Are forensic science degrees up to scratch?

15 October 2009

Skills for Justice, the sector skills council for justice and community safety, has this week published a report on the standard of Forensic Science and Crime Scene degree provision across the UK, which has concluded that Universities need to work much more closely with employers to ensure degrees are relevant to employers' needs.

The report, 'Forensic Science and Crime Scene Degrees in the UK' is the result of investigative research we carried out this year into the types of degree programmes available. We conducted this research specifically because employers, such as Police Forces from across the UK and commercial Forensic Science providers, have been telling us that many of the courses aren't producing job-ready graduates.

The numbers of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees has increased from 2,191 in 2002-03 to 5,664 in 2007-08 yet this hasn't prepared more people for employment in the world of Forensic Science.

One employer said that, "There are some really good graduates but they often only have a surface appreciation of Forensic Science that lacks depth", while another commented that "Forensic Science degrees do not have enough science – it's the application of science that is the job."

Despite a widely held belief that TV shows such as CSI and Silent Witness have had a massive impact on the number of students opting for Forensic Science and Crime Scene degrees, we found that it was an interest in studying degree level Science that was the biggest factor in influencing choice.

We found that the quality of degrees is actually very good, and the Quality Assurance Agency for higher education has confidence in quality systems in place for universities offering these degrees. It is, therefore, the relevance of these degrees to actual work carried out in Forensic Science roles that is the key to ensuring the courses meet employers' needs.

Alan Woods OBE, Chief Executive of Skills for Justice said, "This research, which we undertook because our employers told us they were concerned about the lack of job-ready graduates, really highlights that there is a need for a quality standard, or subject benchmark for Forensic Science. This will mean that those students who want to pursue a career in this fascinating area of science will be able to identify those courses which have been developed in partnership with employers, thereby providing them with the necessary skills and experience to take to the job market."

The full report and briefing summary are available on our website now.

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