BSc single honours Policing (Criminal Psychology) 2019/20

The programme will emphasise the diversity of the police role by drawing upon a variety of contexts in which policing is discussed. This will include debates concerning moves to foster a commitment to interagency work, the legal and ethical parameters and duties involved, criminological theories, the application of rational and scientific methods and the development of policing skills.

The attributes and qualities associated with policing are highly valued and sought after in many areas of professional life. Many other possible career opportunities follow from graduating with BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology). These include the civil service, local government, the courts, the Prison Service, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, charitable and voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice sector, community safety organisations, National Crime Agency, the security service, Border Force and the private sector security industry.

We also believe BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) will arm you as a graduate with learning in new and emerging crime and policing trends such as cybersecurity, international (borderless) crime, evidence-based policing, crime science and so on. Such knowledge will undoubtedly become increasingly valuable in financial, commercial and technological employment environments.

A key feature of the Policing Suite in general is to provide you a level of flexibility and choice in deciding the detail of your programme of study with opportunities to change from your original programme of choice to a different named award within the Policing Suite.

Work experience

To provide practical experience, you will be encouraged to become a volunteer within the criminal justice system as part of your studies. For instance, you may decide to volunteer in a local police organisation as a special constable, in victim support or with the rehabilitation of offenders within the community.

The writing team behind Blackstone’s Handbook for Policing Students, , led by Professor Robin Bryant, are all from the School of Law, Criminal Justice and Computing. The book has been used by the majority of police services in England and Wales as the core text for new recruits into the police service and it is a key reading for students on pre­service policing programmes in universities across the country. Contributors from the School include several members of staff who also teach on the Policing Suite. The Handbook reflects the multitude of avenues into policing now open to future police officers, from pre­join courses to progression from serving as a special constable or working as a Police Community Support Officer.

Other information

Previously, the School has offered study visits for policing students. These trips have included riot training with Kent Police, study visits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Police Service of The Netherlands. These trips are aimed at providing students with a professional insight into different policing organisations within the UK and in Europe and are subject to availability.

Core modules

Year 1

Police, Policing and Security (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to illustrate the basic concepts and principles of police accountability, performance measurement and legitimacy. It will explore the challenges of policing transnational organised crime as well as those more locally associated with maintaining the careful balance between the need to keep order during public protest and retaining basic rights of freedom of speech and assembly. The module will examine the use of criminal intelligence methods and intelligence databases to support the prevention and detection of crime as well as considering management strategies, leadership and human resource management. The module will illustrate the disparaging effects of police corruption and the need for strategies to maintain the highest ethical standards in police work.

Crime Science (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts and principles of existing scientific approaches and broader techniques in the prevention, investigation and detection of crime. The module will explore ways in which the nature of crime can be informed by science and police investigative approaches. It will investigate how science can support detection and contribute towards crime prevention and it will also consider how scientific methods are applied to crime reduction.

The Law and Politics of Policing (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts and principles relating to the police role, within legal, political and social contexts. It also aims to present you with an understanding of the various organisational forms that policing takes within the extended police family, different functions and models of policing, and the legitimacy of police use of powers in different policing contexts.

The Criminal Justice System and How to Tell What Works (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts and principles relative to policing and the criminal justice system in England and Wales. The module is designed to enable you to gain an understanding of the position and role of the police in the wider context of criminal investigation and offender management and to explore the organisations which form the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom.

Police Practice, Policy and Procedures 1 (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of basic police practices, policies and procedures in England and Wales. It is the first of three modules which embed within them components enabling the student to attain the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP). The module will focus on legislation and those aspects of the law that are more commonly used by the police, such as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and more generally explore legal procedures. The module will consider the classification of some offences within law and the defences attached to particular offences. Fundamental aspects of a police officer’s duty will be introduced, such as evidence gathering, search, arrest and detention.

Year 2

Psychology and the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)

This module aims to give you an introductory understanding of forensic psychology and its impact on the criminal justice system. It will explore how psychology has changed criminal justice procedures, impacted on police practice and given a better understanding of people involved in the criminal justice system such as: perpetrators, victims and witnesses. Special attention will be paid to vulnerable people with lectures on addiction and mental health. Additionally, this module will explore the psychology of the court process and the prison system utilising psychology to understand trial proceedings, the impact of psychological processes on sentencing and the application of psychology to the treatment of offenders.

