CSS455 Forensic Science

About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 150 hours
Maths: Basic
Content: Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor marked assessments
Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of CSS455, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1 · FORENSIC SCIENCE

Module 2 · POLICE SCIENCE

Module 3 · LIGHT AND CRIMINAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Module 4

Module 5 · FIRE INVESTIGATION AND COUNTERFEITING

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

CSS455 · UNIT 1 DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF SCIENCE

Science has been described in so many ways by authors that one is left with no clear-cut definition. But generally, science is seen as a system of thought. It is generally described as a process of thinking, a means of acquiring new knowledge and a means of understanding the natural world.

Start reading Get the original PDF, if you want it

What you should be able to do

Define forensic science and its subdivisions
Describe techniques of crime investigation
Analyze data from forensic analysis
Explain the criminal justice system
Apply principles of criminal photography

What it prepares you for

Careers

Crime Scene Investigator
Forensic Technician
Document Examiner
Police Officer
Security Analyst

Where it is applied

Law Enforcement
Legal Services
Security
Government
Private Investigation

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 1: Forensic Science
Unit 3: Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, as Related to Forensic Science
Techniques of crime scene investigation require meticulous attention to detail and the ability to apply scientific principles in a high-pressure environment.
Module 3: Light and Criminal Photography
Unit 5: Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting requires a deep understanding of pattern recognition and the ability to analyze complex ridge details, often under challenging conditions.
Module 5: Fire investigation and counterfeiting
Unit 4: Questioned Documents and Criminal Laboratories
Questioned documents and criminal laboratories require a comprehensive understanding of various forensic techniques and the ability to analyze complex data.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 32 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1: Forensic Science
- Unit 1: Definition and Scope of Science · 2 hours
  Read definition and scope of science.. Understand the characteristics of science.. Identify the main divisions of science..
Week 2Module 1: Forensic Science
- Unit 2: Meaning and Scope of Forensic Science · 2 hours
  Study the meaning of forensic science.. Explore the history of forensic science.. Identify the subdivisions of forensic science..
Week 3Module 1: Forensic Science
- Unit 3: Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, as Related to Forensic Science · 2 hours
  Learn techniques of crime scene investigation.. Understand the initial response and prioritization of efforts.. Study preliminary documentation..
Week 4Module 1: Forensic Science
- Unit 4: Forensic Psychologist, Roles and Responsibilities · 2 hours
  Study the roles and responsibilities of forensic psychologists.. Understand forensic psychology's application to criminal profiling.. Explore the use of hypnosis..
Week 5Module 1: Forensic Science
- Unit 5: Forensic Medical/Applications of Sampled Specimens to be Used as Evidence · 2 hours
  Study blood sample evidence.. Learn about hair, fibers, and threads as evidence.. Understand firearms evidence..
Week 6Module 2: Police Science
- Unit 1: Criminology · 2 hours
  Study the meaning of crime and criminology.. Explore the development of criminology.. Understand the goals of criminology..
Week 7Module 2: Police Science
- Unit 2: Community Policing · 2 hours
  Study the meaning of community policing.. Explore the goals and philosophy of community policing.. Understand the characteristics of community policing..
Week 8Module 2: Police Science
- Unit 3: Penology · 2 hours
  Study the meaning of penology.. Explore the theories of punishment.. Understand prisons, prisoner's rights, and abuse..
Week 9Module 2: Police Science
- Unit 4: Criminal Justice System · 2 hours
  Study the criminal justice system.. Explore the history of the criminal justice system.. Understand the goals of the criminal justice system..
Week 10Module 2: Police Science
- Unit 5: Jurisprudence · 2 hours
  Study the meaning of jurisprudence.. Explore the nature of law.. Understand the history of jurisprudence..
Week 11Module 3: Light and Criminal Photography
- Unit 1: Meaning and Principles of Photography · 2 hours
  Study the meaning and principles of photography.. Understand evaluating negatives.. Explore exposure review and camera principles..
- Unit 2: Criminal photography · 2 hours
  Study criminal photography.. Explore the history of criminal photography.. Understand the elements of criminal photography..
Week 12Module 3: Light and Criminal Photography
- Unit 3: Crime Scene Photography · 2 hours
  Study crime scene photography.. Explore the purpose of crime scene photography.. Understand the general principles of crime scene photography..
- Unit 4: Photographic Evidence · 2 hours
  Study photographing evidence.. Explore photographing fingerprints.. Understand photographing toolmarks..
Week 13Module 3: Light and Criminal Photography
- Unit 5: Fingerprinting · 2 hours
  Study fingerprints.. Explore the history of fingerprints.. Understand the types of fingerprints..
- Final Revision · 2 hours
  Review course materials and assignments.. Prepare for final examination..

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Create flashcards for key forensic terms and definitions from Units 1-2
Practice analyzing crime scene photos from Units 3-4, focusing on evidence identification
Review case studies in Units 5-6, noting the application of forensic techniques
Outline the steps in a criminal investigation from Units 7-8, emphasizing legal procedures
Summarize the key principles of jurisprudence from Unit 9, focusing on ethical considerations
Complete all TMAs and review tutor feedback carefully
Allocate study time proportionally to the weight of each module in the final exam
Form a study group to discuss complex topics and share notes
Take practice exams under timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy

Questions students ask about this course

What is CSS455 about?

This course introduces the application of scientific procedures to police work and the implications of forensic science in the legal framework. It covers techniques of crime scene investigation, forensic analysis, criminal photography, and the use of fingerprints. Students will explore ballistics, explosives, fire investigation, and methods for detecting counterfeit currencies. The course also examines the roles of forensic psychologists and the criminal justice system.

How many units does CSS455 have?

CSS455, Forensic Science, has 23 units across 5 modules, over 311 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is CSS455?

CSS455 carries 3 credit units, at 400 level in Social Sciences.

Is CSS455 hard?

CSS455 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does CSS455 take to study?

About 150 hours of study, spread across its 23 units.

How is CSS455 assessed?

CSS455 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.

What can I do with CSS455?

Crime Scene Investigator, Forensic Technician, Document Examiner, Police Officer and Security Analyst.