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STUDENT HANDBOOK
Certificate in Forensic Science
2016/17
Course Leader: Eddie Prince
School of Forensic and Applied Sciences
All course materials, including lecture notes and other additional materials related to your course and provided to you, whether electronically or in hard copy, as part of your study, are the property of (or licensed to) UCLan and MUST not be distributed, sold, published, made available to others or copied other than for your personal study use unless you have gained written permission to do so from the Head of School. This applies to the materials in their entirety and to any part of the materials. If there is any conflict between the regulations mentioned in this booklet and the UCLan Academic Regulations then the latter represent the definitive information.
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
Mission and Values
We create positive change in our students, staff, business partners and wider communities, enabling them to develop their full potential by providing excellent higher education, innovation and research.
Our values:
• The pursuit of excellence in all that we do. • Equality of opportunity for all, supporting the rights
and freedoms of our diverse community. • The advancement and protection of knowledge,
freedom of speech and enquiry. • Supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of all.
Contents
Who’s Who in the School of Forensic and Applied Sciences ................................................... 1
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 2
1.1 Forensic Science at the University of Central Lancashire .......................................... 2
1.2 What Is Forensic Science? .......................................................................................... 2
1.3 Careers ............................................................................................................................. 2
1.4 Student Charter ............................................................................................................ 3
1.5 Communication ........................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Supporting Diversity at UCLan................................................................................... 4
1.7 External Examiner ....................................................................................................... 4
2 Aims and Outcomes of the Courses ................................................................................... 5
2.1 What are the Aims of the Course? .............................................................................. 5
2.2 What are the Learning Outcomes of the Course? ....................................................... 5
3 Format and Contents ........................................................................................................... 6
3.1 How the Course is put together ................................................................................... 6
3.2 How the Course is Managed ....................................................................................... 6
3.3 How the Course is Delivered ...................................................................................... 7
3.4 Learning Resources ..................................................................................................... 7
3.5 How Much Work do I have to Do? ............................................................................. 7
Study Skills ............................................................................................................................ 8
4 Assessment ......................................................................................................................... 9
4.1 Presentation of Written Work ..................................................................................... 9
4.2 When will the Assessments take place? .................................................................... 10
4.3 Multiple Choice Questions ........................................................................................ 10
4.4 Tutor Marked Assignments ....................................................................................... 10
4.5 Electronic Submissions ............................................................................................. 10
4.6 Email Submissions .................................................................................................... 11
4.7 Deadlines for Assessments ........................................................................................ 11
4.8 Extensions ................................................................................................................. 12
4.9 Extenuating Circumstances ....................................................................................... 12
4.10 Feedback ................................................................................................................ 13
4.11 Cheating, Plagiarism, Collusion and Re-presentation ........................................... 13
4.12 Appeals .................................................................................................................. 15
4.13 Award ........................................................................................................................... 16
5 Student Support and Guidance ......................................................................................... 17
5.1 Who do I ask for Help/Guidance/Advice? ................................................................ 17
5.2 Students’ Union ......................................................................................................... 18
5.3 Where do I get Information? ..................................................................................... 19
5.4 Data Protection .......................................................................................................... 19
5.5 Complaints ................................................................................................................ 19
6. Student Voice ................................................................................................................... 20
6.1 Course Representatives and School Presidents ......................................................... 20
6.2 Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) Meetings ................................................. 21
Appendix A Programme Specification .................................................................................... 22
Who’s Who in the School of Forensic and Applied Sciences . Academic Staff Gary Bond BSc, PhD (Chemistry)
Head of School e-mail: [email protected] Ext 3535 Room JBF206 Eddie Prince BSc, PhD, MAE Course Leader e-mail: [email protected] Ext 4398 Room JBF108 Karen Lupton BSc MSc Forensic Science, Criminalistics and Biology E-mail: [email protected] Ext 4332 Room JBF110
Campus Admin Services provides academic administration support for students and staff and are located at Foster Building and is open from 8.45am until 5.15pm Monday to Thursday and until 4.00pm on Fridays. The hub can provide general assistance and advice regarding specific processes such as extenuating circumstances, extensions and appeals. Course specific information is also available via school Blackboard sites. Students should report non-attendance to the hub email – [email protected] or by telephoning the hub on 01772 891990 or 01772 891991.
