About This Course
Explore how surveillance technologies are reshaping criminal justice.
Examine surveillance in policing, borders and offender management, including covert and undercover policing, artificial intelligence, biometrics and the implications of technology for justice, power, inclusion and exclusion.
Current status
¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ is currently assessing demand for Surveillance, Technology and Criminal Justice. The micro-credential is not currently open for applications or enrolment. Completing the Register Your Interest form is not an application and does not guarantee that the course will be offered or that you will receive a place.
About this micro-credential
Surveillance, Technology and Criminal Justice is a 20-credit Level 7 module. If offered as a standalone micro-credential, it will be delivered part-time during Semester 2 through weekly workshops. The module examines technologies of surveillance and security across policing and the wider criminal justice system.
Who is this micro-credential for?
This micro-credential is aimed at professionals working in criminal justice or related areas who want to understand how technological developments are shaping surveillance practices. It may also be relevant to learners with an academic background in criminology, policing, law, criminal justice or a related subject.
Why study this micro-credential?
You will examine historical and contemporary approaches to surveillance and explore how technologies are used in crime control, border control and offender management. Through theoretical, empirical and case-study material, you will critically consider issues of power, politics, resistance, control, justice and the rule of law.
Indicative case studies may include DNA databases, the Snowden disclosures, the Internet of Things and military surveillance.
How is this micro-credential delivered?
The micro-credential is expected to be delivered during Semester 2 over 12 teaching weeks. Teaching will normally take place through a weekly two-hour workshop combining lectures and group-based learning. You will also be expected to prepare through assigned reading and independent study.
The proposed start date is January 2027.
Tutors
Professor Martina Feilzer
Martina Feilzer is Professor in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research interests include policing, probation, penal policy, legitimacy and public trust in criminal justice.
Staff profile: Professor Martina Feilzer
Dr Bethan Loftus
Dr Bethan Loftus is Reader in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research includes surveillance, covert and undercover policing, border enforcement and the use of artificial intelligence in law enforcement.
Staff profile: Dr Bethan Loftus
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
You will study key developments and controversies in the use of surveillance and security technologies across the criminal justice system. You will explore how these technologies are deployed in crime control, border control and offender management, and critically analyse contemporary surveillance through historical, theoretical and empirical perspectives.
Indicative topics include:
historical and contemporary modes of surveillance in policing;
mass surveillance and individualised forms of surveillance;
covert and undercover policing;
the use of artificial intelligence across the criminal justice system, from policing to
probation;
biometrics and crime control;
global surveillance and borders; and
the impact of surveillance and technology on inclusion and exclusion.
The module aims to enable you to:
- explore historical, theoretical and empirical contexts that support the critical analysis of surveillance technologies across the criminal justice system;
- analyse contemporary surveillance trends through relevant case studies; and
- consider how power, politics, resistance and control shape the use of surveillance technologies.
Assessment is through two components:
- a 2,000-word case study, worth 50% of the overall mark; and
- a 3,000-word essay building on the case study, worth 50% of the overall mark.
On successful completion of the module, including both assessment components, you will be awarded 20 credits at Level 7 by ¶º±ÆÖ±²¥. These credits do not constitute a qualification in their own right.
Course Cost
If the micro-credential is offered, the fee for the 2026/27 academic year will be £1,168.
Please see our Postgraduate Fees and Finance page for further information.
POSTGRADUATE FEES AND FINANCE PAGE
Entry Requirements
If the micro-credential is offered, we will welcome applications from graduates and experienced professionals
Applicants should normally have one of the following:
an undergraduate honours degree at 2:2 or above, or an equivalent qualification, in criminology, policing, law, criminal justice or a related subject; or
relevant professional experience, alternative professional qualifications, or a combination of both, in crime, justice, policing, law, policy, public protection or a related area.
Applications based on professional experience will be considered individually, taking account of your experience and any recent study or professional development that demonstrates readiness for Level 7 study.
The course is delivered in English. Applicants who do not speak English or Welsh as their first language must provide evidence of English-language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0, with no individual component below 5.5.
Application
Register your interest
¶º±ÆÖ±²¥ is currently assessing interest in offering Surveillance, Technology and Criminal Justice as a standalone 20-credit Level 7 micro-credential. The course is not currently confirmed or open for applications or enrolment.
Please complete the short form if you would like to register your interest. We will use the information you provide to assess demand and contact you if further information about availability, fees and application or enrolment arrangements becomes available.
Completing the form is not an application and does not guarantee that the course will be offered or that you will receive a place.