Professional Policing BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- UCAS Code(s): L436
- Start Date(s): September 2023
- Duration: Three years full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
The exciting new BA (Hons) Professional Policing degree provides you with a strong understanding of policing through a combination of theory and real-world policing practice experience as a Special Constable.
Throughout the course, you'll gain a unique and innovative insight into the world of policing while ensuring you develop your own significant body of knowledge and practice during your studies. The course will also allow you to consider crime and society from wider perspectives and analyse these within a national and international criminological and legal contexts.
Why choose this course?
- Gain the essential skills, knowledge and values required for the College of Policing’s (CoP) ‘Policing Education Qualification Framework’ (PEQF). This serves as the benchmark for contemporary professional policing and thus determines pre/post join standards for policing.
- A team of practice-based policing and criminology academics will deepen your understanding of the sector; keeping you up-to-date with contemporary policing issues and debates.
- Strong links with Nottinghamshire Police.
- Ideal starting point if you want a career in Policing or law enforcement.
What you’ll study
This course will provide you with the opportunity to train as Special Constable, or volunteer with the local force, undertake specialist modules in a wide range of contemporary policing issues, and build your practical policing experience throughout the degree.
A key feature of this course is practical development and will focus on developing the requisite skills and qualities necessary to commence a policing role, as stipulated by the College of Policing.
In your final year of study, you'll have the opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of self-directed work in a relevant emerging issue in local / national / international policing.
Studying this degree in Professional Policing does not GUARANTEE any such employment with the police service as an officer or staff member; the degree provides you with academic entry requirement via the pre-join degree route.
Every police force in England and Wales sets its own recruitment process and selection policy, and entry requirements vary from force to force. You will be advised to check their eligibility against the force website, this may assist them in deciding whether to undertake the pre-join Degree course and/or pursue a career in policing.
This is a knowledge only degree with sign posted options towards practice as a Special Constable, or Volunteer, with the local force. Every student undertaking this degree will have the opportunity to undertake voluntary practice. Where students undertake voluntary practice they will share these experience with the wider group to enhance all students experiential learning throughout the 3-year degree programme.
Student success will not solely be dependent on sign posted voluntary opportunities in order to be successful on the programme.
Please note that due to operational considerations, the number of available places on the police pathway will be capped each year. Places will be decided on condition of successful short listing by Nottinghamshire Constabulary, passing all legal police checks.
Modules on this course are delivered by NTU experts alongside active serving police staff.
Core Modules
The Role of the Police
This module will provide you with the rationale for the development of the modern police officer, before examining the functions of the contemporary police service alongside other criminal justice agencies and its governance in England and Wales.
Crime Investigations One
An introduction to crime investigation techniques such as statement taking for victim and witnesses, evidence gathering at crime scenes the and subsequent management of evidence. The module also includes an introduction to investigative interviewing techniques for suspects utilising police models.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
An introduction to problem solving and decision-making techniques and models as utilised within the police service in order to make effective decisions at police incidents.
The Criminal Justice System
An understanding of the structure and operation of the UK criminal justice system and the role of the police within it.
Criminology and Crime Prevention
An overview of the evolution of crime reduction, criminological theory, and how such factors have developed into a central tenet of contemporary criminal justice policy. The module offers an understanding of community safety approaches, including multi-agency partnership working, and identifies criminological models.
Police Powers One
During this module you'll begin to develop your portfolio of practical work experiences while under the tutorship of Nottinghamshire Police. You'll also develop a foundation of legal knowledge and IT packages such as 'Niche' and 'NCALT'.
Core Modules
Public Protection
You'll gain a critical evaluation of the theme of public protection, concentrating on specific areas of legislation. The module will cover areas such as domestic violence, the management of sexual and violent offenders, vulnerable victims, safeguarding of adults and children and the police approach.
Evidence Based Policing
You'll explore the concept of evidence based policing and how EBP informs police decision-making, policy and practice.
Crime Investigations Two
This module provides students with additional development from Crime Investigation 1 and further seeks to develop knowledge and understanding of crime investigation techniques, crime scene management, forensic awareness and case file preparation.
Police Intelligence and Community Policing
An introduction to the concepts of police intelligence, intelligence handling and interaction with the community, and partner agencies to effectively police by consent.
Police Powers Two
This module provides students with further enhancement of the students’ knowledge and understanding of key pieces of legislation required for the role of a police constable, and apply them to more complex and sensitive situations within policing following successful completion of Police Powers 1.
Core Modules
Digital Policing and Counter Terrorism
You'll critically develop your understanding of digital policing concepts and counter terrorism issues. In this module you will learn specifically how to manipulate digital devices and extract evidence for a policing purpose.
Front Line Policing
You'll further develop your existing knowledge from levels 4 and 5 and focus specifically on front line and road policing issues.
Police Powers Three
An understanding of key pieces of legislation required for the role of a police constable and apply them critically to more complex and sensitive situations within policing, whilst building upon knowledge gained from Police Powers 1 and 2.
Research Project or Applied Research Project
The ‘Research Project’ is worth 40 credits and provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge to a large-scale academic project on a specific area of policing which you select. For those who are special constables or police volunteers, the ‘Applied Research Project’ is the equivalent 40 credit module and the focus for this is decided in liaison with course staff and Nottinghamshire Police. This is to ensure the focus is relevant to emergent issues in local/national/international policing whilst also reflecting the College of Policing key thematic strands. Both versions of the module consolidate a large number of transferable skills and are the pinnacle of students attained research skills and abilities as an autonomous learner.
