BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS FORENSIC SCIENCE WITH SPECILISATION IN PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY (HFOSC)
| Module Code | Module Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HFOSC101 | Introduction to Forensic Science |
Introduction to Forensic Science introduces the student to principles and historical basis of forensic science and its application in legal practice. It consists of lectures, supervised field and laboratory practicals and tutorial sessions. The course is intended for BSc (Honours) Part I students in Forensic Science. It focuses on the securing and management of the incidence scene, collection and handling of forensic evidence and its reporting. It lays the ground work for all latter courses in Forensic Science.The following topics are covered: History and Development of Forensic Science; Basic Deductive Reasoning; Organisation of a Crime Laboratory; Services of a Crime Laboratory; Functions of the Forensic Scientist; Forensics and Policing: Incidence Scenes (proper approach to crime and disaster scenes, their interpretation and preservation), Evidence Types (identity of articles of forensic value), Evidence Collection, (packaging, storage and transportation of articles from crime or disaster scene), Analysis (order of priority for analysis of articles; evidential or intelligence value of articles), Reporting (reports for criminal and investigation information).Upon completion of the course, students should be able to appreciate the role of forensic evidence in legal practice. They should be able to collect, secure and communicate forensic evidence. |
| HFOSCP102 | Mathematical Methods for Forensic Physics 1 | This is the first of two courses which cover most of the basic mathematics needed for Physics or Engineering degree programmes. The course contains the well recognised elements of classical engineering mathematics which universally underpin the formation of the professional physicist or engineer. There are four main sections: Algebra (vectors, complex numbers, matrices); Calculus (differentiation and integration of functions of one or more variables); Differential Equations and Probability (basic concepts, events, random variables, empirical discrete and continuous distributions). |
| Principles of technopreneurship and business management | The purpose of this course is to introduce students to principles of technopreneurship and innovation and to give them a background to start their own business. It will explore organizational, strategic, and financial challenges; start-up strategies; business idea evaluation; and business plan writing. The course is designed to instruct students on how to formulate, plan and implement a new venture. The course will also furnish students with the general understanding of business management. Students are exposed to detailed description of “how to” embark on a new venture in a logical manner. Real case studies and entrepreneur profiles help to establish successful and not so successful ventures. The course aims at producing an overall scientist capable of establishing and managing a business entity and able to make good business decisions. | |
| HFOSC402 | Statistics for Forensic Science 1 | This course introduces students to statistical techniques in a forensics context. The focus of the unit is the description and analysis of data with an emphasis on statistical methods used in forensic applications. Students are introduced to the statistical capabilities of Excel. Topics include graphs; measures of location and dispersion; probability; hypothesis testing; linear correlation and regression modelling; principal components analysis; Bayes Theorem and the prosecutors and defenders fallacies. |
| HFOSCC105 | Organic Chemistry 1 | Organic Chemistry 1 is a sub discipline within Chemistry involving the study of carbon compounds, their structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparations. Due to catenation these compounds are far more numerous than those of other elements. The course consists of 3 sections: Introduction to Stereochemistry which will cover various types of isomerism, projection formulae to R/S configuration; Systematic Aliphatic Chemistry; and basic Benzene Chemistry. Organic compounds are the basis of important constituents of plastics, drugs, petrochemicals, food, explosives, paints etc. They are the basis of living matter. |
| HFOSC201 | Crime/Incident Scene Investigation 1 | The purpose of the course is to explore the origins and main purposes of Rules of Evidence and its theoretical dimensions; impart a sound working knowledge of the practical application of this branch of law and its main principles and concepts; familiarize students with the general principles of rules of evidence with the defences to criminal liability;critically examine the nature and content of the law and to engage students in the contemporary debates relating to rule of evidence; explore ways of improving and strengthening this area of law using comparisons with systems of law in other countries |
| HFOSCP102 | Electricity and Magnetism | This is a course to introduce students to the fundamentals of Electricity and Magnetism. The goal is for students to learn how to approach, solve, and understand a wide variety of physics problems on both qualitative and quantitative levels, and to relate "classroom physics" to real-world examples. Emphasis will be placed on conceptual understanding along with problem solving skills. The course will begin with a study of electromagnetism and the associated world-changing ideas and discoveries of Maxwell and Faraday. It will continue with the extension of these ideas which underpin our understanding of electromagnetic radiations/waves and conclude by examining the interaction of these radiations with matter and the associated quantum ideas that govern various processes. The goal of this course is to give a solid grounding in the core topics of classical electricity and magnetism, and to prepare students for further study in physics.The objective of the course is to improve the student’s understanding of electric and magnetic phenomena, including basic circuits containing capacitors and inductors. |
