This module provides the basis of all investigative practices, providing a structured overview of how all investigations are ethically built, forming an understanding of the criminal justice system and how it impacts any investigations.  It provides the crucial foundation that supports any future learning, enabling you to apply critical thinking skills to the ethical investigations and the development of the investigative mindset, enabling the development of skills for future employment in your chosen field.

Learning and applying new academic skills will provide the bedrock for your academic journey, this module provides teaching and guidance about the structure of academic writing, along with research skills within higher education and how to correctly cite reference material when completing work. This skill is also fundamental to any investigation and helps to evolve the investigative mindset, developing good communication skill enable you as an investigator to present your findings effectively.

You will explore and critically evaluate the core concepts of ethics, equality, diversity, fairness, professionalism, necessity, human rights along integrity and how this applies to any investigation.

You will critically evaluate differing values of society and how diversity in society impacts upon investigations exploring how failure to accommodate these varied needs can adversely impact upon the management of inquiries and undermine the value of investigations.

This module introduces the concept of gathering intelligence and information in respect of criminal investigations whilst recognising the importance of data protection legislation and the rights of an individual. You will receive comprehensive instruction on how intelligence plays an integral part in effective law enforcement through tactical and strategic decision-making, problem-solving, and the importance of the correct handling, dissemination, storage and retention of information. You will also develop critical skills in teamworking, informed decision-making, communication skills, presentation skills, and public speaking. Finally, you will begin to develop and understand the specific skills required to manage sensitive information in a working environment.

You will take part in group activities during lectures in relation to the National Intelligence Model, which is the basis for the ethical gathering of information in any investigation, producing intelligence reports, such as profiles of subjects under investigation and discuss how legislation underpins decisions about investigative priorities, highlighting the importance of teamwork, partnership working and how information sharing is achieved lawfully. You will also take part in dynamic practical activities such as developing a surveillance plan and briefing your peers, developing your written and communication skills. Activities will introduce and develop teamwork and critical decision-making skills together with critically evaluating the importance of information retention, storage and dissemination whilst also being able critically assess the cultural, legal and vulnerability issues related to any investigation.

You will develop skills in relation to summarising information, highlighting relevant key elements in relation to the covert gathering of information and compiling them into a poster.  Building upon the previous module, Investigative Mindset Skills, you will further develop your academic presentation skills, using PowerPoint to produce a visually impactful academic poster relating to the covert gathering of information, its value and use in investigations. The presentation of this poster will be supported by a professional discussion regarding the contents of the poster. 

This allows students to develop skills in teamworking, critical thinking, informed decision making, communication skills, presentation skills, and public speaking, all skills that are essential for any investigator and for future employability.

This 40-credit module builds on your knowledge of the concepts of forensic evidence and how it is crucial to any investigation. You will learn how forensic evidence can only be relied upon if it is collected and produced ethically and lawfully, in keeping with best practice and national policies. You will learn the importance of the policies and procedures that underpin the collection of evidence, developing an investigative mindset. This module builds upon the previous modules from year one. 

As forensic science is the bedrock of virtually all investigations, you will learn how investigators can make the most of forensic opportunities available from any inquiry. You will learn the importance of collecting and producing evidence lawfully and the consequences of not doing so correctly in an investigation. 

This module will allow you to experience a crime scene and provide instruction on how to best preserve and gather forensic evidence. It focuses upon the more traditional areas of forensic science, fingerprints, DNA footmarks, etc., but also explores the incredibly wide range of forensic opportunities that are available to investigators. The digital arena of forensics is dealt with is separate module later in the course. The module is taught in a way that does not require any previous scientific knowledge but allows you to critically consider the source and value of any forensic evidence.

You will attend crime scenes at our crime scene house and have the opportunity to gather evidence in an ethical, forensically sound way, and critically evaluate the sources of forensic evidence and their importance to your investigation. You will also be introduced to 'the chain of evidence', an essential concept in understanding how valid an item of evidence is and being able to demonstrate how that item could not have been tampered with.