Policing (Operational and Strategic Leadership) (Part-time) (MSc)
This course is designed in consultation with police forces for senior police officers (in-post) who wish to enhance their career. UWTSD will use an online/blended approach to minimise the time that officers would need to take off from their duties which represents an important feature of this course.
The MSc will allow senior officers to gain recognition for prior learning and experience and develop enhanced skills in leadership both on an operational and strategic level.
Course details
- Distance Learning
- Part-time
- English
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
The MSC Policing (operational and strategic leadership) degree has been designed after extensive consultation with the Welsh Police Forces. With the introduction of the Police Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) which has established a degree entry level for all PCs receiving full occupational competency.
It has been identified there is now an educational gap between the ranks, with PCs eventually all being degree level, while some Chief Inspectors do not have any formal accredited qualifications, despite working at a high level of critical thinking.
The MSc will allow senior officers to gain recognition for prior learning and experience and develop enhanced skills in leadership both on an operational and strategic level.
This course is designed to be delivered via a combination of online and blended learning, which will allow officers to undertake the course whilst still working and reduce abstraction time; this is in line with the needs of the force and will also follow the pattern set down by the degree apprenticeship that we currently deliver with South Wales and Gwent Police forces.
The course also allows officers to apply for recognition of prior experiential learning (RPEL) against a number of modules such as Operational Leadership, Corporate Governance in Policing, Strategic Management in Policing. Through consultation with the forces, this is an attractive option as it gives recognition for the skills and knowledge they have already gained within their working career.
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(20 credits)
(60 credits)
(20 credits)
Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
Ratings and Rankings
Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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Candidates should be in position and be of a senior officer level.
Admissions Advice and Support 
For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. 
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The modules and the assessments have been designed by the programme team collectively, to ensure they form a cohesive whole.
The key purpose of the assessment scheme is to enable students to demonstrate individually that they have met the aims of the programmes and achieved the learning outcomes at the standard required for the level of study. Assessment will also be used to provide feedback to students to assist in subsequent learning.
A range of summative assessment methods will be employed, i.e. assessment expressed in marks that count towards the calculation of the final mark. Coursework and practical assessments are used to test knowledge and understanding, but they tend to focus more on the development of cognitive, practical and key skills.
Such methods are highly appropriate to the nature of the policing discipline as they facilitate authentic, workplace relevant assessment and practice. Coursework and practicals will be set in a variety of formats.
These include:
- Essays
- Reports
- Portfolios
- Research projects
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Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities
There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch.
Opportunities to Learn Welsh
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills.
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Students will be required to have access to IT equipment to undertake this course online.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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The opportunity to study at level 7 and undertake research within the force or partnership group will also not only benefit the individual but other staff within the organisation, as specific areas are investigated and concentrated on by someone who has a certain level of knowledge and understanding in a particular area.