Professional Policing

Do you want a career in the police force? Are you interested in contemporary policing and law enforcement?

Our Professional Policing degree offers an exciting opportunity to develop the knowledge and understanding of the role that professional police officers undertake in the UK.

Since 2020, all new entrants to UK police forces are expected to hold or gain a degree level qualification. This pre-join Professional Policing degree is a professional academic knowledge-based degree, based on the national curriculum for the police constable role, licensed by the College of Policing.

This specialist degree will give you the pre-join qualification you need to apply for a police officer role in England or Wales. It will provide you with a wide range of knowledge and understanding of theories that the College of Policing has identified as being advantageous for those aspiring to join UK police forces.

You will have the opportunity to study a range of subjects including operational policing, legislation connected to police work, diversity, response and community policing, criminal investigation and safeguarding.

Learning from lecturers with extensive experience working within the police, prisons and security services, you’ll develop your knowledge of the UK police force and gain an understanding of the policing profession.

Throughout your studies, you'll be encouraged to form professional links with police forces as a volunteer or in the role of a special constable in order to gain additional practical experience and further enhance your employability.

A Professional Policing programme is specifically designed as a pre-join qualification for the police force. In line with the College of Policing licensing of the programme, professional work placements are not offered as part of this course.

Graduate opportunities This degree will prepare you for opportunities in the police service or for work in civilian policing roles, the broader criminal justice system or within security services. The Professional Policing BA (Hons) degree does not guarantee employment with the police service as an officer or staff member but provides you with the academic entry requirement via the pre-join degree route.

If you wish to use this degree as your entry route to the police service, you must apply to join a police force within five years of your graduation. Successful achievement of the degree does not guarantee recruitment as a probationary police constable. Each police force sets out its own entry requirements, recruitment process and selection policy.