An already successful department
Forensic science rankings at the University of Greenwich have been on the rise for some time, with the programme previously being ranked ninth in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2022, and sixth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023. With the release of The Guardian’s League Tables for 2023, there was even more cause to celebrate for an already successful department, as the programme achieved its highest ranking yet, coming in at third.
This is a well-deserved result for the department, which has seen consistent high ratings for student satisfaction over the years (NSS surveys 2020, 2021 and 2022) and has also seen great expansion, with two new courses now running – BSc Forensic and Digital investigation and BSc Forensic and Digital Investigation with Industrial Practice – and another two courses in Forensic Toxicology and Forensic Toxicology with Industrial Practice announced for September 2023.
Research active and experience-led staff
For Lecturer in Forensic Anthropology Luke Taylor, it is the department’s dedicated team of lecturers and technicians who have made this ranking possible.
The Forensic Science Department works hard to provide a cohesive approach to our forensic programmes. As a team, we pride ourselves on our real-world forensic experience in our respective areas of expertise.
Many of the department’s staff are accredited with institutions that include the Chartered Institute of Archaeologists and must be active practitioners in their fields to maintain the requirements of certifications. Staff are therefore able to bring working knowledge into the classroom, with students benefiting from opportunities including a live lecture delivered from an archaeological site during a deployment Luke Taylor and lecturer Sammi Taylor were involved in.
The department also regularly welcomes a range of experts as guest speakers to talk to students about techniques, procedures and more. Similarly, although the department is based on the university’s Medway Campus in Chatham, Kent, its Forensic Science with Criminology and Forensic and Digital investigation courses are split between Medway and Greenwich. Students therefore benefit from both the forensic expertise of the team at Medway and the criminological and digital expertise of teams in Greenwich. The Faculty of Engineering and Science itself has expanded and now encompasses the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences on the Greenwich Campus in a move to enhance programmes and research in STEM subjects at the university.
Diverse and student-centred programmes
The University of Greenwich’s Head of School of Science, Professor Linda Brownlow, also believes the success of the department lies with the excellence of its staff.
Staff always put their students first, and these consistently improving rankings tell students that they are joining programmes that are diverse, student-centred, and keeping pace with constantly changing developments and employment requirements for the discipline.
She adds that forensic science teaching at the university is accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Science and underpinned by the latest facilities on the Medway Campus, which include a crime scene, car garage, entomology and anthropology facilities, to give students hands-on practice for the working world.
Third in the UK is a fantastic result – but there is no complacency among staff. Professor Brownlow has plans to continue to develop and expand forensic science teaching and research, with Greenwich looking to become a centre of excellence for the subject.
The university looks forward to continuing to support and celebrate student and staff success in this ever-evolving area of science.