1 Introduction
1.1 Forensic Science at the University of Central Lancashire The School of Forensic and Applied Sciences has the role of enhancing knowledge, understanding and application of forensic science, policing and criminal investigation by teaching, research and scholarship. As you progress through this course you will begin to appreciate that it is a multi-disciplinary subject which draws on the experience of a range of specialist areas. It is important therefore that you gain an understanding of how these specialist fields interact and you will therefore be studying a wide range of subjects, including Forensic Investigation, Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, and Fire and Explosion Studies. The School has strong links with forensic science providers, the Royal Preston Hospital and various Crime Scene Investigation Departments and Constabularies in the North West of England and elsewhere in the U.K. Liaison with forensic science practitioners has been central to the development of the School and there has been significant input by practicing forensic scientists into our course design, development and delivery. Links such as these ensure that you will have the opportunity to develop a unique insight into forensic science and that the quality and relevance of our courses is maintained. 1.2 What Is Forensic Science? Forensic science is the use of science as evidence in legal investigations. It often involves the presentation of scientific evidence in court. Most people are familiar with television portrayals of forensic scientists ranging from ‘Silent Witness’ to ‘CSI’ and ‘Cold Case Files’. These popular programmes give a variable insight into the work of a forensic scientist and they are, of course, glamorised to make the stories and characters they portray engaging for a mass audience. Forensic Science is multi-disciplinary, it involves subjects as diverse as molecular biology (e.g. in DNA profiling, a major and relatively recent advance in forensic science), forensic toxicology (e.g. in deciding whether a drug might have been the cause of death in an overdose case), forensic biology (e.g. in looking at fragments of plants on the accused shoes to determine whether he/she walked through a particular landscape), forensic chemistry (e.g. in determining the cause of a fire in a suspected arson case), document investigations (e.g. to determine whether a signature in a fraud case is genuine) and forensic pathology/anthropology (e.g. to determine the cause of death in a suspected murder). 1.3 Careers Your University experience is not only about achieving your chosen award, it is also about developing as a person and realising your potential. We want you to gain the skills and attitudes that will help you to achieve your goals and aspirations.
Your future is important to us, so to make sure that you achieve your full potential whilst at university and beyond, your course has been designed with employability learning integrated into it. This is not extra to your degree, but an important part of it which will help you to show future employers just how valuable your degree is. These “Employability Essentials” take you on a journey of development that will help you to write your own personal story of your time at university:
• To begin with, you will explore your identity, your likes and dislikes, the things that are important to you and what you want to get out of life.
• Later, you will investigate a range of options including jobs and work experience, postgraduate study and self- employment,
• You will then be ready to learn how to successfully tackle the recruitment process.
You will be able to record your journey using Pebblepad, the university’s e-portfolio system, which will leave you with a permanent record of all the fantastic things you have achieved during your time at UCLan. It’s your future: take charge of it! Careers offers a range of support for you including:-
• career and employability advice and guidance appointments • support to find work placements, internships, voluntary opportunities, part-time
employment and live projects • workshops, seminars, modules, certificates and events to develop your skills
Daily drop in service available from 09:00-17:00 for CV checks and initial careers information. For more information come along and visit the team (in Foster building near the main entrance) or access our careers and employability resources via the Student Portal. 1.4 Student Charter The Student Charter has been developed by the University and the Students’ Union so that students gain the maximum from their UCLan experience. It is a two-way commitment or ‘contract’ between the University and each individual student. It acts as a means of establishing in black and white what students can expect from the University and the Union in terms of support, and in return what we expect from our students. Read the full Charter here
1.5 Communication The University expects you to use your UCLan email address and check daily for messages from staff. If you send us email messages from other addresses they risk being filtered out as potential spam and discarded unread. Staff aim to reply to emails within one working day.
1.6 Supporting Diversity at UCLan UCLan recognises and values individual difference and has a public duty to promote equality and remove discrimination in relation to race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Please review the UCLan Equality and Diversity Policy for further information. 1.7 External Examiner The University has appointed an External Examiner to your course who helps to ensure that the standards of your course are comparable to those provided at other higher education institutions in the UK. The name of this person, their position and home institution can be found below. If you wish to make contact with your External Examiner, you should do this through your Course Leader and not directly. External Examiner reports will be made available to you electronically. The School will also send a sample of student coursework to the external examiner(s) for external moderation purposes, once it has been marked and internally moderated by the course tutors. The sample will include work awarded the highest and lowest marks and awarded marks in the middle range. The name of this person, their position and home institution can be found below. Jonathan Wright, Programme Leader Forensic Science, University of Derby If you wish to make contact with your External Examiner, you should do this through your Course Leader and not directly. You can access the external examiners report via the Course site on Blackboard. The School will also send a sample of student coursework to the external examiner(s) for external moderation purposes, once it has been marked and internally moderated by the course tutors. The sample will include work awarded the highest and lowest marks and awarded marks in the middle range.
