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Chemistry and Forensic Science

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

BBB in three A levels including B in Chemistry

Access to HE Diploma

D:30

122 UCAS points in an Access to HE Diploma with Chemistry related content, including Distinction in at least 30 Level 3 credits. Please contact the University Admissions Team for advice on whether your chosen course would qualify.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

You will also need: 4 / C in GCSE Maths or Level 2 Functional Skills Maths, plus an English language qualification.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

555 in three Higher Levels including 5 in Chemistry, OR 30 points including 5 in Higher Level Chemistry

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

DDM in any of the following BTEC Extended Diplomas / National Extended Diplomas: Applied Science, including completion of three out of four of the following units: Applications of Organic Chemistry, Applications of Inorganic Chemistry, Industrial Chemical Analysis, Practical Chemical Analysis

T Level

M

Merit in any of the following T levels: Science, with specialism in Laboratory Sciences

UCAS Tariff

120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich with time abroad | 2024

4 years | Sandwich including industrial placement | 2024

Subjects

Forensic science

Chemistry

Learn how to develop solutions to society's global challenges, and explore the entire forensic process, from evidence collection, analysis and interpretation to court reporting. From saving habitats and contributing to medical advances, to gathering evidential traces at a crime science and analysing DNA, our Chemistry and Forensic Science BSc will develop the knowledge and analytical methods and techniques for a rewarding career in a variety of sectors.

**Why choose this course?**

- No. 1 in England for Forensic Science (Complete University Guide, 2022)

- Use a wide variety of industry standard experimental equipment in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

- Our unique 600-acre campus offers fantastic simulated crime scene facilities

- Opportunities to spend a year studying abroad or undertake a work placement year

- Professional accreditation pathways are available

Gain desirable transferable skills and spend your degree exploring two dynamic scientific subjects on our combined honours Chemistry and Forensic Science BSc. From the technology we use to how we treat illnesses, chemistry is essential to our modern life and offers a wide variety of career opportunities in many fields, from pharmaceuticals and food technology to forensics and teaching. You will examine the political, social and economic impacts and explore topics like nuclear chemistry and energy, geochemistry, health and toxicology and green chemistry.

Forensic science is a critical element of the criminal justice system. As criminals continue to use ever advancing tools and techniques to commit crime, the field of forensics is integral in producing scientific evidence for use in courts of law to support the prosecution or defence in criminal and civil investigations. Throughout your studies you will develop an understanding of continuity of evidence and how the crime scene, the laboratory and the court contribute to the forensic and legal process.

**About Keele**

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Modules

For a list of indicative and likely optional modules please visit the course website.

The Uni


Course location:

Keele University

Department:

Keele (Central)

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

76%
Forensic science
83%
Chemistry

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

Teaching and learning

81%
Staff make the subject interesting
90%
Staff are good at explaining things
69%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
83%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

86%
Library resources
86%
IT resources
91%
Course specific equipment and facilities
59%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

89%
UK students
11%
International students
31%
Male students
69%
Female students
91%
2:1 or above
11%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

Chemistry

Teaching and learning

65%
Staff make the subject interesting
93%
Staff are good at explaining things
77%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
93%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

81%
Library resources
84%
IT resources
98%
Course specific equipment and facilities
65%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

94%
UK students
6%
International students
58%
Male students
42%
Female students
57%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
med
Average annual salary
92%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

16%
Science, engineering and production technicians
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Natural and social science professionals

Chemistry

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
med
Average annual salary
95%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

25%
Science, engineering and production technicians
18%
Natural and social science professionals
12%
Other elementary services occupations

Chemistry graduates are in demand from a wide range of industries, from the food, oil, chemicals and pharmaceuticals to consultancy, technical analysis and teaching. They're also prized by business and finance employers for their research and data handling skills — anywhere there is research and data to be explained, you can find chemistry grads. If you want a career in research, you need a doctorate, so start planning now if you fancy one of these exciting and challenging jobs - but good students can usually get grants to take a doctorate, so don't worry about the financing if you think you have what it takes. The recession wasn’t too kind to chemists, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry (one of the key employers for chemists), but things are getting back to normal for this flexible group and it's one of the few degrees that is bucking the current trend and increasing graduate numbers.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Forensic and archaeological sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Chemistry

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£21k

£21k

£24k

£24k

£30k

£30k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here