Professional Policing BA (Hons)
Study level: UndergraduateHNC/HND courses
This pre-join policing degree is an entry route into the police force designed to prepare new recruits to meet the demands of 21st-century policing.
Year of entry
Location
CU Coventry (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich
Duration
4 years part-time
4 years sandwich (study abroad or work placement)
3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC
Course code
PP10 / PP12 / PP11
Start date
April 2024
June 2024
Course overview
This vocational degree meets the standards set by the College of Policing’s Policing Education Qualification Framework (PEQF). These are used by police forces across England and Wales as part of the categorised modes of entry into the policing profession.
The pre-join route gives you the opportunity to study for a degree and then apply to a force and follow a shorter on-the-job training programme to become a police constable or a special constable. The degree is designed so that you will undertake the learning as set out by the PEQF, attain a Professional Policing BA (Hons) and be equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to be able to apply to the Police Force either as a Police Constable or through the direct entry detective pathway.
This exciting course focuses on the main challenges a 21st-century police officer faces, such as protecting the vulnerable, digital policing and counter-terrorism measures. It also provides a foundation knowledge of the role of a Police Constable and the five core areas of professional policing practice: Response Policing, Policing Communities, Policing the Roads, Information and Intelligence, and Conducting Investigations. You will also undertake your own research project into your chosen policing practice area in the final year.
Why you should study this course
Policing is an incredibly rewarding career and allows you to truly make a difference to a community while giving you the opportunity to protect members of the public.
Since 2020, the recruitment process for police constables has been open to those with a pre-join policing degree. This degree provides an academic and professional understanding of policing, serving as a comprehensive introduction to the policing industry which is accredited by the Policing Education Qualification Framework (PEQF)1.
Not only will you have the benefit of learning traditional methods, but you will also get to hear the first-hand experiences and personal perspectives from people in the industry. Each year, several professional guests visit the course2. Previous guests have included members from the Independent Police Complaints Commission, a former police sergeant for the West Midlands Police Force and a Mental Health Triage speaker. We also focus on current and future crime trends in addition to historic cases, so that you gain a rounded understanding of the policing industry.
Accreditation and professional recognition
Policing Education Qualification Framework (PEQF)
This course is licensed by the College of Policing under the Police Education Qualifications Framework for the 2023/24 intake.
How can we help?
Chat with an advisor now or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
This course is available as a full-time three-year course. Alternatively, the course can also be studied part-time.
Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work.
We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our current online learning platform, Aula.
This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.
Teaching contact hours
Full-time
If you choose to study full-time you can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
Part-time
If you choose to study part-time, you'll usually receive up to 11 hours per week of blended learning, including classes, tutorials and online learning. Outside of this, there will also be independent study and online support.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
Please note: part-time courses run subject to numbers.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.
Assessment methods vary and include, practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, tutorial tasks and assessments.
Course breakdown:
- Coursework
- Interactive assessments.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £7,950 per year | Not available |
EU | £7,950 per year with EU support bursary** £16,800 per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
International | £16,800 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees3 cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees3:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
**EU support bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
All our facilities are located at Mile Lane. Our building has been designed to enable collaboration, creativity and innovation to flourish, and includes (subject to availability):
Some taught sessions take place in the neighbouring building, Elm Bank, we also utilise the facilities in the Alison Gingell building, such as the community houses and hospital ward for role play/simulation work.
- Indoor and outdoor social spaces, including a café
- A library that includes loan laptops, over 115,000 eBooks and a silent study area
- Open access IT suites and 83-inch teaching screens
- Engineering lab, science lab and a moot courtroom
- Student support and careers advice teams
Careers and opportunities
On completion, you should be able to:
- demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical and practical aspects of policies, strategies and processes
- develop appropriate research and analysis techniques, alongside the ability to undertake reliable research activities
- operate, lead and collaborate in a team to solve problems of a practical (experimental) nature and to provide appropriate solutions
- apply appropriate presentation and evaluation tools to establish the significance of research data produced.
After completion of this degree, graduates will be equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge to be able to apply to the police force to become a Police/Detective Constable. Graduates must apply to their chosen police force within 5 years of their graduation date.
After graduating, you will then be able to apply to become a police constable. Completion of the pre-join policing degree does not guarantee recruitment as a trainee police constable, but is one of the three entry routes into the policing profession as of 2020.
It is important to note that for progression into a career in the police force, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out. Please note that any previous convictions may have an impact on whether you can join the police force.
How to apply
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UK students
Full-time UK undergraduate students apply through UCAS. Otherwise, you will need to apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
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International students
International codes:
CUCU040International students should apply directly to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International pages or Coventry University Group's International hub.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2023/24 contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.