BSc Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime

On our unique course, you will develop a contextual and critical outlook on highly publicised cases, and you'll be introduced to the aspects the media does not talk about.

Christ Church is the only university to offer Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime at undergraduate level. Through varied modules, this degree will equip you with the practical and theoretical knowledge you need to help address what works in tackling transnational crime.

After the tragic events of 9/11 in the USA, the world entered what many see to be a new era in how we understand, perceive and react to transnational crime, including terrorism. Despite the significance of the attack on the World Trade Centre, transnational crime and terrorism are not new concepts, and are issues currently faced by many countries around the world. To understand the current strategies in tackling these phenomena, it is important to learn from history, evaluate the complexities, and take a holistic but critical view of politics, policies, international treaties, and policing powers.

Through varied modules, this degree will equip you with the practical and theoretical knowledge you need to help address what works in tackling transnational crime.

A typical offer would be 88-112 UCAS Tariff points.

For more information on the IELTS (International English language Testing System) requirements for this course,

On completion of your degree, there are a range of routes open to you. In 2018, the British Government announced that counter terrorism police funding was to increase by around £50 million to £757 million, a rise of 7%. This is in recognition of the changing threat from terrorism and to ensure counter terrorism policing has the resources needed to respond and keep the public safe. You could decide to apply to join the police, as a graduate, as there is a pathway that allows those with a degree to enter the profession and undertake a further postgraduate qualification within the first two years to be accredited. Entry via a ‘normal’ route would mean that there would be no compulsion for you to specialise in counter terrorism related work unless and until you wanted to. In addition, there are currently other exciting opportunities that focus on building bridges and investigating risk within the community roles within the police. 

You could also apply to become a Direct Entry Detective within the Metropolitan Police Service, where successful candidates are developed to detective status within 2 years, while other police forces around the country are providing fast track routes to detective that involve one year as a uniformed constable, followed by two years developing to be a detective. We have successful alumni who are now entering the second year of the fast track scheme. A range of other agencies such as the National Crime Agency, Intelligence Agencies, The UK Border Force, Private Businesses, Global Risk Analysis Companies, Her Majesty's Armed Forces, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services, and the security services have their own approaches to Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime. 

You could choose to apply for jobs in these areas or you could choose to utilise your education within the criminal justice field, in the civil service, local government, community safety organisations, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, and the private sector security industry. 

In addition, there are a number charitable and voluntary organisations working with the criminal justice sector and vulnerable groups, such as Victim Support, Mind, Shelter, Nacro, Prince’s Trust, Porchlight, Barnardo’s etc, offering suitable job opportunities. It is important to note that the knowledge and skills that you gain from doing a Counter terrorism and Transnational Crime degree are transferable to other careers and therefore you could embark on a wide range of career pathways, and should not feel tied to the professions listed above. 

Many of our students also choose to continue their education by undertaking research degrees with us or at other institutions before embarking on a career.