Master of Forensic Science

Master of Forensic Science (Professional Practice and Research)

Masters (Research)

Perth

Learn specialist forensic disciplines including bloodstain pattern analysis, fingerprint analysis, pathology, forensic DNA and forensic chemistry.

Entry Requirements

University level (AQF Level 7) qualification in Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, "Other Natural and Physical Sciences" or relevant Health related fields (Medical, Veterinary or Dental Studies, Nursing, Pharmacy or "Other Health"). Majors in Criminology will be considered if they contain units in a Biological or Chemical Science (i.e. Crime Science) at the discretion of the Academic Chair. Majors in Criminology or other non-cognate degrees that do not contain units in a Biological or Chemical Science cannot gain direct entry to the M1292 because they have not yet demonstrated scientific competency at tertiary level. These students can apply for consideration by the Academic Chair to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Science (Professional Practice) (C1131) or Graduate Diploma in Forensic Science (Professional Practice) (G1085). Successfully completing 12 credit points in either of these courses will provide students with evidence of scientific competency required for subsequent admission to the M1292. Both C1131 and G1085 are nested programs within the M1292, thus students who successfully complete units within C1131 or G1085 will receive credit for those units if they transfer to M1292.

Duration

2 years full-time

Domestic Tuition Fees

$24,120 per year / $48,240 total

International Tuition Fees

$41,640 per year / $83,280 total

Master of Forensic Science (Professional Practice)

Masters (Coursework)

Perth

In this 1.5-year course, you'll learn specialist forensic disciplines including bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA), fingerprint and impression analysis, pathology and injury interpretation, anthropology and archaeology, forensic DNA and forensic chemistry.

Entry Requirements

University level (AQF Level 7) qualification in Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, "Other Natural and Physical Sciences" or relevant Health related fields (Medical, Veterinary or Dental Studies, Nursing, Pharmacy or "Other Health"). Majors in Criminology will be considered if they contain units in a Biological or Chemical Science (i.e. Crime Science) at the discretion of the Academic Chair. Majors in Criminology or other non-cognate degrees that do not contain units in a Biological or Chemical Science cannot gain direct entry to the M1255 because they have not yet demonstrated scientific competency at tertiary level. These students can apply for consideration by the Academic Chair to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Science (Professional Practice) (C1131) or Graduate Diploma in Forensic Science (Professional Practice) (G1085). Successfully completing 12 credit points in either of these courses will provide students with evidence of scientific competency required for subsequent admission to the M1255 Both C1131 and G1085 are nested programs within the M1255, thus students who successfully complete units within C1131 or G1085 will receive credit for those units if they transfer to M1255.

Duration

1.5 years full-time

Domestic Tuition Fees

$24,120 per year / $36,180 total

International Tuition Fees

$41,640 per year / $62,460 total

Master of Forensic Science overview

Master degrees in forensic science offer the chance to learn discipline-spanning knowledge of crime scene investigation, DNA profiling and homicide coupled with a dissertation or research project. Both the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University offer these to students with interests in research and professional practice respectively. Each are therefore tailored to specific interests and goals. These courses all have length in common, taking two years of full time study to complete or longer if part time.

Coursework master

These courses allow students to refine their knowledge and methodology for practical use. Murdoch University and others provide units in fingerprinting and impression evidence, death investigations, crime scene investigation, digital forensics, bloodstain pattern analysis and more. They also equip students with research methodology for either a project or dissertation similar to the research master, but the focus is instead on previously mentioned courses.

Research master

The University of Western Australia offers courses to students who wish to undergo supervised research into specialisations of their desire. These offer plenty of units in topics covered throughout coursework focussed programs, but emphasise the research component.

Employment options

Both focuses prepare students for any of the careers listed here, as they gain extensive knowledge relevant to crime laboratories, private investigators and forensic science as a whole. For instance, the National Measurement Institute would be glad to have graduates from these programs, as they are well equipped for careers in crime laboratory analysis. Those who’ve undergone research masters can also seek employment as researchers or teach at a university.

Scholarships and funding

Programs directed specifically at forensic science are exceedingly rare, but general funding pathways are always available. Opportunities like the Vice-Chancellor International Scholarship, ECIG Scholarship Program or Gallipoli Scholarship Fund are all great examples of these, providing a small amount to students who meet their prerequisites, which can sometimes be unusual. Where some such as the ECIG program merely require entry into a written contest, others like the Gallipoli Scholarship require students to have an ancestor that fought in WWI. It is consequently recommended to check these prerequisites very carefully before applying.

Prerequisites and selection process

Students require a bachelor degree in physical or nature sciences to enter. Optimal choices include but are not limited to forensic science, biomedical science, biotechnology and molecular biology. Programs like Murdoch University’s also require minimum English language requirements be met via test. Others require a GPA of 65% in prior study, but this requirement is slightly more rare for this field.