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Bachelor of Science

BSc (Hons) 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.

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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

Course requirements ➔

Entry requirements

Next start date

September 2024

See all Start Dates

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.

 

We work with many police forces to enable students to know about all their graduate opportunities.

We have an overall 5 Star rating from QS World University Rankings and 5 stars in Teaching, Employability, Online Learning, Academic Development and Inclusiveness.

Ranked Top 20 amongst English universities in the 2023 National Student Survey.

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. Also, as a graduate of the Professional Policing Degree you would be eligable to take part in the PC to Inspector Fast Track programme - you can find more information on the College of Policing website here.

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.

Statistics from the 2023 National Student Survey show that 96% of Policing and Criminology students were positive about learning opportunities on their course and 91% were positive about the teaching on their course.


*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

Semester 1

  • Communication Skills
  • Digital and Research Skills
  • Sustainability and Society

Semester 2

  • Foundation Year Project
  • Core Concepts of Criminology and Policing

Choose one*:

  • Core Concepts of Business
  • Core Concepts of Computer Science
  • Core Concepts of Law
  • Core Concepts of Psychology

*Options available are indicative and available subject to numbers and the campus chosen. Students will also complete the Shaping Skills for Success programme.

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

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.

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

Understanding the Police Constable Role and Professional Standards

We look at the history of policing in the UK and how the modern police service was created. We will also cover what it means to be a Police Constable and the structure of the police service (various ranks and departments within the police).

The Criminal Justice System, Key Legislation, Offences & Civil Matters

This module will give an overview of the criminal justice system, the basic principles of criminal liability and an introduction to actus reus, mens rea, strict liability and some statutory defences. It will also include sexual offences, drug offences and offences under the Public Order Act.

Core Principles of Evidence-Based Policing, Information, and Intelligence

Within this module, we will look at the concept of evidence-based policing. Students will discuss the merits as well as potential constraints associated with an evidence-based policing approach.

Introduction to Criminology, Crime Prevention & Key Psychological Concepts

The module will introduce students to core issues, theories, concepts and debates in criminology as well as relevant aspects of psychology. We will also look at crime prevention theories underpinning preventative policing.

Public Protection: Understanding Abuse & Impact

This Module will introduce you to public protection in a policing context. You will learn about serious offences such as child abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM), domestic abuse (DA), modern slavery, trafficking and honour-based abuse.

Community Policing, Antisocial Behaviour, and Introduction to Road Policing

The module introduces community policing. This includes looking at how antisocial behaviour can impact communities and what police powers are available to deal with antisocial behaviour. It also includes the basic offences and police powers for policing the roads.

Information, Intelligence and Digital Policing

We look at issues pertaining to the collection, retention and sharing of information and intelligence and explain the relevant intelligence sources appropriate to policing operations. We will also look at the role of the police in providing crime prevention advice for digital-facilitated crimes.

Response Policing and Police Investigations

We will be looking at the purpose of response policing. This will also include learning about assessing risk, safeguarding, intelligence, use of technology and responding to different environments. We will also further develop our knowledge of powers concerning lawful search and entry, arrest and stop and search. The module also introduces concepts, terminology, principles, powers and legislation that are essential to conducting police investigations.

Forensic and Criminal Psychology

This module will provide students with a deeper insight into some key issues related to Forensic and Criminal Psychology. This will include theories of crime, violent offenders and serial murder, juries and decision-making, effective prison and psychological treatment, and profiling.

Responding to Major and Critical Incidents

This module discusses the role and responsibilities of the police at a major incident and examines the effectiveness of joint interoperability between the emergency services.

Supporting Those at Risk of Harm and Victims of Internet-Facilitated Crimes

This module looks at the importance of vulnerable people being appropriately supported by the police, and we will learn how to assess how a vulnerable person may respond to a police presence at an incident. We will also look at types of digital-facilitated crimes, identifying individuals who may be especially vulnerable and analysing and evaluating the impact of digital-facilitated crimes on the individual and family.

Research Methods and Dissertation

Students will learn about core research methods and will be planning, researching, and undertaking a substantial independent piece of research in the area of current policing practices.

Investigating Serious Crime & Understanding Terrorism and Transnational Organised Crime

Students will be provided with an overview of transnational organised crime (TOC) and current academic terrorism research. The second part of the module focuses on the investigative process. We will be discussing homicide investigations and how additional sources of intelligence can be obtained during a complex investigation.

Counter Terrorism & Advanced Road Policing

The module will provide students with an understanding of key concepts and terminology related to counter-terrorism policing. The process of radicalisation as well as the National Counter-terrorism strategy, key legislation and organisational structure will be explained. The module will also explain the legislation applicable to more complex road investigations. It will highlight the particular policing issues relating to the strategic road network and students will gain knowledge of the key pieces of legislation affecting this area.

Course Start Dates

  • BSc (Hons) Professional Policing
    • Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury
  • BSc Professional Policing with Foundation Year
    • Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Bloomsbury

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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.

Calendar

 

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.

Student working from a text book

 

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

Student taking a written exam

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.

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Fees and Applying

 

Applications for all our undergraduate courses are open.

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2024/25:

UK - £9,250 per year

International (London) - £17,550 per year

International (non-London) - £16,700 per year

 

If you need to fund your studies with a student loan you can apply via Student Finance.

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We have students from over 120 different countries throughout our campuses, with a dedicated team to help international students.

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Official course data