BA (Hons) Professional Policing at Cardiff Metropolitan University

Licensed by the College of Policing and aligned with the national policing curriculum for initial entry into the police service, this degree gives an academic and practical foundation in modern policing. Taught by lecturers including former police officers and criminal justice professionals, it covers response policing, investigations, public protection, digital policing and ethical decision-making.

Faculty: Cardiff School of Education & Social Policy  |  Department: Policing  |  Duration: 3 years full time; 4 years with a foundation year  |  Intake: 2027  |  Location: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

What you will study

Year 1: Law Enforcement: Key Police Powers, Exploring Policing, Academic Skills for Policing, Policing Prosecution and the Criminal Justice System, Understanding Criminal Investigations, Applied Criminology. Year 2: Law Enforcement: Core Offences, Urban Rural and Wildlife Policing, Policing Across Borders and Beyond, Vulnerability in Policing Practice, Criminal Evidence and Intelligence Gathering, Evidence-Based Policing. Year 3: Dissertation, Policing Violent and Sexual Crime, Investigating Homicide and Major Crime, Cops Corruption and Ethical Policing.

Career pathways

Prepares students for a career as a police officer as a recognised route to becoming a police constable, and for careers in criminal justice, youth justice and community safety. Completing the degree does not guarantee police entry; graduates who join a force within five years may benefit from the policing pathway.

Official programme page