Develop the diverse skills and deeper knowledge needed to keep pace with rapidly changing policing and security landscapes.
Employers now require more accredited qualifications, innovative approaches, and diverse skills, so whether you seek promotion or specialisation, the BSc (Hons) Policing & Applied Security Studies (BSc PASS) will help you progress in your career.
BSc PASS is unique, allowing you to complete your part-time degree in three or four years and tailor your degree to suit your professional needs and goals using a mixture of taught modules and optional placements in Work-Based Learning modules. This flexible course structure provides a robust, tailored academic and work-integrated pathway to earning an Honours degree while working full-time.
The first step is completing your Portfolio prior to starting the course. The modules reflect current and future issues in policing and security – including leadership, terrorism, intelligence, cybercrime, project management, and international policing and security. They enable you to develop the academic, reflective, and practical knowledge and experience to make transformative changes in your career.
The degree recognises and builds upon policing and security professionals' prior learning and focuses on advancing skills and knowledge needed to progress careers in these rapidly changing sectors. The integration of optional professional placements allow students to fully immerse themselves in new career opportunities. The degree’s flexible nature ensures students may maintain a balance between work, studies, and life.
Jessica Bombasaro-BradyCourse Director
The BSc PASS is the only degree of its kind in the UK: it provides a cost-effective, inter-professional, flexible, and employment-centred approach to professionals in the policing and security sectors. This degree is an excellent choice if you want to advance your career – gaining marketable skills, building your confidence, and improving your knowledge of the changing policing and security landscapes.
Flexible and Affordable:
Focused on Professional Development:
Expanding Opportunities:
Design your own research project to address your and/or your employer’s needs.
You do not need any formal academic qualifications to apply to join the BSc (Hons) Policing & Applied Security Studies (BSc PASS) course. However, you must meet the three requirements below:
You must be a serving professional and have at least four-years’ experience (full or part-time) in policing (staff or officer), or relevant security profession (including, but not exclusive to: National Crime Agency (NCA), Security Service (MI5), Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), HM Prison & Probation Service, UK Border Agency, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), Securitas, Serco, G4S, etc).
You must complete a Portfolio showcasing your prior learning in policing and / or security, gained from experience rather than formal study. Using the Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) process, a successful Portfolio will earn you 120 of the total 360credits needed to complete your degree.
It may be daunting to complete a Portfolio about your professional learning, particularly if your writing skills are out of practice – don’t worry, there is plenty of support to help you succeed, including templates, workshops, and drop-in sessions.
Your Portfolio is marked pass/fail by academic staff. If you earn a pass, you may commence the BSc Policing & Applied Security Studies. Successfully passing the Portfolio allows you to complete your part-time BSc in 3 or 4 years, half the length of a traditional part-time degree.
You must pay a fee when you submit your Portfolio (£530 for entry in September 2023) to cover the cost of academics marking and processing your Portfolio. However, if you earn a ‘pass’, 50% of your fee (£265) will be deducted from your Year 1 tuition fee.
For comparison, 120 credits in a traditional part-time degree would cost £9,250 (in September 2023) – so if you pass the Portfolio and enrol on the degree, you immediately save nearly £9,000.
To apply for a place on the degree, you will need to submit your Portfolio, and if successful you will be invited to complete an application form. Find out more about the Portfolio.
Please read the entry requirements closely before applying.
If you want to learn more about the degree, attend an online information session, or have specific questions about the Portfolio required to apply to the degree, please email policing@canterbury.ac.uk.
Each academic year is divided into three sections (trimesters), you will study one module in each trimester. For each module, you will attend two study-weekends (Friday afternoon and all-day Saturday) on the Canterbury campus, two weekday lectures online, and two weekday evening lectures in London.
You may choose to complete placements (e.g. secondments, attachments, projects, etc) as part of Work-Based Learning modules to gain hands-on experience in a chosen area or role – earning you academic credit and bolstering your CV. The placement may be in any policing or security environment or organisation, opening opportunities for you to try positions in other organisations, units, or departments.
