The Accident Forensics degree develops expertise in the investigation and analysis of the factors which lead to accidents and the interventions required to prevent their recurrence. Accident Forensics graduates demonstrate advanced skills at systematically breaking down the factors leading to an accident and making the necessary findings and conclusions for prevention.
The course provides core studies in:
You will complete a capstone accident investigation project based on a ‘real' accident reconstruction at the university ‘crash lab'. The 120 hour work placement with practising accident investigators in the field ensures you are well prepared to integrate into your chosen career. The course has been developed in consultation with Australia's leading accident investigation professionals from air, rail, road and industrial contexts, and the leading organisations and government authorities which inform public safety strategies. You will also graduate with professional skills in occupational health and safety and will be well prepared to work in that area. You may apply for the award, Diploma of Workplace Health and Safety in addition to the Bachelor of Accident Forensics.
Employment opportunities exist for graduates in management, consultancy and practice within industry in safety and accident investigation roles. Many large companies have staff appointed specifically to investigate the accidents and failures that occur to maximise the opportunity to prevent such failures in the future. Many others have occupational health and safety or similar staff roles which are assigned, as part of a more broad set of responsibilities within their organisations, with the responsibility for carrying out those investigations. Graduates of the Bachelor of Accident Forensics course would be suited for employment in these roles as the course addresses the specifics of accident investigation as well as principles of OHS practice. Employment opportunities exist in most industries, especially primary industries, rural safety, manufacturing, mining, services industry, transport industry, aviation industry, employer associations, the defence forces, health industry and government departments and authorities such as the police force.
Duration | 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time |
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Credit Points that Must be Earned | 144 |
Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
Course Type | Undergraduate Award |
Qualification (post nominal) | BAccidForensics |
AQF Level | Level 7: Bachelor Degree |
Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
English Language Proficiency Requirements
If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America, you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University.
Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of:
completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.
If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.
International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.
Each student will be assessed individually.
Recommended study - English (4, SA) and a science subject
Interim Awards | Not applicable |
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Exit Awards | Not applicable |
Professional Accreditation | Not applicable |
Learned Society Accreditation |
It is expected that graduates will meet the education requirements for professional membership with the Safety Institute of Australia and should apply after gaining relevant field experience. Graduates may also meet the specialist investigation education criteria of the Australian, New Zealand and International Society of Air Safety Investigators and it is expected that graduates of the course will gain professional grade membership of the Society after completing the course and gaining relevant field experience. |
Compulsory Residential School | There are several compulsory residential schools/workshops attached to the following course. There are compulsory residential schools at the Crash Lab in Bundaberg in terms 3, 4 and 5. In addition to these there are compulsory requirements for other units in other locations. |
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Click here to view all Residential Schools |
AINV13005 - Students are required to undertake 120 hours of work placement. |
Year | Number of Students |
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2020 | 110 |
2019 | 142 |
2018 | 150 |
2017 | 150 |
2016 | 152 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
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Course Learning Outcomes | |||||
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Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
1. KNOWLEDGE Have a broad and coherent body of knowledge, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines as a basis for independent lifelong learning | |||||
2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review critically, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge | |||||
3. SKILLS Have cognitive and technical skills to demonstrate a broad understanding of knowledge with depth in some areas | |||||
4. SKILLS Have cognitive and creative skills to exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence | |||||
5. SKILLS Have communication skills to present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and ideas | |||||
6. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Demonstrate initiative and judgement in planning, problem solving and decision making in professional practice and/or scholarship | |||||
7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Adapt knowledge and skills in diverse contexts | |||||
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for own learning and professional practice and in collaboration with others within broad parameters |
Number of units: 24 | Total credit points: 144 |
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The following units have compulsory residential schools. Introductory Science; Introductory Anatomy and Physiology; Investigative Methods Practice; Accident Forensics; Safety Engineering; Crash Lab Project 1 and Crash Lab Project 2. See the residential school timetable for details.
Compulsory residential schools are held in Rockhampton and are conducted for these units taken by distance students (non AINV units). AINV units are generally held in the Bundaberg Forensic Investigation Crash Lab.
Year 1 - Term 1 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV11001 | Real World Investigation | |
OCHS11025 | Health and Safety Risk Management | |
SCIE11022 | Introductory Science | |
OCHS11026 | Introductory Occupational Health and Safety |
Year 1 - Term 2 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV11002 | Socio-technical Systems | |
AINV11003 | Introduction to Investigative Methods | |
BIOH11005 | Introductory Anatomy and Physiology | |
OCHS11027 | OHS Fundamentals |
Year 2 - Term 1 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV12001 | Investigative Methods Practice | |
AINV12002 | Accident Phenomenology | |
OCHS12018 | Safety Science | |
OCHS12019 | Human Factors |
Year 2 - Term 2 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV12003 | Victim Pathology | |
AINV12004 | Investigation Domain Contexts | |
AINV12005 | Forensic Engineering |
Year 2 - Term 3 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
SCIE11018 | Introduction to Forensic Science |
Year 3 - Term 1 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV13001 | Accident Analysis | |
AINV13003 | Crash Lab Project 1 | |
OCHS13016 | Advanced Occupational Health | |
OCHS13018 | Safety Systems |
Year 3 - Term 2 | ||
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Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
AINV13002 | Human Factors Investigation | |
AINV13004 | Learning From Failure | |
AINV13005 | Accident Forensics Professional Practice | |
AINV13006 | Crash Lab Project 2 |
Residential dates for these units are documented within the residential school timetable. Generally, the residential schools for the AINV core units will be held at the ‘Crash Lab'.
The ‘crash lab' contains real accident wreckage and other artefacts to give you hands on experience in a realistic accident environment and significantly enhance your learning experience. In year three of the bachelor degree, you will undertake a capstone investigation project where you will apply your learning from the course to a complex accident.
You will be required to ‘investigate' the accident using the techniques and methods delivered in the course, establishing the causal factors involved and prepare a report of your findings, conclusions and recommendations. Personal protective equipment and a ‘crash kit' will be required for learning sessions at the ‘crash lab' (see individual units for requirements).
Credit transfer will only be granted where a student is able to demonstrate that tertiary studies undertaken equivalent in content and depth to the CQUniversity course have been successfully completed. Students should examine the unit synopses in this handbook to determine the units for which they may be eligible to claim exemption.
Refer to the Credit Transfer website at http://www.cqu.edu.au/credittransfer for further details on the guidelines and application process.
You can apply for direct credit against CQUniversity units, if equivalent tertiary level study has been completed. You must supply relevant documentation (study guides, unit profiles, etc) to do this. Or, in some courses you can apply for electives outside of CQUniversity range of units. If your study was undertaken more than 10 years old, you may not be eligible to apply for this as credit.
It is a requirement of enrolment in this course that students have access to the CQUniversity website. Students may be required to undertake various components of study in the course using email and the Internet.
It is strongly recommended that students have access to a broadband connection or higher to access online student resources that would include but not limited to, email, internet, video streaming, electronic assessment submission.