Professional Policing BSc (Hons) Undergraduate - September 2025/26* Entry

This Professional Policing degree draws on established experience, evidence and theory. It prepares you to prevent and respond to crime, building trust within local communities.

Licensed by the College of Policing, it meets all the core requirements of the Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). This means that, on graduation, you can apply to join the police anywhere in England or Wales. Completing the Degree does not give automatic entry and the usual application process has to be completed.

This course utilise a combination of lectures, seminars and workshop delivered at Bangor University. You will benefit from our combined expertise – in research into policing, the causes of crime and crime control, and practical policing skills. In addition to legislative, policy and procedural knowledge, you will gain insight into current police practice.

This hands-on Policing degree will equip you with the right skills and knowledge to adapt to the professional complexity of modern-day policing, including the changing nature of crime and demands on police services.

You will be prepared for the emotional, physical and mental demands of a rewarding career in the police and related fields. Your in-depth knowledge of policing and criminal justice, coupled with excellent communication, leadership, persuasion, diplomacy and research skills, will prove highly attractive to future employers. Not just in other areas of the criminal justice system, but also any civil service or public sector roles.

This degree delivered at Bangor University and licensed by the College of Policing has been developed in partnership with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai (GLLM). You will be taught wholly at Bangor University. 

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• The programme capitalise on close links to North Wales Police and other criminal justice agencies in the area in terms of assisting students with career options.
• Learn from both research active criminologists and experienced former police officers.
• The degree programme is designed to provide students with effective engagement with the College of Policing curriculum blending practical and academic learning throughout the 3 years.
• A range of visiting speakers adds to the learning experience.
• We offer pastoral support and guidance through a dedicated team of personal tutors and year co-ordinators who monitor student performance and provide guidance throughout the 3 years of the degree programme.

Based on the national curriculum for the police constable role, this BSc (Hons) Professional Policing teaches you about the history of policing and contemporary policing.

Academic, best practice and evidence-based training provides you with the skills, attitudes and knowledge to adapt to future change. You will learn how to apply theory to practice, whether that is conducting investigations, coordinating the police response to an incident or developing community engagement.

Adopting a strategic approach, you’ll not only consider why people commit crime, for instance, but also what makes people vulnerable to crime and how to devise strategies to protect and support victims. As the degree progresses, you will cover more specialist activities, such as cybercrime, organised crime, counter terrorism and policing the country’s roads.

We will encourage you to gain operational experience by becoming a special constable, which some of our previous students have done.

Key components of modern policing practice are the national decision model (NDM) and associated standards of professional behaviour, which place ethics at the centre of all police decision making. You’ll come to appreciate the importance of building trust and confidence in the public and how to deploy the NDM effectively, applying different policing models and communications skills depending on each set of circumstances.

Throughout your studies, you’ll hear first-hand experiences from guest speakers such as senior police officers, drug outreach workers and criminal justice staff. There’ll also be plenty of opportunities to debate trending news stories – cybercrime students recently discussed toxic masculinity in the context of Andrew Tate on social media.

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Professional Policing BSc (Hons) Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

General University Costs

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
• The fee for all integrated study abroad years is  £1,385 (2025/26).
• The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).

More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.

International (including EU) students

• International Student Tuition Fees
• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:

• If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
• If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).

Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:

1. Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
2. Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
3. Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.

General University Requirements

To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.

EU and International Students' Entry Requirements

For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.

Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.

On graduation from this Professional Policing degree, you’ll be all set to apply to become a probationary police constable for any police force in England and Wales. Indeed, some of our graduates have gone on to work for North Wales Police.

You can apply for other professional police roles, such as community support officers, control room operators and analysts. You could also pursue careers in a variety of civilian roles across the criminal justice system including the police, courts system, prison or probation service, youth offending, national intelligence and security agencies, private security, community justice, and victim support. Over time, you may choose to specialise in specific areas, such as cybercrime or fraud investigation, for instance.

During your studies, you’ll gain a solid understanding of evidence-based policing and the use of social science research methods, together with a whole host of transferrable skills. In particular, your analytical, problem-solving, reasoning, persuasion, negotiation, and critical judgment skills will be of interest to local or central government, voluntary organisations, charities, research institutes, thinktanks, education providers.

Typical roles may include:

• Adult guidance worker
• Border force officer
• Community development worker
• Counsellor
• Crime scene investigator
• Detective
• Housing manager/officer
• Local government officer
• Police officer
• Political risk analyst
• Prison officer
• Private investigator
• Probation or parole officer
• Researcher
• Social researcher
• Victim advocate
• Youth worker

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. 

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.

Student Volunteering

Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.