FOR5023 Quality management in the forensic sciences
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
FOR5023 Quality management in the forensic sciences is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It isn't offered in 2025. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Not offered
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before FOR5023
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After FOR5023
No unit lists FOR5023 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Must be enrolled in postgraduate degree.
Overview
Quality management (QM) is a key part of forensic science operations. It is critical to the value and integrity of, and confidence in the results issued by a forensic science service provider.
The aim this unit is to introduce you to the concept of QM, its various components and its role in the accreditation and certification processes.
Accreditation to International Standards such as ISO 17025 has become the norm for forensic science laboratories as a demonstration of their competence.
Accreditation criteria (ISO 17025) cover, for example:
- Management requirements;
- Management system
- Control of records
- Internal audits and management reviews
- Technical requirements;
- Method verification and validation
- Reference standards and materials
- Test and calibration methods
- Proficiency testing
- Reporting results
Although part of the forensic science stream, QM has broad implications across all streams within the Master's degree program and indeed, work places in general.
This on-line Unit will explore components of QM such as quality assurance and quality control, expand on the requirements for accreditation and explain the benefits of the QM process.
Contemporary articles/texts on QM will be provided.
Offerings in 2025
The 2025 handbook lists no offerings for FOR5023.
Assessment
- Written assignment (2,000 words)WrittenCompetency hurdle35%
- Analysis (2,000 words)WrittenCompetency hurdle35%
- Case study (2,000 words)WrittenCompetency hurdle30%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Comprehend and critically evaluate the principles of quality management and relate these to a forensic investigation
- 2
Critically evaluate how International Quality Managementstandards in forensic science are applied within the workplace
- 3
Review and evaluate the underlying principles for International Standards on which QM in the forensic sciences is based.
- 4
Articulate the management and technical requirements of formal quality accreditation in forensic science laboratories.
- 5
Comprehend and evaluate the reasons/need for institutionalised QM practices in the context of forensic practice.
- 6
Explain the role and positioning of quality management in the criminal justice system.
Workload and teaching
- Teaching approachActive learning
It is expected that students will need to undertake approximately 12 hours of study per week over the Semester.
This will include private study (text and readings), assessment tasks (case studies, assignments), and may include involvement in case work.
For full details of the teaching approach to this unit, please refer to Moodle.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Mr Ali Ross Ross
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Richard Bassed
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for FOR5023?
FOR5023 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is FOR5023 offered?
FOR5023 has no offerings listed in the 2025 handbook.
Does FOR5023 have an exam?
No. FOR5023 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.