About the course

There is a current demand for recruiting new police officers and non-warranted police staff from all communities to undertake challenging front line roles.

If you are seeking to gain a broader understanding of policing, from criminal law to major crime investigations then this course is for you as it will provide the opportunity to explore the different routes you can develop in order to follow your chosen career path.

These sectors never rest and can involve working in challenging and complex situations; so that will help prepare you for work in this ever moving area.

This course is also offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme. 

Alongside the demands of operational and investigative policing, you will enjoy a curriculum that covers a wide range of areas such as:

• criminal law and justice

• social science related research

• operational policing priorities

• miscarriages of justice

• major crime investigations.

You’ll gain exposure to some of the real challenges facing policing and investigative work today, exploring current reforms and what they mean, and looking at the importance of accountability, citizenship and ethics.

Opportunity modules are also a key part of the curriculum. You will choose modules in both your first and second year. From areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing, and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to let you develop outside your discipline's traditional boundaries, these will help you to stand out from the crowd when looking for future employment.

You will leave the course with:

• a solid base knowledge of policing and criminal justice, drawing on aspects of criminology, criminal justice and sociology

• an understanding of key areas of contemporary operational policing and criminal investigation, including the role of the investigator, forensic considerations, the investigatory framework, cyber-related crime, human rights and ethics

• strong critical thinking, analysis and communication skills

• an insight into different areas and roles within the criminal justice system, so you can see where your interests lie.

Start Date/s

15/09/2025

Cost Information

Years 1, 2 and 3 (delivered at Burnley College): The standard full time tuition fee rate for this course in 2023/24 for UK students is £9000 per year. The standard full time tuition fee for the Foundation year for this course in 2023/24 is £6000.

Entry Requirements

A typical offer will be a UCAS Tariff score of 80. Every application is considered on an individual basis. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year.

Modules

You will study a variety of modules that cover the wide area of business and management, these will include

Assessment

Police Studies and Criminal Investigation tutors promote the transfer of learning between academic theory and work based learning. Teaching and learning methods are varied including individual study, lectures, group activities, speakers and on line learning. Work-based learning is encouraged, and real life examples are integral to the course aims, enabling the evaluation of skills and knowledge in practice. Assessment methods are varied and include exams, presentations, essays, interviews and case studies.

Careers & Progression

Policing is changing rapidly, and many new police officer and non-police officer opportunities are opening up, which this degree allows you to explore and prepare for. Graduates of this course will be qualified to work in large number of roles in the criminal justice system. This includes roles in the police service, the prison service, the probation service, youth offending teams, drug action teams, community partnerships, the Home Office and crime analysis. You could go on to postgraduate studies in policing, criminology, or other related subjects.