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Key facts

Entry requirements

96 or MMM

Full entry requirements

UCAS code

5N23

Institution code

D26

Duration

3 yrs full-time

Three years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

Additional costs

Entry requirements

UCAS code

5N23

Duration

Three years full-time

Prepare for a rewarding career in policing with hands‑on experience, expert teaching, and global perspectives, all underpinned by the National Policing Curriculum.

The Degree in Professional Policing BA (Hons) at Âé¶¹Íø equips you with a comprehensive understanding of policing, including the causes, legal framework, and responses to crime. Licensed by the College of Policing, this programme provides you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for UK policing.

Designed to prepare you for a career in both public and private policing sectors, this course is taught by experienced former police service staff, ensuring your learning aligns with the College of Policing’s National Policing Curriculum. This ensures you are prepared for modern policing challenges.

Our programme allows you to combine academic modules with volunteering as a special constable. Our excellent and knowledgeable teaching staff will support you in applying for this role. You could gain invaluable experience supporting local police in tackling crime and can significantly enhance your employability within the police service after graduation.

  • Special Constable Volunteering: Apply your academic learning to real-world situations by volunteering as a special constable (subject to meeting requirements).
  • National Policing Curriculum: Your studies will be aligned with contemporary policing developments and challenges, ensuring you are career-ready.
  • Focused learning:  Modules are delivered through our block teaching approach, so you can concentrate on one subject at a time.
  • Industry-informed teaching: Learn from former police service staff with first-hand experience of the policing sector, ensuring practical, relevant knowledge.
  • Global experience: Benefit from Âé¶¹Íø Global with the opportunity to visit the Department for Police Work at Malmo University, Sweden to actively experience international policing and training.
  • Career focused: Tailored for a wide range of career paths within the police service and investigatory sectors, our graduates thrive in roles such as police officer, police constable, and learning support worker - making an impact at organisations like Northamptonshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, and Inaura.
  • Benefit from our connections: Engage with the Society of Evidence-Based Policing and the East Midlands Police and Academic Consortium for valuable industry insight.

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Saturday 28 June

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What you will study

Studying at University

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the core concepts of how we make sense of the world around us, and the role of research in criminal justice practices. The module begins by introducing the practice and theory of research and ends with an example of how research underpins specific practices within the criminal justice system, particularly in policing.

Legislation & Policy

In this module, you will explore and develop a practical understanding of key legislation, policy, and procedures used in the criminal justice system. The knowledge you gain will form a key foundation for all other modules throughout your learning journey, as these concepts will be revisited and further explored.

Community & Criminal Justice

You will be introduced to key academic skills relevant to professional practice and investigative work. The module covers a critical understanding of the investigative process and management within policing. Topics include: the evolving role of the police practitioner; factors influencing the use of resources and powers; ethical practice; diversity, equality, fairness and human rights; vulnerability and safeguarding; terrorism; and managing police information.

Problem-based Policing

In this module, you will develop an understanding of evidence-based policing, including the skills and knowledge needed to assess its influence on problem-solving, decision-making, and community engagement.

Contemporary Issues in Policing 1

You will examine current policing issues within a changing social, political, and economic landscape. Topics include legitimacy, public confidence and satisfaction, fear of crime, and the impact of academic and evidence-based policing (EBP).

Critical Incident Leadership and Management 1

Through this module, you will explore the definition and significance of critical incidents in policing. You’ll examine these through the lenses of leadership, professional and accountable practice, procedural justice theory, community engagement, communication, reflection, and evidence-based decision-making.

Choice of modules

  • Religion, Faith and Crime
  • Mental Health and Crime
  • Families, Crime and Justice
  • Restorative Justice and Rehabilitation
  • Drugs and Substance Misuse
  • Crime, Deviance and Subcultures
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Media and Crime

Research and Practice

This module builds on your prior learning at Levels 4 and 5, focusing on the role of research in informing policy and practice within the criminal justice system. You’ll further develop your ability to locate, understand, and apply academic research and evidence to support arguments and assertions in your work.

Dissertation

Building on the ‘Research and Practice’ module, this module supports you in designing and conducting your own research. You will apply research theory to critically analyse and evaluate a policing issue of your choice, resulting in an original 10,000-word dissertation.