| HFOSCC103 | Medicinal and Natural Product Chemistry | Medicinal and Natural Product Chemistry consists of 2 sections. The first section involves drug properties design and development. The second covers the biosynthesis, total synthesis, sources and uses of natural products. Medicinal and Natural Product Chemistry is a Level 2 course that introduces the BSc Honours degree in Forensic Science student to synthesis, mode of action and general chemistry of some pharmaceutical products, analgesics, anti-allergy agents, antibacterials, antibiotics, antidepressants and antivirals.. It familiarises the chemistry of many products in use such as drugs, pesticides and natural colorants as well as to be able to produce them in the right chemical form is the jurisdiction of the course. |
| HFOSCC202 | Organic Chemistry 2 | The course introduces student to carbon compounds by looking at their reactions, properties, structures, synthesis and compositions. The course covers stereochemistry and alicyclic chemistry, heterocyclic chemistry, further aromatic chemistry and rearrangement reactions. The above aspects are very important for understanding the chemistry of most chemical products at use in homes and industries. The course helps students to fully comprehend the chemistry of many products in use such as drugs, petrochemicals and their derivatives, food and explosives. To achieve the above mentioned goal and be able to produce these chemical products in the right chemical form is the jurisdiction of the course. |
| HFOSCC203 | Electrochemical and Chromatographic Methods 1 | Electrochemical and Chromatographic Methods 1 serves to introduce student to the analytical techniques in chemistry.This course will cover the basic elements of electrochemistry. There will also be an introduction to separation methods of analysis mainly GC and HPLC. |
| HFOSC202 | Forensic Science Administration | Forensic science administration studies how to reduce error rates in forensic science by reorganizing forensic work. It studies the organization of forensics labour in the criminal justice system, using the tools of social science and business administration. Forensic science administration studies forensic science within its legal and political context. The forensic scientist does not work in isolation but has to interface with various segments of society, particularly law enforcement agencies. Forensic science students must also get a knowledge of the workings of a forensic unit and the key skills needed in forensic science administration. Students must also have an appreciation of how law enforcement agencies operate and interface, and be guided on the importance of good ethics in forensic science. Forensic science laboratories' reputations have increasingly come under fire. Incidents of tainted evidence, false reports, allegations of negligence, scientifically flawed testimony, or perjury in in-court testimony, have all served to cast a shadow over the forensic sciences. |
| HFOSC203 | Legal Aspects in Forensic Science | The purpose of the course is to explore the origins and main purposes of Criminal Law in Zimbabwe and its theoretical dimensions; impart a sound working knowledge of the practical application of this branch of law and its main principles and concepts; familiarize students with the general principles of the criminal law with the defences to criminal liability;critically examine the nature and content of the law to engage students in the contemporary debates relating to the criminal law; explore ways of improving and strengthening this area of law using comparisons with systems of law in other countries. The goal of this course is to give students a full appreciation of criminal law in Zimbabwe upon which later courses will be built. |
| HFOSCP201 | Forensic Physics 1 | This course introduces the student to forensic applications of physics, via the study of selected topics. Students will study the physics behind investigative methods used to gather evidence and reconstruct crime events. Topics include Ballistics and physics underlying the motion of a bullet or other projectile, vehicular collisions and vehicular accident reconstruction, Bloodstain analysis and blood spatter analysis. |
| HFOSCP104 | Atomic and Nuclear Physics 1 | This course will give an introduction to atomic and nuclear physics based on quantum mechanics.It will enable students to develop an understanding and knowledge of physical laws and principles of atomic and nuclear physics and their application to diverse areas of forensic science. |
| HFOSCC204 | Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis | This course will introduce students to chemical instruments used in analytical chemistry, based on atomic spectroscopy and molecular spectroscopy. Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis is a Level 2 course and is required for the BSc Honours Degree in Forensic Science. |
| HFOSC401 | Crime/Incident Scene Investigation 2 | Crime scene management is the branch of forensic science concerned with the actions to be carried out at scenes of crime by investigators arriving at the scene first in order to protect the scene and preserve evidence. Therefore the purpose of this course is to take students through the process of crime scene management to ensure that evidence is not tempered with. The course meets the needs of undergraduate students wishing to pursue postgraduate research, university teaching careers as well as those seeking careers as forensic scientists. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the theoretical and practical concepts of crime scene management in forensic investigations, placing particular emphasis on its use in criminal investigations. |
