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Professional Policing BA (Hons)

UCAS code: L436

Start year

Information for 2025

About this course

Police officers are the first responders, the investigators, the front line. In an ever-changing world, they're a key partner in the communities they serve, and they all play a pivotal role – from police constable to chief constable.

Sometimes policing can be the blues-and-twos and chasing criminals, and sometimes it can be methodical detective work, investigation, and building a solid case. Policing isn't really a career you just fall into; it can be gritty and complex, but it can be equal parts impactful, rewarding and life changing.

Supported by our academic team of ex-coppers and law enforcement experts, you'll combine knowledge and theory with hands-on learning to be well-prepared for one of the most challenging – and exciting – jobs that modern society has to offer.

Why choose this course?

  • Our links with local forces: you'll be able to get hands on through opportunities to become a special constable, or undertake a placement in police control rooms.
  • Our teaching team: our academics have over 150 combined years of experience in law enforcement, with many of them being former police officers.
  • Guest speakers: we invite guest speakers from forces across the country to come in and support your learning.
  • 93% of our Professional Policing students believe the course has improved their career prospects (National Student Survey, 2024).

What you’ll study

Throughout your three years with NTU, you'll combine learning about police powers and the criminal justice system, with hands-on experience as you learn to conduct suspect interviews, and get stuck into the forensics at our on-campus Crime Scene Training Facility.

We'll provide the context of policing in the UK, the role of the police and what makes a modern police officer, alongside in-depth explorations of public protection and community policing. You'll also explore how law enforcement operates in the digital world for which you'll achieve associate membership of the Institute of Cyber and Digital Professionals (ICDP).

Towards the end of your studies, you'll be able to apply your knowledge to a research project focusing on an area of policing that interests you. If you choose to become a special constable or volunteer with a local police force during your time with us, you can apply these experiences to your research project.

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.

The Criminal Justice System and Crime Investigations 1

You will gain an understanding of the structure and operation of the UK criminal justice system and the role of the police within it. You will also get 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

This module provides students with an introduction to problem solving and decision-making techniques and models as utilised within the police service to make effective decisions at police incidents, and to implement effective evidence-based crime reduction techniques and strategies.

Criminology for Policing

This module provides students with an overview of the evolution of criminological theory, and how it applies to and affects policing in the 21st century. The module offers an understanding of criminological models and how they influence the police and the criminal justice system.

Police Powers 1

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

Crime Investigations 2

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.

Police Intelligence and Community Policing, and Evidence-Based Policing

An introduction to the concepts of police intelligence, intelligence handling and interaction with the community, and partner agencies to effectively police by consent. You'll also explore the concept of evidence based policing and how it informs police decision-making, policy and practice.

Police Powers 2

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 3

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

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. 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. The module consolidates a large number of transferable skills and are the pinnacle of students attained research skills and abilities as an autonomous learner.

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Isaac Hepworth

Professional Policing

Upon visiting multiple University open days around the country, NTU’s Professional Policing degree was by far the best and stood as the benchmark to which I compared all the other open days.

Aidan Dingwall

Professional Policing

The course itself was backed by a wonderful team of lecturers who were super supportive and brought both professional and academic experience which made every topic and assignment unique and fascinating. This for me was always the biggest draw to NTU.

Rory Cole

Professional Policing

I knew that NTU worked in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police to offer the chance to become a Special Constable alongside your studies. This was a big factor in why I chose to study at NTU.

Tomas Catherwood

Professional Policing

Knowing that I wasn’t just being taught from a textbook and instead was getting insight from real-life situations that lecturers had faced was a real selling point for me.

Hear from our students and staff

Principal Lecturer for Policing and International Law Enforcement, Phil Rudkin, tells us about what you can expect on the BA (Hons) Professional Policing course here at NTU.
 

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.

How you're assessed

  • Year 1 coursework, written and practical
  • Year 2 coursework and practical
  • Year 3 coursework and practical

Contact hours

Throughout your studies, your teaching will be a mixture of in-person teaching and independent study. You will have around 9-12 hours per week of contact time with our teaching staff, consisting of lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-one supervision meetings. Approximately 95% of this teaching is in-person, with the remaining time being online drop ins or support sessions. Overall, contact time makes up around 30% of a full-time week, while the remaining 70% of your time will be devoted to independent study.

  • Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study
  • Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study
  • Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study

Staff Profiles

Parminder Pabla - Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Parm Pabla is a lecturer on the BA (Hons) Policing course at Nottingham Trent University.

Jennifer Golding - Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Jennifer is a lecturer on NTU's BA (Hons) Professional Policing, and FdA Criminal Justice courses.

Mr Phil Rudkin - Principal Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Phil was a Police Officer for nearly 15 years with Leicestershire Police. Phil now directly oversees the management of all policing and law enforcement provision across the department at levels

Craig Nolan - Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Craig is a Lecturer in professional policing, particularly focusing on Criminal Justice, Front Line Policing and Problem Solving/decision making/Crime Prevention at undergraduate level. He is also Course leader for the

Mr Georg Martin Tangen - Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Martin Tangen is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for MSc International Law Enforcement

Careers and employability

Your career development

43 regional forces cover England and Wales, with specialist forces protecting our rail networks, civilian nuclear facilities, defence assets and providing air support. Many of you undertaking this course will be interested in becoming a police officer in one of these areas, and our course is designed to prepare you to do just that.

Equally, your future may not lie in the UK. International students are a core part of our student body, and our course can provide new perspectives that prepare you to start a policing career in another country.

Outside of the traditional policing roles, some of our graduates have also embarked on successful careers in related services such as His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, the Security Services, or in non-policing law enforcement roles. This is down to the essential skills and knowledge they developed during the course, such as communication and expert problem solving, along with use of information technology to gather, analyse, evaluate, and present 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

You’ll mainly be studying in the Chaucer and Newton buildings, at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, the facilities including a mock prison cell, banks of open-access PCs, social spaces for either quiet study or busy group work.

As part of your learning, you’ll also have the opportunity to head over to our Clifton Campus and make use of the Crime Scene Training Facility.

NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to stay busy between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our stylish Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets for every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!

Take a few steps off campus and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. It’s stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure. Enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.

Entry requirements

UK students

Standard offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Contextual offer: 96 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four A levels. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£9,535 per year

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.
  • £17,500 per year

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment of £6,000 when you've accepted your offer to study at NTU. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, before the start date of your course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about advance payments, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

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. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, 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 textbooks, 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.

Printing and photocopying 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 and photocopying information on the Library website.

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.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, you can email our Student Money Team or phone us on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

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.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.