2 Aims and Outcomes of the Courses All courses at the University have overall aims and learning outcomes which describe what you will achieve on your course of study. 2.1 What are the Aims of the Course? The course will introduce forensic science to students with no prior knowledge of the subject. It will be taught in a way that will appeal to students from a broad range of subjects. Having completed the course, the student will be aware of the multidisciplinary nature of forensic science, how a case is studied and how scientific techniques help in case investigations. The student will be encouraged to develop a critical approach to assessing evidence. 2.2 What are the Learning Outcomes of the Course? On successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 1. Describe how various scientific disciplines and techniques are used in the
investigation of criminal cases. 2. Demonstrate the importance of an impartial, critical mind in crime investigation. 3. Identify and assess the techniques involved in forensic investigations. 4. Select the appropriate techniques for routine analysis of various types of evidence. 5. Identify the roles of different personnel within a criminal investigation. At the end of the course you will have a knowledge and understanding of: How various scientific disciplines and techniques are used in the investigation of criminal cases. The roles of different personnel within a criminal investigation. At the end of the course you will have obtained the following cognitive skills and will be able to: Identify and assess the techniques involved in forensic investigations Select the appropriate techniques for routine analysis of various types of evidence At the end of your course you will be able to: Demonstrate the importance of an impartial, critical mind in crime investigation Select the appropriate techniques for routine analysis of various types of evidence During the course you will also develop transferable skills and be able to: Communicate, both orally and written
3 Format and Contents 3.1 How the Course is put together On BlackBoard you will find the following workbooks which will appear there according to the timescale provided on the course timetable, which can also be found on BlackBoard. Workbooks are based around three units of study;
• Forensic Investigation - focusing on the processes involved in an investigation
and on evidence collection. This workbook also includes a unit on criminalistics, for example, fingerprints and glass analysis.
• Forensic Chemistry - analytical chemistry is used in a wide range of forensic
investigations and forms a core element of this workbook. Students are introduced to the chemical techniques used in the investigations of drug cases (toxicology), explosions, arsons and the analysis of paint samples.
• Forensic Biology - introduces a wide range of biological principles such as the use
of hairs and fibres as evidence, alcohol level determinations and blood spatter pattern interpretation. This workbook also includes a unit on body fluids, molecular biology and DNA profiling.
3.2 How the Course is Managed At the front of this handbook you will find the names, telephone numbers, email addresses and room numbers of key people involved in the running of the Forensic Science courses. Do not hesitate to contact them if you are unclear about anything. The University operates a quality assurance scheme which requires the course leader to report periodically to the Head of School to keep them in touch with progress. Every year the course leader submits a detailed report to the Head of School. In addition, we will give you questionnaires to complete at the end of the course. We also encourage you to feedback comments to the Course Leader on an ad hoc basis. Your feelings and thoughts are valuable and we want to hear them. The academic year is divided into 2 semesters. Semester 1 runs from 15 September 2014 to 23 January 2015. Semester 2 runs from 26 January 2015 to 29 May 2015. The full list of options indicated may not all be delivered every year, and this may depend on how many students choose that particular option. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this course, you are accepting that not all of these options will be running. At (or before) the start of each year, you will have an opportunity to discuss your course and preferred options with your tutor. The University will do all it reasonably can to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options.
3.3 How the Course is Delivered This course is conducted entirely on-line. There are no lectures or tutorials. 3.4 Learning Resources Extensive resources are available to support your studies provided by LIS – library and IT staff. LIS provide access to a huge range of electronic resources – e-journals and databases, e-books, images and texts. Course materials are not provided in ‘hard copy’ format, as all resources are made available in electronic form via BlackBoard. This is the brand name for the on-line Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that the University uses to support and enhance teaching and learning. All students can access the BlackBoard spaces for the course that they are registered for. You can expect that, on the course page, you will be able to access: • Course Handbook • Student Guide to Assessment • Module Description • Module Booklet • Assignment briefs (including a marking scheme) • Generic feedback on coursework assignments
3.5 How Much Work do I have to Do? A course equates to approximately 200 hours study. You are expected to apportion this time approximately as follows; 6 x course workbooks @ 20 hours each 120 hours Directed Reading* 40 hours Library Work and Research 20 hours Preparation for Assessments 20 hours Total Independent Learning Hours 200 hours (*Directed reading should involve study of the texts recommended in the module booklet, which are also good sources for the research which you will need to undertake in order to successfully complete the assessments on this course).
Study Skills All of the courses within the school have a study skills module to assist with the development of your academic and employability skills. There are a variety of other services that support schools and these include:- WISER LIS
4 Assessment Please note that all modules will be assessed. You are expected to attempt all required assessments for each module for which you are registered, and to do so at the times scheduled unless authorised extensions, special arrangements for disability, or extenuating circumstances allow you to defer your assessment. The Course Team recognise the main purpose of assessment as: • the diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses of individual students • encouragement to students to be involved in determining their own
performance • evaluation as to whether or not the student has met the learning outcomes of
the course The assessment methods and what we are trying to assess by each particular method are shown below: Short Notes These are intended to assess your understanding of the subject
as well as your written communication and analysis skills. These also test your ability to précis information and state the most relevant facts.
