At Worcester, our Forensic and Applied Biology degree bridges the disciplines of forensic and biological science, providing you with a thorough understanding of the 'what' and the 'how' and 'why' behind forensic investigations.
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Overview
This Forensic Biology degree combines the study of biology with forensic science, meaning you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of forensic investigation and analysis while gaining skills in biological sciences.
By studying this course, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of life processes, from the sub-cellular level to the whole organism, through the study of biochemistry, anatomy, and physiology. You’ll explore health and disease at individual, community, and societal levels, helping you understand how various conditions affect the human body. Additionally, you’ll gain hands-on experience interpreting forensic evidence, following proper procedures in crime scene investigations, while working alongside a range of forensic specialists such as forensic biologists, drug investigators, archaeologists, and anthropologists.
Developing practical skills through hands-on experience is a key part of this course. Our dedicated crime scene simulation house, a semi-detached residential property on our St John’s Campus, provides an immersive setting for working through real-world scenarios. You’ll practice your crime investigation skills by excavating bodies, collecting physical evidence such as fingerprints or fibre samples, and analysing your findings in our state-of-the-art laboratories.
Learning from industry experts who can draw on their own experiences in the field, and hearing from guest speakers like local police forces and forensic scientists, will demonstrate how these skills and experiences can be applied in actual investigations. By working through real case studies and simulated scenarios, you’ll gain a genuine understanding of the role of biological and forensic science in criminal investigations.
Course content
Each year, you will study a mix of mandatory and optional modules. This flexible course lets you explore different subjects within biological and forensic science to suit your interests and career aspirations, giving you versatility and a diverse range of skills that employers highly value.
We regularly review our courses to reflect the latest research and developments in the subject area, as well as feedback from students, employers and the wider sector. As a result, modules may change to ensure the course remains current and relevant.
Optional modules will run if enough students choose to study them. It is not guaranteed that all modules will be offered every year.
Optional modules
Careers
This course provides you with the core biology skills and knowledge to make you suitable candidates for all the biological careers available to students on mainstream biology programmes, as well as forensic areas.
You could work as a:
- Crime Scene Officer
- Environmental Health Officer
- Forensic DNA Analyst
- Forensic Toxicologist
- Hospital Technician
- Medical Researcher
- Police Laboratory Technician
- Public Health Researcher
Our strong connections with local police forces, forensic suppliers, and wildlife trusts offer valuable work experience and research opportunities, ensuring you graduate with practical skills and professional connections. By studying BSc Forensic and Applied Biology, you’ll develop a diverse skill set, including primary research using both quantitative and qualitative methods, data collection and analysis, verbal communication, critical evaluation, and laboratory techniques.
These transferable skills will help you to succeed in biological sciences, forensics, or various other fields, including teaching, scientific publishing, environmental management, and healthcare.
Forensic and Applied Biology | Student View
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
Our course has been designed by award-winning academics and industry specialists to prepare you for a career in forensic biology. Teaching is a mix of practical lab work, fieldwork, group tutorials and skill sessions.
Evaluation is not all about written assignments and exams; you’ll also be assessed on your lab skills, give an expert witness testimony in our mock courtroom, and have the opportunity to lead your own research project.
Teaching and assessment contents
Teaching
You are taught through a combination of lectures, practical work, field work, video presentations, group tutorials, discussions, directed reading, and formative assessments. The first year also includes study skills sessions. The course is very practical and offers you the opportunity to undertake an independent project in your third year. The emphasis on the development of 'hands on' practical skills will provide you with useful skills for your future career.
In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least 4 occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course.
You have an opportunity to take a work experience module in your second or third year, to engage with an Erasmus scheme and spend a semester abroad, or to become involved in staff research through the Vacation Research Assistantship Scheme.
Entry requirements
UCAS tariff points required: 96 - 104
| Qualification | Grade |
|---|---|
| A-level | CCC - must include A2 Biology and A2 another science, maths or statistics |
| A-level | BCC - must include A2 Biology |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | MMM/DMM |
| T-level | Pass (C or above) |
We do accept Access to HE Diplomas and other qualifications which may not exactly match the combinations above. Work out your estimated points with the UCAS tariff calculator.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.
Fees
Fees contents
UK and EU students
The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year for new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
International students
The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
Student case studies
Some recent graduates reflect on their time on the course.
Joe Butler
"I owe a great deal of gratitude to the University of Worcester, my time spent studying on the Forensic & Applied biology course was well spent. A week after my last assignment and before I had even been to my own graduation ceremony I was employed by the UK’s largest forensic science provider.
