University of Plymouth - Postgraduate Open Evening
11 Mar 2026, 16:00
Plymouth
Our Professional Policing degree, licensed by the UK College of Policing, is taught by expert criminologists and senior ex-officers. Gain the skills and hands-on experience needed for careers in law enforcement, security, and all areas of policing.
Immersive, real-world training
Experience realistic crime scene investigations, live suspect interviews with actors, and simulated courtroom trials - bridging theory and practice in a hands-on learning environment.
Expert-led teaching
Learn from former senior police officers and leading criminologists who bring decades of frontline experience and academic insight, including major event management like the 2012 Olympic torch relay.
Career-focussed
Licensed by the UK College of Policing as a Pre-Join degree, this course opens doors to a variety of careers across public, private and third sectors.
This course is for you if...
you have a desire to make a tangible difference – to serve and protect communities
you seek to develop transferable skills across law enforcement, security and public service roles
you're driven to apply your skills in real-world settings – through immersive experiences such as crime scene simulations, courtroom presentations, and live suspect interviews
you are aiming for a rewarding and dynamic career in law enforcement.
Year 1
Semester 1 – Who are the police and what do they do?
You will start with a history of the modern police, their role and function and how they respond to public need and gain insights into roads policing and the trauma experienced by first responders.
Semester 2 – Criminology and communities
Understanding the causes of crime and applying criminological theory, you will problem-solve real policing issues by analysing criminal and community intelligence.
Year 2
Semester 1 – From crime scene to court
Immersing yourself in our realistic crime scene you will form investigative hypotheses, interview live suspects, and develop policing skills to solve a murder scenario.
Semester 2 – The ethics of the police
The police service operates in a risky environment with the need for fast paced but high-quality decision making. You will work through real-life case studies where the police have caused the death of a member of the public to enhance your decision-making capabilities under stress.
Final year
Semester 1 – Protecting the vulnerable
You will challenge your understanding of how to safeguard the vulnerable, protecting children and tackling extremist radicalisation and domestic abuse.
Semester 2 – Criminology and communities
Police corruption and cyber-crime are examined in depth, and you will be able to contribute to the development of evidenced-based policing through your dissertation research into real-world policing problems.
For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.
For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
The following entry points are available for this course:
The University of Plymouth has a dedicated Student Immigration Advice (SIA) service who will support you from the day you accept an offer at the University, right through to graduation. They will offer help and advice so you can get the most out of your studies, and your time in the UK, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/services/international-student-advice for more information. Once you have applied, your conditional offer letter will also be sent to you by email, so be sure to enter your current email address on your application and to check this email regularly. You'll need your unconditional letter, and the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that we'll send you, when applying for your student visa to the UK. A tuition fee deposit will be required before we'll send you the CAS. We're a licenced Sponsor under the Points Based System. To comply with our duties as a Sponsor, we're required to check other aspects of your application in addition to your academic achievements, for example any previous studies, financial status and your immigration history in the UK. For course entry requirements (inc. English requirements) please refer to the specific page for the course you are interested in (www.plymouth.ac.uk/study). A recognised English language qualification (e.g. IELTS) would be required or successful completion of one of the University's pre-sessional English Language courses. Check our country pages to find out more about application from your specific home country www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/study/international-students-country-guides. International fees, please visit our fees and funding pages www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees. If you have any questions please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk
Discover what it's like to study Professional Policing at University of Plymouth: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6 | With 5.5 in all elements. |
English Language Requirements https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements
At the University of Plymouth, we believe in building a welcoming and inclusive community that supports every student to achieve their full potential.
With our contextual offer scheme, we may extend offers below our standard entry criteria to those applicants whose circumstances and experiences could have impacted their education and academic performance. You can check your eligibility for a contextual offer using our online postcode checker.
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.
See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
For all information about tuition fees, please visit our fees and funding pages at www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/fees
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
Visit our website Visit our course page
Email:admissions@plymouth.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0) 1752 585858