Multiple Choice These are short questions which are designed to test your
understanding of the course material. The questions are designed to test not only your depth of knowledge but also the breadth of understanding you have of the course material.
The course is conducted using continuous assessment and does not contain any examination component. The continuous assessment is divided into three tutor marked assignments (short notes) and three multiple-choice assignments. The multiple choice papers and the written assignments will be made available to you via BlackBoard at the times indicated on the timetable there, and each is associated with the corresponding workbooks. You will have to submit the assignments on or before the deadlines given on the timetable. 4.1 Presentation of Written Work The way in which you present your work will be taken into account when arriving at the final grade for the assessment. To assist you in this regard, refer to the Student Guide to Assessment that accompanies this handbook.
Your assignments should serve two purposes. They should help you to learn as well as enable the University to judge the standard you have achieved. The preparatory work you do for the process of writing should help you to concentrate on particular aspects of the course and consolidate what you have learned. It is expected that you will draw on a wide range of sources when preparing for the assignments. This will, of course, include reading from the course materials provided on BlackBoard, though in addition, you will benefit from wider reading of appropriate textbooks and journals, many of which are available via the electronic resources provided towards the end of this handbook.
All written work should include a reference list showing all sources used, and each source should be cited appropriately within the text. Note that sources should be peer-reviewed books and scientific journals and that internet sources should be used with care. 4.2 When will the Assessments take place? We have tried to spread the assessment load. Nevertheless, it is important that you plan your work around the assessment timetable which is provided on the BlackBoard website. 4.3 Multiple Choice Questions Multiple choice questions will appear on the website at midnight on the day before the date specified on the timetable and will close on midnight of that date, i.e. 24 hours later. You can answer the questions on the website at any time in those 24 hours, but once you have started to answer them you have just 30 minutes in which to complete them and any answers submitted after that time will not be accepted. The reason for this is that we want to assess your understanding and retention of the course material and if you had unlimited time then all we would be assessing would be your ability to look up the answers! Make sure, therefore, that you have thoroughly read and understood the course material before attempting the questions. To access the questions, just click on the ‘assessments’ button in the toolbar at the left of the screen on the appropriate date. We recommend that where possible these assessments should be taken using a university networked computer in order to avoid any problems of incompatibility with home-based systems. Access problems experienced when working off campus are unlikely to be accepted as extenuating circumstances. Multiple choice questions will be available only for the period shown on the timetable and no exceptions to this will be made, so be sure to check the timetable well in advance to ensure that you don’t miss any of these assessments. You are expected to complete these assessments working individually. Any evidence of working in collaboration with other student(s) whilst on-line will be treated as collusion. 4.4 Tutor Marked Assignments Tutor marked Assessments must be submitted both as an electronic submission, uploaded to the BlackBoard website, and as a Word document emailed to the course leader and details of this are given below. 4.5 Electronic Submissions When each assignment appears on the website, you will see the ‘assignment brief’ which tells you what you need to do and a ‘Turnitin Portal’. This is the portal through which you upload your Tutor Marked Assignments to the website.
Write your assignment using Microsoft Office Word and when you are ready to submit it simply click on the Turnitin icon and follow the instructions given to upload your assignment. You can submit your assignment any time between the appearance of the icon and the ‘due by’ date which is provided on the timetable. Note that the website will not accept pictures, graphs, diagrams or anything other than words, so if your work contains any of these you need to remove them before uploading your work. You should, of course, include them with your emailed copy since this is the one which will actually be marked. The website automatically uses a program called ‘Turnitin’ to scan each submitted assignment for any content which has been cut and pasted from other sources in order to allow detection of any plagiarised content. The assignments must include a completed assessment coversheet, which is also available in ‘assignments’, and without this they will not be marked. The easiest way to do this is to simply cut and paste the assessment coversheet from the website into your Word document to form the first page. 4.6 Email Submissions Once you have uploaded your work to the BlackBoard website you also need to send a copy to the course leader via email at the following address: [email protected] This version should include any diagrams, plans or drawings which you have prepared since this is the version which will be marked and must be sent before 5.00pm on the appropriate date. Note that the assignments must be emailed from your UCLAN address since this provides proof of your identity. Emails from private accounts will be rejected. Please note that tutor marked assignments must be submitted both via Turnitin and as an email to the course leader and unless both versions are received before the appropriate closing date your work will not be marked. Please also note that you should submit a single document only so cover sheets, reference lists and any supporting material you wish to submit must all be contained within the same document. Do not submit multiple files as only one will be accepted for assessment. 4.7 Deadlines for Assessments If you submit work late and unauthorised, a universal penalty will be applied in relation to your work:
• If you submit work within 5 working days following the published submission date you will obtain the minimum pass mark for that element of assessment.
• Work submitted later than 5 working days after the published submission date will be awarded a mark of 0% for that element of assessment.
• Unauthorised late submission at resubmission will automatically be awarded a mark of 0% for that element of assessment.
