Program Overview

Professional Policing BSc (Hons)

Overview

In June 2021, policing became a graduate-qualified profession in England and Wales, so a relevant degree is a requirement for anybody wanting to become a fully operational police officer. Licensed by the College of Policing, our course was the first approved ‘pre-join degree’ in the South West, providing an excellent route into the profession and ensuring the required standards are met. We now have 3 cohorts of graduates who have successfully completed their degrees, many of whom are now operational police officers in multiple forces in England and Wales.

Entry Requirements

• Typical Offers: 104 – 120 UCAS tariff points, from any level 3 qualification, which includes A-levels, BTEC, T-levels and many other qualifications.
• Additional requirements: English Language or Literature and Maths Grade 4/C in GCSE (or equivalent) are normally required.
• Mature students: We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants, although some entry requirements may still apply for Professionally Accredited Courses. We accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas and make offers on an individual basis.
• International students: Please read the entry requirements for your country – and contact our admissions team if you have questions.

Course Modules

Level 4 (Undergraduate year 1)

• Researching a Connected World (NS4441)
• Criminal Justice: From Crime Scene to Court (NS4502)
• Personal and Professional Development Portfolio (NS4551)
• Fundamentals for Policing (NS4552)
• Police Governance and Accountability (NS4553)
• Principles of Investigation Practice (NS4554)

Level 5 (Undergraduate year 2)

• Developing as a Social Researcher (NS5441)
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights for Policing (NS5553)
• The Practice of Policing (I) - Policing Communities & Response Policing (NS5556)
• Public Protection (NS5558)
• Prison, Punishment & Rehabilitation (NS5566)
• Forensic Investigative Case Study (NS5567)

Level 6 (Undergraduate final year)

• Strategic Policing: Applied Performance Improvement (NS6505)
• Evidence-Based Research Project (Policing) (NS6551)
• Civil Emergencies and Critical Incident Management (NS6552)
• Extremism, Counter Terrorism and Policing (NS6554)
• The Practice of Policing (II) - Digital Policing & Policing the Roads (NS6556)
• Responding to Sexual Violence (NS6507)
• Professional Policing Experience (NS6557)
• Restorative Justice & Restorative Practice (NS6569)
• Riots, Protests & Social Movements (NS6572)

Fees and Costs

• Start date: Sep 2025
• Location: Francis Close Hall, Cheltenham
• UCAS code: L312
• Fee (UK): £9,535
• Fee (international): £17,425

Careers

While many graduates from this course choose to pursue a career in the police force, there are a range of career pathways open to consider. These include careers in the border forces, the court system or prison service, as well as roles within local authorities and organisations dealing with social housing, victim support or substance abuse.

Teaching Staff

View all teaching staff for this course.

Trips and Experiences

Your skills of observation, information collection and analysis are developed through a live project conducted to a brief set by an external organisation – currently we’re working on a crime reduction initiative on behalf of Gloucester City Safe.

You’ll attend a residential field trip to examine the different social environments and policing challenges in another part of the UK. Your crime investigation skills will be developed during exercises carried out in our Crime Scene House, forensic interviewing suite and moot court. You’ll also participate in scenarios where you will develop skills for policing incidents and managing crime scenes, working in collaboration with students from paramedic science, social work and forensic computing.

Consider a Career in Policing

“If you have a strong sense of justice and the ability to diffuse tension in stressful situations, you might want to consider a career in policing.”

John Clay-Davies, Senior Lecturer in Policing

A Versatile Course

“The course is versatile and appeals to students wishing to pursue a career in policing or more broadly in criminal justice, as well as those who have an interest in policing but who choose to go on to work in other sectors.”

Nadine Harding, Academic Course Leader for BSc Professional Policing