Policing

The MSc in Policing is aimed at police and law enforcement professionals wishing to become future leaders and managers. The focus is on providing an evidence-based approach to address modern challenges of policing diverse communities and dealing with transnational organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime and evolving security threats, while upholding principles of procedural justice to increase police legitimacy and public confidence.

The programme will outline the philosophical and theoretical bases for evidence-based policing practice. Issues will be examined with respect to ethical, policy and political contexts. It is a multidisciplinary programme drawing on psychology, statistics, mathematics, engineering, architecture, forensic sciences, design, geography and computing and is designed to enable graduates to be effective leaders and managers of a modern diverse police service.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of five core modules (75 credits), three optional modules (45 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits).

Core modules

• Ethical Policing
• Foundations of Security and Crime Science
• Police and the Public
• Models of Policing for Crime Reduction
• Quantitative Methods or Designing and Doing Research (you will take one of these)
• Dissertation

Optional modules

Students choose three of the following:

• Investigation and Detection
• Intelligence Gathering and Analysis
• Management Skills for Police Leaders
• Perspectives on Organised Crime
• Perspectives on Terrorism
• Prevention and Disruption
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Introduction to Cybersecurity
• Cybercrime
• Hotspot Policing

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops. Distance learning students will have access to enhanced Internet-based tools and resources and virtual links between staff and students. Assessment is through unseen examinations, coursework, presentations, reports and project assignments.

Applicants for admission should be serving police and law enforcement officers or security professionals and 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.

UCL Security and Crime Science is offering up to 14 bursary scholarships of between £2,500 and £10,000 to outstanding applicants who have been offered places on one of our MSc programmes.