Courses

The School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences offers a number of undergraduate degree programmes and taught postgraduate courses in Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Genetics and Disaster Victim Identification.

TRACES Short Courses

Animal or Human?  Forensic Determination of Animal and Human Bone. (Monday 9th January 2012 and Friday 15th June 2012)

An intensive one-day course taught at UCLan Preston campus providing you with the basis for making animal/human determination. Includes lectures and hands on practical experience using UCLan's extensive human and animal skeletal collections. Course flyer (.pdf 138kb)

Learning Outcomes

• To have an understanding of the biomechanical basis of adult human/animal skeletal differences
• To be familiar with the differences in adult human/animal skeletal anatomy
• To be familiar with the differences in human/animal dentition
• To have an understanding of the application for forensic bone hsitology to human/animal determination

Estimating the Post Mortem Interval (18th June to 25th June 2012)

An introduction to the techniques used to determine time since death. A unique 5 day course taught at UCLan's TRACES facility, Preston Campus and the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Course flyer (.pdf 374.KB)

Learning Outcomes

• To be familiar with the processes and sequence of decomposition. To be familiar with the factors that may influence the rate and pattern of decomposition
• To be familiar with autopsy procedures and the roles of the Forensic Pathologist and Forensic Anthropologist in assessing time since death.
• To be familiar with the principles of Forensic Entomology and the role of the Forensic Entomologist.
• To identify the common forensically important insects associated with decomposing remains.
• To be familiar with the principles of insect development and succession.
• To be familiar with insect evidence collection and PMI estimation.
• To understand the role of Accumulated Degree Days (ADD) in Forensic Taphonomy.
• To be familiar with Total Body Scoring of decomposing remains and PMI estimation.
  

Testimonials to the course:

' ......exceeded my expectations'  - Elizabeth Minges, Student, Vancouver, Canada.

'.......very satisfied. Very well run and absolutely relevant to my professional role' - Andrew Hacking, Lancashire Police Crime Scene Investigator

For more information on the course that ran fom 4th to 8th July see NEWS

For further information about the course, dates, fees and an application form contact pacross1@uclan.ac.uk

Forensic Photography (25th to 29th June 2012)

A practical introduction to the photographic documentation of crime scenes. This is an intensive 5 days course taught at UCLan's TRACES facility and at the Preston campus.Course flyer (.pdf  2.5MB)

Learning Outcomes

• To be familiar with the law relating to forensic photography
• To be familiar with photographic theory relating to general and forensic photography
• To be able to select the correct photography equipment for a given forensic photographic task
• To be able to correctly approach and photograph all aspects of an outdoor crime scene
• To be able to correctly approach and photograph several indoor crime scene under differing lighting conditions
• To be able to correctly photograph all types of physical evidence
• To be able to carry out macro photography of fingerprints
• To be able to correctly photograph a completely darkened room, or correctly photograph a night time crime scene

For further information about the course, fees and application forms contact pacross1@uclan.ac.uk or tracesinfo@uclan.ac.uk

The Investigation of Mass Graves (2nd to 6th July 2012)

A scenario-based introduction to crime scene investigation of a mass grave containing victims of international humanitarian law violations. An intensive 5 day course taught at UCLan with 3 days of residential field work in Cumbria. Course flyer (.pdf 875KB)

Learning Outcomes

• To be familiar with the principles of international investigations and associated health and safety.
• To be familiar with basic techniques of field archaeology, including mapping.
• To be able to plan and execute an investigation into a mass grave containing victims of human rights violations based upon intelligence reports.
• To be able operate as part of an investigative team accompanied by international observers.
• To be to collate and present findings to a panel of observers.

For further information about the course, dates, fees and an application form contact pacross1@uclan.ac.uk