Â鶹ӰԺ

Undergraduate courses/Criminology and Policing courses/Degree in Professional Policing

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*

See all the 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*

See all the key facts

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 Â鶹ӰԺ 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 allows you to study first and apply to a force, following a shorter on-the-job training programme.

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 is one of the few that allows you to combine academic modules with volunteering as a special constable. This invaluable experience supports 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: Participate in Â鶹ӰԺ’s Global Programme to gain international insights, with past students visiting locations like Auschwitz and New York to study policing and state crime.
  • Career focused: Tailored for a wide range of career paths within the police service and investigatory sectors.
  • Benefit from our connections: Engage with the Society of Evidence-Based Policing and the East Midlands Police and Academic Consortium for valuable industry insight.

Related courses

Criminal Investigation and Policing Studies

Criminology BA (Hons)

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What you will study

Block 1: Profession of Policing

Block 2: Problem-based Policing

Block 3: Legislation and Policy

Block 4: Research and Study Skills

Block 1, Part 1: Research and Practice

Block 1, Part 2: 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

Block 2: Research and Practice

Block 3: Critical Incident Management & Leadership 1

Block 4: Leadership and Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing 1

Block 1: Multi-Agency

Block 2: Critical Incident Management & Leadership 2

Block 3: Leadership and Management of Contemporary Issues in Policing 2

Block 4: Dissertation

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

Hawthorn Building

Home to students and staff from Health and Life Sciences courses spanning pharmaceutical, healthcare, lab based and social science disciplines.

The facilities and spaces in the Hawthorn Building are designed to replicate current practice in health and life sciences, including contemporary analytical chemistry and formulation laboratories, audiology booths and nursing and midwifery clinical skills suites.

Purpose-built clinical skills areas allow you to practice in a safe environment. You will receive guidance and support from expert academic and technical staff.

Recently renovated, the Undercroft offers dedicated break out spaces and study spaces allowing for collaborative and interprofessional learning beyond the classroom.

Hawthorn Building - Magazine Square Entrance
Hawthorn Building is located in the centre of campus just 5 minutes from the city centre.
A student using on of the open study spaces in the Hawthorn Building
Technical staff are on hand to guide students throughout their course.
Midwifery students have access to specialist facilities and staff
Midwifery students get hands-on experience
Nursing facilities in the building and others on campus, allow our students to learn in clinical settings.
A student in the state-of-the-art diagnostic X-ray suite, a space to learn a range of practical radiographic skills
Bertec Computerised Dynamic Postuography (CPD/IVR) uses the latest technology in graphics and sensors to enable greater depth in our assessment of people who experience dizziness.

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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Â鶹ӰԺ 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 Â鶹ӰԺ 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 Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

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.

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.

Take your next steps

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Open Days - Book your place

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Find out how to apply

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.

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.

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.