Unit Outline

Forensic science is an integral component of the criminal justice system with applications in investigations, intelligence, courts, and disaster victim identification. However, it has been the subject of international critiques and a factor in high-profile cases of wrongful conviction. This unit examines forensic science as the object of study from a critical social sciences perspective. It highlights some pervasive issues such as the development of forensic science and limited foundational research, the challenges of communication to non-scientists, and the potential human rights issues associated with ongoing scientific advancements. The unit examines innovative research and practice that can contribute to addressing these complex and nuanced issues. It considers the potential for, and next steps in, the development of a critical social science approach to the role of forensic science in and beyond the criminal justice system.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Explain the strengths and limitations of various forensic roles and techniques as applied in the criminal justice process.
2	Analyse the social processes that can impact the effective collection, analysis, and use of forensic science in the process from crime scene to court.
3	Evaluate the use of forensic science in the criminal justice system.
4	Communicate your ideas clearly in written and verbal form.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	25 points at introductory level in any discipline in any faculty

Alterations as a result of student feedback

As a result of previous student feedback, we have:

Extended tutorials to include further opportunities for interaction and deeper discussion

Allowed more time for in-class discussion and preparation for assignments

Retained the option of online (Zoom) tutorials for online students as they were very popular

Developed a new interactive final task

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Assessment Task 1: Short answer	Week 4	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:	Assessment Task 2: Essay	Week 11	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Assessment Task 4: Tutorial participation	Refer to Assessment Description	10 %	LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Assessment Task 3: Written preparation and oral discussion	Exam Period	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Assessment Task 1: Short answer

Task Description:

Prepare an issue brief to inform criminal justice practitioners on an issue impacting the value of forensic science in the criminal justice system.

You will need to refer to specific materials discussed in Weeks 1-3. You should also refer to other references, especially relevant journal articles that you locate using the UTAS Library and recommended readings from the unit Reading List.

Task Length:

800 words

Due Date:

Week 4 (03/Aug/2026)

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain the limitations of forensic roles and techniques.	LO1
2	Analyse the social processes that impact the effective application of forensic science to justice.	LO2
3	Develop a preliminary argument, informed by unit materials from Weeks 1-3.	LO3

Assessment Task 2: Assessment Task 2: Essay

Task Description:

As part of a review of forensic science in Australia, choose ONE topic exploring challenges to address in the use of forensic science in the criminal justice system from a list of options in MyLO or develop a topic in consultation with the unit coordinator.
Write in an essay format that critically examines your topic in depth using a critical social sciences perspective. You should refer to research in forensic science, social sciences, and related fields, including sources from the unit reading list.

Task Length:

2,500 words

Due Date:

Week 11 (21/Sep/2026)

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	.Explain the strengths and limitations of forensic roles and techniques.	LO1
2	Analyses social processes that impact the effective application of forensic science to justice.	LO2
3	Evaluate the use of forensic science in the criminal justice process.	LO3
4	Communicate your argument clearly, using academic writing in criminology.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Assessment Task 4: Tutorial participation

Task Description:

In weekly tutorials (for on-campus students) and online discussions (for online students), we will discuss key debates in forensic science. We will apply a critical social sciences perspective to responding to these debates.
Prepare for discussions by viewing the lecture videos and reading assigned materials, as indicated on MyLO. Contribute questions and ideas to discussions. Through your comments, demonstrate that you are engaging with unit materials and thinking critically about the issues.

Task Length:

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Evaluate the use of forensic science in the criminal justice system.	LO2
2	Communicate your ideas clearly in verbal form.	LO4

Assessment Task 4: Assessment Task 3: Written preparation and oral discussion

Task Description:

Based on your engagement with and reflection on the unit content, you are asked to respond in written and verbal formats. In Part A, you are asked to respond to two written questions. You should refer to unit materials in your responses. In Part B, you are asked to engage in a discussion with your tutor about your responses above and two further questions.

Part A is due on Monday 12/10/2026.
Part B will be scheduled from Wednesday 14/10/2026.

Task Length:

1,000 words + 10-minute discussion

Due Date:

Exam Period (12/Oct/2026)

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain the strengths and limitations of forensic roles and techniques.	LO1
2	Analyse the social processes that impact the effective application of forensic science to justice.	LO2
3	Evaluate the use of forensic science in the criminal justice process.	LO3
4	Communicate your ideas clearly in written and verbal form.	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

Julian, R., Howes, L., & White, R. (2022). Critical forensic studies. Routledge.

The UTAS Library provides this resource as an ebook. Where possible, it can be very helpful to have your own copy on hand, as we will use it each week.

Each week, we will read one chapter of the book and at least two optional readings per week are linked to the unit via the Reading List.