Policing MSc

Police forces face an ever-evolving array of complex crime challenges and ethical responsibilities, while making sure their actions can withstand increasing public scrutiny. Our Policing MSc will help you rise to these challenges, using scientific methods and evidence-based approaches to protect life and property, preserve order and uphold justice. Build a comprehensive set of 21st-century policing skills with this multidisciplinary data-driven Policing MSc. This course has been co-designed by leading academics and law enforcement, counterterrorism and intelligence agency practitioners and draws directly from today’s most pressing issues in the field. On this programme, you will develop an advanced toolkit of research design and statistical analysis techniques that will allow you to solve real-world problems and security issues using data. Working alongside a diverse group of peers from all kinds of professional and academic backgrounds, you will acquire an expert understanding of how crime reduction policing models, such as problem-oriented or intelligence-led policing, are used by law enforcement agencies across the world. You will explore how these theoretical models are applied in different countries and cultural contexts and see how they relate to policing tactics such as hot-spot, zero-tolerance and broken-windows policing. Using our multidisciplinary crime science approach, you will examine the relationship between policing ethics and public relations. You’ll focus on identifying flashpoint issues and learn real-world strategies to mitigate conflicts between the police and the public in specific situations. This programme is ideal if you are interested in gaining the skills to use evidence to improve policing for everyone. Our Policing MSc is suitable for those who want to specialise in certain areas of policing, for example, cybercrime, organised crime, or terrorism. This programme is also available on a modular (flexible) basis, with a duration of 5 calendar years.

Applicants should have, or expect to obtain before entry, a lower second-class Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. criminology, psychology, sociology, law, geography or hard science) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Candidates who have at least five years' relevant professional experience are also eligible. In exceptional circumstances, students who do not fulfil these requirements may be considered.Please note you are required to nominate at least one academic reference from someone who has taught you at degree level. If you have been out of higher education for more than four years you can provide a professional reference instead. Your second reference can be academic or professional. Please do not nominate personal referees, nor use non-institutional email addresses.