COURSE CURRICULUM

The MSc Crime Intelligence and Data Analytics with Advanced Practice programme combines advanced academic study with practical professional experience to prepare students for careers in intelligence analysis, digital investigation, cybersecurity, and forensic science. The Advanced Practice in Health and Life Sciences module provides students with the opportunity to complete a research or development internship, enhancing employability and strengthening academic and professional skills through real-world experience. Students also undertake an Advanced Research Project, an independent and hypothesis-driven investigation that requires the application of laboratory, computational, or database research methods to solve complex problems within investigative sciences while demonstrating innovation, critical analysis, and autonomous learning. The Coding for Intelligence Analysts module introduces Python programming and SQL database querying, enabling students to clean, manipulate, merge, and analyse large datasets efficiently while supporting intelligence gathering and decision-making processes. Crime Science: Theories, Principles and Intelligence Sources develops understanding of criminological theories, environmental criminology, problem-oriented policing, and intelligence collection methods, helping students evaluate criminal behaviour and modern approaches to crime prevention. Criminal Justice and the Forensic Practitioner explores criminal law, human rights, rules of evidence, and the role of expert witnesses, while providing practical experience in presenting evidence within courtroom settings. Cyber Security and Digital Investigation focuses on the preservation, extraction, and analysis of digital evidence from computers, mobile devices, and connected technologies, while improving awareness of cyber threats, encryption, social media investigations, and digital storage systems. Forensic Investigative Strategy develops expertise in crime scene science, evidence recovery, forensic examination methods, contamination prevention, and quality assurance through practical exercises and simulated investigations. Managing and Mapping GIS Data introduces geographic information systems and spatial analysis techniques used to identify crime patterns, behavioural trends, and geographical relationships. Together, these modules provide graduates with the technical expertise, analytical ability, and investigative skills required to operate successfully in modern intelligence, policing, and forensic environments increasingly shaped by digital technology and data analytics.