MSc Rural and Environmental Crime and Policing
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: Distance Learning
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2025
By studying our MSc in Rural and Environmental Crime and Policing, you’ll benefit from working with academics who have extensive experience in policing and are involved in the latest research into rural and environmental crime.
Throughout this blended-learning course, you'll enhance your knowledge of this area within policing and build your leadership, strategic and project management skills required to lead others.
Why study this subject?
With growing public awareness and concern about rural and environmental crime, and how to mitigate it, there is increasing demand for specialist practitioners in this field.
Whether your interest is in an enforcement or compliance capacity, a master’s degree in rural and environmental crime and policing will equip you with the skills and insights to help you prevent this multi-faceted form of offending and to tackle it when it happens.
This exciting course will give you the opportunity to take a deeper look at all types of rural and environmental crime, from theft from farms and hare coursing, through to modern slavery and organised crime in the rural setting, to heritage crime and environmental offences such as fly-tipping or wildlife crime. You’ll consider the causes and context of such offending and the explanations offered by rural and green criminologies alongside the legislation in place to deal with it. Unlike courses which focus primarily on the law, this master’s takes a strong practical perspective. Using case studies, and specialist insights from industry experts, you will explore how the relevant legislation translates into practical compliance and enforcement.
This master’s is perfect if you have a professional or personal interest in rural and environmental crime, either in an enforcement, compliance, or management role. This includes rural police officers and those working for organisations with an evidence gathering or prosecuting role.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
During this blended-learning course, you will learn from skilled lecturers within the School of Aviation and Security who have a high level of working knowledge based on industry experience. Our tutors will give you the both the legislative knowledge and practical skills needed to help you with real-world enforcement and management of teams.
Our Virtual Learning Environment means that if you are deployed to remote areas you will still have a comprehensive student experience due to our flexible approach to tutoring sessions.
As a BNU student, you will automatically become a member of Bucks Students’ Union giving you access to a wide range of services that we offer for free. Upon graduation, you will become a member of the University’s alumni community giving you access to a wide range of benefits throughout your lifetime.
What will I study?
During your time studying this course you will study a variety of topics to help you gain a rounded knowledge of this specialised area.
Your first year will see you expanding your knowledge of topics including, forms of rural and environmental crime, rural and environmental law, enforcement challenges and response and rural, green and environmental criminiologies.
In your second year you will carry out a policing research project and have the opportunity to study areas including, developing talent, strategic leadership, project management and organisational resilience.
How will I be taught and assessed?
Designed as a flexible learning programme, you can study this course alongside your work or other commitments.
Teaching is primarily delivered through online lectures, supported by linked seminars. Online lectures involve a mix of recorded interviews with a subject or topic expert, group discussions involving course academic staff, and lead academic lectures highlighting related principles and theory. Seminars will develop the topic further through lecturer set online tasks that you will undertake independently.
You’ll be able to have one-to-one support with the course team through our Virtual Learning Environment, as well as by email and telephone. Outside of the above, you are expected to undertake self-directed study which is essential for online learning elements of this programme; typically, this will involve reading journal articles, using our online library resources, and completing coursework assignments.
Prior to embarking upon dissertation work, you are encouraged to attend a two-day workshop. This workshop is designed to develop the skills and techniques required to conduct primary research and produce an original dissertation. You’ll also be expected to attend an annual research colloquium where second year students will each make an assessed presentation of their research at the mid-point of their dissertation work. Dissertation work is supported through regular virtual meetings between the student and their allocated supervisor.
The assessments range from written assignments, presentations and reports to project and portfolio work.
What are the course entry requirements?
Entrants to the programme will normally have an honours degree or equivalent. Recent graduates would generally have achieved an upper second class honours degrees in any field.
If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency to IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
If you do not meet the entry requirements you may, if you have relevant professional experience, still be invited for interview, where you will be required to demonstrate the necessary knowledge and understanding for entry onto the course.
Previous study, professional and / or vocational experiences may be recognised as the equivalent learning experience and permit exemption from studying certain modules in accordance with our accreditation of prior learning (APL) process.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
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Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £5,730 per year *
Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.
Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  
Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  
Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  
We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.
The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.
What are my career prospects?
By the end of the programme, you will be in a strong position to manage and mitigate the threats posed by rural and environmental crime, be that in an investigative or a compliance role.
You will be well placed to work at a senior level in agencies with an enforcement or compliance responsibility in rural or other environmentally sensitive settings.
Course leader
