Fire Investigation is the analysis of fire-related incidents and is a highly multi-disciplinary area.  Fire investigators need knowledge of fire behaviour, scene management, analytical chemistry and investigative skills.  The course is designed for those from a range of backgrounds who are employed, or who wish to pursue a career, in the area of Fire Investigation, working for fire and rescue services, insurance companies or independent agencies, or as a Crime Scene Investigator or Forensic Scientist.

The course covers fire science and fire behaviour, fire investigation and analytical science, and provides students with research skills and knowledge of being an expert witness in the English legal system.  Guided teaching and formal assessments will enhance the development of transferable skills such report-writing, maintenance of casenotes, formal presentations, participation in discussions, ability to work to deadlines, computing skills, public speaking, scientific analysis, and adherence and development of laboratory protocols.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Specific entry requirements for this course are:

• Honours degree of the level 2.2 or above from a UK university or of the CNAA or its equivalent in an appropriate engineering or science discipline (forensic science, biology, chemistry, fire safety engineering etc);
• Degree or HNC or HND in an appropriate discipline, together with appropriate professional experience;
• Qualification or experience deemed to be equivalent to any of the above.

Course Content

This course is designed for those from a range of backgrounds who are employed, or who wish to pursue a career, in the area of fire investigation as a fire officer, crime scene investigator, forensic scientist or insurance investigator.  It covers fire science and fire behaviour, fire investigation, analytical science, and provides students with research skills and knowledge of being an expert witness in the English legal system.  The course will be delivered through lectures, tutorials and practical exercises. Guided teaching and formal assessments will enhance the development of transferable skills such as report-writing, maintenance of casenotes, formal presentations, participation in discussions, ability to work to deadlines, computing skills, public speaking, scientific analysis, adherence and development of laboratory protocols and research methods.  The course develops fire investigation knowledge and practical experience of investigation of actual fire scenes including excavation of fire debris, location of the seat of fire, investigation of the cause of fire, analysis for accelerants.

Assessment is by exam, practicals and coursework. Assessments include the examination of fire scenes from real fires and producing case notes and reports, essays, moot courts, presentations and a dissertation.

Graduates are well placed to gain employment in fire investigation especially in the public and insurance sectors, or to conduct further research.

MSc Fire Investigation comprises the following modules:

Semester 1

Research Methods:  Trains students in a wide range of skills including technical documentation, project management, data analysis and retrieval, writing and research skills, and library use.

Fire and Combustion:  Describes the fundamentals of fire behaviour, from smouldering to ignition, fire growth and flashover, the temperatures and thermal effects during the different stages, which underpin any investigation of a fire scene.  This will include the effects of structures and their contents, and the effects of fire fighting on the fire scene, and the behaviour of explosives and explosions.

Forensic Analysis:  Covers the fundamentals of chemical analysis, including sampling methods, separation science and molecular identification are studied, in preparation for collection, analysis and identification of accelerants from a fire scene.  The module will also deal with procedures for collection and presentation of scientific evidence for legal proceedings.

Semester 2

Practical Fire Investigation:  Provides students with the detailed knowledge and practical experience of fire investigation.  Areas covered will include recognition of causes of fire, laboratory analysis of fire debris, fire fatalities, and management of fire investigation.

Expert Witness in the Legal Process:  Covers communication skills and provides background and training in expert witness delivery, the study of British and International Law.

Human Response to Fire:  Concerns itself with the effects of fire on human life.  The response of humans to the hazardous components of fire will influence their ability to escape.  The majority of fire deaths are caused through inhalation of toxic gases, with burn injuries also making a significant contribution, while an unknown number of fire victims are trapped by the presence of incapacitating effects of smoke (visual obscuration) and irritatant gases.

Semester 3

Research Project:  Every student will undertake a research project, which will use and enhance many of the skills learnt on the course.  The project will be based within the University or on a placement with a suitable fire investigation agency or analytical unit.  The result should be a publishable quality paper and students will also be required to give a presentation of their findings.

Course at a Glance

Full-time year 1

Semester 1
Research Methods
Fire and Combustion
Forensic Analysis

Semester 2
Expert Witness in the Legal Process
Practical Fire Investigation
Human Response to Fire

Semester 3
Research Project (triple module)

Links with Professional Bodies:

This course is accredited by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers.

Assessment:

Assessment is by theory and practical exams, and coursework. Students examine fire scenes and fire debris, produce casenotes and reports on their findings. Coursework also include essays, moot courts, presentations and a dissertation.

Learning Environment:

The Fire Laboratory houses a full suite of fire test equipment where the flammability and fire toxicity of various materials can be investigated. MSc students take practical classes, carry out simulated casework and conduct lab-based dissertation research projects.  Students also have access to a wide range of analytical instrumentation in the Faculty of Science and Technology’s Analytical Unit.  The Unit has gas chromatographs with pyrolysis injection capability and FID, MS and EC detectors, ion chromatographs and high performance liquid chromatographs with diode array, fluorescence and MS and Differential refractometer detectors.  The Unit also has facilities for atomic absorption, UV-visible and infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, NMR spectrometry, inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy With Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDAX).

Careers:

Students graduating from this course will be well placed to gain employment in fire investigation teams, forensic science laboratories, and fraud departments in major government or private organisations, or to go on to further research in academia.

Fees and Finance

The standard fee for this course will be: £6,000 per year

For further information including the availability of bursaries/scholarships or student financial support please view our Fees and Finance pages.