Marked coursework and feedback cannot be returned to students unless all coursework has been received, since this would permit students handing in late coursework an unfair advantage. Submission of late coursework is not only unprofessional but also delays return of work for the rest of the class. 4.8 Extensions Assignments must be submitted no later than the date on your assignment brief. If you anticipate that you will have difficulty in meeting assessment deadlines or you have missed or are likely to miss in-semester tests you must report this at the earliest possible opportunity to your course leader. Authorisation of the late submission of work requires written permission. Your School is authorised to give permission for one extension period of between 1 and 10 working days where appropriate evidence of good reason has been accepted and where submission within this timescale would be reasonable taking into account your circumstances (Academic Regulations). You should complete and submit an extension request form, with any supporting evidence, to your School office. Further information is available on the Student Portal at: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/students/study/examinations_and_awards/extenuating_circumstances.php We aim to let you know if the extension has been granted within 1 working day of the receipt of the request. If you are unable to submit work within 10 working days after the submission date due to verifiable extenuating circumstances, you may submit a case for consideration in accordance with the University’s Policies and Procedures on Extenuating Circumstances (Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook). 4.9 Extenuating Circumstances Some students face significant events in their personal life that occur after their course has started, which have a greater impact on their studies than can be solved by the use of an extension. If this applies to you, the University is ready to support you both with regard to your course and your personal wellbeing through a process called Extenuating Circumstances (see Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook). Normally extenuating circumstances will relate to a change in your circumstances since you commenced your course, which have had a significant, adverse effect on your studies. Everyday occurrences such as colds or known conditions such as hay-fever will not qualify unless the effects are unusually severe and this is corroborated by a medical note. The University does not look sympathetically on absences or delays caused by holiday commitments or by work commitments in the case of full-time students. The normal work commitments of part-time students would not constitute an
extenuating circumstance. A disability or learning difficulty does not constitute an extenuating circumstance (see Academic Regulations). Further information is available on the Student Portal at: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/students/study/examinations_and_awards/extenuating_circumstances.php You can apply for extenuating circumstances online via myUCLan. You must apply no later than 3 days after any examination or assessment submission date. Do not wait until you receive your assessment results to submit a claim. It is in your own interests to submit the claim as soon as possible. You will be expected to re-submit claims for extenuating circumstances for each semester. All evidence that is provided relating to extenuating circumstances will be treated in a sensitive and confidential manner. Supporting evidence will not be kept for longer than is necessary and will be destroyed shortly after the end of the current academic year. Further information about the submission process is available at: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/students/study/examinations_and_awards/extenuating_circumstance_submission.php In determining assessment recommendations, Assessment Boards will consider properly submitted claims from students who believe their performance has been adversely affected by extenuating circumstances. N.B. Assessment Boards are not permitted to alter individual assessment marks to take account of extenuating circumstances (Academic Regulations and Assessment Handbook). 4.10 Feedback UCLan is committed to giving you clear, legible and informative feedback for all your assessments (Academic Regulations). You are expected to review and reflect on your feedback and learn from each experience to improve your performance as you progress though the course. You will be provided with generic feedback for in-module formative and summative elements of assessment which contribute to a module within 20 working days of the scheduled submission or examination date. Generic feedback on end of module assessment and dissertations will be made available within 20 days of publication of results. Feedback may be oral, written, posted on a website or other. 4.11 Cheating, Plagiarism, Collusion and Re-presentation
You are required to sign a declaration indicating that individual work submitted for an assessment is your own. Work submitted without such a declaration will not be marked. The use of work produced for another purpose by you, working alone or with others, must be acknowledged. If you attempt to influence the standard of the award you obtain through cheating, plagiarism or collusion, it will be considered as a serious academic and disciplinary
offence as described within the Academic Regulations and the Assessment Handbook .
• Cheating is any deliberate attempt to deceive and covers a range of offences described in the Assessment Handbook.
• Plagiarism describes copying from the works of another person without suitably attributing the published or unpublished works of others. This means that all quotes, ideas, opinions, music and images should be acknowledged and referenced within your assignments.
• Collusion is an attempt to deceive the examiners by disguising the true
authorship of an assignment by copying, or imitating in close detail another student’s work - this includes with the other student’s consent and also when 2 or more students divide the elements of an assignment amongst themselves and copy one another’s answers. It does not include the normal situation in which you learn from your peers and share ideas, as this generates the knowledge and understanding necessary for each individual to independently undertake an assignment; nor should it be confused with group work on an assignment which is specifically authorised in the assignment brief.
• Re-presentation is an attempt to gain credit twice for the same piece of work.
