C09121v1 Bachelor of Forensic Science Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Award(s): Bachelor of Forensic Science (BForSc)Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB(Hons))
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 240
Course EFTSL: 5
Location: City campus
Notes
This is an exit-only course. There is no direct admission to it. Current UTS students may be able to submit an Internal Course Transfer (Graduating) application to exit with this course. See the Course transfer page for further details.
Overview
Career options
Course intended learning outcomes
Inherent (essential) requirements
Assumed knowledge
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Levels of award
Honours
Professional recognition
Other information
Overview
The Bachelor of Forensic Science Bachelor of Laws is offered jointly by UTS Law and UTS Science.
The Bachelor of Forensic Science prepares students for professional and specialist work in the discipline of forensic science. Students build a solid foundation of skills and knowledge in the enabling sciences, complemented by an in-depth understanding of forensic science in the context of their chosen discipline. Development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills is a focus of the degree, with graduates in high demand from a diverse range of industries and organisations.
The program provides full-time study for students wishing to obtain a professional legal qualification that satisfies the academic requirements only for admission as a lawyer together with forensic science.
This course provides students with a thorough understanding of how forensic science can solve and prevent crime. This is a hands-on course using world-class facilities that are modelled on operational laboratories.
Students can choose from four majors: biology, chemistry, crime scene investigation, and digital forensics. The course is well regarded, with strong links to industries such as the federal and state police services, national and international forensic institutions, and government laboratories.
Career options
Career options include positions in the police service, state and federal law enforcement agencies, government and private forensic or drug detection laboratories, customs, quarantine services, environmental protection agencies, pharmaceutical, chemical and analytical industries, DNA testing laboratories, medical diagnostic laboratories, hospitals or corporate multinationals providing forensic, medical or research services, digital forensic laboratories, scene of crime officers.
Course intended learning outcomes
| LAW.1.1 | A coherent and advanced understanding of fundamental areas of legal knowledge including:
a. The Australian colonial and post-colonial legal system, international and comparative contexts, theoretical and technical knowledge; b. The broader contexts within which legal issues arise and the law operates including cultural awareness, social justice and policy; c. The impact of Anglo-Australian laws on Indigenous peoples, including their historical origins in the process of colonisation and ongoing impact; d. The principles and values of justice and ethical practices in lawyers' roles; e. Advanced theoretical and technical knowledge of underlying legal principles and concepts in one or more areas of practice or inquiry. |
| LAW.2.1 | A capacity to value and promote honesty, integrity, accountability, public service and ethical standards including: a. An understanding of approaches to ethical decision making and professional responsibility; b. An ability to recognise, reflect upon and respond to ethical issues likely to arise in professional contexts in ways that evidence professional judgment, promote justice and serve the community; and c. An ability to reflect on and engage constructively with diversity in practice. |
| LAW.3.1 | An advanced capacity to think critically, strategically and creatively, including the ability to: a. Identify and articulate legal issues in context, including the skill of critical reading and writing; b. Apply reasoning and research to generate appropriate responses to sometimes complex legal problems; c. Engage in critical analysis and make a reasoned choice amongst alternatives; and d. Think creatively in approaching legal issues and generating appropriate responses. |
| LAW.4.1 | Well-developed cognitive and practical skills necessary to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues; advanced knowledge of legal research principles and different methodologies, and technical and planning skills to design and apply research to a significant scholarly piece of work. |
| LAW.5.1 | Effective and appropriate communication skills including: a. Highly effective use of the English language to convey legal ideas and views to different and diverse audiences and environments; b. An ability to communicate to inform, analyse, report and persuade; c. An ability to strategically select an appropriate medium and message; d. An ability to assess how messages are received and alter communication strategies accordingly; e. An ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others; and f. An ability to communicate a clear and coherent exposition of legal research and scholarship orally and in writing. |
| LAW.6.1 | Effective and appropriate collaboration skills in working together to achieve a common goal in a group learning environment or the workplace including: a. An ability to give and receive feedback; b. Appropriate professional and interpersonal skills in working collaboratively; c. A capacity to develop strategies to successfully negotiate group challenges; and d. An ability to be responsive and adaptive to the perspectives of collaborators, clients, counter parties and others. |
| LAW.7.1 | Bachelor of Laws (Honours) graduates will: a. Apply knowledge and skills to develop professional capabilities to work effectively with and for Indigenous peoples and communities across the law profession; and b. Critically reflect on ethical Indigenous research practices to work with and for Indigenous peoples across the legal community sectors. |
