Professional Policing
Entry requirements
112 UCAS tariff points
A minimum of 112 UCAS Tariff Points
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
112 UCAS Tariff Points
112 UCAS tariff points
T Level
UCAS Tariff
112 UCAS tariff points
About this course
**In a Nutshell**
This course is a comprehensive preparation for a career in policing.
The programme will help you develop an in-depth understanding of the role of a police officer. Alongside the development of operational and practical skills, you will critically examine the Criminal Justice System.
Throughout, you will have the chance to apply theory to practice with case studies and research projects. Simulation exercises based on policing scenarios which allow students to develop key interpersonal skills are a key part of the programme. In year 3 students will undertake a community placement.
There are a range of assessments that will allow students to demonstrate their use of key skills such as researching information, presentation and academic writing skills. Assessments such as policy briefings are linked to the sort of real-world task that an officer would undertake.
Although studying this course does not guarantee entry to the police service, it is a recognised entry route to police constable and provides graduates with the skills to progress a career in policing or other areas linked to the criminal justice system.
**You will:**
- Learn the essential knowledge, skills and professional approaches that are required in modern policing
- Critically explore the role of the police
- Explore the complex and diverse nature of modern communities
- Develop critical thinking and research skills
**This course is for you if...**
- You are interested in a career in policing
- You are interested in a career in other areas of the Criminal Justice System or related professions
- You are interested in crime and wider social issues
- You have a critical mind
- You are a problem solver and able to think fast on your feet
- You have a strong desire to help other people
**All about the course**
The recruitment process for police officers has changed significantly. From 2020, to be confirmed in post as a police constable, officers will require a professional educational qualification from a course of study validated by the College of Policing. One recognised pathway into the police service will be the completion of this pre-join degree in Professional Policing.
This course is a qualification designed and validated by the College of Policing* to meet the new requirements and seeks to address the critical questions and issues that the modern police officer will face.
You will study six modules per year in areas such as; investigation management, response policing, policing communities, criminology and criminological research methods. Specific subject areas include cyber-crime, counter terrorism, investigation of serious crime, dealing with vulnerability and safe-guarding victims and criminological theories of crime and society. The course is underpinned with modules and support on academic skills, research methods and professional development, culminating in an evidenced based project (dissertation) on a contemporary policing issue of your choice.
This programme offers unique opportunities to experience inter-professional learning, simulation exercises and community engagement. You will be able to share learning experiences with students from other courses such as Nursing, Social Work and Criminology, including shared modules and practice exercises. This will enhance your learning and prepare you for working in practice with other linked professions.
You will have the opportunity to do work placements and will be able to take advantage of our strong links with various organisations across Greater Manchester. We also encourage you to join the Special Constabulary of Greater Manchester Police if you wish to.
The programme team includes former police officers with many years of professional knowledge and experience in a wide variety of policing disciplines as well as leading academics from criminology, sociology, social policy and social work.
*confirmation expected at the end of 2020
Modules
Year One modules: Understanding Vulnerability and Risk,
The Practice of Policing,
Policing and Society,
Criminal Justice and Human Rights,
Contemporary Issues in Policing,
Becoming a Social Scientist.
Year Two modules:
Safeguarding and Policing,
Research Problems and Methods: Qualitatively Better,
Complexity and Challenges of Operational Policing,
Internet Risk and Security,
Complexity and Challenges of Operational Policing,
Communities, Policing and Public Protection,
Year Three modules:
Dissertation - Policing,
Dealing with a Complex Investigation,
The Politics of Policing,
Community Placement.
The Uni
University of Salford
School of Health and Society
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Law
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Law
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Law graduates tend to go into the legal industry, and they usually take similar routes. Jobs are competitive — often very competitive - but starting salaries are good and high fliers can earn serious money - starting on over £24k in London on average. Be aware though - some careers, especially as barristers, can take a while to get into, and the industry is changing as the Internet, automation and economic change all have an effect, If you want to qualify to practise law, you need to take a professional qualification — many law graduates then go on to law school. If you want to go into work, then a lot of law graduates take trainee or paralegal roles and some do leave the law altogether, often for jobs in management, finance and the police force. A small proportion of law graduates also move into another field for further study. Management, accountancy and teaching are all popular for these career changers, so if you do take a law degree and decide it’s not for you, there are options.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Law
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£21k
£23k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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