Normally you will be required to submit your assignment through BlackBoard and Turnitin and its contents will automatically be scanned against a variety of resources to check the original source of the material. The process of investigation and penalties which will be applied can be reviewed in the Assessment Handbook. If an allegation is found to be proven then the appropriate penalty will be implemented: In the case of a single offence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or re-presentation:
• the penalty will be 0% for the element of assessment, and an overall fail for the module.
• the plagiarised element of assessment must be resubmitted to the required standard and the mark for the module following resubmission will be restricted to the minimum pass mark.
• when it is detected for the first time on a resubmission for an already failed module, no further resubmission for the module will be permitted, and the appropriate fail grade will be awarded.
In the event of a repeat offence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or re-presentation (irrespective of whether the repeat offence involves the same form of unfair means) on the same or any other module within the course:
• the appropriate penalty will be 0% for the module with no opportunity for re-assessment. This penalty does not preclude you being able to retake the module in a subsequent year.
This may have severe implications for your ability to complete your course of study. The penalties will apply if you transfer from one UCLan course to another during your period of study and module credits gained on the former course are transferred to the current course. Contact the Students’ Union Advice and Representation Centre by emailing: [email protected] for support and guidance. You can find more about the various forms of plagiarism and how to avoid it in the following publications:
Bone, Alison, Plagiarism: a guide for law lecturers, UK Centre for Legal Education, 28th October 2003 (www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/plagiarism.html). .Smith, Jean et al, How to avoid plagiarism (www.northwestern.edu/uacc/plagiar.html). Extract from University of Brighton Student Guide, All my own work? Plagiarism and how to avoid it, UK Centre for Legal Education, 12th July 2003 (http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/trns/plagiarism/guide.html). Writing Tutorial Services, Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA). (http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.pdf).
The referencing requirement for this certificate is the Harvard Referencing System. 4.12 Appeals If you consider that you have a reason to appeal against an assessment board decision, please bear in mind that your reasons must fall within the grounds specified in the University Academic Regulations: Section I. You cannot appeal simply because you disagree with the mark given. The specified grounds for appeal are: 1. that an Assessment Board has given insufficient weight to extenuating
circumstances; 2. that the student’s academic performance has been adversely affected by
extenuating circumstances which the student has, for good reason, been unable to make known to the Assessment Board;
3. that there has been a material administrative error at a stage of the examining process, or that some material irregularities have occurred;
4. that the assessment procedure and/or examinations have not been conducted in accordance with the approved regulations.
If you want to appeal, then you must do so within 14 days of your results being published. The onus is on you to find out your results and submit your appeal on time. Contact the Students' Union Advice Centre by emailing [email protected] for support and guidance.
The dates for the publication of results can be found on the academic calendar. 4.13 Award The University publishes the principles underpinning the way in which awards and results are decided in Academic Regulations. Decisions about the overall classification of awards are made by Assessment Boards through the application of the academic and relevant course regulations. Successful completion of your study will lead to the award of a Certificate in Forensic Science. To achieve the award you must attain an overall grade of at least 40%
5 Student Support and Guidance Perhaps the most important thing that the School of Forensic and Applied Sciences will give you is support. We will guide you through the subject and instil in you the critical and enquiring characteristics required of an investigator. In your course you will be presented with a great deal of information and knowledge. Equally important, though, is the manner in which you develop as an individual over that period and the skills you acquire which can be used other than in investigative work. 5.1 Who do I ask for Help/Guidance/Advice? Any problems you may choose to discuss with a member of staff, academic or otherwise, will be treated in strict confidence and will not be divulged to anyone without your permission (including parents). It is highly unlikely that you will have a problem we have not encountered before. The important thing is not to sit on a problem and hope it will go away – it will not! As to whom you should ask, that depends on the nature of the problem: • Learning/teaching: The course leader will be your first port of call for questions
about the learning/teaching within the course
• Welfare, money, housing, health, personal problems The 'i' is a central Student Information Centre and your first point of contact. You can obtain information on a wide range of topics including Council Tax Exemption Certificates, Bank and Confirmation of Study Letters, Portable Financial Credits, (continuing students only, Printing and Printer Credit, UCLan Cards, the ‘I’ shop and UCLan Financial Support Bursary (first year students only).
• Administrative questions: The School Office is in Room JBF201. They can help
you with your academic records and other administrative matters Students with disabilities If you have a disability that may affect your studies, please either contact the Disability Advisory Service - [email protected] - or let one of the course team know as soon as possible. With your agreement information will be passed on to the Disability Advisory Service. The University will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs and to provide appropriate support for you to complete your study successfully. Where necessary, you will be asked for evidence to help identify appropriate adjustments. Assessment arrangements for students with a disability Arrangements are made for students who have a disability/learning difficulty for which valid supporting evidence can be made available. Contact the Disability Adviser for advice and information, [email protected] Conduct You will be expected to abide by the Regulations for the Conduct of Students in the University. UCLan expects you to behave in a respectful manner demonstrated by
using appropriate language in class, and switching mobile phones / other devices off prior to attending classes. If your behaviour is considered to be unacceptable, any member of staff is able to issue an informal oral warning and the University will support staff by invoking formal procedures where necessary. You can read more about UCLan expectations in the regulations for the Conduct of Students.
