Policing and Investigation with Foundation Year draft

Program Overview

The Policing and Investigation BA (Hons) with Foundation Year at Leeds Trinity University equips students with the skills and knowledge for careers in policing or investigation. The program combines theory, policy, and practice with criminology, forensics, and criminal justice. Students benefit from professional work placements and can choose from optional modules to tailor their learning. Graduates have gone on to successful careers in the police, private sector, and government.

Program Outline

Degree Overview

Objectives:

• Prepare students for a career in policing or as a civilian or corporate investigator.
• Develop the skills needed to carry out investigations within law enforcement organisations or businesses to help solve and prevent crime, fraud and corruption.
• Provide an alternative route into university and gaining a degree for those who do not have the necessary qualifications or don’t feel ready to begin degree-level study.
• Support students returning to education who would like to get up to speed with learning in a university setting.

Program Description:

This four-year course includes an initial full-time Foundation Year and aims to equip students with the academic skills and confidence needed to succeed in their undergraduate studies. The Foundation Year in Criminology, Policing and Sociology allows students to:

• Enhance their academic skills and self-confidence
• Introduction to key concepts, debates and skills that will support and inform their subsequent years of undergraduate study.
• Examine patterns of crime, issues in modern-day policing and social inequalities
• Learn how policymakers are responding to societal problems and apply sociological theories to social issues such as criminality and inequality.
Following successful completion of the Foundation Year, students progress onto Year 1 of the Policing and Investigation BA (Hons) degree.

Key Features:

• Combines theory, policy and practice of policing and investigations with criminology, forensics and criminal justice.
• Offers professional work placements to gain invaluable experience relevant to future careers.
• Provides opportunities for students to choose topics that interest them most, including murder investigations, forensics, domestic abuse or sexual violence.

Outline

Foundation Year:

• Academic Skills and Studying with Confidence
• Professional Development and Project
• Foundations in Sociology and Policing
• Foundations in Criminology

Year 1:

• Introduction to Policing and the Criminal Justice System
• Contemporary Issues for Policing and Investigations
• Research Methods and Academic Skills
• Miscarriages of Justice

Year 2:

• Social Research Methods
• Introduction to Investigative Interviewing
• Victimology
• Themes in Forensic Psychology

Year 3:

• Cyber-Enabled Crime
• Advanced Investigative Interviewing (PIP2)
• Investigating Vulnerability

Optional Modules:

• Murder: Dynamics, Pathologies and Investigation
• Forensic Perspectives
• Offenders with Mental and Intellectual Disabilities
• Domestic Abuse
• Crime, Media and Culture
• Sexual Violence, Exploitation and Abuse

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used in the program, including:

• Essays
• Reports
• Presentations
• Examinations
• Practical assessments
The specific methods used may vary depending on the module.

Teaching

The program is delivered through a blend of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials. Students also have the opportunity to undertake independent research projects.

Faculty:

The program is taught by experienced academics who have held senior-level positions in policing organisations.

Unique Approaches:

• The program includes professional work placements to help students develop their practical skills and experience.
• Students have the opportunity to choose from a range of optional modules to tailor their learning to their interests.
• The program is taught by academics with extensive experience in the field of policing and investigation.

Careers

Potential Career Paths:

• Police officer
• Detective
• Forensic investigator
• Fraud investigator
• Security consultant
• Loss prevention specialist
• Intelligence analyst

Graduate Outcomes:

Graduates of the program have gone on to work in a variety of roles in the police, private sector, and government.

Other

• The program is subject to validation.
• Students can study abroad as part of their degree.

Conclusion

The Policing and Investigation BA (Hons) with Foundation Year at Leeds Trinity University is a comprehensive program that prepares students for a successful career in policing or investigation. The program combines academic rigor with practical experience, providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to make a difference in the world.

Tuition fees cost £9,250 a year for this course in 2024/2025. Part-time tuition fees will be prorated accordingly to the number of credits you're studying. Depending on government policy, tuition fees may change in future years. Tuition fees for 2025/26 entry will be set in summer 2024.