Criminal Investigation and Policing Studies BA (Hons)

Criminal Investigation and Policing Studies BA (Hons)

Gain a deep understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of multi-agency partnerships in policing and investigations at local, national, and global levels. Build critical thinking and decision-making skills while fostering a strong ethical foundation for careers in public or private sector policing.

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That鈥檚 why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You鈥檒l benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you鈥檒l build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Overview

If you're passionate about policing and criminal investigation but don't necessarily want to join the police force, this course is the perfect fit. It equips you with the skills needed for ethical professional practice in the criminal justice or private sectors. From critical thinking and decision-making to leadership and investigative management, you'll gain knowledge tailored to real-world challenges.

In your first year, you'll explore foundational topics shared with criminology students, providing a broader perspective on crime and policing. In the second year, you'll begin to specialize, studying leadership in criminal investigation and choosing elective modules to deepen your understanding. By the third year, your studies will focus on advanced investigative management and leadership, preparing you for a career in criminal justice.

Taught by experienced academics with practical expertise in policing and criminology, this course combines academic theory with real-world application. Placement opportunities and international experiences like 麻w豆传媒 Global will help you stand out in a competitive field.

Key features:

Industry-informed teaching: Learn from experienced academics with real-world policing and criminology backgrounds.
Contemporary topics: Study modules like Introduction to Criminology, Investigative Management and Leadership, and Multi-Agency Working.
Industry experience: Gain practical experience through placements with local investigatory agencies to enhance your employability.
Global experience: Benefit from 麻w豆传媒 Global, with opportunities to study international policing systems in destinations like New York.
Become career ready: Graduates have secured roles with organisations like Leicestershire Police, the National Crime Agency, and major retail fraud and intelligence departments.
Focused learning: Block teaching lets you focus on one subject at a time, with a balanced schedule for better engagement.

Scholarships

麻w豆传媒 offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: 5LN3

Duration: Three years full-time

Location: 麻w豆传媒, Leicester UK. You may also have to attend Inter-Professional Education (IPE) sessions and community experiences that are not necessarily based at the university.

Fees and funding:

2025/26 fees: £9,535* per year

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs: You may incur for this programme, including the cost of travelling to and from project/placement locations.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

This programme is not currently available to international students

Entry criteria

GCSEs

Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including English Language or English Literature and Maths*

Plus one of the following:

A levels

A minimum of 112 points for the BA (Hons) from at least two A levels

T Levels

Merit

BTEC

BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit
BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit

Access to HE Diploma

Pass in QAA accredited Access to HE overall 112 UCAS tariff with at least 30 Level 3 credits at Merit.
English GCSE required as separate qualification. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

International Baccalaureate: 24+ points

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

^{*We may still consider applicants that do not meet the GCSE requirements providing they can demonstrate ability or attainment in these subjects in an alternative way; usually through work experience, alternative qualifications or by a university admissions test or interview. All such applicants will be considered on a case by case basis.}

Interview required: No

Work experience required: No

Applications from mature students for this programme are welcome and candidates with relevant work experience and other qualifications, which do not necessarily amount to the minimum entry requirements for the programme will be considered on a case by case basis. Requirements for these students would include an interview and the consideration of the candidate’s CVs by the programme leader. Alongside this, the student would also be required to submit a piece of work to indicate the their abilities to write and engage at an appropriate level. A diagnostic test would be given with regards to Level 2 Functional Skills.

UCAS Tariff changes

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Structure and assessment

First Year

Block 1: Profession of Policing and Investigation
Block 2: Journey Through Justice
Block 3: Studying at University
Block 4: Principles of Social Research

Second Year

Block 1: Investigative Management and Leadership (I)
Block 2: Leadership & Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing and Investigation (I)
Block 3: Research and Ethics (15 credits)
Block 4: Researching Justice Journey (30 credits)
OPTION: 1 x 15 credit elective module

Third Year

Block 1: Dissertation (10,000-word research project)
Block 2: Leadership & Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing and Investigation (II)
Block 3: Investigative Management & Leadership (II)
Block 4: Multi-Agency Working International Perspectives

See more detailed module information.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

A variety of teaching methods, include:

Lectures
Case studies
Seminars
Desk-top exercises
Workshops
E-learning
Specialist guest lectures from practitioners (subject to availability)
Visits to practitioners in action (subject to availability)

Assessment methods include:

Essays
Examinations
Phase Tests
Presentations
Posters
Case-study critiques
Desk-top, simulated exercises
Policy books
Research Proposal
Dissertation

All of which will be developed as you progress through the course.

Your precise timetable will depend on your Modules. However, typical teaching time is approximately 9 hours each week for programme specific modules and will be taught by way of block teaching. Criminology modules may differ.

In addition, you will also be expected to achieve approximately 20 hours of self-directed study. You may also be given additional work by Module Leaders to aid your development, particularly with regard Assessments.

Teaching contact hours

Contact hours in a typical week will depend to some extent on the optional modules you choose to study. However, typically you will have up to 9 contact hours of teaching and this will break down as:

Medium group teaching: approx. 1 hour of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week (depending on the module)

Large group teaching: 9+ hours of lectures each week

Personal study: approx. 20 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using hand-outs, online activities, etc.

In the second year you may also have the opportunity (subject to availability) to complete an 80-hour community placement.

Teaching expertise

Include evidence-based practice, policing, investigation, terrorism, transnational organised crime.

Accreditations:

Membership of overseas organisations: i.e. Society for Terrorism Research

Fellowship of Higher Education Academy

Associate Editors of Journals in the field and specialist journals.

Research Fellows of overseas organisations: i.e. European Foundation for South Asia Studies

Other Expertise:

External Examiners at other HEIs

Independent Assessors at other HEIs

Facilities and features

Health and Life Sciences facilities

Substantial investment has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you expand your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

Our Crime Scene House presents investigative scenarios which allow students to apply their learning in a real-life practical environment.

We also have Court Rooms and Cells which you will have the opportunity to use these during any real-life scenarios and may work collaboratively with students studying law, forensics and other disciplines.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available.

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our , e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose.

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, 麻w豆传媒 Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub.

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live , online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our , and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘麻w豆传媒 Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Placements

During this course you will have the option to complete a paid placement year, an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice.

This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career.

Our Careers Team can help to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement.

Graduate careers

Policing: students are encouraged to apply to become Special Constables during their study. Past students have successfully gained entry to the local and other forces. This affords students opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills set in a practice-based environment enhancing their experiential learning.

Criminal Investigation: some students have gone on to postgraduate study on the Degree Holder Entry Programme for both the policing and detective pathways (DHEP & CIDHEP). The CIDHEP allows them direct entry as a trainee detective to any police force in England and Wales. The DHEP allows entry as a police constable to any police force in England and Wales that are recruiting onto the programme.

Past Graduates have attained careers in: National Crime Agency, United Nations, Sainsbury’s Intelligence Department, Prison Service, Retail Management, Trading Standards, Independent Office of Police Conduct, Royal Naval Police and Home Office Police Forces.

麻w豆传媒 Global

Our innovative international experience programme aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through 麻w豆传媒 Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Previously, students on this course have benefited from the opportunity to travel to New York, where they visited the New York Police Department headquarters and learnt about the differences and similarities between the policing system in the US and the UK.

Take your next steps

Nine halls of residence and around 2,300 rooms, all of which are within easy walking distance of the campus.

Run by students for students, DSU offers more than 150 societies and almost 40 different sports clubs for you to get involved in.

麻w豆传媒

Criminal Investigation and Policing Studies BA (Hons)

Block teaching designed around you