A BSc (Hons) degree is composed of 360 credits, equally divided (120 credits) between three levels of learning (levels 4, 5, and 6).
Prior to enrolling on the degree, you will pass the Portfolio, earning you all 120 credits required at Level 4. The Portfolio recognises the contributions your working experience in policing and/or security makes towards your learning. To start your Portfolio and access support to complete it, click here.
Reflective Practice & Transformational Change (20 credits)
The module provokes you to make structured reflections on work experiences to prompt transformational change. You will learn about the facilitators and inhibitors of change and reform in their workplace and reflect on this learning using models of reflective practice to consider transformational changes within themselves and their organisations. The module will enable you to consider the challenges of reform, including the operational, economic, and cultural processes and systems.
Theoretical Frameworks in Policing & Applied Security (20 credits)
This module establishes the interdisciplinary theoretical framework underpinning the course, presenting concepts from criminology, sociology, history, politics, and international relations. You will gain an understanding of the study of policing and security within their theoretical and historical contexts.
Contemporary Issues in Policing & Applied Security (20 credits)
This module builds on the theoretical and reflective learning gained in earlier modules and encourages you to apply it to their critical understanding of contemporary issues in policing and security.
Work Based Learning: Leadership in Practice (20 credits)
This module will enable and encourage you to implement both academic, practical, and reflective learning on leadership skills in your employment within a 120-hour placement. You may choose to submit a portfolio of prior learning on leadership in place of this module.
Work Based Learning: Project Management (20 credits)
This module will enable and encourage you to implement academic, practical, and reflective learning to manage projects in your employment within a 120 hour placement. You may choose to submit a portfolio of prior learning on project management in place of this module.
Work Based Learning: Self-Innovation (20 credits)
This module will enable and encourage you to implement both academic, practical, and reflective learning to develop yourself (self-innovation) in your employment within a 120 hour placement. You may choose to submit a portfolio of prior learning on self-innovation in place of this module.
International Policing & Applied Security (20 credits)
This module explores international policing and applied security, focusing on contemporary issues and debates.
Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism (20 credits)
This module explores the complicated and interconnected nature of Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism. Looking both historically and globally, this module will analyse different types of terrorism and how terrorism trends such as tactics, targets and motivations have developed over time. It will also explore government responses to such violence, looking globally but with a deeper focus on the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST.
Research Methods (20 credits)
This module provides you with a firm foundation in research methods to commence and progress independent research towards your Dissertation.
Dissertation (40 credits)
You will demonstrate a detailed and critical understanding on a chosen topic related to policing or applied security in their completion of an extensive written, research-based essay. The summative portfolio will assist your dissertation progression and academic skills development.
Intelligence & Decision-Making (20 credits)
This module explores the challenges and risks in identifying and handling intelligence and intelligence sources and how to manage them, including the legal, ethical, and professional frameworks governing intelligence. The module uses case studies and theoretical foundations to examine the process of intelligence-informed decision-making.
Cybercrime: Ethical, Professional & Legal Issues (20credits)
This module introduces you to the ethical, professional, and legal issues provoked by cybercrime.
Each academic year is divided into three sections (trimesters). You will study one 20 credit module in each trimester, except for your 40 credit Dissertation in your final year spans two trimesters. Remember: a BSc (Hons) degree is composed of 360 credits, equally divided (120 credits) between three levels of learning (Levels 4, 5, and 6).
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, work-based learning, and practical workshops. You will usually study three modules each year (one in each trimester). You will typically have around 30 contact hours per module. These will be delivered in compressed chunks. In each module, you will attend two study-weekends (Friday afternoon and Saturday) in Canterbury, two online lectures, and two weekday evening lectures in London.
Seminars in smaller groups will enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures. In addition, you will meet with your Personal Academic Tutor, who will be able to assist you with any queries or problems that you may have. They will also be able to signpost you to any of the University services should you need them.
At Level 5, you have the option of completing up to three Work-Based Learning module placements (120 hours per placement).
When not attending lectures, seminars, workshops or other timetabled sessions you will continue learning through self-study. Typically, this involves reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the library, working on projects, and preparing for assessments, workshops and seminars.
