Course overview

Our BSc (Hons) Policing Studies (Top-Up) course has been developed in conjunction with feedback from regional police units and colleges. Our curriculum complements the national agenda for professionalising the police force and allows students to gain a BSc qualification in one year of study. This police course will examine the most important issues facing modern policing and will provide a professional and academic basis for policing practice.

• This course draws on diverse experience from across the University to ensure that you are provided with the most up-to-date knowledge from expert academics in their fields
• The Policing Studies course is a real game changer in enabling serving and recently retired police officers to gain accreditation for their skills and experience which have been gained over a number of years
• This course enables you to study for a BSc degree following a modular accreditation process that will acknowledge your policing experience to a maximum of 240 credits of a traditional 360 credit degree course, and allows you to complete the course in one year (or two years part-time)
• The University is the only institution in the North East that provides its students with volunteering opportunities under the Local Appropriate Adult Scheme

• The course has been designed by former police officers now working as academics, who have sought the views of key stakeholders within policing, and it is intended that the course modules will provide officers with important professional development in contemporary areas of policing
• By recognising prior professional learning and offering flexibility to officers, this course is appealing to many of the existing workforce who are seeking professional development opportunities
• Areas of study have been mapped to the College of Policing curriculum and will include modules based on evidence based policing, contemporary issues within policing, reflective practice and decision making, and legitimacy and policing by consent

Course structure

Throughout the BSc (Hons) Policing Studies (Top-Up) course, you'll learn directly from a teaching team who are active researchers with direct links to policing practice.

The learning environment supports academic and practitioner skills and will develop creativity and critical thinking, and will therefore produce skilled practitioners who will be enabled to have a positive impact upon local and national policing practice in their careers.

This police course will be delivered in teaching blocks in order to accommodate students who are in-service. You will also benefit from support through your own personal tutor – an academic who provides advice and mentoring throughout the course.

Your assessments will be a mixture of a presentation, portfolio and written assignment.