The education I received in Worcester was the impetus that got my foot in the door. I started my career working in the biology casework department working on a huge variety of cases. This spanned from simple cases to high profile murder cases. I then made a lateral move into the drugs department where I am now a court reporting officer. I wrote my dissertation project on the commercially notorious ‘legal highs’ that have been proliferated by the media. Now these new psychoactive substances form a large amount of the work I see on a daily basis.
During my studies I did a lot of extracurricular activities such as co-founding the student run forensic society, facilitated the training of crime scene investigators, worked on a validation project for police DNA lab, work placement in a morgue. I volunteered with victim support and then went on to become a police support volunteer helping to look for missing persons. I now come back to Worcester to lecture and discuss my expertise."
Caitlin Dunne
Caitlin Dunne secured a job as a DNA Interpretation Scientist ad Cellmark Forensic Services in Oxford, one of only three forensic analysis sites in the UK.
“I feel excited and relieved to be able to finally pursue my dream career, though filled with nervous energy with changing careers and cities within the same month as finishing university,” she said. “I feel incredibly proud of my journey, but also very humbled to have achieved this opportunity considering the competitiveness of the field.”
Caitlin is also shortly to start a Master’s degree in Forensic Anthropology and Genocide Investigation at Staffordshire University.
Drew Wiggins
The 21-year-old, who has graduated with a degree in Forensic Science and Applied Biology, is soon to start a graduate entry programme with West Mercia Police as a police constable. “I am sad that my university experience is now behind me, however I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life and starting a career,” she said.
Drew’s aim is to eventually become a detective. She added: “Even though this isn’t a forensic role within the police, many of the skills I have learnt throughout my course will be very valuable. When studying forensic science we also learn about the input from other roles within the police, which is what initially sparked my interest in becoming a police constable.”
Although all three years of her university experience were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Drew said the amount of support from lecturers made it a lot less stressful than it could have been. “Frequent video calls and emails from personal academic tutors allowed me to get help on anything I was struggling with."
Laura Owen
Laura Owen has completed a BSc (Hons) in Forensic and Applied Biology, having returned to higher education later in life.
“Before studying at the University of Worcester, I had spent a 17-year career in childcare where I had been fortunate enough to work both here and abroad including Egypt and Portugal,” said Laura. “I decided it was time for a career change, an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and face completely new challenges.”
“I found myself rather anxious about returning to education in my mid 30s but soon realised how supportive fellow students are of each other, along with tutors, who realise how dedicated and passionate mature students are towards their studies,” she said. “Studying at the University of Worcester was definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
During her degree, Laura volunteered for two years with West Mercia Police within their Forensic Enhancement Laboratory, and after completing her studies secured the role of Forensic Scene Investigator with West Midlands Police.
Joe Butler
"I owe a great deal of gratitude to the University of Worcester, my time spent studying on the Forensic & Applied biology course was well spent. A week after my last assignment and before I had even been to my own graduation ceremony I was employed by the UK’s largest forensic science provider.
The education I received in Worcester was the impetus that got my foot in the door. I started my career working in the biology casework department working on a huge variety of cases. This spanned from simple cases to high profile murder cases. I then made a lateral move into the drugs department where I am now a court reporting officer. I wrote my dissertation project on the commercially notorious ‘legal highs’ that have been proliferated by the media. Now these new psychoactive substances form a large amount of the work I see on a daily basis.
During my studies I did a lot of extracurricular activities such as co-founding the student run forensic society, facilitated the training of crime scene investigators, worked on a validation project for police DNA lab, work placement in a morgue. I volunteered with victim support and then went on to become a police support volunteer helping to look for missing persons. I now come back to Worcester to lecture and discuss my expertise."
Caitlin Dunne
Caitlin Dunne secured a job as a DNA Interpretation Scientist ad Cellmark Forensic Services in Oxford, one of only three forensic analysis sites in the UK.
“I feel excited and relieved to be able to finally pursue my dream career, though filled with nervous energy with changing careers and cities within the same month as finishing university,” she said. “I feel incredibly proud of my journey, but also very humbled to have achieved this opportunity considering the competitiveness of the field.”
Caitlin is also shortly to start a Master’s degree in Forensic Anthropology and Genocide Investigation at Staffordshire University.
How to apply
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Forensic and Applied Biology BSc (Single Honours) - FC41
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