 60 with 5.5 minimum in each skill / component. |
Cambridge English Advanced | 176 overall with no sub-test less than 169 |
|
Cambridge English Proficiency | 176 overall with no sub-test less than 169 |
|
Trinity ISE | ISEII with the minimum of a Pass in all sub-tests |
|
PTE Academic | 54 | An overall score of 54 with no element below 51 |
TOEFL (iBT) | 78 | no sub-test less than: Reading: 17; Listening: 17; Speaking: 17; Writing: 17 |
Costs
Tuition Fees Criminal Justice and Forensic Science BSc (Hons)
Scotland | £1820 | year 1 |
---|---|---|
England UK | £9250 | year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | year 1 |
Ireland | £9250 | year 1 |
EU | £18000 | year 1 |
International | £18000 | year 1 |
Additional fee information
- TUITION FEE INFORMATION - SCOTTISH STUDENTS:
Eligible Scottish domiciled students can usually apply to have their tuition fees paid for them each year of their studies by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). If you're not sure about your eligibility, you should contact SAAS. You need to apply to SAAS each year of study to have your tuition fees paid directly to UWS.
- TUITION FEE INFORMATION - UK, IRISH & GIBRALTARIAN STUDENTS:
Eligible students who are domiciled in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland as well as from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar or the Republic of Ireland will qualify for tuition fees of £9,250 per academic session of study to a maximum of three years if you are studying on a four year bachelor degree course (eg. BAcc (Hons) / BA (Hons) / BEng (Hons) / BSc (Hons)). So, if your degree is four years' duration, you will only be charged tuition fees for three years. Similarly, if you are studying a five year integrated master's degree course (eg. MEng (Hons)) the you will only be charged tuition fees for four years.
- TUITION FEE INFORMATION - INTERNATIONAL (NON-EU) & EU STUDENTS:
These tuition fees apply to all non-EU, EEA, and all other EU students (excluding those from Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar, whose fee level is as per UK (non-Scottish) students - see section above for more details).
- ADDITIONAL COSTS:
The cost of attending university is an investment in your future career.
In addition to tuition fees and living expenses, some courses involve extra costs such as consumable study materials, field trips, equipment and uniforms. You may also want to purchase some core texts and technology such as a new laptop etc. Some of these additional costs are optional, some, such as uniforms or safety equipment may be mandatory.
Check the course entry on our website for more more information
Average student cost of living in the UK
Rent | £518 |
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) | £50 |
Supermarket shopping | £81 |
Clothing | £35 |
Eating out | £33 |
Alcohol | £27 |
Takeaways / food deliveries | £30 |
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) | £24 |
Holidays and weekend trips | £78 |
Transport within city | £17 |
Self-care / sports | £20 |
Stationary / books | £13 |
Mobile phone / internet | £13 |
Cable TV / streaming | £7 |
Insurance | £51 |
Other | £95 |
Average student cost of living | £1092 |
London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.
How to apply
Application deadline:
January 1, 2025
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Possible Entry Points:
- year 1 (Default entry point)
- year 2
- year 3
University Rankings
Positions of University of the West of Scotland in top UK and global rankings.
See all 17 university rankings of University of the West of Scotland
About University of the West of Scotland
Located in the Scottish town of Paisley, we find the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). This institution also owns and operates three other secondary campuses in Ayr, Blantyre and Dumfries. Paisley campus is attended by a medium-sized student population of roughly 10,000 and provides the opportunity to study a selection of programmes related to Nursing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Business, and Computing.
List of 62 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of the West of Scotland - Course Catalogue
Where is this programme taught
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