Evidence­ Based Community Policing (20 credits)

The overall aim of the module is to develop an understanding of neighbourhood and community policing. By examining the key features of each and considering arguments for and against the adoption of these models of policing. The module aims to develop your awareness of the qualities required of a professional neighbourhood police officer. The module also aims to develop your ability to identify professional and academic literature related to neighbourhood and community policing and to engage with issues related to this area of study in an independent and autonomous manner. This module embeds a volunteering element, allowing you to gain valuable experience of working within relevant criminal justice or third sector organisations.

Criminal Investigation (20 credits)

The main aims of the module are to develop your knowledge and understanding of police investigations in the UK and the law underpinning these investigations. The module requires you to become acquainted with the history, structure and function of investigative work in the UK as well as concepts and procedures and current practices relating to police investigations of volume, series and major crimes. In addition you will acquire a knowledge and understanding of the current law in relation to police investigative powers, safeguards for suspects, and selected criminal offences.

Year 3

Psychology of Serious and Prolific Offending (20 credits)

The module aims to explore specialist areas of research and application within criminal and forensic psychology, particularly in relation to serious and prolific offending behaviours and ways to address them. The module will critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of the featured research and literature and in doing so facilitate your development of both subject specific and transferable skills appropriate to the level of study.

Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)

This module provides you an understanding of the impact of mental health conditions on an individual’s ability to manage involvement with the criminal justice system; how mentally ill people need specialist treatment when they come into contact with the criminal justice system as victims/witnesses/offenders; how the role and value of psychiatry and psychology helps in delivering such treatment; and how psychology has changed criminal justice procedures, impacting on police practice and giving a better understanding of people with mental health conditions.

Individual Study (40 credits)

The aim of the Individual Study module is to develop your ability to research and analyse policing in some depth, and construct a well­ reasoned argument based on your findings. In so doing the course aims to provide you with a degree of autonomy in your learning by allowing an opportunity to pursue in some depth, a study of a topic aligned to policing.

For your final core module, you are asked to choose one of the below.

Police Reform and the Future of Policing (20 credits)

This module aims to provide the rationale behind police reform in the United Kingdom. It will critically examine the recent changes that have occurred in both Northern Ireland and Scotland. The module will review calls on the UK police service to respond to the dual challenge of increasing governmental/public demands for improvements in police efficiency and effectiveness in the context of decreasing real time increases in financial resources.

Police Practice, Policy and Procedures 3 (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of police practices, policies and procedures in England and Wales. It is the third of three modules, which embed within them components enabling the student to attain the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP). This module will focus on legislation and relevant policing practices and policies relating to Personal and Public safety, Planned and Emergency police procedures and gathering and handling of police Intelligence and information, it will include an exploration of Counter Terrorism, the principles Critical Incident management and Management of Police Information (MoPI). Fundamental aspects of policing skills in relation to these aspects of Policing will be explored.

Likely optional modules

Year 1

In Year 1 you will have an option of studying a Language as part of your degree, or a module Crime and Disorder in Context (20 credits), which examines the key principles and concepts underpinning crime and its causes., as well as the central theories and methodologies encountered within the social sciences, and criminology in particular.

Year 2

Police Practice, Policy and Procedures 2 (20 credits)

 The aim of the module is to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of police practices, policies and procedures in England and Wales. It is the second of three modules, which embed within them components enabling you to attain the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP). This module will focus on legislation and relevant policing practices and policies relating to Volume Crime Investigation, providing an initial response to a policing incidents and Public Protection. The module will include an introduction to the principles of the College of Policing Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) further exploration of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and Human Rights Legislation. The module will consider the classification of offences relating to Public protection, how a police response is delivered and how evidence is gathered in order to bring offenders to Justice. Fundamental aspects of a police officer’s duty will be explored such as evidence gathering, search, case building and Interviewing witnesses and suspects.

Evidence Relating to Criminal Investigation (20 credits)

The main aims of the module are to develop your knowledge and understanding of evidential issues and how these relate to police investigations in the UK. The module requires students to become acquainted with legislation and current case law. In addition you will acquire a knowledge and understanding of the legal process both pre and post­trial.

Decision Making Theory and Practice in Policing (20 credits)

The module aims to develop decision making and psychological theory understandings in policing by consideration of non­technical skills which are underpinned by empirical evidence and science. Theoretical principles to be addressed in the module are decision making models, situational awareness, personal and collective decision making, leadership and team functioning, environmental constraints and stressors. The module will consider the application of critical incident understanding in different contexts practically, e.g., murder investigation, road death, arson, safeguarding children, missing persons and fire­arms use. Learning in safe place, and in the absence of practical error, is the theme of the module.

