Policing & Criminology

Policing and criminology brings together two disciplines that are natural partners: criminology provides the theoretical and empirical frameworks for understanding why crime occurs, who is affected by it, and whether responses to it are effective; policing focuses on the organisation, practice, and governance of law enforcement, examining how police services operate, how officers make decisions, and how policing relates to communities and accountability. Studying them together produces graduates who can think analytically about crime and justice and who have the specific knowledge and skills that policing and criminal justice careers require.

At Edinburgh Napier you will study this four-year full-time programme, which includes a year abroad, giving you exposure to policing and criminal justice systems in a different national context. The course is designed to be applied, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to become a reflective police officer or to take on a broader criminal justice role. You will examine criminal justice theory and policy, the sociology of policing, police culture and organisation, evidence-based approaches to crime reduction, human rights and policing, and the comparative dimensions of criminal justice across different countries and systems.

The combination of academic rigour and professional relevance is designed to produce graduates who are both analytically capable and practically prepared.

Graduates are well positioned for careers in policing, with many joining Scottish or other UK police services, as well as in the wider criminal justice system including prosecution services, courts, probation, and prison service. The analytical skills developed through criminology are also valued in social work, community safety, policy research, local government, and NGOs working on crime, justice, or human rights. Postgraduate study in criminology, policing, or criminal justice policy is a natural progression for those who wish to develop their expertise further.