Professional Policing BSc (Hons)

**This is a Connected Degree**<br/>Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after youve started your course.<br/><br/>**Overview**<br/>Simulated facilities that replicate situations you’ll face in your job, insights from teaching staff who have law enforcement experience and opportunities to gain experience with local police forces.<br/><br/>Following the National Police Curriculum as set out by the College of Policing, this BSc (Hons) Professional Policing degree prepares you for the emotional, physical and mental demands of a rewarding career in policing and related fields.<br/><br/>Youll gain legislative, policy and procedural knowledge and develop the critical thinking, communication, decision making and conflict management skills you need. You’ll graduate as a qualified police officer and have the foundation to explore a career in law enforcement and criminal justice, or continue your studies at postgraduate level.<br/><br/>**Course highlights**<br/>- Explore crime scenes and situations using virtual reality environments, allowing you to test your skills in a simulated environment<br/><br/><br/>- Build your professional network through our close ties with Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire constabularies<br/><br/><br/>- Get experience of the interdisciplinary work practices you’ll encounter in your career as you study alongside criminology students<br/><br/><br/>- Enhance your CV and apply your skills through volunteering opportunities with local police forces<br/><br/><br/>- Have the opportunity to see other countries’ approaches to policing by spending your placement year at a policing-focused overseas university<br/><br/><br/>**Licensed by:**<br/>This course is a national pre-join degree programme licenced by the College of Policing. <br/><br/>**Careers and opportunities**<br/>A career in policing is an exciting, rewarding way to serve your local community and make a positive impact on society.<br/><br/>Working as a police constable<br/><br/>This degree is an approved entry route into the police services in England and Wales, so youll be eligible to apply for police constable roles when you graduate (you won’t need to do a graduate conversion programme). This allows you to work in neighbourhood and response policing.<br/><br/>With experience, you can rise in the ranks to roles such as:<br/><br/><br/>- sergeant<br/><br/><br/>- inspector<br/><br/><br/>- superintendent<br/><br/><br/>- chief constable<br/><br/><br/>Working in other police force units<br/><br/>After a 2-year probationary period as a police constable, you can apply to work in specialist areas such as:<br/><br/><br/>- criminal investigation department (CID)<br/><br/><br/>- firearms<br/><br/><br/>- traffic<br/><br/><br/>- intelligence<br/><br/><br/>- child protection<br/><br/><br/>- fraud squad<br/><br/><br/>- drug squad<br/><br/><br/>This course also gives you the knowledge and skills for roles in security organisations such as the National Crime Agency.

If you apply through Clearing, you'll be offered a guaranteed room in halls if you accept your offer within 24 hours of receiving it and apply for accommodation as a new full-time undergraduate student by 9am on 20 August 2025.<br/><br/>Sign up for Priority Clearing to get accommodation information straight to your inbox as well as access to Portsmouth's Clearing Visit Day on Thursday 7th August. Priority Clearing applicants will jump the queue on Results Day, get exclusive Clearing updates, invites to Portsmouth Prepare for Clearing Webinars and one-to-one application support.<br/><br/>Through the open day, students can get a feel for Portsmouth's welcoming campus and community before joining the university. With guaranteed accommodation, they can rest easy and ensure they are in the heart of the student community.