Fees and key information

Course type
Postgraduate
Entry requirements
On this page

Why study this course?

Make a difference to the criminal justice, national and international security sectors, while having the opportunity to enhance your career on this professional doctorate programme.

This part-time distance learning course is aimed at people working within the criminal justice and security sector, you’ll combine your professional experience with new research into a particular area of interest to you. We’re particularly interested in applications if you want to further the social justice agenda within your field of expertise or professional experience.

The Crime, Policy and Security Prof Doc combines your professional experience with an academic desire to develop sector specific expertise, influence public policy and ultimately effect change.

This doctorate programme will equip you to think critically about your own practice and the sector, with a view to developing creative solutions to pressing issues. This could include looking into how to build better relationships between the police and the community they serve, unjust exercises of power, disproportionality within the criminal justice system or even simply how to engage more effectively with those needing support.

You’ll develop your knowledge around current issues in the field, exploring key theories and leadership practices so you can make informed connections to your own area of interest. You’ll also be encouraged to look at issues from a wider perspective, taking into consideration research and practices from the global south and global north.

As research is key to this Crime, Policy and Security professional doctorate, you’ll learn both qualitative and quantitative analytical skills that will enable you to carry out your own research. Your research study gives you the opportunity to explore a particular issue of interest that requires improvement within the sector.

As a university committed to social justice, we’ll encourage you to explore areas that have potential for innovative ways to enhance practice, and improve the experiences of the most marginalised within society. We particularly welcome applications for professionals looking to challenge areas of discrimination, disproportion and oppressive practice.

Designed for professionals already working within public policy or the criminal justice system, our modules support recognised areas of continuing professional development (CPD).

Our teaching team have expertise within these fields and will be able to support you in your areas of interest. They’ve led and contributed to various government reports, local authority evaluations and have good academic publishing track records. You’ll benefit from guest lectures from leading experts within the international relations and criminal justice sectors.

The department has strong links with the Met Police, the Probation Service, the Youth Justice Board, plus various embassies and high commissions.

We’ll also encourage you to join a relevant professional body, such as the British Society of Criminology.

Take your career to the next level

Aimed at people working within the criminal justice and security sector, you’ll combine your professional experience with new research into a particular area of interest to you

Improve your study and research skills

As research is key to this professional doctorate, you’ll learn both qualitative and quantitative analytical skills that will enable you to carry out your own research

Benefit from our links to the industry

The department has strong links with the Met Police, the Probation Service, the Youth Justice Board, plus various embassies and high commissions

Course modules

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2024/25 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year* 1 modules

Year 2 modules

Developing and Shaping Policy

This module currently runs:
spring semester

(core, 20 credits)

This module offers students the chance to understand the inner workings of policy making, critically evaluate current local, national government and sector policy, and understand how to write policies.

Students will explore how policies are developed including considering the role of the media, public opinion, public consultation, lobbying, special advisors, political and economic ideology and funding on the policy development process.

The module will give space to allow students to understand how to critique a policy through using case studies that are relevant to their field of work before exploring developing their own policy position.


The module aims are as follows:

  • To consider and critically engage with key concepts of policy making;
  • To provide an understanding of the factors that influence localised, national and international policies;
  • To gain a comprehension of the role of business and civil society in policy development;
  • To explore the dynamics between funding and policy;
  • To understand the policy making process.

This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Security and Policy in a Global Context

This module currently runs:
autumn semester

(core, 20 credits)

The module introduces key ideas involved in studying security policy issues in the contemporary world. Students will consider how social, political as well as international relations processes can play a role in constructing and reconstructing security. Topics that will be elaborated on include community, identity, statehood, and political determination. The module focuses on both contemporary and historical security policy issues such as community safety, arms race policy, and the lack of regulatory policy on private military companies. We will also examine the knowledge learned through country cases, such as Cyprus and Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine, Syria, Russia, China. The course aims to expose students to contemporary debates in security policy and its implementation as well as to the various forms in which security is manifesting today.

The module aims are as follows:

  • To consider and critically engage with key concepts and theories relating to global security;
  • To provide an understanding of how wider socio-political factors impact national security;
  • To gain a comprehension of historical and contemporary trends in security policy;
  • To offer a critical assessment of the current security policy develops and challenges;
  • To understand and critically evaluate security needs within a broader political and cultural realm.

This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Security, Policy and Society

This module currently runs:
summer studies

(core, 20 credits)

This module aims to ensure that students have an understanding of the theoretical and philosophical contexts within which security, policing and community safety are constructed

This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Addressing Disproportionality

This module currently runs:
autumn semester

(core, 20 credits)

This module is an opportunity for students to engage with the growing literature and practice around disproportionality, White privilege, and the role that racism and oppression has played within the criminal justice system.

