Intelligence & Decision-Making

Security and policing professionals develop raw information into intelligence products to inform decisions every day. Missteps along the intelligence cycle can lead to inaccurate or misinformed decisions, leading to serious consequences: source identification, reputational compromise, loss of evidence, sensitive data leaks, personal harm, and erosion of public trust.

The Intelligence & Decision-Making short course explores the challenges and risks in identifying and handling intelligence and intelligence sources, and how to manage them, including the legal, ethical, and professional frameworks governing intelligence and intelligence-informed decision-making. Professionals seeking promotion, specialist knowledge, or deeper knowledge in this evolving area should enrol on this course.

This short course explores these complex legal ethical, and professional issues in lectures and practical exercises. Professionals on this course will examine this evolving subject using case study reviews, presentations from subject-matter experts on relevant theory and legislation, response planning exercises, and decision-making simulations.

Course aims

1. To provide students the theoretical, practical, and procedural frameworks in gathering and handling intelligence
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the police and security professionals’ roles and responsibilities in gathering, handling, analysing, and making decisions about, intelligence
3. Consider the impact of and risks associated with intelligence-led decision-making in a policing or security context.

About the course

Accredited and blended learning: This part-time, twelve-week accredited short course is delivered in compressed blocks using blended learning (in-person and online – please review the schedule below). This flexible delivery enables students to balance personal and professional demands while studying.

Students earn a University Certificate and 20 credits at Level 6 upon successful completion of the assessments. The credits may be transferred to a degree course, such as the BSc Policing & Applied Security Studies.

Students who successfully pass the short course and want to continue their academic studies may consider enrolling on the BSc Policing & Applied Security Studies or the MSc Policing and Security Transformation.

Who is this course for?

This course is only open to working professionals from the policing and/or security-related sectors. Professionals from the following sectors may be interested in this short course (this list is not exhaustive):

• Law enforcement (police, borders, NCA, HMRC, prisons, probation, IOPC, CCRC, HMICFRS),
• Investigative or intelligence-gathering roles
• Forensic services
• Security services (MI5, MI6)
• Military and rescue services
• Finance and risk management
• Airport and airline security
• Coastguards, maritime and shipping
• Private security companies and contingency planners
• Crisis and emergency services and
• Local authorities.

The short course is pitched at Level 6, so even though there are no formal qualifications required to apply, it is important that you are capable of learning at Level 6.

Remember: an undergraduate degree is composed three levels of learning (Levels 4, 5, and 6), whereby Level 4 is foundation learning and Level 6 is advanced learning.

Why study this short course?

This course is an excellent choice if you want to advance your career – gaining marketable skills, building your confidence, and improving your knowledge of the changing policing and security landscapes.

The Intelligence & Decision-Making short course is:

Flexible and affordable

• Gain a qualification in only 12 weeks, whilst still working full-time.
• Half the cost of other universities’ short courses.
• Balance work, life, and studies in your schedule.
• All learning is recorded and accessible online.

Focused on professional development

• Learn about cutting-edge practices across specialist areas based on case studies from real-world events.
• Study strategic developments and current debates in intelligence and decision-making.
• Develop skills in research, writing, public speaking, and analysis to stimulate professional development.

Expanding opportunities

• Participate in simulated decision-making exercises in CCCU’s immersive Hydra Suite, or in emergency simulation exercises, like CAVEX (see video below).*
• Widen your professional networks in the classroom and at events through the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research.
• Choose areas to focus on in your assessments that address your and/or your employer’s needs.
• Provides a glimpse at university-level learning – you may decide you want to study for one of our undergraduate or postgraduate degrees for serving professionals, such as the BSc Policing & Applied Security Studies or the MSc Policing and Security Transformation.

How will I be assessed?

Students who enrol will complete two assessments:

• Individual presentation (worth 40% of the total mark)
• Written report (worth 60% of the total mark)

Dates, times, and locations

Course start date: 27 May 2025

Course end date: 15 August 2025

Duration: 12 weeks

Sessions: All sessions are recorded and accessible to students online.

Students will attend sessions (30hours total) as follows:

• 2x study weekends in Canterbury,
• 4 x 2hr evening lectures via Hyflex (in-person or online)

This course will be taught on our Canterbury Campus and online.

Course cost

The 2024/25 tuition fees for this short course are as follows:

Students usually self-fund or obtain employer sponsorship to this course.

Some larger organisations already have sponsorship schemes in place – check your organisation's intranet, talk to your line manager or HR department to see if they’ll sponsor your studies.

When talking to any employer about being sponsored, try to think about the following:

• What study or personal development have you done already? Your employer may want to see evidence of your commitment to study or self-improvement.
• ​​​How will the short course help you in your current role? Have a clear idea of where you want to improve, or where you want to get to.
• What are your future goals? How do they fit in with your employer? They’ll want to know how you can best benefit the company during and after your studies.

​​​​​Talking in detail about the course you want to study and how you’ll apply them to your work will show how you’ve given the short course serious thought. If your employer is only partially sponsoring you, you’ll need to make sure you have another payment method secured to fund the remainder of your tuition fee.

How to apply

To apply you must:

• Be at least 18 years old,
• Have three years of industry experience in security or policing, OR
• Have an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area AND at least 1 year industry experience.
• Complete your application – which will include attaching a CV and personal statement (750words). We assess your ability to learn at Level 6 using your personal statement. Please review this guidance to help you write and prepare your CV and personal statement.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and may be accepted up until the first day of the course in exceptional circumstances.

Note: Any applications that do not meet the above requirements will be directed to the Course Director for review.