Course overview

This is a three-year full-time course.

In the first year, you will learn about the fundamentals of crime and security, learn how to understand crime and security threats using different research methods, and learn how to code. This year also focuses on helping you develop your study skills to succeed at university

In the second year, you will learn more about how to prevent crime and solve security problems. You will choose optional modules that fit with your specific interests, such as policing, forensic psychology and security technology.

You will also have the chance to apply for a placement with a company or government organisation to carry out a real-world security-related project. A work placement gives you valuable professional skills that are sought after by graduate employers, as well as the opportunity to put into practice the skills you have learned during the course.

For example, in recent years students on work placements have analysed threatening letters sent to athletes, helped assess the quality of support for victims of domestic abuse, and designed an app to help people report sexual harassment.

In the third year, you will study advanced topics such as data science and criminal investigation, as well as being able to choose from a wide range of modules from across UCL so that you can tailor the degree to your specific interests.

You will also complete an independent research project on a topic of your choosing. In recent years students have studied topics including identifying how developments in biology create new terrorist threats, working out how online forums can best be used to help find missing people, and evaluating the effect of stop and search on how people perceive the police.

The research project gives you the opportunity to delve into a topic that you are particularly interested in, and is often students’ favourite part of the course.