| HFOSC402 | Statistics for Forensic Science 2 | This course is an extension of Biometrics 1 which will provide further practical to analysis of biological data. Further statistical techniques will be covered, including linear regression, multiple regression, ANOVA and non parametric tests. Emphasis will be on how to choose appropriate statistical tests and how to assess statistical significance. To visualize data and carry out statistical testing, students will use R, a powerful programming language for statistical computing and graphics. |
| HFOSCP401 | Forensic Science Instrumentation and Investigation Techniques 1 | This course introduces the principles of instrumentation and an overview of forensic laboratory instrumentation used in today's forensic laboratories.This course provides a systematic introduction to the main principles of electronic instrumentation and emphasizes the development of conceptual understanding and problem-solving ability in these aspects. Along with an overview of instrumentation principles, the physical principles and electrical characteristics for several common instrument transducers are studied. The electronic signal-conditioning circuits required to convert the electrical changes in the transducers to signal which can be interpreted accurately by a microprocessor or embedded controller, are analyzed and designed. Numerous research-based teaching strategies will be employed to facilitate student learning and to help students solve problems and relate to physical concepts. In addition, peer-tutoring and seminar presentations will allow students to work collaboratively to understand concepts and develop problem solving strategies. |
| HFOSCC403 | Electrochemical and Chromatographic Methods 2 |
This course will advance the student’s knowledge of electrochemistry, which was introduced at Level 2. Mass spectrometry will also be introduced. Electrochemical and Chromatographic Methods 2 is a Level 4 course and is an elective for the BSc (Honours) degree in Forensic Science. |
| HFOSC403 | The Forensic Scientist in Court | The purpose of the course is to understand Law of Criminal Procedure and its theoretical dimensions; impart a sound working knowledge of the practical application of this branch of law and its main principles and concepts; familiarize students with the general principles of Law of Criminal Procedure;critically examine the nature and content of the law and to engage students in the contemporary debates relating to Law of Criminal Procedure ; explore ways of improving and strengthening this area of the law using comparisons with systems of law in other countries. |
| HFOSCP402 | Forensic Physics 2 | This course provides an introduction to toxicological assays, including presumptive and confirmation testing in a variety of biological matrices, and a comprehensive pharmacological and analytical review of some major drug classes include alcohol, drugs for the treatment of mood disorders (anti-psychotics and anti-depressants), anxiolytics and hypnotics (barbiturates and benzodiazepines), anesthetics, opioids, psychedelic drugs, amphetamine related compounds, cocaine, and cannabinoids. Other topics covered include the clandestine manufacture and profiling of illicit drugs, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and drugs in sport. |
| HFOSCP403 | Forensic Science Instrumentation and Investigation Techniques 2 | This course presents an overview of forensic laboratory instrumentation used in today's forensic laboratories and introduces the principles and analysis of crime scene materials using a range of forensic instrumentation/equipment, including the physical principles and practical applications of electron microscopy and X-ray analysis,comparison and polarizing microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy and chemical instrumentation/techniques. Students will develop the knowledge and skills to identify and process a number of examples of physical material evidence found at the crime scene. The science of dactyloscopy (fingerprinting) and blood spatter analysis will also be addressed. Specific application of these techniques for forensic investigation will be demonstrated, including the analysis of gunshot residues, metal alloys, indentation and scratch analysis, animal and human bone comparison, and paint chip and glass identification. Analysis of explosives by physics methods (Infrared Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry) will also be demonstrated.The course covers both the theoretical and practical aspects, using lectures and laboratory exercises. |
| HFOSCB401 | Forensic Toxicology | This course examines fundamentals of forensic toxicology, including basic principles and procedures used in forensic toxicology, distribution, cellular penetration, metabolic conversion, and elimination of toxic agents, as well as the fundamental laws governing the interaction of foreign chemicals with biological systems. The target students are those interested in pursuing careers in forensic toxicology. |
| HFOSC470 | Research Project | Students are required to do independent investigations of selected problems pertaining to thesis or dissertation in their chosen specialisation area. Students will be introduced to scientific research, and will develop professional skills through a forensic research, whilst extending their knowledge by introducing them to current topics of research in forensic science as well as practice in the skills that are relevant to performing research. The research project is a core course, that is, a student has to pass the project in order to graduate. Generally, project proposals originate from the student or Department staff who will then supervise their respective projects. A written report on the project must be submitted by a specified deadline for assessment. |