5.2 Students’ Union You can play an important part in the process of improving the quality of this course through the feedback you give. In addition to the ongoing discussion with the course team throughout the year, there are a range of mechanisms for you to feedback about your experience of teaching and learning. We aim to respond to your feedback and let you know of our plans for improvement. The Students’ Union is the representative body for all UCLan students. The organisation exists separately from the University and is led by the elected officers of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) as well as representatives on the Students’ Council. The Students’ Union building is located at the heart of the Preston campus, and is the hub for all student activities. Representation and campaigning for students’ rights is at the core of what we do and is encompassed by our tag line of, Making Life Better for Students. Should you wish to make a change to any aspect of your student experience, whether it be academically related or not, then the Union is where your voice can be heard, actions taken, or campaigns launched. Your Union is also the home to a fantastic range of student-led societies, sports teams and multitudes of volunteering opportunities. You can also receive help in finding part-time work, whilst you study. Not sure where to go? Pop into the Opportunities Centre on the ground floor of the Students’ Union building and someone will point you in the right direction. We hope your time at University is trouble free, but should you come into difficulties around anything from academic appeals, to issues with housing, benefits or debt, then our dedicated staff team in the Advice and Representation Centre are on hand to help. As we are independently run from the university, we can offer truly impartial advice. More information on all these things, as well as details about all our (not-for-profit) commercial services, including our student supermarket (Essentials) and student-bar (Source) can be found at http://www.uclansu.co.uk/. The Opportunities Centre is the Union’s One Stop Shop to find employment or volunteering whilst you study. With thousands of jobs and voluntary positions advertised, agency work through the Bridge and information on over 2000 volunteer positions within the Union. If you are not studying on the main UCLan campus in Preston, the Students’ Union is still your union, please check http://www.uclansu.co.uk/ for full details on what we may be running in your partner institution.
5.3 Where do I get Information? BlackBoard will be used to provide you with nearly all the information you need. You should see the BlackBoard space for your course and timetable. Every student has an e-mail address at the University and we will sometimes disseminate information via that medium so you must check your inbox on a daily basis. 5.4 Data Protection All of the personal information obtained from you and other sources in connection with your studies at the University will be held securely and will be used by the University both during your course and after you leave the University for a variety of purposes. These are all explained during the enrolment process at the commencement of your studies. If you would like a more detailed explanation of the University’s policy on the use and disclosure of personal information, please contact the Information Governance Officer, Clerk to the Board Service, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE or email [email protected]. 5.5 Complaints The University recognises that there may be occasions when you have cause for complaint about the service you have received, when this happens, the complaints procedure is intended to provide an accessible, fair and straightforward system which ensures an effective, prompt and appropriate response. Click on this link for more information Complaints Procedure.
6. Student Voice You can play an important part in the process of improving the quality of this course through the feedback you give. In addition to the on-going discussion with the course team throughout the year, there are a range of mechanisms for you to feedback about your experience of teaching and learning. We aim to respond to your feedback and let you know of our plans for improvement. The Students’ Union can support you in voicing your opinion, provide on-going advice and support, and encourage your involvement in all feedback opportunities. They will be asking that you complete the National Student Survey (during semester 2 for students in their final year of study) or the UCLan Student Survey (all other students). The Students’ Union and University work closely together to ensure that the student voice is heard in all matters of student-life. We encourage students to provide constructive feedback throughout their time at university, through course reps, surveys and any other appropriate means, The Union’s Student Affairs Committee (SAC), members of Students’ Council and School Presidents each have particular representative responsibilities, and are involved with decision making committees as high as the University Board. Therefore it is very important students engage with the democratic processes of the Students’ Union and elect the students they see as most able to represent them. The SEA and the Students Union can support you in voicing your opinion, provide on-going advice and support, and encourage your involvement in all feedback opportunities. They will be requesting that you complete the National Student Survey (during semester 2 for students in their final year of study). Other feedback mechanism exist, such as the SSLCs, which are mentioned below, and staff are encouraged to get module feedback either through feedback sessions or MEQ’s (Module Evaluation Questionnaires). 6.1 Course Representatives and School Presidents A course representative is a student who represents their fellow students’ views and opinions to the course team, school, university and students’ union. Course representatives work proactively and diplomatically to improve the academic and non-academic experiences of students. The role of a course representative is extremely beneficial to both students on your course and the university. It enables students to have ownership of their student experience and voice their opinions and share positive practice with the course team, primarily the Student Staff Liaison Committee Meetings (see below). Course representatives will be elected every year either in April or September. Alongside receiving recognition, support and respect being a course representative is a great opportunity to enhance your employability skills. If you are interested in becoming a course representative and wish to find out more about the role visit the Students’ Union website or by emailing: [email protected].
