Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Criminal Investigation with Foundation Year (L310)

Students who study Criminal Investigation will critically analyze various aspects of police investigations from different perspectives and understand how crimes receive different levels of response.

Criminal investigation is a central part of police activity, and media coverage can influence public perception of the police, as well as their accountability and legitimacy. This course is an excellent choice for those seeking a solid grounding in police criminal investigations while also developing broad knowledge and skills that will prepare them for a wide range of careers in criminal justice and beyond.

The increase in crime and the evolving methods of committing crime present significantly different challenges compared to those faced by past detectives. In this course, students will seek to understand the current context within which detectives operate and adopt a critical approach to criminal investigations, exploring investigative history, police effectiveness in various types of investigations—including volume, serious, complex, and major crimes—as well as historic and current sexual and domestic abuse investigations.

As part of the course, students will consider police investigative interviewing techniques for witnesses, suspects, victims, and intelligence sources, with opportunities to interview a suspect in the policing simulation suite. Additionally, they will investigate a potential real miscarriage of justice within the Level 6 Miscarriages of Justice module. This provides real investigative experience, culminating in a presentation of findings to the charity Inside Justice, a partner of CCCU.