Your Module Leader will direct you towards specific readings and/or activities to complete before sessions.
The Dissertation in your final year will require you to choose a topic related to policing and/or security and conduct independent research. You will work under the supervision of a member of the academic team who will guide you through the dissertation process. You will meet with your supervisor regularly.
On average, each module will require: 30 hours of your attendance at taught sessions, 20 hours of guided independent learning (e.g. preparation for taught sessions by completing readings and specified activities), and 150 hours of independent learning (e.g. completing assessments).
The team consists of highly qualified academics. All our team members hold postgraduate and teaching qualifications and are research active. Many of them are pracademics, meaning that they also have operational experience in policing and / or security services. They have experience in delivering research-informed teaching.
The BSc Policing & Applied Security Studies often invites guest lecturers to deliver a lecture, seminar, or workshop who are experts in their field of policing or security. This allows you to have direct contact with other professionals working in the field, building your professional networks and opening opportunities for further professional development.
Assessments will sharpen and enhance your skills in oral and written communication, evidence-based research and analysis, advanced reflective practice, and professional collaborations to understand and solve problems. You will develop a variety of academic skills, including critical reading and writing, conducting research and evaluating sources, constructing arguments, and delivering a coherent structure. There is an emphasis on self-guided and independent learning, but you’ll also be strongly supported by faculty and a Personal Academic Tutor throughout your studies.
The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Some modules contain a piece of practice or 'formative' assessment for which you can receive feedback from your module tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.
There are formal or 'summative' assessments often in the middle and/or at the end of each module. Assessment methods include coursework assessments such as essays, oral assessments, written reports, group practicals, reflective writing, portfolios, individual presentations, digital assignments, and your Dissertation. There are no exams. The grades from formal assessments count towards your overall module mark.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
The balance of assessment by examination and assessment by coursework depends to some
extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows:
Level 5
100% coursework (including: portfolios, essays, individual presentations, oral assessments)
Level 6
100% coursework (including: digital assignment, essays, portfolios, individual presentations, written reports, group practicals, reflective writing, and Dissertation)
Feedback
You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken
by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your Module Leader. We aim to provide you with feedback within 15 working days of submission.
The BSc (Hons) Policing & Applied Security Studies recruits from serving professionals with four years of experience in the policing or security sectors. Students who graduate from the degree may progress into more specialised or senior ranking roles within their existing employment, or decide to use their degree to propel them into a new career.
You may consider careers with public services, such as: police services, National Crime Agency (NCA), Security Service (MI5), Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), HM Prison & Probation Service, UK Border Agency, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
You may also consider careers in private security, such as: G4S, Serco, Securitas, Mitie, or as investigators and security personnel in other companies. And also consider careers in the military, such as Royal Military Police, Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU).
You may also pursue postgraduate study to earn a Master’s or even PhD (further study at CCCU will earn an alumni discount).
Portfolio Fee (Prior to Enrolment):
You must pay a fee when you submit your Portfolio (£530 for entry in September 2023) to cover the cost of academics marking and processing your Portfolio. However, if you earn a ‘pass’, 50% of your fee (£265) will be deducted from your Year 1 tuition fee.
This fee applies to all applicants (Home UK students and International students).
For comparison, 120 credits in a traditional part-time degree would cost £9,250 (in September 2023), so if you pass the Portfolio and enrol on the degree, you immediately save nearly £9,000.
Annual Tuition Fee:
The 2023/24 annual tuition fees for this course are:
| UK** | Overseas*** |
Year 1 ONLY | £2,965 | £4,805 |
Subsequent Years | £3,230 | £5,070 |
Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated.
Please read the 2023/24 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding 2023/24 tuition fees and year on year fee increases.
To apply for a place on the degree, you will need to submit your Portfolio, and if successful you will be invited to complete an application form. Find out more about the Portfolio.
Please read the entry requirements closely before applying.
If you want to learn more about the degree, attend an online information session, or have specific questions about the Portfolio required to apply to the degree, please email policing@canterbury.ac.uk.