Year 3

Investigating Rape and Domestic Abuse (20 credits)

This module critically examines the police investigation of rape (as well as other serious sexual assaults), and domestic abuse. It enhances your knowledge in relation to previous studies of criminal investigation, by developing your ability to critically analyse all aspects of the police response to rape. Similarly the same critical analysis will take place in relation to the police response to domestic abuse. It is no surprise that the police response to both of these types of crimes has attracted much criticism in the past. This module will analyse to what extent the police have improved, and discuss how they conduct their modern investigations in the wider criminal justice setting, and in partnership with other agencies. All content will be discussed against the backdrop of research relating to sexual and violent offending, case studies and case law. Some criminal justice practitioners will be invited to speak in order to add a practical element to the module.

Major Crime Investigation (20 credits)

This module critically examines the police investigation of major crimes, particularly in the form of homicide. It brings together your knowledge of policing and general crime investigation and develops your ability to critically analyse all aspects of major crime investigative practice. Drawing upon published research and high profile miscarriages of justice, as well as current and newsworthy major crime investigations, you will be required to understand the processes, procedures and rationale that sit behind such important police investigations. There will also be critical discussion of how this process can be sustained in the austerity paradigm, and the ongoing considerations regarding privatisation of certain police functions.

Policing Public Order and Crowd Psychology (20 credits)

This module aims to bring together research, theory and practice to give you an understanding of the relationship between social disorder in society, public order policing, and crowd psychology. The course will consider dominant theories which under­pin models of crowd psychology (e.g., LeBon, Allport, SIT & SCT). Taking an inter­group perspective, crowd psychology and police perspectives of disorder will be deconstructed to illustrate the psychological dynamics which create the conditions necessary for collective violence. Key case studies will draw on social disorder in different contexts (e.g., protests and demonstrations, and domestic and international football events). The benefit in uniting empirical research with practical policing principles will be explored in addressing the emergence of policing principles of Dynamic Risk Assessment and Graded Tactical Deployment as empirically informed good practice principles.

BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) has been designed to prepare you for a policing career which is becoming ever more specialist. Private policing is expanding and public policing is going through a dynamic professionalisation process. BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) offers a comprehensive response to all three developments.

New exciting careers are emerging in wider policing and security fields as well as, the evolving specialist requirements of policing and private policing sector interests such as  tackling cybercrime and fraud. Our qualifications will be of assistance in pursuing a specialist police staff role (as opposed to be being a police officer) and also joining national police organisations such as the National Crime Agency. Importantly too, BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) will also prepare you for other justice related public sector employment including the Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, prisons, the civil service, offender rehabilitation and the armed forces.

Fees

Tuition Fees for 2019/20 have not yet been finalised. Course webpages will be updated with Tuition Fee information once these have been agreed.

• Read advice about funding your degree
• See information about the financial support available for undergraduate studies
• If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact finance@canterbury.ac.uk
• For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk

Additional course costs

Although we aim to minimise any additional costs to students over and above the course tuition fee, there will be some additional costs which students are expected to meet.

Costs applicable to all students

Category	Description
Text books	Own purchase text books
Travel to other sites	Where travel to other sites is required, this will be payable by the student
Library Fees and Fines	Where students fail to return loaned items within the required time they will be responsible for the cost of any Library Fees and Fines applicable
Printing & Photocopying	The cost of printing and photocopying undertaken by students to support their individual learning are payable by the student
Graduation ceremonies	It is free for the student to attend the ceremony itself. Guest tickets and robe hire / photography are additional costs payable by the student

Course specific costs

Category	Description
Field Trips (including trips abroad and trips to museums, theatres, workshops etc)	Northern Ireland Study Visit: Approximately £100.00 covering accommodation and travel, to be paid at least six weeks before the trip. Netherlands Study Visit Approximately £120.00 covering accommodation, travel and some meals, to be paid at least six weeks before the trip.

General principle policy

The University’s general principles policy for additional course fees are set out here

Teaching

All programmes are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2020.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and online activities, while some modules may also include practical workshops. Other experiential learning opportunities come from use of Hydra Suite (some optional modules) and study trips (subject to availability).

