Professional Policing (Pre-Join)

Prepare for entry to the police service with this three-year BA (Hons) Professional Policing Pre-Join programme.
(Licensed by the College of Policing, from January 2020, this course is one of just three routes available to becoming a police officer.)

Designed to align to the National Police Curriculum, successful completion of this course qualifies you to apply to become a police officer in one of the 42 police forces throughout England and Wales.

The programme’s wide variety of topics – from Digital Policing for a Digital Age to Counter Terrorism – will equip you to work in the constantly changing landscape within which the police operate. However, your highly transferable skills will also equip you for related careers in, for example, the legal and security sectors.

There is a strong employment focus, giving you an opportunity to undertake live briefs as well voluntary placements; in fact, we will actively encourage you to volunteer as a Special Police Constable (which will not only develop your practice-based understanding but increase your long-term career prospects as well).

Level 4 Modules
Title Code Credits Options
Introduction to Policing TH4MD300 20 Mandatory
Police Powers TH4MD301 20 Mandatory
Policing Contemporary Society TH4MD302 20 Mandatory
Public Protection Risk and Vulnerability TH4MD303 20 Mandatory
Crime Prevention and Detection TH4MD304 20 Mandatory
Researching the Evidence Skills and Methods TH4MD305 20 Mandatory
Level 5 Modules
Title Code Credits Options
Digital Policing for a Digital Age TH5MD316 20 Mandatory
Fieldwork for Policing TH5MD317 20 Mandatory
Ethics Integrity and Professional Standards TH5MD318 20 Mandatory
Criminal Procedure and Investigation TH5MD319 20 Mandatory
Criminal Justice Environment TH5MD320 20 Mandatory
Crime Abuse and Human Behaviour TH5MD321 20 Mandatory
Level 6 Modules
Title Code Credits Options
Evidence Based Project TH6MD291 40 Mandatory
Working with Victims and Witnesses TH6MD292 20 Mandatory
Community Cohesion and Strategic Policing TH6MD293 20 Mandatory
Information and Intelligence Case Management TH6MD294 20 Mandatory
Counter Terrorism TH6MD295 20 Mandatory

Coursework
Most courses are assessed via a combination of coursework and exams – the percentage weighting of each of these is outlined below. Coursework might range from written tasks and assignments to the collation of a portfolio of evidence based around a work placement. Coursework differs from exams in that it is usually non-timed and carried out independently.

Exam
Exams are formal, timed written assessments, carried out in a controlled environment and overseen by one or more invigilators. They assess your grasp of the theory and underpinning knowledge related to your chosen career area. The opposite of practicals, they require you to set out your practical understanding within an academic context. Some courses have no exams – the exam/coursework ratio is outlined below.

Practical
Practical assessments identify your technical ability to apply theory to hands-on tasks in your chosen career area. They can be timed or non-timed and involve observation of your practical skills and competencies, either in a work-based environment or a dedicated College setting that closely resembles the workplace. Practical work-based assessments are supported and carried out by a trained assessor.

Assessment Method Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Coursework 77% 62% 68%
Exam 10% 10% 12%
Practical 13% 28% 20%