Program Overview

MSc Policing and Criminal Investigation | Part-time

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
  • Introduce research theories and methods
• Advanced Investigation Skills (20 credits)
  • Examine the administrative difficulties posited during a criminal investigation and the importance of investigative ethics
  • Make you capable of ‘problem-solving’ in the field of criminal investigations
• Forensic Cognition: Violence and Victims (20 credits)
  • 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
• Forensic and Medicolegal Death (20 credits)
  • Understand, explain, analyse and evaluate causes, sustainment and consequences of processing a death scene

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. Workshop activities and tutor support facilitate formative feedback to enable you to work on your weaknesses and build on your strengths
• Applied learning: All Policing Studies students have opportunities to learn directly from practitioners via workshops and masterclasses. The latter are held each month and include talks from a range of eminent experts, professionals and practitioners, from Leader of the North West Circuit, David Steer QC to UN Police Advisor, Chief Inspector Cecilia Dunster and Marie McCourt, mother of 'no-body' murder victim, Helen McCourt

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
• This programme prepares you for further study, employment or new roles in your current profession
• 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. For example, 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: Part-time per credit: £60
• Fees: The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi
• Financial Support: There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living
• Additional Costs: In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of: Accommodation, Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU, Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire

Entry requirements

• Home: a minimum 2:2 in Policing, Criminology, Criminology and Psychology, Psychology, Criminal Justice or a related subject
• International: IELTS English language requirement: 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each component
• RPL is accepted on this programme

How to apply

• 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