Licensed by the College of Policing, we offer a Pre-Join Degree in Professional Policing providing knowledge of the skills that are critical to policing.
Make an Enquiry
Bachelor of Science
BSc Professional Policing
The BSc (Hons) Professional Policing is a three year undergraduate degree designed to meet the requirements of the College of Policing National Curriculum. This course is licensed by the College of Policing as a Pre-join Degree in Professional Policing, which means it can be your first step towards becoming a Police Constable. During your studies you will learn about key crime topics, as well as have the opportunity to choose elective modules that allow a deeper look at areas of personal interest.
Key Facts
Entry requirements
A Level: BBC
BTEC: DMM
UCAS Tariff Points*: 112
GCSE: English Language Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent
Requirements for the Foundation Year differ from those listed.
*From three A Levels or equivalent
GET YOUR DEGREE FASTER
Want to speed up your learning? Check out our new Accelerated BSc (Hons) Professional Policing - get a degree in two years rather than the traditional three.
Course Details
Full-time three year BSc (Hons) Professional Policing
UCAS code:N522
Our degree in Professional Policing will provide you with a professional knowledge of the ethics, skills and attitudes that are critical to twenty-first century policing.
The Professional Policing course has been designed to meet the requirements of the College of Policing National Curriculum for the role of a Police Constable under the National Policing Education Qualifications Framework. We are licensed by the College of Policing to offer the Pre-join Degree in Professional Policing – a qualification recognised by police services that is achieved prior to recruitment.
You will study a range of key topics in the area of crime, criminology, law, terrorism, associated psychology, sociology and criminal investigation. You will also learn through realistic scenarios and the use of a crime scene suite or pop-up facilities* - watch the video. Optional modules will provide an opportunity to look deeper into issues such as forensic and criminal psychology, zemiology (the study of social harms), cybercrime and youth crime.
The undergraduate policing degree will provide you with all of the knowledge required prior to joining the police force and will also be of interest if you are looking to study at Master’s level or work in the wider security and criminal justice sector.
Please note the degree has a currency of 5 years following graduation for recruitment into policing and you must still apply to the police force and satisfy their eligibility criteria. Please contact the Police Service for more information.
*The video shows the London Bloomsbury crime scene suite. Facilities vary by campus.
Foundation Year (Four year)
UCAS code: N225
You can choose to take an additional Foundation Year before you start your course. This introductory year focuses on developing the key skills required to study at degree level. You will study six modules and on successful completion progress onto any of our three year degrees.
Course Structure
Foundation Year If applicable
Semester 1
- Citizenship
- Academic and Report Writing
- Numeracy Skills in Context
Semester 2
- Foundations of Business Management
- Foundations of Law
- Foundations of Social Science
Year 1 31 study weeks
Semester 1
- Understanding the Police Constable Role and Professional Standards
- The Criminal Justice System, Key Legislation, Offences and Civil Matters
- Foundation for Operational Policing Skills: Decision Making, Discretion and Problem Solving
Semester 2
- Core Principles of Evidence Based Policing, Information and Intelligence
- Introduction to Vulnerability and Risk
- Introduction to Criminology, Crime Prevention and Key Psychological Concepts
Year 2 30 study weeks
Semester 1
- Public Protection: Understanding Abuse and Impact
- Community Policing, Antisocial Behaviour and Introduction to Road Policing
- Information, Intelligence and Digital Policing
Semester 2
- Response Policing and Police Investigations
- Custody, Interview and Criminal Justice
Choose one*:
- Cybercrime
- Forensic and Criminal Psychology
- Youth and Crime
- Zemiology (Social Harms)
*All options are indicative and subject to availability.
Year 3 30 study weeks
Semester 1
- Research Methods/Dissertation (double module)
- Responding to Major and Critical Incidents
- Supporting those at Risk of Harm & Victims of internet-facilitated crimes
Semester 2
- Research Methods/Dissertation (double module)
- Investigating Serious Crime, Understanding Terrorism and Transnational Organised Crime
- Counter-Terrorism and Advanced Road Policing
Course Start Dates
September 2023
-
BSc (Hons) Professional Policing
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury
-
BSc Professional Policing with Foundation Year
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury
September 2024
-
BSc (Hons) Professional Policing
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury
-
BSc Professional Policing with Foundation Year
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury
open daysUpcoming Dates
Jun 15th
Online Campus Open Day (Virtual Event)
Postgraduate and Undergraduate
17:15 - 18:45
Online
Jun 17th
Undergraduate Open Day (Birmingham Campus)
Undergraduate
10:00 - 12:30
Birmingham
Jun 17th
Undergraduate Open Day (London Bloomsbury)
Undergraduate
10:00 - 12:30
London Bloomsbury
next event
4d 15h 46m
Course Information
To get a full picture of how studying this policing course works during the year, take a look at our course date breakdowns.
Assessments are spread out throughout the duration of the BSc (Hons) Professional Policing course, rather than having lots of exams at the end of the year. This means at the end of each semester, you have a revision/consolidation week followed by two weeks for assessment in each module.
A wide range of assessment methods will be used across all modules to ensure that all programme outcomes can be demonstrated by students. These include unseen essay type exams, Knowledge and Reasoning Exams, Mock Scenarios, Reflective & Critical Essays, Posters, Case Studies.
This variety of approach reflects more closely the practical focus of the programme, and the assessment instruments test more accurately and with greater realism the knowledge, skills and attributes required of students. It also helps to remove barriers to some students who might perform better in different types of assessments.
In each module students will have the benefit of a formative assessment aligned to the methodology of the particular summative assessment. Additional formative assessment of knowledge and understanding will take place through the regular activities within workshops.
You must pass each module to be awarded your degree. A pass mark is 40% and above.
70% 1
60-69% 2.1
50-59% 2.2
40-49% 3
Employability We Set You Up For Success
We care about your career, which is why we offer support with job applications and other work experience opportunities as soon as you accept your place.
Discover more
Find a career that suits you
Fees and Applying
Applications for all our undergraduate courses are open.
September 2023 fees:
UK students per year: £9,250
International students per year: £16,700 (London) or £15,900 (Non-London)
If you need to fund your studies with a student loan you can apply via Student Finance.
We have students from over 120 different countries throughout our campuses, with a dedicated team to help international students.