You will get the option to choose one of these projects:
Research Project
You'll bring together the various skills developed through the BA (Hons) Professional Policing syllabus as well as their research methods skills and apply this to a theoretical policing issue.
Applied Research Project
You'll have the opportunity to bring together the various skills developed through the BA (Hons) Professional Policing syllabus as well as their research methods skills and apply this to a contemporary policing issue.
How you’re taught
To provide you with a first-class learning experience and to guarantee you have an opportunity to make the most of your time at university, you'll receive contact time through a diverse range of delivery methods. Structured teaching will be delivered through a combination of traditional lectures, seminars, workshops and police-delivered training sessions. The smaller group seminars and workshops provide opportunities to develop your problem-solving skills, group working and your analysis, debating and presentation skills. They also give you the chance to get involved in discussions about a wide range of views.
Tutorials with staff
As the relationship between students and tutors is an important one you can expect to have lots of direct contact and support through seminars and one-to-one tutorials. At these sessions, you'll have the opportunity to discuss and gain feedback about your work, ask questions about the projects you're working on and raise any difficulties you are experiencing relating to your work, personal circumstances or your university experience.
Virtual learning environment
You'll use our virtual learning environment, NOW, which is a flexible web-based system that allows you to have 24-hour access to module learning materials and reading lists. It allows you to discuss work with tutors and other students, and submit coursework electronically from anywhere in the world.
Learning from experts
You'll be taught by enthusiastic, engaged and expert staff. The course team have experience in police training, practice and research, providing you with a unique and innovative insight into the world of policing.
How will I be assessed?
During the course, you'll be assessed in a variety of ways, such as: in class mock exams, draft report plans, role-play or practice scenario simulations, individual / group presentations and individual / group case study or practice-based exercise. In your final year, you'll combine this with a dissertation / independent study project. In response to student feedback the University have introduced a policy ensuring marked work is returned to you electronically within three weeks of submission.
Contact hours
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops (32%), independent study (68%)
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops (26%), independent study (74%)
- Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops (22%), independent study (78%)
How you’re assessed
- Year 1 coursework (42%), written (33%) and practical (25%)
- Year 2 coursework (33%) and practical (67%)
- Year 3 coursework (60%) and practical (40%)
Careers and employability
Your career development
When you graduate, you'll be in the best position to embark on a successful career in the police, prison, probation services or in law enforcement. You'll have developed the essential skills and knowledge to commence a career in policing immediately upon graduation.
You'll have gained a range of knowledge specific and transferable skills including communication, presentation and problem solving skills. You'll be able to use a selection of forms of information technology to gather, analyse and present policing data.
Our Employability Team
We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus. The team are well placed to give you specialist guidance and practical help that will really make a difference to your prospects once you do graduate.
Campus and facilities
As a Social Sciences student you will have easy access to the fantastic facilities in the Chaucer and Taylor buildings, including:
- lecture theatres and teaching classrooms
- open access PCs and secure wireless points
- study areas and social spaces
- Chaucer café, serving drinks and light snacks
- our School of Social Sciences reception, providing you with easy access to our helpful and friendly support staff.
IT resources
Our IT resource rooms and PC clusters are distributed across the City Campus, with PCs providing access to:
- Microsoft Office
- web browsing
- networked file storage
- high-speed online printing services
The University’s main resource room in the library is available 24 hours a day.
Book and library resources
In our library you will have access to an extensive and diverse range of books and periodicals that focus on specialist areas within Policing and Criminology. The library's OneSearch system provides access to all our:
- electronic resources
- journals
- books.
We have a liaison librarian who is available to give you detailed help in finding and using print and electronic resources. They can also help you with things such as Harvard referencing and research skills.
City location
The location of the City Campus also means that you have easy access to:
- sports facilities
- shops
- student accommodation
- music venues
- cafés.
Entry requirements
- 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
- Candidates will need to satisfy a number of pre-employment checks such as security and financial vetting, biometric and drug testing, and a medical examination;
- Candidates will be required to complete each stage of the recruitment policy such as competency-based questions, an interview and a physical fitness test.
What are we looking for?
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Becoming a Special Constable
In order to undertake either the special constable or police volunteer streams within the course, you will be subject to further eligibility checks which are separate from/additional to the course entry requirements. In particular, for those wishing to undertake the Special Constable role:
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
What are we looking for?
- 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications.
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
Becoming a Special Constable
In order to undertake either the special constable or police volunteer streams within the course, you will be subject to further eligibility checks which are separate from/additional to the course entry requirements. In particular, for those wishing to undertake the Special Constable role:
- Candidates will need to satisfy a number of pre-employment checks such as security and financial vetting, biometric and drug testing, and a medical examination;
- Candidates will be required to complete each stage of the recruitment policy such as competency-based questions, an interview and a physical fitness test.
There are restrictions on who can apply to be a Special Constable. Applications can only be accepted if you are a national of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or, if not, have leave to enter or remain in the UK for an indefinite period free of restrictions.
Countries included in the EEA are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Travel
Travel grants and Erasmus funding may be available to help fund international travel costs. The course will utilise University resources throughout your course such as the Crime Scene House (Clifton Campus), Mock Court Room / Moot Room (City Campus), Video Interview Suite (City Campus). Students will be expected to pay for travel costs if applicable.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
Tuition fees
Mode of study | International tuition fee |
|---|---|
Full-time | £16,500 |
Please note the fees shown are for 2023 entry.
Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
How to apply
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page.
Good luck with your application!
You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.