Biological and Forensic Sciences
Biological and forensic sciences is a combination that bridges the living world of biology with the applied science of forensic investigation, training you in the scientific principles that underpin both fields and in their integration in real-world analytical and legal contexts. Biology provides the foundational knowledge of cells, organisms, genetics, and ecology that is essential for understanding the biological evidence encountered in forensic investigations, from DNA profiles and entomological samples to toxicological analyses and ecological surveys. Forensic science applies rigorous scientific methods to the questions that arise in criminal and legal investigations, asking what the physical evidence means and how it can be interpreted in legal settings.
At Coventry University this three-year full-time programme gives you the breadth to engage with both the rich diversity of biological study and the forensic challenge of using scientific analysis to help explain or solve legal cases. You will develop laboratory skills and scientific reasoning across biology and forensic science, gaining experience in the analytical techniques used in both fields. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, giving you professional experience in a scientific setting and international academic exposure alongside your degree.
Graduates from biological and forensic sciences programmes work in forensic science service providers, police forces, environmental agencies, biomedical laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and academic research institutions. The combination of biological expertise and forensic knowledge opens doors across the life sciences industry, healthcare, environmental science, and the criminal justice sector. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in forensic science, biology, or a specialist analytical field, while others move directly into laboratory or field roles where the combination of scientific skills they have developed is valued.