| LAW.8.1 | The ability to implement appropriate self-management and lifelong learning strategies including: a. An ability to undertake and initiate self-directed work and learning, including authorship of a significant piece of work; b. Well-developed judgment and responsibility as a legal professional in a broader social context; c. The ability to support personal and professional development by: I. Reflecting on and assessing their own capabilities, wellbeing and performance; II. Making use of feedback as appropriate; III. Identifying and accessing appropriate resources and assistance; IV. Making use of resources and support in developing resilience; and d. A capacity to adapt to and embrace change and a commitment to ongoing learning. |
| SCI.1.1 | Demonstrate a command of forensic science practice, including the detection, collection, and analysis of traces in order to exploit and integrate the results of analyses into investigative, evaluative and intelligence frameworks. |
| SCI.2.1 | Apply investigative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to forensic science problems and design experimental methods to test hypotheses and critically analyse and interpret data. |
| SCI.3.1 | Practise safe, ethical, and professional conduct with consideration for the role of forensic science in addressing current and future challenges faced by law enforcement, the legal system, security, and the wider community. |
| SCI.4.1 | Apply forensic science professional skills with a high degree of personal autonomy and reflection to demonstrate initiative and innovative thinking in solving complex forensic problems. |
| SCI.5.1 | Demonstrate skills in communicating experimental conclusions, expert opinion, and the justification of professional decisions related to forensic science processes effectively to expert, scientific, and non-expert audiences. |
| SCI.6.1 | Demonstrate an appreciation of historical and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges relevant to forensic science and integrate these knowledges into professional practice. |
Key
LAW = Law course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
SCI = Science course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
Inherent (essential) requirements
Inherent (essential) requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course.
Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course. This Statement should be read in conjunction with the UTS Student Rules.
Prospective or current student concerned about their ability to meet these requirements should discuss their concerns with the Academic Liaison Officer in their faculty or school and/or UTS Accessibility Service on 9514 1177 or at accessibility@uts.edu.au.
UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.
For course specific information see the Faculty of Law Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.
Assumed knowledge
English proficiency; Mathematics; and Science.
Course duration and attendance
The course duration is five years of full-time study.
The law component requires attendance of 12–15 hours of face-to-face classes a week; timetable constraints may require attendance at daytime and evening classes. The science component requires attendance of approximately 20–22 hours a week on campus.
Course structure
The course comprises a total of 240 credit points and allows students to graduate with the separate degrees of Bachelor of Forensic Science (BForSc) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB). The study components for course completion are as follows.
The law component of 144 credit points is made up of:
- 108 credit points of compulsory core law subjects
- a 6-credit-point legal theory option
- a 30-credit-point law option, which includes either:
- 18 credit points of law options, a 6-credit-point research methodology subject, a 6-credit-point research thesis subject, or
- a 6-credit-point technology law, policy and ethics (Capstone 1) subject, a 6-credit-point applied project in law, innovation and technology (Capstone 2) subject, a 6-credit-point research methodology subject, a 6-credit-point research thesis subject, and either a disruptive technologies and the law subject or a local internship.
The forensic science component comprises 42 credit points of core subjects and a 54-credit-point major, taken from one of the four specified majors representing different forensic science disciplines.
Industrial training/professional practice
To practise as a lawyer in NSW, students need to successfully complete an accredited legal academic qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) and an accredited course of practical legal training (PLT), which UTS offers through its PLT program.
Students enrolled in this course may complete their practical legal training by undertaking a postgraduate course in PLT, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Course completion requirements
| STM91181 Core subjects (Forensic Science Law) | 42cp | |
| CBK91230 Major choice (Forensic Science) | 54cp | |
| STM91052 Law stream (Honours) | 144cp | |
| Total | 240cp |
Course diagram
Course program
Please follow recommended course progression of C10391 Bachelor of Forensic Science Bachelor of Laws
To qualify for honours, a student must complete subjects 76090 Research Methodology in their penultimate session and 76040 Research Thesis in their final session, as option subjects within the degree.
Students wishing to study the major MAJ09444 Legal Futures and Technology need to study 76106 Technology Law, Policy and Ethics (Capstone 1) in the Autumn session of their final year and 76107 Applied Project in Law, Innovation and Technology (Capstone 2) in their final Spring session.
Levels of award
The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) may be awarded with first or second class honours, which does not require an additional honours year. Honours candidates must complete 76090 Research Methodology in their penultimate session and 76040 Research Thesis in their final session within the course. The rules concerning the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) can be found in undergraduate course information.
Honours
The Bachelor of Forensic Science (Honours) (C09100) is available to eligible students from 2020 with an additional one year of full-time study.
Professional recognition
This course satisfies the requirements for admission to the Supreme Court of NSW as a lawyer, provided students complete a practical legal training program, such as the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).
Graduates of the Bachelor of Forensic Science are eligible for membership of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society.
Other information
Further information is available from:
UTS Student Centre
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS