Professional Policing
Our BSc Professional Policing degree prepares you for the realities of frontline policing through applied, scenario-based learning that reflects the challenges officers face in practice.
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UCAS Code
PP10
Start Date
September 2026
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
104
Fees
Home students: £9,790*
International students: £17,200*
UCAS Code
PP10
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
104
International students: £17,600*
Course Overview
From responding to incidents and protecting vulnerable people to using police powers ethically, managing risk and building community confidence, you will develop the knowledge, confidence and professional judgement needed for contemporary policing.
We’ll give you the skills to achieve your ambitions. You’ll investigate crimes, review cold cases, learn theory, and apply the law. Combining theory with applied, scenario-based learning, you will develop the knowledge, confidence and professional judgement needed for your dream job.
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Licensed by the College of Policing.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
In your first year, we’ll give you a solid introduction to policing. You’ll learn about the role and duties of a police officer and how policing fits into the criminal justice system.
We’ll explore new areas of law, such as digital crimes, and start exploring the role of forensics in investigation.
In this module you will explore the legal system in England and Wales and gain an understanding of criminal law, criminal justice agencies and crime statistics reporting. Examine court procedures, the judicial system, and key organisations like the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Police, Courts, Probation, and Prison Service.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
This module will allow you to deepen your understanding of criminological theory, from the evolution of crime to its contemporary contexts. Engage in current debates and apply criminology concepts to explore how crime is socially, culturally, and historically constructed and perceived.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
This module will introduce you to the history of modern policing in England and Wales and offer you with an understanding of the role of the Police Service in England and Wales. The module will cover a number of strategic elements such as the roles of those charged with setting the strategic direction of the police service, for example the responsibilities of Home Secretary and the Police and Crime Commissioners’ (PCC). You will become familiar with how the PCC holds Chief Constables to account for the delivery of the service on behalf of the public.
This module provides you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills relating to how technology is used in the Criminal Justice Sector and how technology can be used to facilitate crime. You will develop introductory knowledge about the differences between physical and digital crime and offences associated with digital-facilitated crimes such as sexting/revenge porn; bullying; online fraud exploitation, and also how technology may be used to detect and prevent crime.
In this module you will learn about how vulnerable people can become victimised by criminals. You will learn about concepts such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s), substance abuse, mental ill-health, Modern Slavery, County Lines. The module will also focus on developing your interpersonal skills, so that you can appropriately respond to incidents and safeguard vulnerable people.
This module will provide you with a comprehensive overview of modern forensic science approaches to crime scenes. It will involve the presentation of the latest, research-led, techniques together with sessions from external forensic practitioners and police officers and a set of modern, hands-on practical sessions. Using the University’s Forensic Crime Scene Training Facility, you will learn about securing and preserving a crime scene and gain skills in forensic record keeping.
This module is designed to support you with your academic development. So, in this module you will develop academic and professional skills for success in university but also within the criminal justice sector. The module includes time management, writing, referencing, personal skill development along with digital competency and critical analysis.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
We'll use some high-profile cases to look at the role of policing and explore how to gather evidence and interview people.
We’ll explore vulnerability and public protection, and you’ll combine classroom learning with practical sessions where you’ll put your new skills to the test.
This module will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of public protection and safeguarding, focusing on multi-agency approaches to address strands of vulnerability. You will explore safeguarding legislation, including the Social Services and Well-being Act, Children’s Act, and examine the roles and responsibilities of multiagency working. Key topics include risk assessment, responding to abuse, and how trauma impacts on young people. The module also covers offender management through MAPPA, victim support, and ethical dilemmas in Policing.
This module will enable you to extent your operational policing knowledge. This module is practically based, so you will be able to apply your learning into a wide range of operational scenarios, developing wider peripheral skills in additional to the operational requirements. For example, you will learn about Conflict Management, Arrest, Detention, Stop and Search Powers and First Responder Protocol.
This module equips you with research skills to prepare, analyse, interpret, and present both quantitative and qualitative data, with a focus on social research in the criminal justice sector. It covers evidence-based research, research methodology, and the role of academic research. Key topics include hypothesis formation, primary and secondary data, reliability and validity, and ethical considerations. You will explore various research methods like surveys, interviews, focus groups, and systematic reviews, learning their advantages and disadvantages. This module will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to undertake the dissertation module in Year 3.
This module prepares you for complex police investigations, covering essential legislation such as POLICE AND CRIMINAL EVIDENCE ACT, RIPA, and CPIA. You will explore investigation principles, ethical considerations, and the stages of investigations, including suspect identification, scene and evidence preservation, and victim and suspect handling. Key topics include behavioural profiling, decision-making, and the role of internal specialists like Crime Scene Investigators and Family Liaison Officers. You will examine specific investigations (e.g., homicide, trafficking) and learn investigative interviewing techniques (e.g., PEACE model). The role of the CPS, legal processes, disclosure, and justice outcomes are also explored, with a focus on ethics and effective communication.
This module focuses on empowering you to critically analyse legislation in relation to police practices and procedures, particularly in the context of roads policing. You will learn to interpret and apply legislation, including the Criminal Justice Act, Public Order Act, through to other police duties such as dealing with offensive weapons and drug offences. The module also covers roads policing, including laws like the Road Traffic Act, and examines police roles in road safety, ethical decision-making, and handling serious road-related incidents.
This module will provide you with comprehension of serious, organised crime, terrorism, extremism & radicalisation. It covers key definitions, typologies, and the historical evolution of these crimes, highlighting the role of law enforcement, including the NCA and international cooperation. You will explore examples like money laundering, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. The module also addresses terrorism and extremism, focusing on radicalisation, far-right extremism, and the role of digital platforms in spreading hate.
Design and conduct a social science research project in criminal justice. Develop your competence in research design, data collection, and analysis for contributions to evidence-based practices in the criminal justice sector.
This module will develop your understanding of response policing by focusing on communication skills and decision-making tools used by police constables. The module will develop your ability to handle operational matters, such as conflict management, safeguarding, and investigation, within varied environments. You will explore key operational considerations like stop and search under Police and Criminal Evidence Act, safeguarding, and crime pattern analysis. Critical topics such as major and critical incidents, street gangs, knife crime, and trauma management are also taught.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
This module equips you with an in-depth understanding of the key legislation relevant to policing, focusing on its application to common incidents. You will explore a range of topics, including offences against the person, misuse of drugs, public order offences, theft, fraud, and criminal damage. The module also covers the role of the police in managing public order incidents and provides practical skills for interpreting and applying laws in real-life policing scenarios. By the end of the module, you will be able to demonstrate a strong grasp of legal principles and their application within scenarios.
In this module you will be provided with a comprehensive understanding of digital crime investigation, digital policing, and the challenges of e-crime. This module covers the principles and practices of investigating digitally facilitated crimes, with a focus on organised crime. You will gain insight into key terminology, legislation, and regulations governing the use of digital technology in criminal investigations. The module also includes practical exercises, exploring forensic practices, evidence management, and real-world case studies. It aligns with the National Police Chiefs Council's guidelines on digital evidence, emphasising evidential integrity and the application of relevant laws like Police and Criminal Evidence Act and the Data Protection Act.
This module will prepare you for a career in policing by providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the profession and the police recruitment process. This module places a focus on leadership, ethical conduct, resilience, and personal development. You will explore key topics, including the College of Policing Competency and Values Framework, the 2023 Casey Report, and the challenges of operational policing. The module will provide you with practical support into the recruitment process, including application stages, assessments, and interviews, to help you to be successful in your application to the Police service and other organisations.
Delve deep into homicide, covering its social and legal aspects, patterns, and characteristics both in the UK and internationally. Gain insights into homicide investigative process, including evidence production, potential challenges, and failures.
Develop your understanding of violence against women, domestic abuse, and sexual violence within the context of England and Wales. Explore theoretical perspectives, policy responses, and practical implications and delve into legal and policy responses within the criminal justice system.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and Assessment
Teaching and assessment on BSc Professional Policing is designed around the realities of operational policing. You will connect policing theory with practical, scenario-based learning, developing your understanding of police powers, frontline response, safeguarding, vulnerability, risk, public protection, communication and ethical decision-making.