Contemporary Issues in Policing 2

You will explore the structure and development of the Police Service within the wider criminal justice system and society. This includes examining how the Police Service and government respond to key social and technological changes, both locally and nationally.

Multi-Agency and International Perspectives

In this module, you will gain insight into risk and multi-agency working in policing and public protection. You’ll explore the benefits and challenges of collaborative approaches across disciplines such as mental health, terrorism, transnational organised crime, and human trafficking. International policing relationships and legal-cultural challenges will also be discussed.

Critical Incident Leadership and Management 2

This practical module builds on earlier learning to help you understand the complex challenges faced in critical incidents and leadership roles. You’ll explore strategic policing contexts, incident management theory and practice, culturally competent decision-making, professional development, and investigative management for victims, witnesses, and suspects.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, case studies, seminars, workshops, e-learning, guest lectures, and practitioner visits.

Assessment Methods

Essays, exams, journals, phase tests, presentations, posters, case studies, simulated exercises, policy books, research proposal, and dissertation.

Teaching Hours

Typically, 15 contact hours per week:

  • Medium group: 1 hour of practical classes, workshops, or seminars
  • Large group: 14 hours of lectures

You’ll also have approximately 20 hours of self-directed study each week, including guided activities.

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Our facilities

Substantial investment has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you expand your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

Our Crime Scene House presents investigative scenarios which allow students to apply their learning in a real-life practical environment.

We also have Court Rooms and Cells which you will have the opportunity to use these during any real-life scenarios and may work collaboratively with students studying law, forensics and other disciplines.

Professional Policing

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Our expertise

The teaching staff have many years of policing experience, which is used to contextualise the curriculum teaching. A number of the programme teaching staff are also currently research active. 

Accreditations, awards or memberships

College of Policing logo

College of Policing

This programme is licensed by the College of Policing and reflects the set down curriculum for the Professional Policing BA (Hons) degree qualification, which allows successful candidates to apply to join the Police Service in England and Wales as a constable.

What makes us special

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Âé¶¹Íø Global

Our innovative international experience programme  aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through Âé¶¹Íø Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as international exchanges.

Professional Policing students have recently had the opportunity to travel to Malmö, Sweden, to engage in comparative police training and education alongside Swedish police trainees.

Where we could take you

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Placements

Students are encouraged to volunteer as a special constable todevelop their real-world understanding and experience of their learning, helping to prepare you for a range of employment opportunities within the police service. Please note, this is subject to meeting the requirements of Leicestershire Police and those set out by the Home Office.

These learning experiences will enhance your real-world insight and the knowledge you can gain from these opportunities will help to inform and inspire your work as part of the dissertation project in your final year.

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Graduate careers

Our Policing Studies programme will help equip you with the knowledge, skills and capabilities sought after within the UK’s skilled police service - with recent graduates having gone on to work for police services across the country. 

In addition to this, your learnings on this course can help to prepare you for a range of other professional opportunities include roles in the private policing environment. You can also acquire the skills for career opportunities in a number of other related fields, for example:

  • Youth justice
  • Community safety and crime prevention
  • Domestic violence and victim support
  • Prisons and probation
  • Drug and alcohol addiction services

Graduates can also choose to continue their academic career by enrolling on one of our postgraduate courses.

Course specifications

Course title

Degree in Professional Policing

Award

BA (Hons)

UCAS code

5N23

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

GCSEs

  • GCSEs English and Maths at grade C/4 or above 

Plus one of the following:

A levels

  • A minimum of 96 points from two A levels: with one A Level at grade B

T Levels

  • Merit

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma - Merit/Merit/Merit
  • BTEC Extended Diploma - Merit/Merit/Merit

International Baccalaureate

  • 24+ points

Access Course

Pass in the QAA Accredited Access to HE with at least 30 Level 3 Credits at Merit.

English GCSE required as separate qualification.  Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Contextual offers

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find out more about contextual offers.

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

  • Candidates need to understand that successful completion of the `Degree in Profession of Policing` BA (Hons) programme does not guarantee entry to any Police Service in England and Wales
  • Regarding the currency of this degree qualification: It is important to be aware that where students are awarded the Degree in Professional Policing BA (Hons) under this programme: the degree qualification will only remain current, for the purposes of it being a relevant Policing Degree in order for eligibility to apply and enter the police service, for a maximum of no longer than 5 years from the award date. This is a stipulation required by the College of Policing.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.