Why Study Chemistry with Forensic Science?

Forensic science as an undergraduate course has become increasingly popular in recent years. The large number of television programmes involving forensic investigations has meant that many prospective university students are looking for degree subjects involving forensic science. However, should you run a search for “forensic science degrees in the UK” you could find yourself scanning through up to 450 undergraduate degree programmes that are offered in 64 universities in the UK. So how to decide which course to take? Help is at hand in the report published by the Science, Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA) Sector Skills Council, UK entitled “Forensic Science: Implications for Higher Education 2004”

What Does the Report Show?

The report details the findings of a research project looking at the forensic science organisations and other science employers and the types of courses and skills that these employers are looking for in their recruitment. Surprisingly they did not rate graduates that had a forensic science degree top. In fact all the employers considered that “a degree in chemistry or some other pure science degree was preferable to a forensic science degree”. So why is this the case? The employment prospects in the forensic area are not large and to succeed graduates need an excellent scientific knowledge base in a pure science, such as chemistry, together with good laboratory techniques, the ability to solve problems and excellent communication and team working skills.

Forensic Science with Chemistry

It is for this reason that many universities in the UK have developed undergraduate programmes with titles such as chemistry with forensic science, forensic studies or forensic investigations. These programmes are designed to train graduates fully in all areas of chemistry and chemical analysis but to also include forensic science courses to give some insight into the world of forensic investigations. The SEMTA report concludes that a first degree in chemistry followed by a postgraduate qualification in the forensic area provides the best chance of gaining employment as a forensic scientist. The “with forensic” chemistry programmes allow graduates to make an informed decision about proceeding in this area.

BSc degrees in Chemistry with Forensic Studies, such as offered at Glasgow University in Scotland with a collaboration between the Chemistry Department and the Forensic Medicine and Science Section of the Medical Faculty, have recently been set up to meet the needs of students who are interested in a career in forensic science.

The Forensic Toxicology Service laboratory, which provides a Forensic Toxicology Service for more than half of Scotland, is in the same building as the Chemistry Department in Glasgow University and the forensic staff in the unit were initially trained in courses with a high chemistry content. A good Chemistry with Forensic Science degree programme will contain aspects of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry together with forensic and chemical analysis, with final year students undertaking a research project in forensic analysis guided by forensic staff, with access to state-of-the-art equipment. Students who are doing well on a BSc course are often encouraged to extend their studies with a work placement year in an MSci degree in Chemistry with Forensic Studies with work placement. The one-year work placement can be in a forensic or analytical laboratory where the student will gain specialist skills that will further improve experience and employability. On returning to university studies after the placement year the MSci students will attend masters level courses in their final year. The MSci degree (MChem degree in some universities) is an integrated programme from undergraduate to masters level study.

Employment Prospects for Chemistry with Forensic Science Graduates

The employment prospects for graduates with a chemistry with forensic science degree are excellent. Not only will jobs in the forensic sector be available (after appropriate further training) but also there is the array of employment opportunities for chemistry graduates such as in environmental and contract research agencies and in the chemical industries including the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, cosmetic and catalysis areas. As these programmes in chemistry with forensic science focus on training in problem solving, graduates also have possible career paths in marketing, finance and patent work. Many graduates continue with research leading to a PhD degree.

Article compiled by:

Professor Bob Hill
Head of Teaching
Department of Chemistry
University of Glasgow
Glasgow, Scotland