School Presidents meanwhile are annually elected representatives who voice the opinions of students within each school. They communicate and engage with students in their school to gain feedback and work in partnership with senior management to create positive change. They are also trained to support and signpost course representatives where needed. If you wish to find out who is your School President or more about the role visit the Students’ Union website or email: [email protected] 6.2 Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) Meetings The purpose of a SSLC meeting is to provide the opportunity for course representatives to feedback to staff about the course, the overall student experience and to inform developments which will improve future courses. These meetings are normally scheduled once per semester. Meetings will be facilitated using guidelines and a record of the meeting will be provided with any decisions and / or responses made and / or actions taken as a result of the discussions held. The meetings include discussion of items forwarded by course representatives, normally related to the following agenda items (dependent on time of year). The course team encourage student feedback in all areas and recognise that additional items for discussion may also be raised at the meeting
• Update on actions completed since the last meeting • Feedback about the previous year – discussion of external examiner’s report;
outcomes of National /UCLan student surveys. • Review of enrolment / induction experience; • Course organisation and management (from each individual year group, and
the course overall); • Experience of modules - teaching, assessment, feedback; • Experience of academic support which may include e.g. Personal
Development Planning, academic advisor arrangements; • Other aspects of University life relevant to student experience e.g. learning
resources, IT, library; • Any other issues raised by students or staff.
Appendix A Programme Specification
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
Programme Specification
This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
Sources of information on the programme can be found in Section 17
1. Awarding Institution / Body
University of Central Lancashire
2. Teaching Institution and Location of Delivery
University of Central Lancashire
3. University School/Centre
Forensic and Investigative Sciences
4. External Accreditation
Not applicable
5. Title of Final Award
Certificate in Forensic Science
6. Modes of Attendance offered
Distance Learning
7. UCAS Code
8. Relevant Subject Benchmarking Group(s)
No benchmarks currently apply
9. Other external influences
10. Date of production/revision of this form
June 2012
11. Aims of the Programme • To provide an introduction to Forensic Science for those with no prior qualifications in this area. • To introduce and provide a contextual knowledge of the subjects underpinning forensic science
(biology, chemistry and investigation). • To demonstrate the role of forensic science and investigation in legal casework through
analysis of cases.
12. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods A. Knowledge and Understanding A1. Describe how various scientific disciplines and techniques are used in the investigation of
criminal cases A2. Identify the roles of different personnel within a criminal investigation
Teaching and Learning Methods Workbooks and tutor support. Assessment methods Written short notes assignments and multiple choice questions. B. Subject-specific skills B1. Identify and assess the techniques involved in forensic investigations B2. Select the appropriate techniques for routine analysis of various types of evidence Teaching and Learning Methods Workbooks and tutor support. Assessment methods Written short notes assignments and multiple choice questions. C. Thinking Skills C1. Demonstrate the importance of an impartial, critical mind in crime investigation C2. Select the appropriate techniques for routine analysis of various types of evidence
Teaching and Learning Methods Workbooks and tutor support. Assessment methods Written short notes assignments and multiple choice questions. D. Other skills relevant to employability and personal development D1. Communicate, both orally and written. Teaching and Learning Methods Workbooks and tutor support. Assessment methods Written short notes assignments and multiple choice questions. 13. Programme Structures*
14. Awards and Credits*
Level Module Code
Module Title Credit rating
4 FZ1071 Introduction to Forensic Science
20 A Certificate requires a minimum of 20 credits at level 4.
15. Personal Development Planning The students will be expected to play the leading role in the personal development process. The students will be able to review their progress through the course and address any weaknesses themselves or with the course leader. As such the course itself is central to many of the students own personal development planning.
16. Admissions criteria Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic qualifications, together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to study. These criteria may be expressed as a range rather than a specific grade. Amendments to entry requirements may have been made after these documents were published and you should consult the University’s website for the most up to date information. Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter. 17. Key sources of information about the programme • University website • School Web-site • Factsheet • Course Leader
18. Curriculum Skills Map Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Level Module Code
Module Title Core (C), Compulsory (COMP) or Option (O)
Programme Learning Outcomes Knowledge and understanding
Subject-specific Skills Thinking Skills Other skills relevant to employability and
personal development
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1
LEVE
L 4 FZ1071 Introduction to
Forensic Science C
Note: Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks Syllabus and Content • Crime Scene investigation • The importance of evidence collection • Locard’s Law • Criminalistics including fingerprints, footwear marks, toolmarks, glass analysis and firearms examination • Forensic Chemistry including the analysis of paint, drugs of abuse, solvents and fire investigation • Forensic Biology including blood grouping, DNA profiling and blood spatter pattern analysis
