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Studies & Degrees in Policing and Private Investigation

Policing and private investigation covers two related fields. Policing studies prepare for work in public law enforcement: police officers protect lives and property, and detectives and criminal investigators gather facts and collect evidence of crimes. Private investigation is the work of gathering, analysing and reporting information for private clients on legal or personal matters.

Both are regulated professions. A course of study is rarely enough on its own: police forces select and train their own recruits, and private investigators usually need a licence. The rules, including nationality requirements, differ in every country, so they should be checked before choosing a programme.

What students learn

Programmes in this area are usually taught under names such as law enforcement, criminal justice, police studies or police sciences. They combine law with practical and scientific subjects:

  • Criminal law and criminal procedure
  • Criminology
  • Police ethics and civil rights
  • Investigation methods, surveillance and report writing
  • Forensic science and the handling of evidence

Police academies add operational training. In the United States this includes patrol, traffic control, firearm use, self-defence, first aid and emergency response, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Qualifications and levels

  • College and university programmes. In the United States, many community colleges and four-year colleges and universities offer programmes in law enforcement and criminal justice. The education required to enter the police ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and most officers must graduate from their agency's training academy before a period of on-the-job training. Candidates usually must be at least 21 years old.
  • Police entry in Spain. Entry to the Policía Nacional is by competitive public examination (oposición). The law requires Spanish nationality and a minimum age of 18. The Bachillerato or an equivalent qualification is required for the rank of Policía, and an official university bachelor's degree (grado) for the rank of Inspector.
  • Private detective in Spain. Detectives need an authorisation (habilitación) from the Ministry of the Interior. The private security law asks for either a university bachelor's degree in the field of private investigation or a private investigation course recognised by the Ministry of the Interior. Before enrolling, ask the university whether its course has this recognition.
  • Master's degrees. The Universidad de Alcalá teaches the Máster Universitario en Ciencias Policiales through its police sciences research institute (IUICP). It lasts one year, has 60 ECTS credits and is aimed at members of the state security forces and at anyone interested in forensic science. Students choose a specialisation, such as forensic genetics or ballistics, which is taught in the laboratories of the Policía Nacional's forensic police or the Guardia Civil's criminalistics service.
  • Private investigation in the United States. Private detectives typically need at least a high school diploma and several years of related work experience. Some employers prefer a college degree, and most states require a licence.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 12 active schools for this subject: four in the United States, three in Spain, three in Australia and one each in South Korea and Canada.

The schools in the United States are Lansing Community College, McLennan Community College, Nashville State Technical Community College and SUNY, The State University of New York. In Spain the list has the Universidad de Alcalá, the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche and CEAS - Internacional, which gives courses in security. In Australia it includes Griffith University, Charles Sturt University and Macquarie University, and in South Korea, Ewha Womans University.

Teaching is in Spanish in Spain and in English in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Careers

Graduates work in national, regional and local police forces, in forensic units, in private investigation firms and in corporate security. In the United States many private investigators have a law enforcement background.

International students should note the nationality rules. Spain's Policía Nacional admits only Spanish nationals. In the United States most states and local jurisdictions require police candidates to be citizens, and federal officers must be. To work as a private detective in Spain, the law asks for the nationality of a European Union or European Economic Area state, or of a country with a reciprocal agreement with Spain. Spanish private detectives may not investigate crimes that are prosecuted by the state; they must report them to the authorities.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 824,200 jobs for police and detectives in the United States in 2025 and projects growth of 3 percent from 2025 to 2035. Private detectives and investigators held 39,500 jobs in 2025, with projected growth of 5 percent and about 3,200 openings a year.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a degree to become a police officer?

It depends on the country and the rank. In Spain the Bachillerato is enough for the rank of Policía, while Inspector requires a university bachelor's degree. In the United States the requirement ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree.

Can a foreign student join the police after studying abroad?

Usually not without the nationality of that country. Spain requires Spanish nationality for the Policía Nacional, and most US jurisdictions require citizenship. A policing or criminal justice qualification can still be useful for a career in the home country.

What do I need to work as a private detective in Spain?

An authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior. It requires a bachelor's degree in private investigation or a private investigation course recognised by the ministry, in addition to the general requirements of the private security law.

Is a private investigator the same as a police detective?

No. Police detectives are public officers who investigate crimes. Private investigators work for clients on private matters, and in Spain they may not investigate crimes prosecuted by the state.