Professional Policing (Full-time) (BSc Hons)
Our Professional Policing degree aims to equip students with a wide range of skills and knowledge needed for modern policing. This course covers important policing professional standards, various situations, and different contexts. It aims to enhance your ability to perform effectively as a police constable in key areas of professional policing.
As a BSc Professional Policing student, you will explore how political and social factors influence crime. You’ll study criminalisation and the political and social processes of victimisation. You will also learn about criminological theories and how social diversity and inequality affect crime and responses to it. Understanding these concepts will help you see how crime affects different groups of people in society.
The course introduces you to the complex social problems related to crime, such as issues of class and victimisation. You will learn about the responses to crime and deviance, and develop skills to compare these responses, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. This will involve studying criminal investigation methods and understanding how to evaluate their effectiveness.
Throughout the degree, you will research various strategies and methods used in policing. You’ll learn to assess how appropriate these strategies are in different situations. The course also covers practices and developments in criminal justice agency practices. This includes looking at how values and relationships are changing between individuals, groups, and both public and private agencies.
This degree is a pre-join knowledge-based degree in professional policing, which you need to complete before you can formally join the police service. By the end of the course, you will have gained knowledge and skills directly relevant to law enforcement in the Police Service in England and Wales.
Key topics covered in the course include community policing, response policing, and public protection. You will also study evidence-based policing, which involves using research to inform your decisions and actions. Additionally, you will learn about the roles of the National Crime Agency and the Prison and Probation Services.
This Professional Policing degree is designed to prepare you for a successful career in policing. You will gain a solid foundation in the core areas of policing, with a focus on understanding and responding to crime and deviance. This course provides the essential knowledge and skills needed for recruitment to the police service and to excel as a police constable.
Course details
- On-campus
- Full-time
- English
Undergraduate Fees
Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £15,525 per year
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
This course balances theory and practice using learning strategies that are both personalised and collaborative.
Throughout the programme, students will gain experience in key policing activities, many of which address real-world problems and cases. This approach ensures that students are not only learning in the classroom but also applying their knowledge in practical settings.
We aim to develop critical thinking, practical skills, and a deep understanding of policing. This multifaceted approach ensures that students develop a wide range of skills, preparing them for the complex and dynamic field of professional policing.
In the first year, you will be introduced to the basics of professional policing and examine factors that influence crime and policing. Modules in communication skills for policing are also offered.
(20 credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
The second year delves deeper into the complexities of crime, class, and victimisation. You will study various responses to crime and deviance, developing skills to critically compare these responses. Specialised modules including policing Wales, Community policy and response and roads policing.
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
In the final year, you will focus on advanced topics in professional policing. You will undertake independent research and apply evidence-based policing strategies. This year aims to consolidate your learning and prepare you for recruitment to the police service, ensuring you are ready for the challenges of this sector.
(20 credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(20 Credits)
(40 Credits)
Course Disclaimer
-
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.
testimonial
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
-
96 UCAS Tariff Points
- e.g. A-levels: CCC, BTEC: MMM, IB: 30
The UCAS tariff score is applicable to you if you have recently studied a qualification that has a UCAS tariff equivalence. UCAS provides a  for you to work out what your qualification is worth within the UCAS tariff.
GCSEs
GCSE grade A*-C (grade 9-4 in England) in English and Mathematics is also required.
Alternative entry routes
If this course interests you, but you don’t have the entry requirements to join our bachelor’s degree you could consider:
- ‘with Foundation Year’. This route is designed to give you extra support as it provides you with an additional year (full-time) of supported study.
Once you successfully complete your Foundation Year studies, you will automatically advance onto the main degree. 
- Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE). This is a one-year course and is equivalent to the first year of the three year, full-time bachelor’s degree.
Once you have successfully completed your CertHE studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remaining two years of the bachelor’s degree.
These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. 
Admissions Advice and Support
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, such as your background, experiences and individual circumstances. This is known as ‘Contextual Admissions’. For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa.
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship.
For full information read our visa application and guides.
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
-
The assessments have been designed by the programme team collectively, to ensure they form a cohesive whole and meet the requirements of the College of Policing’s PEQF curriculum for the Pre-Join Professional Policing degree.
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 so as to assist in subsequent learning.
Each module will be assessed summatively through a range of individual assessment tasks but formative methods are also used. Formative assessment is carried out through practical exercises that are undertaken and discussed in class, role-plays, negotiations, presentations by students and the sessions devoted to reviewing exams after these have been marked.
A range of summative assessment methods will be employed. Exams are primarily (but not exclusively) used to test knowledge and understanding.
Coursework and practical assessments also test knowledge and understanding but 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
- Presentations.
-
Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies.
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed.
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.
-
It is possible to complete this programme of study without any additional costs.
Students may wish to purchase textbooks for modules, such as the Independent Project, but this is not a requirement and will have no bearing on the final grade.
-
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 Scholarships and Bursaries section.
-
As an approved provider, forces will be able to recognise the degree as one that is fit for purpose and ensure that students are seen in a positive light on application.
The University works in collaboration with South Wales Police and Gwent Police forces. Historically, a number of our graduates have gone on to work with these forces due to the links that have been made. As a result of this collaboration, we have a number of police trainers that work with the team to deliver extra professional practice and provide HYDRA practical sessions for the students.
The volunteer police programme that has been run with UWTSD and South Wales Police since 2012 provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable practical policing experience which also enhances their progression opportunities.