Degree Programs - Law Enforcement
Students at the Faculty can choose from four-year and three-year BA programmes, two-year part-time MA programmes, three-term specialised further training courses, and a four-year doctoral programme. All degree programmes are offered in Hungarian.
BA in Criminal Policing (4-year full-time programme, 240 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Crime Investigation
- Criminal Intelligence
- Economic Crime Investigation
- Cybercrime Investigation
The goal of the Criminal Policing BA programme is to train highly qualified detectives who are able to conduct and eventually lead investigations and to solve criminal cases. The specialisations prepare students for the different types of crime investigations, but all focus on the special knowledge in criminalistics, criminology, criminal law, and criminal procedure law needed to handle criminal cases and obtain evidence against offenders. The Criminal Intelligence specialisation, which is not open to civilian applicants, introduces the covert intelligence methods allowed by law to use in Hungary in criminal cases. The Economic Crime Investigation specialisation adapts the existing overt and covert investigative methods to the fight against economic crimes and offers special classes in the field of financial law, commercial law, and accounting. This BA programme is also offered as a part-time programme and is a good choice for non-commissioned law enforcement officers who wish to obtain a BA degree in three years while working, in order to be appointed as commissioned officers.
BA in Criminal Administration (3-year part-time programme, 180 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Criminal Intelligence
- Crime Investigation
- Economic Crime Investigation
- Information Technology
The goals and content of the Criminal Administration BA programme are mostly identical to those of the Criminal Policing BA programme mentioned above. The main difference between the two programmes is that this is a part-time programme, and the students are non-commissioned officers working in the field.
BA in Law Enforcement Administration (3-year part-time programme, 180 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Administrative Policing
- Alien Policing
- Border Policing
- Public Order
- Traffic Policing
The Law Enforcement Administration BA Programme is the most diverse educational programme at the Faculty of Law Enforcement. It includes specialisations in classic police fields. Graduates of the Alien Policing specialisation will have career opportunities in the National Directorate-General for Alien Policing, handling immigration cases. The Traffic Policing specialisation is one of the classic police fields, the specialisation prepares police cadets to carry out tasks in traffic control. Graduates of the Public Order specialisation are trained to organise and carry out leadership tasks in activities related to police support units, maintaining public order, and managing special situations. The Public Order specialisation is for police cadets, who will work as police officers handling cases and matters under the jurisdiction of the police except for criminal cases and law-and-order matters; for example, gun control administration, control over private security companies, and procedures conducted against perpetrators of administrative infractions. Hungary does not have a separate border guard agency; the Border Policing specialisation is for police cadets who will later carry out tasks related to border enforcement such as border surveillance, administration of aliens, conducting criminal investigations, and handling asylum cases.
BA in Law Enforcement (4-year full-time programme, 240 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Administrative Policing
- Border Policing
- Immigration
- Public Order
- Traffic Policing
The content of the specialisations in this BA programme is for the most part identical to that of the specialisations in the Law Enforcement Administration BA programme presented above. The main difference is that this is a full-time programme that lasts for four years instead of three. Originally, these specialisations were three-year programmes as well, but in 2017, the programme was modified in order to improve the curricula of the specialisations and to provide students with more in-depth knowledge during their studies.
BA in Financial Law Enforcement Officer (4-year programme, 240 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Financial Investigation
- Customs Administration and Law Enforcement
The financial law enforcement programme focuses on four main areas: tax administration, criminal investigation, customs, and law enforcement. The aim is to train professionals who can perform high-quality tasks in these professional areas at the tax and customs authorities, and to meet the international expectations placed on the Hungarian customs authorities due to Hungary's membership of the European Union.
The Financial Investigation specialisation prepares students to work in the Criminal Division of the National Tax and Customs Office.
Students choosing the Customs Administration and Law Enforcement Officer specialisation will learn about the policy and law of tariffs, excise, and trade.
BA in Private Security (3-year programme, 180 ECTS)
The Private Security BA is the only civilian bachelor programme that prepares students to become CEOs or other leaders of private security companies providing protection for persons and property (including armed security services) or private investigative services.
BA in Prison (3-year programme, 180 ECTS)
The aim of this bachelor programme is to train prison officers who are suitable for managerial and leadership roles in bodies performing prison duties, are familiar with the principles, procedures, and tools used there, can identify with the expectations of the organisation, and, after gaining practical experience, are capable of performing basic and specialised management tasks within the prison service.
The Prison BA programme is not open to the general public; only prison officers can be enrolled. The programme enables them to improve their knowledge of handling, guarding, educating, and rehabilitating inmates.