Your actual contact hours will depend on the optional modules you select. However, typically this is 6-10h of timetabled sessions per week in addition to which you will have an opportunity to meet with members of staff for one-to-one tutorials.

In year 2, you will undertake a volunteering placement that allows you learn within workplace context and develop valuable skills for employment.

Your final year Individual Study project lets you research a particular policing issue in-depth.

Independent learning

Independent learning, individually and with other students, is key to your success on BSc Policing (criminal Psychology). In addition to attending timetabled sessions, you will continue learning through self-study. Typically, this involves engaging with recommended readings, completing research tasks in preparation to sessions, interacting with other students and staff on the university's Virtual Learning Environment, keeping up with news and events relating to policing, and working on assessments.

Your module tutor will direct you towards specific readings and/or activities to complete before class.

For the Individual Study project in year three, you will undertake independent research. You will work under the supervision of a member of the course team. You will meet with your supervisor regularly.

Overall workload

Your overall workload typically consists of 6-12 contact hours per week. You will undertake 18-24 hours of independent learning and assessment activity. In addition, there may be study trips.

For each 20-credit module, your study time is about 10 hours a week.

Academic input

A number of the staff teaching on Policing Suite are ex-police officers, bringing in wealth of professional experience in addition to their academic credentials. Rest have strong academic expertise in policing or related disciplines (e.g. criminology, psychology, forensic investigation). Most staff teaching on the course are senior lecturers, with some input also provided by university instructors, including some of our current postgraduate students. Staff are involved in active research, ensuring the programme engages with the current policing issues.

Assessments

The course provides you with opportunities to receive formative feedback on your work before submitting formal assessments that count towards your final mark.

Each module has its 'summative' assessment, the grades from which count toward your module mark. Such assignments include for example essays, presentations, reports, case studies and literature reviews. A number of modules are also assessed by examinations or tests, such as essay or multiple choice exams.

For your final year Individual Study project you will assigned a supervisor who will provide feedback on your plans, research and drafts as you progress.

Feedback

You will receive feedback on all assessments undertaken. This is is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. 

Students enrolling on BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) with the intention of joining the police service on graduation are strongly encouraged to consider the police entry requirements (e.g. security vetting, health and fitness) before applying for entry on to the degree. Although the programme is focused on policing, the University does not assess the suitability of students to join the police service. For this reason, it is important that prospective students make the necessary enquiries with police services and/or their General Practitioner (GP) regarding entry requirements for employment and are aware of any implications for preexisting medical conditions, criminal records or cautions. Levels of fitness are the applicant’s responsibility.

Canterbury Christ Church University has ‘Approved Provider’ status from the College of Policing to deliver the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP) and BSc (Hons) Policing (Criminal Psychology) will facilitate the provision of that qualification.

Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP)

Students will have a supported opportunity to complete the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing during the course of their studies. Achievement of the CKP will help prepare those seeking recruitment to the police service as a police constable in England or Wales. The qualification is also relevant to other related roles within the criminal justice sector. The certificate is an important element of the professional entry into Policing PreJoin Strategy, and accredits the knowledge and understanding which also forms part of the Diploma in Policing qualification.

The Diploma in Policing is the minimum mandatory qualification which regular police constables are required to achieve to be confirmed in rank and forms part of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP). All those who achieve the CKP through a provider approved by the College of Policing will be able to submit this as evidence of the knowledge component of the Diploma.

All awarding organisations offering the Diploma in Policing recognise and accept the relationship between the CKP and Diploma in Policing. Successful achievement of the CKP does not in itself provide any guarantee of recruitment as a trainee police constable. Each police force within England and Wales sets out its own recruitment process and selection policy and entry requirements vary from force to force. Prospective students are therefore strongly advised to check the specific requirements of their chosen force prior to undertaking study. It should be noted that all candidates need to pass medical and fitness tests as well as background and security checks and undertake a series of assessments, tests and an interview at a Police SEARCH® assessment centre.

Our School has invested significantly in a Hydra suite that will allow our students to simulate policing scenarios under ‘close-to-real’ conditions. We see this as a major advantage to our students who will be able to directly experience highly realistic policing incidents, situations and scenarios as part of their integrated learning. More information on Hydra.

To help your understanding, we have long­standing collaboration with Kent Police, as well as links with other police services including Essex, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Metropolitan Police and the Police Service of The Netherlands. We also have links with a wide range of community and voluntary agencies.