Entry requirements

120 credits including 30 credits in chemistry/biochemistry. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student shall be able to:

• account for the chemistry forming the basis of various methods used for visualizing findings that can be secured at crime scenes (such as fingerprints, paint and chemical residues),
• account for the chemistry forming the basis of various methods used to identify chemical substances potentially used in criminal activities (such as explosive and flammable substances) and be able to use these analytical techniques,
• account for principles of the instrumental analytical techniques presented during the course,
• use spectroscopic techniques to examine objects that may be part of evidence material (such as documents, bullets, tools, etc.),
• use statistical and multivariate methods and evaluate analytical techniques to distinguish complex chemical traces collected from crime scenes,
• critically analyze results obtained with different methods with regard to selectivity, specificity and sensitivity.

Content

Methods for the analysis of samples taken at fire scenes to find the cause of the fire. Methods for distinguishing between different explosives  are demonstrated. Visualization techniques such as spectroscopy (for e.g. fingerprints and documents) are illustrated. Methods for relating material collected at crime scenes to area of ​​use, manufacturer and origin are discussed. Multivariate data processing is discussed.

Instruction

The course comprises lectures, laboratory sessions, seminars and if possible a study visit. A larger literature project is also included.

Assessment

Written examination at the end of the course (9 credits). Laboratory course and project, presented orally and with a written report (6 credits).

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.