You can complete the course as a full-time student in one year, or as a part-time student over two years. The part-time route might be especially attractive if you are in full-time employment. Through the different modules, you will be introduced to key contemporary concepts and theories relating to social justice, with specific focus placed on the area of criminal investigation.

The course includes a combination of core and specialist modules and so you will benefit from a variety of inputs, including lecture-style input which is complemented by classrooms discussions. More specialist information is taught in an interactive seminar-type setting which allows you to really get into the detail of 21^st century justice. You will benefit from interacting with students progressing their education in other areas of social justice, allowing you to gain a multi-perspective view of criminal investigation and beyond.

The course is composed of six taught modules and a dissertation. We use a trimester calendar for this course – so the year is split into the advent, Easter and trinity trimesters. The is how the course is structured for a full-time student:

• Advent trimester: Research methods; Critical issues: Shifting perspectives; Contemporary issues in criminal investigation
• Easter trimester: Human Rights; Public protection investigations and managing offenders in the community; Key issues in counter-terrorism
• Trinity trimester: Dissertation.

You will be asked to engage in a variety of activities during this course (e.g. Hydra stimulation, case study learning, case review analysis) and will be assessed via thought-provoking assessments all relating to the challenges of social justice in the current age. All assessments are centred on supporting you in being able to critically appraise historical and contemporary policy and practice, enabling you to create novel ideas in relation to problem solving relevant to your current or future career.