If you're passionate about policing and criminal investigation but don't necessarily want to join the police force, this course is the perfect fit. It equips you with the skills needed for ethical professional practice in the criminal justice or private sectors. From critical thinking and decision-making to leadership and investigative management, you'll gain knowledge tailored to real-world challenges.
In your first year, you'll explore foundational topics shared with criminology students, providing a broader perspective on crime and policing. In the second year, you'll begin to specialize, studying leadership in criminal investigation and choosing elective modules to deepen your understanding. By the third year, your studies will focus on advanced investigative management and leadership, preparing you for a career in criminal justice.
Taught by experienced academics with practical expertise in policing and criminology, this course combines academic theory with real-world application. Placement opportunities and international experiences like DMU Global will help you stand out in a competitive field.
Industry-informed teaching: Learn from experienced academics with real-world policing and criminology backgrounds.
Contemporary topics: Study modules like Introduction to Criminology, Investigative Management and Leadership, and Multi-Agency Working.
Industry experience: Visits to criminal justice providers e.g. police, provide industry insight and learning to inform your practice
Global experience: Benefit from DMU Global with the opportunity to visit the Department for Police Work at Malmo University, Sweden to actively experience international policing and training.
Become career ready: Our graduates thrive in roles such as police officers, aviation security officers, and Crown Court clerks—making an impact at organisations like Leicestershire Police, the National Crime Agency, Manchester Airports Group, His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, and major retail fraud and intelligence departments.
Focused learning: Block teaching lets you focus on one subject at a time.
First Year
Block 1: Profession of Policing and Investigation
Block 2: Journey Through Justice
Block 3: Studying at University
Block 4: Principles of Social Research
Second Year
Block 1: Investigative Management and Leadership (I)
Block 2: Leadership & Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing and Investigation (I)
Block 3: Research and Ethics (15 credits)
Block 4: Researching Justice Journey (30 credits)
OPTION: 1 x 15 credit elective module
Third Year
Block 1: Dissertation (10,000-word research project)
Block 2: Leadership & Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing and Investigation (II)
Block 3: Investigative Management & Leadership (II)
Block 4: Multi-Agency Working International Perspectives
We use a variety of teaching methods on the course which include:
*Case studies
*Seminars
*Desk-top exercises
*Workshops
*E-learning
*Specialist guest lectures from practitioners (subject to availability)
*Visits to practitioners in action (subject to availability)
Assessment methods include:
*Essays
*Examinations
*Phase Tests
*Presentations
*Posters
*Case-study critiques
*Desk-top, simulated exercises
*Policy books
*Research Proposal
*Dissertation
All of which will be developed as you progress through the course.
Your precise timetable will depend on your Modules. However, typical teaching time is approximately 9 hours each week for programme specific modules and will be taught by way of block teaching. Criminology modules may differ.
In addition, you will also be expected to achieve approximately 20 hours of self-directed study. You may also be given additional work by Module Leaders to aid your development, particularly with regard to Assessments.
This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
De Montfort University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
Here at DMU we welcome all applications, no matter what your background. To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application we consider more than just your grades–we take into account any challenges that you may have faced in your education. Contextual Offers will be offered to candidates who are in receipt of Free School Meals, who are Care Experienced or who are deemed to live in areas of low HE participation neighbourhoods (POLAR Quintiles 1 & 2).
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
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Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Please note, this fee is subject to parliamentary procedure and will also be subject to a compounded annual inflationary increase. It is expected to be confirmed in early 2026 and may change in future years of study.
Email:admissions@dmu.ac.uk
Phone:0116 2577000
Email:enquiry@dmu.ac.uk
Phone:01162 50 60 70
Email:admissions@dmu.ac.uk
Phone:0116 2078443
The Gateway
Leicester
LE1 9BH
At De Montfort University
