Course overview
*Subject to revalidation
- Develop both the practical skills and the theoretical knowledge you need to become an effective police officer
- Learn from leading experts who have wide-ranging real-life experience in policing
- Become equipped to deal with the exciting challenges of modern policing
The PEQF (Policing Education Qualifications Framework) is a new, professional framework for the training of police officers and staff. As of 1st January 2020, successful appointment as a police officer in any one of the 43 Police Forces in England and Wales will be dependent upon the completion of a professional educational qualification.
The College of Policing, as the professional body of the police service, have developed three new entry routes into the police service. One of these routes is by completion of a Pre-Join degree, whereby students study a three-year degree in professional policing.
The BSc (Hons) Professional Policing programme covers a comprehensive range of knowledge, skills and professional approaches that have been identified as being critical to policing services in the 21st century. These include evidence-based policing; decision-making and discretion; criminology and crime prevention; pro-active approaches to vulnerability, risk, and public protection; well-being and resilience. There is also coverage of key emerging areas of responsibility, such as digital policing and counter terrorism. Students develop academic and research skills as well as policing knowledge. In the final year, students will be putting the in-depth learning into action through an Extended Independent Study module.
As well as subject specific skills, students will have the opportunity to develop key transferable skills that are highly valued by employers in the graduate job market, including the ability to present and develop a cohesive argument, IT skills, research and problem-solving skills, communication skills and working as part of a team.
Find out more about the Department for Applied Social Science, Forensics and Politics
Careers
Many students who undertake this degree will be aiming to join the police service as a Police Constable but it is important to emphasize to applicants and students that completion of this degree does not guarantee employment as a police officer or police staff. Every police service in England and Wales sets its own recruitment process and selection policy and entry requirements vary from service to service. Candidates are advised to check their eligibility against the College of Policing Vetting document, this may assist you in deciding whether to undertake the BSc (Hons) Professional Policing course and/or pursue a career in policing.
The BSc (Hons) Professional Policing course does not limit graduates to a career with the police service. Other careers could include working in; National Crime Agency, Border Force, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, probation service, military police, private security, civil service, local authority, or Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, where investigative and legal knowledge are required.
Careers
The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021, HESA.
Pre-approved for a Masters
University of Winchester students studying Bachelor Honours degrees are pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible students must apply by the end of March in their final year and meet the entry requirements of their chosen Masters degree.
Accreditation
This course is a national pre-join degree programme licenced by the College of Policing.
*Subject to revalidation
This course is subject to revalidation. 'Revalidation' is the process by which the University refreshes its existing provision. Revalidation assesses the quality and standards of the programme to ensure it continues to provide a distinct, high quality academic experience for students, enabling them to acquire the necessary academic knowledge, understanding, general and subject-specific skills required to pursue a graduate level career.
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Suitable for applicants from:
UK, EU, World
Learning and teaching
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc.), you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team, your personal tutor and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
• Teaching, learning and assessment: 240 hours
• Independent learning: 960 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
• Teaching, learning and assessment: 216 hours
• Independent learning: 984 hours
Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
• Teaching, learning and assessment: 168 hours
• Independent learning: 1032 hours
*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Location
Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.
Teaching hours
All class based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during . Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.
Assessment
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:
Year 1 (Level 4)*:
• 50% coursework
• 0% written exams
• 50% practical exams
Year 2 (Level 5)*:
• 83% coursework
• 0% written exams
• 17% practical exams
Year 3 (Level 6)*:
• 75% coursework
• 0% written exams
• 25% practical exams
*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Further information
For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
2023 Entry: 104-120 UCAS tariff points
Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:
- A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
- BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
- International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
- T Level: Merit in a T Level
In addition to the above, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few. We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.
In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:
- GCSEs in Mathematics and English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT.
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
Course enquiries and applications
Telephone: +44 (0) 1962 827234
International students
International students seeking additional information about this programme can send an email to International@winchester.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1962 827023
Visit us
Explore our campus and find out more about studying at Winchester by coming to one of our Open Days
Year 1 (Level 4)
Modules Credits
| Introduction to Police Values and Attributes | 20 |
| Developing Academic Skills | 20 |
| Introduction to Contemporary Policing | 20 |
| Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice | 20 |
| Introduction to Vulnerability, Risk and Public Protection | 20 |
| Police Investigations | 20 |
Year 2 (Level 5)
Modules Credits
| Policing Values, Ethics and Practice | 20 | |
| Criminology, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice | 20 | |
| Contemporary Policing Practice | 20 | |
| Introduction to Research Methods | 20 | |
| Advanced Vulnerability, Risk and Public Protection | 20 | |
|
A person is vulnerable if, as a result of their situation or circumstances, they are unable to take care of or protect themselves, or others, from harm or exploitation. Individuals that are victims of, or subject to, child abuse, neglect or child sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based abuse, female genital mutilation, modern slavery, human trafficking, prostitution, coercive control, stalking, harassment, sexual offences and hate crime, and missing persons or other adults at risk, are those most likely to need police and professional public protection. This module explores theories and concepts surrounding victimisation, offending, recidivism and intervention. Specific study is undertaken in respect of youth gangs’ targeting of the vulnerable or at risk, and professionals abusing their position of trust. The module culminates in the evaluation of different approaches in supporting and managing the vulnerable, and strategies to manage both repeat victimisation and repeat offending. Understanding the role of wider international policy development such as the UN Sustainable Development |
||
| Information and Intelligence in Evidence-Based Policing | 20 | |
Year 3 (Level 6)
Modules Credits
| Understanding the Police Constable Role: Ethics and Policy | 20 |
| Advanced Contemporary Policing | 20 |
| Problem Solving in Policing | 20 |
| Conducting Complex Investigations | 20 |
| Extended Independent Study | 40 |
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing, for full-time students entering the programme in Year 1. Optional modules are listed where applicable. Please note the University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. For further information please refer to the terms and conditions at www.winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions.
The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed above.
Progression from one level of the programme to the next is subject to meeting the University’s academic regulations.
2023 Course Tuition Fees
| UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland |
International | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £9,250 | £14,700 |
| Year 2 | £9,250 | £14,700 |
| Year 3 | £9,250 | £14,700 |
| Total | £27,750 | £44,100 |
| Optional Sandwich Year* | £1,385 | £1,440 |
| Total with Sandwich Year | £29,135 | £45,540 |
If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2023, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.
Remember, you don't have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year. If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £122.50 and a 15 credit module is £1,837.
* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year. To find out whether this course offers a sandwich year, please contact the programme leader for further information.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
ADDITIONAL COSTS
As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.
There might be additional costs you may encounter whilst studying. The following highlights the mandatory and optional costs for this course:
Mandatory
Printing and Binding: The University is pleased to offer our students a printing allowance of £5 each academic year. This will print around 125 A4 (black and white) pages. If students wish to print more, printer credit can be topped up by the student. The University and Student Union are champions of sustainability and we ask all our students to consider the environmental impact before printing.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarships and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards page.
Key course details
- UCAS code
- L450
- Duration
- 3 years full-time; 6 years part-time
- Typical offer
- 104-120 points
- Location
- On campus, Winchester
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