6 EC
Semester 2, period 6
5274POEM6Y
| Owner | Master Forensic Science |
| Coordinator | Virgil Rerimassie |
| Part of | Master Forensic Science, year 1 |
| Links | Visible Learning Trajectories |
Forensic scientists do not work in isolation from the world. Even though forensic laboratories may at times seem like places that are far remote from public life, forensic science is connected to various other social environments, such as routinely to various forms of research science or to the legal system. However, when the routine breaks down, such as in times of controversy or disagreement, the forensics can take centre stage in public attention. The critical questioning of forensic evidence by lawyers and defendants may then quickly extend to include crime reporters, researchers, policy makers, politicians or even the general public.
Policy, Ethics & Media (PEM) invites the students to 'step outside of the forensic laboratory' and consider the complex landscape in which the forensic scientists operate. The course analyses how forensic science assesses the solidity of facts, in the context of major social institutions in society, such as science, the law, government, and the media. Each of these institutions has its own way of assessing facts - and reasons why - and we will analyse how these interact in the practice of forensic scientists. A number of controversial criminal cases will be used as a window onto the assessment of facts and understand the complex context in which the forensic scientist is situated. We will do this from the perspective of the social sciences and humanities, which provide us with useful tools and concepts. More specifically we will draw from: Science and Technology Studies, Policy Science, Media Studies, Philosophy of Science and Ethics.
Ultimately, PEM aspires to facilitate the students' development towards becoming reflective practitioners and better understand and interact with the the various stakeholders that operate in the forensic and judicial context. This requires an active approach of the students. It incorporates practical, interactive, individual and group assignments in order to enable the students to acquire skills and insights about multidisciplinary project team dynamics, one-on-one interaction, conflict resolution and learning styles.
This is a full time 4 week course (every day throughout the weeks) which will demand from you an active participation in lectures, self study, team project on multi failure cases and tutorials. You will work in teams of around 7 students on one case during the course. Each team will have a different case. After each introduction of a new disciplinary perspective you have to reformulate the same case as for instance a scientific fraude case, or media driven cases, showing that you understand the disciplinary models and reductions and use the proper disciplinary vocabulary. In the tutorials feedback will be given to your assignments. All lectures and tutorials are compulsory.
Activity | Hours | |
Hoorcollege | 12 | |
Presentatie | 4 | |
Tentamen | 2 | |
Werkcollege | 12 | |
Self study | 138 | |
Total | 168 | (6 EC x 28 uur) |
This programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER part B).
| Item and weight | Details |
|
Final grade | |
|
50% PEM Exam | Must be ≥ 5.5, Mandatory |
|
40% Group Final Report | Must be ≥ 5.5, Mandatory |
|
10% Presentation Group Report | Must be ≥ 5.5, Mandatory |
All components will be graded on a scale from 1 to 10, with a maximum of one decimal after the point. These grades are used to calculate the final grade. In order to pass the course, all components and the final grade have to be sufficient, i.e. at least a five and a half. When a student has not fulfilled this requirement, the examiner will register the mark ‘did not fulfil all requirements’ (NAV) whether or not the averaged grade is sufficient.
The components will be weighted as follows.
The exam covers knowledge regarding the main models and definition of disciplinary specific concepts of social sciences (learning outcome 1).
The team portfolio covers skills to reframe, analyze and interpret the failures in a specific forensic case from the perspective of science, policy, ethics and media (learning outcomes 2 to 5). In the introduction of the project report the team has to indicate who took the coordinating responsibility for each chapter. The team score will be the mean of chapter quality scores (i.e., proper application of the disciplinary models to analyse the case, and correct use of concepts and disciplinary vocabulary).
The final grade will be announced at the latest on July 17th (= 15 working days after the final course activity). Shortly thereafter (or preferably before) a post-exam discussion or inspection moment will be planned. This will be announced on Canvas and/or via email.
| LO | Tested in component | EQ 1 | EQ 2 | EQ 3 | EQ 4 | EQ 5 | EQ 6 | EQ 7 | EQ 8 | EQ 9 | EQ 10 |
| 1 | 1, 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 2 | 1, 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 3 | 1, 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 4 | 1, 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 5 | 1, 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 6 | 2, 3 | x | |||||||||
| 7 | 2, 3 | x |
Table of specification: the relation between the Learning Outcomes (LO) of the course, the assessment components of the course and the Exit Qualifications (EQ) of the Master’s Forensic Science (described in the Introduction in the Course Catalogue)
The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl
Fraud & Plagiarism: General UvA rules apply (http://student.uva.nl/fs/az/item/plagiarism-and-fraud.html).
All assignments will be checked on plagiarism. When blocks of text are found to be copied without proper references, the exam committee will be notified. Suspicion of fraud during the exam will be send to the examination committee. Examination committee is able to terminate your participation in the master course.
Followed the courses of the master program year 1 of Forensic sciences (UvA) or Management Policy Analysis and entrepreneurship in health and life sciences (VU-MPA)