SCHOOL OF FORENSIC & INVESTIGATIVE SCIENCE

16th June 2012

Dr Rob Smith

MChem, BSc(Hons) Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry

CHEMISTRY& FORENSIC CHEMISTRY

ALL ABOUT UCLan THE BASICS

THE SCHOOL OF FORENSIC AND INVESTIGATIVE SCIENCES

As the largest School of its kind, we offer a diverse range of

programmes in forensic investigation, policing and

criminal investigation, fire and explosion studies, chemistry,

forensic chemistry, anthropology and archaeology..

In 2007 UCLan re-launched a BSc(Hons) in Chemistry, the first

new chemistry course to be opened within the UK in the last

10 years.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Mchem & BSc(Hons) Chemistry BSc(Hons) Forensic Chemistry

Entry Requirements: 280 points Entry Requirements: 280 points

To-date:

~ 80 U/G students across both courses

~ 20 P/G students (MSc or MPhil/Ph.D)

~ 20 academic and support staff

All chemistry graduates (2010) offered

jobs before awards days.

All chemistry graduates (2011) in full time

Employment or higher education (MSc/Ph.D).

THE PERFECT COURSES

Chemistry and Forensic

Chemistry

Modern

Concepts

Hands on Experience

AssessmentsTransferable Skills

Curiosity Driven

BSc(Hons) & MChem CHEMISTRY

The Degree is unique in that it has a theme of Green

Chemistry running through all 3 years.

An integrated approach to the delivery of the branches of

chemistry is taken.

An average of 9 hours of laboratory classes every

week.

Small groups given a high level of training.

The chance to use complex state of the art equipment in a

professional environment.

WHY STUDY CHEMISTRY AT UCLan

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has state-

of-the-art science facilities that reflect the changing needs of students today.

These fantastic new facilities range from a dynamic,

interactive new library that facilitates group working, to a high-quality sports centre that also provides nursery facilities

for students and staff with young families.

The signature chemical sciences facility home to Chemistry;

J.B. Firth Building.

J B FIRTH BUILDING

MChem & MSc PROGRAMMES

MChem Chemistry

Professional four year qualification which is pre-requisite to a Chartered chemist status from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

The MChem provides you with:

• Extensive research project.

• In-depth knowledge in

selected subject areas.

MSc

MSc Instrumental AnalysisMSc Forensic Toxicology

MSc Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Year2

Elements ofInorganic and

OrganicChemistry

LaboratoryStudies ofChemicalConcepts

Green Chemistry in Action

PhysicalChemistry:Theory andApplication in Analytical

Science

Tools forGreen

Chemistry

Conceptsin

Chemistry

Year3

ResearchTopics

ChemistryProject

AdvancedConcepts inChemistry

Explorationof

ChemicalProcesses

Medicinal &

NaturalProduct

Chemistry

Green Energy

BSc(Hons) Chemistry COURSE CONTENT

Year 1

Skills forChemists

Introductionto the

Synthesis andAnalysis of

OrganicCompounds

Introductionto Green

Chemistry

ExperimentalTechniques

in Chemistry

Introduction

to ChemicalConcepts

AdvancedSkills

for Chemists

Year2

Elements ofInorganic

andOrganic

Chemistry

LaboratoryStudies ofChemicalConcepts

Green Chemistry in Action

PhysicalChemistry:Theory andApplication in Analytical

Science

Tools forGreen

Chemistry

Conceptsin

Chemistry

Year3

Methods inOrganic

Synthesis

Research Methods

AdvancedConcepts inChemistry

Explorationof

ChemicalProcesses

ResearchTopics

Medicinal &

NaturalProduct

ChemistryGreen Energy

MChem Chemistry COURSE CONTENT

Year 1

Skills forChemists

Introductionto the

Synthesis andAnalysis of

OrganicCompounds

Introductionto Green

Chemistry

ExperimentalTechniques

in Chemistry

Introduction

to ChemicalConcepts

AdvancedSkills

for Chemists

Year 4

Sample Preparation and Screening

Separation Science and Mass Spectrometry

ResearchProject

Applications in

OrganicSynthesis

Elemental and Surface Analysis

Molecular Spectroscopy

BSc (Hons) FORENSIC CHEMISTRY

Forensic Chemistry is one of a number of scientific disciplines, collectively called ‘Forensic Science’, which is the use of

science to analyse evidence in matters relating to the law.

Many people actively engaged in the field consider Chemistry to be the single most important discipline to underpin Forensic

Science.

WHY STUDY FORENSIC CHEMISTRY AT UCLan

Broadly speaking a mixture of Chemistry and

Crime Scene Science.

While the chemistry covers most major subject areas there is a stronger emphasis on organic chemistry and chemical analysis

as this is most relevant to the field of forensic investigation.

Crime scene science provides training in the management and processing of crime scenes, in the collection and analysis of

evidence. The University boasts some of the best crime scene facilities of any UK university.

WHAT WILL I STUDY

COURSE CONTENT

Year 1

ChemistryFor

ForensicScience

Crime Scène

Science

Aspects of

Forensic Science

Skills for Forensic

Scientists

ExperimentalTechniques

in Chemistry

Introductionto Chemical

Concepts

Skills for Chemists

Year2

Elements ofInorganic

andOrganic

Chemistry

LaboratoryStudies ofChemicalConcepts

ForensicChemistry

PhysicalChemistry:Theory andApplication in Analytical

Science

Criminalistics Forensic Practice

Year3

Applications of Forensic

Science

Dissertation Advances in

Forensic Chemistr

y

Forensic Toxicology

Advanced Concepts in Chemistry

Exploration of Chemical Processes

FORENSIC CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATION

Search and Recovery Laboratories

Forensic Chemistry Laboratories

Fire & Explosion Laboratories and

Facilities

Crime Scene Houses

Vehicle Examination Area

Moot Court

ACADEMIC STAFF

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

THE OPPORTUNITY

Outreach HelpersHelp teach school children

chemistry

Summer SchoolsHelp on week long projects with

British and European students

Lab Based Summer ProjectsCome in and work with an active

researcher on a novel project

Course RepresentativeSpeaking on behalf of the

students

RSC RepresentativeGoing to RSC meetings

Supporting the chemistry students at these meetings

Chemistry WebsiteIdeas, making movies, photo

shoots, etc…

CV ENHANCEMENT

STUDENTS ENTER PROFESSIONALS LEAVE

The course team are to be congratulated on successfully delivering an interesting and suitably demanding chemistry

degree programme with a good diversity of content and methods of assessment.

Having had the opportunity to now review in detail the work of the first batch of final year students, I’m happy that the knowledge and

skills they have acquired will allow them to stand up well in comparison with students graduating from well established

courses at comparator institutions.

This student feedback concurs with my own feelings that the staff have put in an exceptional effort to develop this new chemistry programme and their enthusiasm and professionalism is very

evident to their students.

EXTERNAL EXAMINER REPORT

The course has a good mix of lecture, set assignment and laboratory based learning and includes elements of more

innovative approaches such as open book exercises and peer assessment in addition to the more traditional formal

examinations and lab reports.

The students themselves are enthusiastic about their course and appreciative of the effort put in by the staff. One who had

transferred to the course from elsewhere compared it very favourably to his earlier experiences.

EXTERNAL EXAMINER REPORT

ANY QUESTIONS?