Arden University BSc (Hons) Forensic and Criminal Investigation
Arden University

Arden University

BSc (Hons) Forensic and Criminal Investigation

Online

BSc

4 up to

6 years

English

Full time, Part time

Jan 2026

Distance Learning

Key Summary

    About : The BSc (Hons) Forensic and Criminal Investigation degree combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills in forensic and investigative practices. This program equips students with an understanding of crime scene management, laboratory analysis, and various forensic techniques. You'll cover key areas like evidence collection and criminal profiling, preparing you for a career in this field.
    Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue careers in areas such as forensic science, crime scene investigation, and law enforcement. Other opportunities include working with legal teams or engaging in research related to criminal behavior and investigations. The program opens doors to many roles within the criminal justice system.

In this fully online degree course, you’ll learn about the natural progress of criminal investigations, policing and forensics, and the roles of the people who work in these fields. Your course is taught by skilled academics, and you’ll also be able to attend webinars and hear from guest speakers who will provide you with real-world insight into today’s forensic and criminal investigation environments.

Inside our immersive virtual crime scenes, you can test your learning in practice and work through some of the scenarios you might face in your future career. You’ll be able to take on a range of different roles to navigate crime scenes, the police custody suite, the major incident room, police cells, the courtroom, and the forensics lab. This will help you develop real knowledge of the investigative process and practical skills for future work in the field.

This course shares the same level 4 modules as our BSc (Hons) Policing and Criminal Investigation. After completing the first year of your course, you’ll have the option to switch over to this pathway if it better suits your interests and career goals.

The course starts by taking you on an immersive journey through the entire investigative process, illustrating the natural progress of criminal investigations and the interlinked areas of policing and forensics. Through this, you will gain knowledge of how the various personnel involved in an investigation work together to achieve a common goal. Not only is the course delivered by skilled academic staff with years of experience in the field, but the additional use of guest lectures and webinars will provide you with a solid grounding of real practises in modern forensic and criminal investigations.

Just one of the ways this course stands out is our immersive virtual crime world, which allows you to place yourself in real-world scenarios. To supplement your learning, this environment will be integrated seamlessly with your modules so that you can put the theory you learn during your lessons, seminars, and workshops into practice. You’ll have the opportunity to take on a range of investigative roles as you navigate different environments such as crime scenes, the police custody suite, the major incident room, police cells, the courtroom, the forensics lab, and a burial site where you uncover partially clothed bones. Through this, you’ll gain insight into important processes and roles in forensic and criminal investigations, preparing you for future work in the field of forensic investigation.

Accreditation

In line with most other criminal investigation courses offered by UK universities, this course is not accredited by a professional body. The course stands out in that the topics you’ll study have a global focus that you can apply to careers both in your home country and abroad.