MSc Policing and Criminal Investigation

Program Overview

MSc Policing and Criminal Investigation

About this course

Study for a Policing and Criminal Investigation MSc at LJMU and work with crime victims and witnesses to enhance your knowledge and key skills in this area.

• Explore investigative issues to gain the knowledge and practical skills to operate as a crime investigator in serious and complex cases
• Consider the links between investigation, forensics and psychology
• Work with crime victims and witnesses
• Choose this programme if you are a serving officer or about to embark on a policing or academic career
• Look forward to excellent employment opportunities in policing/investigative work, private investigation and governmental bodies
• Progress to doctorate study

Whether your career aspirations lie in investigative work within the police service, within private security or with other public bodies, this new MSc will develop your investigative skills and prepare you for career success. Working with crime victims and witnesses, you will explore the links between investigation, forensics and psychology.

You will receive specialist supervision and study within a diverse community of fellow researchers. Staff have significant research expertise in a wide range of fields including: Data Science; Evidence-Based Practice; Forensic Science; Leadership, Governance and Ethics; Professional Development and Knowledge Exchange; Transnational and Public Order Policing; Urban Intelligence and Informatics; Victimology and Domestic Violence; Serious and Organised Crime and Intelligence Led policing.

The programme will challenge your intellect and encourage you to explore and critically analyse key developments in the field of criminal investigations and policing. You will consider links between investigation, forensics and psychology, and by working with crime victims and witnesses, you will gain practical skills and knowledge to enable you to operate as a crime investigator.

Course modules

Core modules

• Drugs: Recognition and Identification (20 credits)
  • Recognise the differences and street identification of illicit and licit drugs
  • Examine the impact that drugs have upon criminal behaviour and criminal tactics
  • Make you capable of ‘problem-solving’ in the field of drugs investigations
  • Assist in the recognition of drug-related items, and equipment that is used to produce, conceal and consume illicit drugs and the differences between specific drugs
  • Recognise the crime scene dangers in clandestine labs
• Advanced Research Skills (20 credits)
  • Prepare you for the dissertation in semester three by introducing key epistemological and methodological issues that impact on research into crime, security, community safety and criminal justice
  • Explore the politics and practice of research in these areas, introducing research theories and methods
• Advanced Investigation Skills (20 credits)
  • Examine the administrative difficulties posited during a criminal investigation and the importance of investigative ethics
  • Examine the contributions that forensics bestow upon criminal investigations
  • Make you capable of ‘problem-solving’ in the field of criminal investigations
• Forensic and Medicolegal Death (20 credits)
  • Discover core foundational concepts of criminal investigations, enabling you to understand, explain, analyse and evaluate causes, sustainment and consequences of processing a death scene
• Forensic Cognition: Violence and Victims (20 credits)
  • Cognition is recognised as a key component in the way people think and behave
  • Examine influential theories that have been developed to aid in investigating sexual/violent offences
  • Explore the investigative niche area of serial offending and why offenders chose certain victims
• Investigative Interviewing (20 credits)
  • Critically explore the intersection of psychology and policing
  • Examine current practices, techniques and applications of police interviewing
  • Expose you to comparative international techniques in interviewing, interpretation of verbal and physical behaviour, causes of denial, deception and defensiveness
• Dissertation - Policing (60 credits)
  • Develop the ability of students to analyse and interpret an issue in their chosen field, drawing on the relevant body of knowledge, collecting data and completing a piece of writing in a manner conforming to the tenets of disciplined, lucid and critical scholarship
  • Supervision will be led by the most appropriate academic tutor with full support from the Policing Studies module team

Your Learning Experience

• Teaching Assessment
  • Study hours: Full-time students are expected to physically attend sessions 12 hours a week and part-time students should expect to participate 6 hours per week with additional outside study hours
  • Teaching methods: The course offers a range of approaches to learning, with peer and tutor feedback greatly encouraged
  • Applied learning: All Policing Studies students have opportunities to learn directly from practitioners via workshops and masterclasses

Career paths

• Further your career prospects
  • LJMU has an excellent employability record with 94% (HESA 2022) of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation
  • Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context
• Policing and other related public sector fields currently suffer a skills gap in relation to quantitative research
  • This programme aims to fill that gap
  • It teaches the advanced skills of research, conceptualisation, analysis, argument, and presentation – all highly valued in many areas of employment
• Students with an interest in pursuing an academic path will be encouraged to progress to PhD level
  • This MSc plays an important development role in this process
• On completion of your MSc, you may consider a career in the police service or in areas connected to investigation, security or criminal justice e.g. the armed services, prison service, social work or criminal justice-related roles within the Civil Service
  • If you are already in employment, the MSc will prepare you to specialise in your area of interest

Tuition fees and funding

• Home
  • Fee: £9,940
• International
  • Fee: £17,750
  • International Scholarships and payment plans: LJMU provides a variety of postgraduate scholarships to support international students
  • Deposit: All students must pay a £5,000 deposit before they can receive their CAS letter
  • Tuition Fee Payment Plan: After paying their £5,000 deposit, students have the option to pay their fees in full or in three equal instalments minus any internal scholarships and discounts

Entry requirements

• Home
  • Qualification requirements: a minimum 2:2 in Policing, Criminology, Criminology and Psychology, Psychology, Criminal Justice or a related subject
  • Extra Requirements: RPL is accepted on this programme
• International
  • Qualification requirements: Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check
  • IELTS English language requirement: 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each component
  • Extra Requirements: RPL is accepted on this programme

How to apply

• Securing your place at LJMU
  • To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU online application form
  • You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme
  • Applications are assessed on: your application form, academic transcript (or equivalent) and reference

Your university life

• From accommodation and academic support to clubs and societies
  • Find out what LJMU has to offer

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