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FSC-40043 - Module Specification
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

FSC-40043 - Forensic Analysis: From Academia to Industry 
Coordinator: David Thompson Tel: +44 1782 7 34954
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734921

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

As you start your final year, thoughts turn to what you are going to do after university. This module is designed to aid the transition from the academic laboratory to one in industry. This module will build on the analytical skills that you have developed throughout the course and teach you some of the key concepts that are important in an industrial laboratory. This will give you an insight to being an analytical scientist in industry which will be invaluable for interviews and your future career. This module will be more hands on than lecture based, and the assessments are centred on activities that are carried out in industry.

Aims
The aim of the module is to prepare students to be competent in working in workplaces regulated by bodies such as the Chartered Society of Forensic Science.
This is increasing an essential skill in (forensic) analytical science. This includes method development, data analysis, quality control and reporting skills prepare students for their independent research project as well as career development.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/fsc-40043/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

critically appraise a methodology and select an appropriate analytical strategy for its examination: 1,2
design, develop and evaluate appropriate methods for data analysis and interpretation and apply these to experimental datasets of varying complexity, using a variety of relevant IT resource: 1,2
critically review the results of experimental analytical work and draw relevant conclusions: 1,2
critically discuss current methods within the analytical forensic sciences, some of which are at, or informed by, the forefront of the discipline: 1,2
solve problems efficiently with confidence and independence in laboratory work and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level: 1,2

Study hours

Active Learning Hours:
48 hours workshops (combined lecture and data analysis session)
Independent Study Hours:
102 hours independent study

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Practice Based Assessment weighted 60%
Development of a vaildated method
Students will develop a method, which they will then validate. The portfolio contains all aspects of this process, as well as evidence that the method fits the criteria for a validated method. Equivalent to ~3000 words.

2: Research Report weighted 40%
Research Report
Using the validate method, students will carry out a short experiment, analysing an unknown sample. Equivalent to ~2000 words.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025