This Criminology course consists of nineteen structured lectures, followed by an assessment and final exam. Each lecture builds progressively to provide a comprehensive overview of criminal investigation awareness.
The course begins with required skills to become a criminal investigator, examining analytical thinking, communication, ethics, and professional conduct from an awareness perspective. An introduction to private detectives explores the historical and legal context of private investigation, highlighting strict regulatory boundaries.
Criminal intelligence introduces how information is gathered, analysed, and used to inform investigations without operational instruction. Crime scene investigation examines the purpose of scene management and evidence preservation conceptually.
Collecting and packaging physical evidence introduces evidence integrity, contamination risks, and chain-of-custody awareness. Fingerprints and DNA analysis examine forensic identification methods at a high level, focusing on scientific principles rather than procedures.
Criminology and criminal psychology explore why crimes occur, offender behaviour, and psychological theories. Violent crimes and cyber criminology examine crime categories and modern digital threats.
Business theft and fraud explore financial and organisational crime awareness. Domestic investigation and types examine sensitive investigative contexts and safeguarding considerations.
Victimology examines the impact of crime on victims and the importance of ethical, victim-centred approaches. Dealing with crime explores societal responses, prevention, and justice awareness.
Tracing and surveillance techniques are examined conceptually to explain investigative theory, legal limits, and ethical concerns, without practical instruction. Effective interrogation techniques focus on communication principles, legal safeguards, and ethical interviewing rather than methods.
Basic operations of firearms and firearms examination are presented strictly as theoretical awareness, focusing on forensic and legal context only, with no handling, operational, or instructional content.
Forensic psychology examines the role of psychology in investigations and court processes. The course concludes with the criminal justice system in England and Wales, providing an overview of legal structures, courts, and investigative accountability.
Certification
Upon successful completion of the Criminal Investigation Awareness and Investigative Principles course, learners receive a free digital certificate provided by Reed confirming course completion. After verification, a provider-issued certificate is also available. Learners may optionally order premium certificates and academic transcripts in hardcopy or softcopy formats for an additional cost.
