Policing, Law and Investigation BSc (Hons) (Top-Up)

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Course Summary

This course serves as a top-up qualification to a BSc Policing, Law, and Investigation honours degree. You can apply if you have completed either Level 4 and 5 studies, a Foundation Degree, a Higher National Diploma (HND), or a similar qualification in or around public services. This is a valuable qualification that provides many transferable skills to assist future employment.

The course is delivered by staff with policing experience and staff with policing research experience, who have a wealth of knowledge in their subject discipline. This expert insight enables you to learn the practical side of policing and investigation, as well as the academic, political, and economic aspects behind multi-agency investigations.

The subjects covered in this course are extremely topical and relevant to modern society; they provide an exciting insight as to how investigations are conducted and into what crime impacts society most.

Within the course, you will study five core modules, one being a research module where you will select a topic to research. Other modules include the personal and societal effects of drug and alcohol abuse, serious organised crime, protection of vulnerable children/adults and digital crime investigation/intelligence.

These exciting subjects will provide you with an in-depth insight into crime and modern policing and multi-agency investigation. You will also gain a host of transferable skills including communication, problem solving and leadership skills.

As a university, we not only want you to gain a qualification and assist your future employment, but we also provide supportive pastoral care. You will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) who will support you throughout your studies.

Why You'll Love It

Understand the complexities of modern policing and multi-agency investigations

Police and multi-agency investigations are becoming ever more complex, with the introduction of new and emerging technology and sophisticated organised crime methods. You will learn how the police and partner agencies have adopted working strategies to incorporate bespoke skills to address crime and disorder.

police officer in uniform in classroom

Learning based on topical issues

You will gain knowledge and insight into topical key issues and crimes which will prepare you for life after graduation. Subjects surrounding the protection of vulnerable persons, organised crime, drug and alcohol abuse and digital crime will be covered in this course.

person examining two individuals on a screen sat at a table

Experienced lecturers with dedicated pastoral care

The lecturers are focused on student development and will support your learning as you progress throughout your academic journey.

What You'll Study

During the BSc Top-Up year, you will extend your skills and understanding of more specialist areas of policing and investigation. You will also have an opportunity to produce a dissertation, researching an area of policing that fascinates you.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Who You'll Learn From

David Metcalfe

Senior Lecturer
David Metcalfe

Dr Stephanie Worrell

Senior Lecturer
Steph Worrell

Chris Lewis

Senior Lecturer
Chris Lewis

Meirion Davies

Lecturer in Policing
Meirion Davies

Paul Beauchamp

Lecturer in Policing
Thumbnail image of Paul Beauchamp

How You'll Learn

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Teaching will be conducted by staff with policing experience and staff with policing research experience, who have a wealth of knowledge in their subject discipline

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Written work and personal presentations are included as assessments

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This course is designed around in-person study

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There may be some online learning activities

Teaching methods comprise lectures, field trips, subject specialist speakers, self-directed study, online resources, and the use of immersive learning in our Hydra facility. Use of the immersive learning suite is essential to consolidate the learning process by enabling you to apply knowledge attained from your classroom learning to lifelike scenarios.

Methods of assessment are varied and stimulating and are explicitly linked to each module learning outcome. Examples of summative methods of assessment include academic posters, podcasts, essay, reports and dissertation.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core – building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Entry Requirements

Extra Information / General Entry Requirements

Students can apply if they have completed either Level 4 and 5 studies, a foundation degree, a Higher National Diploma (HND), or a similar qualification around public services. An interview will form part of the process.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

Where You'll Study Wheeler

City centre location

Located within the lively city centre of Chester and overlooking the River Dee, Wheeler is home to most courses within Nursing and Midwifery, Health and Social Care, and Law.

On-site library

Our on-site library has a variety of study spaces and IT facilities, in addition to book collections for Health and Medicine, Law and Policing. There is a comprehensive collection of online books, journals and databases available for students to access from home and campus.

Social spaces

Wheeler’s café and coffee shop serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, and delicious meals. Meanwhile, the student common room provides a social, group work, and discussion space for students.

Our Facilities

Lecture Theatre CRV139

Student holding their hand up during a Law Society lecture

Lecture Theatre CRV119

Students attending the launch of Graduate Entry Medicine course

Crime Scene House, Living Room

RS54565_IoP Crime Scene Scenario

Crime Scene House, Kitchen

RS54553_IoP Crime Scene Scenario

Crime Scene House, Bedroom

RS54557_IoP Crime Scene Scenario

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Graduates will find the course a useful grounding for entry to a range of criminal justice and related careers. Career paths identified for graduates in roles within policing, the Youth Offending Service, the Prisons and Probation Service and the National Crime Agency. Although the knowledge, abilities and skills developed throughout the programme of study will prove valuable in a wide range of central and local government areas. Some graduates will use the Policing, Law and Investigation degree as an opportunity to undertake additional legal training or choose postgraduate study in related subject areas and/or teaching.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extracurricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

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