UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC STUDIES OF FORENSIC ENGINEERING

CURRICULUM

 

Institutional language policy

The courses within this study programme are taught in Serbian language.

For all additional information on the courses or a study programme please contact the Erasmus institutional coordinator, Professor Saša Mijalković, PhD, the Vice-Rector for International and Institutional Cooperation, at e-mail: sasa.mijalkovic@kpu.edu.rs.

All information on the teachers who are in charge of the courses of this study programme are available in the following document: TEACHING STAFF.

 

Purpose of the Curriculum

The purpose of this study programme is the acquisition of professional profile of a technology engineer. This qualification allows students to apply their knowledge in technological processes at job positions which are of interest to the police in terms of producing and developing the products they may require. The mastery of methods of identifying materials also allows the student to be eligible for job positions within the Ministry of the Interior as a police officer. The status of a police officer will involve legal and efficient performance of jobs which allow for securing valid evidence in criminal cases, and thereby directly promote the efficiency of prosecuting the perpetrators.

The students of the Forensic Engineering Study Programme shall, upon completion of their studies, have an opportunity to be employed with other state authorities and organizations, as well as with non-state commercial entities, where they will apply the acquired knowledge in the field of the science of technology while working at positions which require establishing the identity of persons or different types of materials.

This study programme allows for the possibility to continue further development (master, specialist and doctoral studies at the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies and related colleges in the technical and technology fields) as well as for keeping up with scientific achievements in the field of technological sciences, all for the purpose of creating a high-quality scientific and educational profile.

 

Objectives of Curriculum

The objectives of the undergraduate academic study programme are the following:
• Achieving the educational level that will ensure quality performance of all jobs and assignments related to the professional qualification of a technology engineer;
• Qualification for applying the acquired knowledge in the execution of technological tasks related to the process of production of protective means for police purposes, as well as to the procedures of establishing the identity of persons, objects and traces in criminal investigations;
• The development of creative potentials and upgrading the existing production technologies for recognition, profiling and identification of crime investigation objects (persons – perpetrators of criminal offences, objects, and traces) both at the crime scene and in a laboratory;
• Acquiring competences and skills required for successful performance of organizational and managerial jobs in the field of technological engineering, also applicable in the commercial sector (insurance companies, banking systems, etc.);
• Learning the legal guidelines and adopting ethical standards necessary for performing jobs/tasks within the scope of technological engineering.

 

Competences of Graduated Students

A student who passes all the exams comprised within the study programme of undergraduate academic studies attains higher education and the professional title of a graduated engineer of technology.

The acquired professional title encompasses the following competences:
- Research and experimental development in the aforementioned technical-technological and natural sciences;
- Marketing;
- Managing different production processes;
- Access to an event location (locus in quo) in keeping with the law;
- Evaluating information and relevant facts related to a criminal offence / event;
- Processing the scene of crime/event site, collecting and providing evidence of perpetrated criminal offences;
- Exchange of information and ideas with competent experts and institutions in the country and abroad;
- Application of information technologies in the state sector for the production of biometric documents;
- Identification at border crossings, points of access to facilities and information systems of significance to the state;
- Estimating damage caused through the commission of a criminal offence;
- Risk assessment, damage assessment in insurance companies and banking systems, facility security, protection of digital data and systems;
- Knowledge and use of methods of physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, etc. in technological engineering;
- Use of information technology.

A graduated engineer of technology also possesses the following specific competences:
- Knowledge of prescribed standards and ethical norms;
- Knowledge of relevant (criminal law and other) legal regulations;
- Knowledge of technological procedures of importance for special-purpose products (materials resistant to moisture, heat, mechanical and chemical deformation, etc.);
- Integration of acquired knowledge in performing tasks involved in technological procedures for improving the characteristics of the existing material for the production of protective clothing, footwear and equipment;
- Justified and appropriate exercise of police powers;
- Ability to use modern police technical means.

 

Student Enrolment

Students are enrolled following an elaborate screening procedure among applicants according to a set of rules and the procedure set out in the Statute and the Regulations Book pertaining to the enrollment and studying at undergraduate studies of the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies. The Government decides on the number of students enrolled in the first year of studies who are to be financed from the budget and the decision is made at the suggestion of the Ministry of the Interior, whereas the decision on the number of students to be enrolled in the first year who are to finance their own studies is made by the Board of the University upon approval by the minister. Students are enrolled in the first year of undergraduate studies at the University based on the advertisement published by the University and in keeping with the requirements stipulated in the Statute of the University. The advertisement is followed by the enrollment proceedings and the applicants are ranked, after which the ranking list is published by the Enrollment Committee appointed by the rector of the University.

Citizens of the Republic of Serbia have the right to apply and - exceptionally  - this right may be granted to the citizens of other states upon approval by the Ministry of the Interior; the candidates who fulfill the requirements for enrollment set out in the Higher Education Act, special legal requirements regarding the security prerequisites for employment with the Ministry of the Interior and special conditions related to medical status, mental, physical and other capacities for performing prospective tasks elaborated by the minister of the interior. The advertisement for enrollment is published five months prior to the beginning of an academic year at the latest and it contains the number of students per each curriculum, enrollment prerequisites, applicant ranking criteria, screening procedure, manner and deadlines for filing complaints against the ranking, as well as the amount of tuition fee for the students who pay for their own studies. The criteria for ranking the candidates for enrollment in the undergraduate studies include the average mark achieved in secondary education and results at the entrance examination consisting of ability and aptitude tests. The average mark in the secondary education is expressed within the band of 16 to 40 points and it represents the doubled sum of average marks in the first, second, third and fourth class. The screening is performed based on the medical and psychological examination, morphological status, and the results achieved in the ability and aptitude tests. The ability and aptitude testing results are expressed within the band of 0 to 60 points wherein the test in mathematics accounts for 20 points, the test of general knowledge 20 points and chemistry test 20 points. The University produces the ranking list of applicants on the basis of the criteria listed in the advertisement. An applicant’s rank is determined by the sum of points. The right to be enrolled at the undergraduate studies is acquired by the applicant who is ranked on the list within the number of students to be enrolled.