Careers

If you look for similar courses in the UK, you won’t find anything quite like what ARU offers. We have practical sessions almost every week. It truly is a wonderful experience.

Nick, BSc (Hons) Crime and Investigative Studies

As a graduate, you’ll be ready to work in various areas of the criminal justice system – particularly policing, crime scene examination, prisons and security – as well as government intelligence agencies.

The legal and criminology elements of the course open up career possibilities in social and youth work, crime analysis, victim support and legal work.

What work experience will I gain?

Where have other Crime and Investigative Studies graduates worked?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

Our unique and authentic course provides practical opportunities to apply investigative knowledge within crime scenes, forensic laboratories, and mock courts.

Paul Heselwood, Lecturer

Learn about legal systems in the UK, particularly procedures around evidence and the role of the forensic scientist and expert witness.

On this course, you’ll get to grips with common types of evidence, including their collection, preservation and documentation. You’ll also study specific aspects of evidence recovery and examination, including contamination, fire, and human remains.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn about different career options, gain experience, go on workplace visits and field trips, and develop crucial skills. Your final-year major project is an opportunity to demonstrate everything you’ve learned.

Collect and analyse evidence from authentic crime scene rooms.
Work with Cambridgeshire Police or a forensic laboratory on your dissertation.
Learn in our £45m Science Centre in the heart of Cambridge.
Work on real-world problems presented by organisations such as public services, local councils and charities.
Work with practitioners and academics to support children and young people in the community.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

United Kingdom Legal Systems and Law for Forensic Scientists (15 credits)
Applied Science for Forensic Investigators (30 credits)
Introduction to Forensic Photography and Methodologies (30 credits)
Investigative Skills (15 credits)
Biological and Trace Evidence Analysis (30 credits)
Professional and Personal Development - Level 4
Group Tutorial
Into ARU

Year 2

Forensic Scene Examination (15 credits)
Police and Forensic Investigations (15 credits)
Introduction to Fire Investigation (15 credits)
Professional and Personal Development - Level 5
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Mass Fatality Incidents (15 credits)
Evidence Based Policing (15 credits)
Digital Forensics (15 credits)
Group Tutorial
Project Preparation (15 credits)

Year 3

Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits)
Management of Major Investigations (30 credits)
Specialised Topics in Investigative Science (15 credits)
Forensic Pathology (15 credits)
Forensic Anthropology (15 credits)
Major Investigations (15 credits)
Group Tutorial

Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1

Interactive Learning Skills and Communication
Information and Communication Technology
Critical Thinking
Maths for Scientists
Cellular Biology
Biology: Physiology
Chemistry
Physics for Life Sciences

Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Year 3

Work Placement Life Science

Module details

What happens on a foundation year?

What happens on a placement year?

Who teaches Crime and Investigative Studies at ARU?

Learn from expert tutors and visiting professionals from regional police forces, the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Agency.

Rebecca Jones
Deputy Head of School
Paul Heselwood
Lecturer
Georgina Belsham
Lecturer
Alex Ashmore
Lecturer

As a Crime and Investigative Studies student at ARU you'll use facilities including 360-degree camera and technology systems in our £45m Science Centre, authentic crime scene rooms, and creative resources such as 3D printers.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£1,400 Placement year (2024-25)

International students

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

£17,500 International students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will ask for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter

Find out about paying your fees.

Placement year fee

Living costs

Bursaries, sponsorship and working

Apply for Crime and Investigative Studies

Clearing places available

UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start

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UK students

Call our Clearing line

01245 686868

UK students

Apply through UCAS for 2026

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Crime and Investigative Studies

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Careers

Teaching and modules

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Facilities

Entry requirements

BSc (Hons)

Important additional notes

With foundation year

Important additional notes

With placement

Important additional notes

International students

English language requirements

Fees and funding

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

BSc (Hons)

With foundation year

With placement

Apply for Crime and Investigative Studies

Clearing places available

UK students

01245 686868

UK students

International students

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