Thousands expected to sign up for free online course in forensic science
A free online course which offers members of the public the opportunity to learn about the cutting edge discipline of forensic science is expecting up to 10,000 people to sign up.
The six week programme, which begins on February 8, is aimed at anyone with a general interest in the subject and includes crime scene analysis, examining case studies and the interpretation and presentation of evidence in court.
No prior knowledge of forensics is needed.
Run in partnership with FutureLearn, the taster course requires approximately two hours of study per week and is one of a number of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) run by the University.
Forensics course tutor Dr John Bond said: “The forensic science MOOC is intended to give an introduction to all aspects of forensic science from its recovery at the crime scene through its analysis, interpretation and subsequent presentation in a court of law. The MOOC deals not only with the basic science involved and why this is so useful in police investigations but also the difficulties that can arise in terms of misinterpreting the value of the evidence by scientists, juries, lawyers and more."
The course content has been written by Dr Bond and fellow forensics tutor Dr Lisa Smith – who have both worked as practitioners with police agencies.
Forensic Science and Criminal Justice is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), an online course that is free and open to all.
To find out more or to sign up for the course, visit the website.