Course summary

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the need for effective policing, law enforcement and security measures has never been greater. As society faces new and complex challenges, the MSc in Policing, Law Enforcement and Security at the University of Chester prepares professionals to safeguard our communities and uphold justice. If you have an academic/professional background in policing, law enforcement and security, or in a related subject (such as criminology, criminal justice, law, psychology or other social science subject), this course will give you the opportunity to further your studies and research topics of contemporary interest.  The course demonstrates how theoretical knowledge gained during your studies is incorporated into strategies and applied in practice in law enforcement. You'll gain a deeper knowledge and critical appreciation/understanding of how policing and law enforcement prevent and address crime. You will study topics such as transnational crime, human trafficking and cross-border law enforcement cooperation, which are priority areas for policing, law enforcement and security organisations, and you'll gain the practical skills to undertake risk assessments. You'll also look at culture, accountability and social justice issues, with a focus on improving policing practices, reducing systemic inequalities and fostering trust within communities, providing you with a critical appraisal of professional and ethical issues in policing and law enforcement. With extensive practitioner experience on the academic teaching team and guest sessions with serving practitioners from specialist law enforcement agencies, including the police service and the National Crime Agency, you can expect research-informed teaching which is brought to life by referring to real-world scenarios. This course will equip you with the knowledge, systematic understanding and critical awareness of using policing/criminological research to design and implement evidence-based policing practices to shape reform and innovation. You will develop a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods appropriate to postgraduate research in policing, law enforcement and security. As part of the course, you will design/conduct/report on an independent piece of research, enabling you to showcase the professional and transferable skills you have obtained/advanced throughout the course, and which can be put to use during further professional training in the policing and law enforcement sector or elsewhere. On completion of the course, you may choose to undertake doctoral research or progress to a research career.