BA in Disaster Management (3-year programme, 180 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Disaster Management Operations
- Fire Protection and Rescue Control – only uniformed officers can apply
- Industrial Safety
The programme aims to train disaster management specialists who, employed by full-time professional, local governmental, or industrial fire brigades, are capable of carrying out tasks related to disaster management, fire protection, and industrial safety. They also need to possess the necessary knowledge of legislation, standards, principles, procedures, and tools applied in disaster, fire protection, and industrial safety management. Graduates have career opportunities in disaster management, within fire protection and fire brigades, in public administration, and many different sectors of the economy.
BSc in Fire Safety Engineering (3-year programme, 180 ECTS)
The aim of the training is to equip professionals with extensive knowledge in the field of fire protection and industrial safety, including design, inspection, professional construction management, and disaster management authority activities. Graduates will be able to perform complex technical tasks – taking into account professional, environmental, social, and ethical considerations – as well as manage units of domestic professional organisations and carry out independent professional work within a given organisation, performing engineering tasks with sufficient practice. They are prepared to continue their studies in a master's programme.
MA in Law Enforcement Management (2-year part-time programme, 120 ECTS)
Specialisations in:
- Law Enforcement Theory
- Commanding Police Support Units
- Crime Analysis and Assessment
- Combating Organized Crime
- Integrated Border Management
Applicants can be admitted to this master’s programme if they are employed by a law enforcement or a national security agency at the time of application, they hold a university degree and have served as officers at least for two years at a law enforcement or national security agency after graduation from university. The goal of the master’s programme is to improve the leadership and management skills of the students, to train law enforcement professionals who are suitable to fill mid-level or high-level leadership positions in the field of justice, local government, corrections, policing, disaster management, private security, national security, as well as in the financial sector and positions at the National Tax and Customs Office.
MA in Disaster Management (2-year part-time programme, 120 ECTS)
The Disaster Management MA programme integrates the three professional fields of disaster management: civil protection, fire protection, and industrial safety, putting special emphasis on the development of the leadership skills in this domain. The programme aims to provide graduates with knowledge of disaster management law, defence and security policy, human resources policy and leadership, and management methodology as well. These core skills are all necessary to fulfil middle and senior management roles in disaster management, public administration and municipal bodies, and in the private sector safety organisations.
MA in Criminalistics (2-year part-time programme, 120 ECTS)
Specialisations for:
- civilians,
- law enforcement officers.
Applicants can be admitted to this master’s programme if they are employed by a law enforcement agency at the time of application, they hold a university degree and have served as officers at least for three years at a law enforcement agency after graduating from university. The goal of the master’s programme is to improve the investigative skills of the students by introducing the traditional tools and methods used in criminalistics, as well as the newest achievements in forensic sciences, and by presenting and explaining all effective investigative measures and tactics detectives have to use to solve criminal cases. Most of the subjects in this programme are connected to criminalistics and criminal procedure law. Graduates from the specialisation for law enforcement officers will be qualified to fill mid-level and high-level positions in law enforcement agencies.
MA in Security Management (2-year part-time programme, 120 ECTS)
Applicants can be admitted to this master’s programme if they have 60 ECTS from prior studies, in the following fields: law enforcement, social studies, legal studies, general management studies, special professional management studies, financial-economic studies, public administration and law studies, economic management studies, European Union studies. A pre-condition for admission to the master’s training is that the applicant hold at least 30 credits in the studies listed above. 15 credits from work experience may be recognised. Missing credits must be acquired concurrently with the master’s training. The goal of the programme is to train security managers who are capable of designing and operating integrated security systems for civil-law legal entities and public institutions, in cooperation with state and municipal law enforcement, security technology, and security managing specialists. Most of the subjects in this programme are connected to close protection and property protection, leadership skills, information protection, and general corporate security studies. Graduates from the Security Management MA programme will be qualified to fill mid-level and high-level positions in private security agencies.
MSc in Fire Safety Management Engineer
The aim of the training is to equip professionals with up-to-date technical, administrative, legal, and economic knowledge who can perform complex fire protection engineering activities and related official and professional tasks. Graduates are qualified to plan and manage available resources. With their expertise in the field, they contribute to the modern, economical, and efficient operation of the fire protection sector, government agencies, local governments, and disaster management. Graduates of the programme are prepared to continue their studies in doctoral programmes.
Specialised Further Training Courses:
Law Enforcement Organiser
Law Enforcement Economic Expert
Forensic Expert
Theory and Practice of Combating Organized Crime
Law Enforcement Spokesperson
Forensic Counsellor Specialization for Child Protection Professionals
Critical Infrastructure Protection Safety Liaison Officer
Local Security Management
Fire Protection Technical Manager and Technical Inspector
Defence and Security Administration