FOR5026 Death investigation
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
FOR5026 Death investigation is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2022 in Semester 1 at Southbank. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2022
- Semester 1
- Southbank
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2022 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before FOR5026
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After FOR5026
No unit lists FOR5026 as a prerequisite in the 2022 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite: Enrolment by Department of Forensic Medicine permission only.
Must be enrolled in postgraduate degree.
Overview
Coronial and other medico-legal death investigation systems
Death investigation is an integral aspect of most developed societies. Yet the resources allocated to it and the sophistication of the medicolegal systems put in place by governments vary considerably across jurisdictions.
This Unit is divided into two main parts:
- Part one deals with the theoretical framework for forensic death investigation from a sociolegal perspective and focuses on the particular attributes of Coroners jurisdictions found in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
- Part two deals with the medicolegal or practical aspects of forensic death investigation. It includes the role of the various forensic specialists and the principles and practices they utilise when undertaking the investigation of a death scene and the subsequent medical and forensic scientific examination of the body of the deceased.
An effective medico-legal death investigation system provides vital information for public and personal health and safety.
This unit will also equip you with the understanding of how to best use the results of death investigations for public health and safety.
Offerings in 2022
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Southbank | Block on |
Assessment
- Short Answer Questions (1,800 words)Competency hurdle25%
- Reflective Essay (2,800 words)Competency hurdle35%
- Case Study - Major assessment (3,200 words)Competency hurdle40%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Synthesize knowledge of different models for death investigation systems.
- 2
Evaluate how issues of organisation and administration of Coroners’ death investigation systems and management of key processes impact on the community.
- 3
Apply the principles of death scene investigation, the processes and procedures used and the roles of the relevant participants.
- 4
Analyse the principles of the forensic examination of a deceased person, the processes and procedures used and the roles of the relevant participants.
- 5
Apply the principles of forensic examination of a deceased person to a range of different circumstances where forensic death investigation is required.
Workload and teaching
- Teaching approachActive learning
60 contact hours (tutorials and attendance at scenes), 50 hours of case and practical work and approximately 46 hours for individual study, assignments and case book preparation.
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
- Associate Professor David Ranson
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Richard Bassed
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for FOR5026?
FOR5026 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is FOR5026 offered?
In 2022, FOR5026 runs in Semester 1 at Southbank.
Does FOR5026 have an exam?
No. FOR5026 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.