Professional Policing

Professional policing is the application of evidence-based practice, ethical judgement, and legal knowledge to the prevention of crime, the maintenance of public order, and the protection and support of communities. As policing has become an increasingly degree-level profession in England and Wales, programmes that combine academic education with the professional formation needed to begin a career as a police constable have become a direct route into the service.

At the University of Sunderland this two-year, full-time accelerated programme allows you to qualify more quickly than the standard three-year route, making it particularly suited to career changers or those who want to enter the police service with minimum delay. You will study current topics including digital policing, organised crime, and terrorism alongside the legal, ethical, and procedural foundations of police work, developing your understanding of how crime is tackled and anti-social behaviour is managed in the context of contemporary society. On graduation you are in a position to apply for a role as a Police Constable in England or Wales, with the academic qualification required by the College of Policing's degree route into the service.

Graduates of this programme go on to serve in police forces across England and Wales, beginning their careers as Police Constables and progressing through the ranks based on experience and professional development. The policing profession offers diverse career paths, from neighbourhood policing and criminal investigation to specialist roles in counter-terrorism, cybercrime, child protection, major crime, and police leadership. The academic formation the degree provides supports not just the initial qualification but the ongoing professional development that policing careers require.

Many graduates continue to develop their knowledge through in-service training and continuing professional education.