This module will challenge students to reflect on their own position and role within the justice system, including the local and systematic power structures they are part of and consider how they can leverage their social and cultural capital to influence change. The module will enable critical engagement with local and national and international policy debates and consider the impact western hegemony has had on criminal justice systems around the world, before exploring what alternatives are possible.

The module supports students to consider what is needed to address disproportionality within all aspects of the criminal justice system including preventative measures such as public health and situational responses to crime, representation within the police service, arrest and enforcement statistics, criminal justice processes and incarceration. Students will be encouraged to see themselves as agents of change in their workplaces, sectors and wider afield.

The module aims are as follows:

  • To consider and critically engage with key concepts;
  • To provide an understanding of the historical and global trends of disproportionality within the criminal justice system;
  • To nurture a self-reflective approach to responses to disproportionality, inequality and oppression;
  • To encourage a globally grounded comparative analysis of the factors influencing disproportionality;
  • To critique current responses to disproportionality and explore emerging ideas to address the issue.

This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Advanced Professional Learning

This module currently runs:
all year (September start)

(core, 60 credits)

This module is an opportunity for students to engage gain credit for their professional knowledge and experience alongside developing their research proposal

This module will give space for students to take stock of their existing knowledge, professional networks, professional experiences and status in the sector to show the academic value of this and how it will be utilised at thesis stage.

As part of the process students will be challenged to reflect of their status and professional understanding and consider their future development needs.


The module aims are as follows:

  • To support students identify and document their professional work-based learning;
  • To provide an understanding of how professional knowledge and experience can enhance academic pursuits;
  • To nurture a self-reflective approach to professional status and knowledge;
  • To help students identify and plan a manageable but influential professional doctorate research proposal;
  • To identify future career development pathways.

This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Leadership and Ethics

This module currently runs:
summer studies

(core, 20 credits)

This module is designed to look at leadership and management within public service, particularly within the criminal justice system. The module will look at ethical issues and dilemmas that can affect leadership decisions. It will draw on a body of work that explores the difference between managerial and leadership styles and help students to identify how to influence those more senior to them, lead by example, and motivate staff. There will be a specific focus on managing change, supporting staff through structural reorganisations, and how to identify and nurture new talent.

Read full details

Research Methods

This module currently runs:
spring semester

(core, 20 credits)

The module aims to:
1. Assist students in designing and conducting research for their thesis, and in
developing their skills of critical reflection and analysis.
2. Develop a competence in understanding the strengths and limitations of quantitative
and qualitative research.
3. Develop a competence in analysing quantitative and qualitative research data and
writing research reports.
4. To critically appraise quantitative and qualitative research produced by statutory
agencies and voluntary sector organisations in order to enhance their employment prospects.

Read full details

Thesis

This module currently runs:
spring semester

(core, 360 credits)

Students will be supervised to produce a piece of empirical research that addresses an issue relevant to their professional environment. This is an independent study module, with students receiving monthly supervision from 2 supervisors.

This module involves the submission of a 50,000-word research thesis over a minimum of a 2-year period.


This is a core module for the Dprof Crime, Policy and Security.

Read full details

Course details

You’ll be required to have:

  • a master’s degree and at least three years of experience within a managerial role within the specific sector you’re looking to research; or
  • a minimum of a 2:1 bachelor’s degree and at least five years’ experience at a senior level within the sector you’ll be researching.

All applicants will be interviewed before being accepted and be expected to present a research plan at the application stage.

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

You’ll be assessed through a variety of coursework and digital submissions that connect the module’s subject matter with your proposed area of study for your thesis.

The Research Methods module will be assessed through mixed methods data analysis exercises.

You’ll also write a 50,000-word thesis that will be assessed by one internal and one external examiner through the postgraduate research viva process, which is an oral examination where you’re expected to answer questions and support your thesis to a panel of experts. Your thesis will be assessed for its knowledge and understanding of theory and practice, as well as your contribution to the original knowledge.

This course is designed to help you progress to more senior or specialist roles within the criminal justice sector, government or the civil service.

You could move into an influential role within the Metropolitan Police, the Youth Justice Board, the probation service, prison service, plus local, national and international government and intergovernmental departments.

Due to the research nature of this course, you could also move into an academic career.

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

How to apply

Use the apply button to begin your application.

If you require a Student visa and wish to study a postgraduate course on a part-time basis, please read our how to apply information for international students to ensure you have all the details you need about the application process.

When to apply

You are advised to apply as early as possible as applications will only be considered if there are places available on the course.

To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.

Visit us