You will follow a curriculum informed by the College of Policing, while learning in a practical and engaging environment that reflects the realities of frontline policing.
You will learn through small-group teaching, tutorials, practical skills sessions, scenario-based activities and independent study. Rather than relying only on traditional classroom teaching, the course gives you regular opportunities to apply what you have learnt to realistic policing situations, including incidents involving risk, vulnerability, safeguarding, public protection and community confidence.
You will also make use of USW’s specialist facilities, where appropriate, to practise decision-making, communication and operational judgement in realistic environments. These experiences help you understand how police officers respond to complex situations, use their powers ethically, work with communities and make decisions under pressure.
This course is delivered over three days each week, with two days dedicated to independent study and off-campus work.
Assessment is varied and applied, giving you opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge through realistic policing tasks. These may include scenario-based exercises, presentations, reports, portfolios, briefings, reflective work and practical decision-making activities.
The focus is on helping you build the confidence, judgement and professional awareness needed for contemporary policing.
We work closely with Dyfed Powys Police, Gloucestershire Police, Wiltshire Police, Dorset Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, South Wales Police and Gwent Police, as well as many other agencies that work alongside the police. With these professional partnerships, we’re able to support work placements and work experience for our students. We do our best to provide practical opportunities to test your skills and knowledge, but nothing beats learning on the job.
Our Professional Policing students learn in specialist facilities designed to bring operational policing to life. You will use environments such as the Hydra Minerva Simulation Centre, CIPHER interactive room, crime scene house, crime car and mock courtroom to explore realistic policing scenarios.
You will have regular opportunities to test your learning through practical policing exercises, so that by the time you begin your career, key procedures, professional expectations and decision-making processes feel familiar.
Course Leader
Janine Vickery
Janine Vickery is the Course Leader and Senior Lecturer on the BSc Professional Policing Degree at the University of South Wales. Janine’s particular field of interest relates to the utilisation of simulation learning to support and enhance theory-based learning. Janine teaches on topics such a vulnerability demand and Operational Policing and is an advisor to the College of Policing. Janine is a former Police Sergeant with Thames Valley Police, where she performed a variety of roles including leading Emergency Response Teams, Public Order Officer, Custody Officer and a trainer for police recruits.
Got questions about the course, teaching style or whether it’s the right fit for you? Reach out to Janine directly by email.
“The hands-on nature of the course is great, because the practical assessments line you up for when you apply to become a police officer.”
Ronan Hooper, Professional Policing student
Entry Requirements
Additional
The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances
Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS Check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions. Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question104 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
BCC to include Mathematics or a numerate subject
Welsh BACC:
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC at A Level to exclude General Studies
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit
Access to HE:
Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points
T Level:
P (C and above)
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Fees and Funding
per year
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Field Trips
- Students have the opportunity to participate in an International Police Summer School. The costs for this activity will vary depending on the hosting country. Up to £600
- During the course students will be required to travel to venues in the South Wales area in order to take part in learning activities. Up to £30
Dissertation
Students may wish to print a hard copy of their final 10,200-word Dissertation. Up to £10
Storage for electronic submissions and work
Cloud storage is available for use by students. Some students may wish to purchase additional storage devices to back up their work. Up to £50.
Printing
Students' material is generally available online and in digital format. Some students may wish to produce hard copies for their personal use.
Books
Students may wish to purchase their own copies of Police related text; however, reference copies are available in the Library.
per year
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Field Trips
- Students have the opportunity to participate in an International Police Summer School. The costs for this activity will vary depending on the hosting country. Up to £600
- During the course students will be required to travel to venues in the South Wales area in order to take part in learning activities. Up to £30
Dissertation
Students may wish to print a hard copy of their final 10,200-word Dissertation. Up to £10
Storage for electronic submissions and work
Cloud storage is available for use by students. Some students may wish to purchase additional storage devices to back up their work. Up to £50.
Printing
Students' material is generally available online and in digital format. Some students may wish to produce hard copies for their personal use.
Books
Students may wish to purchase their own copies of Police related text; however, reference copies are available in the Library.
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
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Apply direct
Professional Policing
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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Apply direct
Professional Policing
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
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Related stories and highlights
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