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Check eligibility →BA (Hons) Degree in Professional Policing Bachelor's degree at De Montfort University
BA (Hons) Degree in Professional Policing at De Montfort University. You'll work across core theory, research methods, applied practice, and specialist options, culminating in an independent project that lets you explore a topic that matters to you.
About this course
Study the Degree in Professional Policing BA (Hons) at DMU for practical skills, real-world experience, and career-focused training. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Degree in Professional Policing is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at De Montfort University. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Social policy graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £26,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sociology & Social Sciences, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 50% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 3 modules
- Studying at UniversityCore
Module details
This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the core concepts of how we make sense of the world around us, and the role of research in criminal justice practices. The module begins by introducing the practice and theory of research and ends with an example of how research underpins specific practices within the criminal justice system, particularly in policing.
- Legislation & PolicyCore
Module details
In this module, you will explore and develop a practical understanding of key legislation, policy, and procedures used in the criminal justice system. The knowledge you gain will form a key foundation for all other modules throughout your learning journey, as these concepts will be revisited and further explored.
- Community & Criminal JusticeCore
Module details
You will be introduced to key academic skills relevant to professional practice and investigative work. The module covers a critical understanding of the investigative process and management within policing. Topics include: the evolving role of the police practitioner; factors influencing the use of resources and powers; ethical practice; diversity, equality, fairness and human rights; vulnerability and safeguarding; terrorism; and managing police information.
Year 2 8 modules
- Problem-based PolicingCore
Module details
In this module, you will develop an understanding of evidence-based policing, including the skills and knowledge needed to assess its influence on problem-solving, decision-making, and community engagement.
- Contemporary Issues in Policing 1Core
Module details
You will examine current policing issues within a changing social, political, and economic landscape. Topics include legitimacy, public confidence and satisfaction, fear of crime, and the impact of academic and evidence-based policing (EBP).
- Critical Incident Leadership and Management 1Core
Module details
Through this module, you will explore the definition and significance of critical incidents in policing. You'll examine these through the lenses of leadership, professional and accountable practice, procedural justice theory, community engagement, communication, reflection, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Domestic Violence and AbuseOptional
Module details
This module considers the changing social, political, and legal recognition of domestic violence and abuse and its impact. You will be encouraged to examine the varying contexts, nature, signs, triggers, and impact of domestic violence and abuse. The module highlights social and healthcare responsibilities as well as developments within the criminal justice sector and legal and civil proceedings frameworks. You will compare and contrast various responses to domestic violence and abuse that have
- Animals and CriminologyOptional
Module details
This module covers the different ways in which animals are the topic of criminological examination. You will be introduced to a broad range of topics such as animal abuse, wildlife trafficking, conservation, and animal advocacy, and will critically explore harm to animals, drawing from criminology, sociology, law, and philosophy.
- Children and the Criminal Justice SystemOptional
Module details
This module presents academic research, knowledge, and understanding in an accessible way to better equip you to explore and discuss contemporary issues for children and the criminal justice system across community and custody contexts.
- Genocides, Mass Atrocities, and Hate CrimeOptional
Module details
This module explores a range of genocides and mass atrocities (where genocidal-type actions have taken place but have not been legally defined as genocide, or where killings have occurred along identity-based divisions). You will examine the issues around defining genocide and what this means in terms of prevention, intervention, and justice. Theoretical frameworks underpinning genocides, mass atrocities, and hate crime will be explored, helping you develop the skills to explain complex events a
- Drugs, Crime, and SocietyOptional
Module details
This module explores the relationship between alcohol and other drugs (AOD) and crime. The aim is to provide an understanding of how UK and international drug policies, localised drug usage, and the international trade in both legal and illegal drugs are connected.
Year 3 5 modules
- Research and PracticeCore
Module details
This module builds on your prior learning at Levels 4 and 5, focusing on the role of research in informing policy and practice within the criminal justice system. You'll further develop your ability to locate, understand, and apply academic research and evidence to support arguments and assertions in your work.
- DissertationCore
Module details
Building on the 'Research and Practice' module, this module supports you in designing and conducting your own research. You will apply research theory to critically analyse and evaluate a policing issue of your choice, resulting in an original 10,000-word dissertation.
- Contemporary Issues in Policing 2Core
Module details
You will explore the structure and development of the Police Service within the wider criminal justice system and society. This includes examining how the Police Service and government respond to key social and technological changes, both locally and nationally.
- Multi-Agency and International PerspectivesCore
Module details
In this module, you will gain insight into risk and multi-agency working in policing and public protection. You'll explore the benefits and challenges of collaborative approaches across disciplines such as mental health, terrorism, transnational organised crime, and human trafficking. International policing relationships and legal-cultural challenges will also be discussed.
- Critical Incident Leadership and Management 2Core
Module details
This practical module builds on earlier learning to help you understand the complex challenges faced in critical incidents and leadership roles. You'll explore strategic policing contexts, incident management theory and practice, culturally competent decision-making, professional development, and investigative management for victims, witnesses, and suspects.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course emphasises practical skills, real-world experience and career-focused training in policing and criminal justice. You'll usually begin with foundational sociology and social problems, examining class, gender, race and how societies respond to inequality and harm. Year 1 also introduces research methods through interviews, surveys and research ethics. In Year 2, you move to social theory and more advanced research analysis of real data, alongside applied streams in areas such as criminology, social policy, gender and identity, or migration. By Year 3, you'll choose specialist options aligned to your interests, such as crime and justice or gender and identity, while undertaking research-led seminars on contemporary issues and a final dissertation combining empirical or theoretical social research.
Who it's for
You're interested in policing as a career and want structured, practical preparation to enter the field. You're comfortable with both academic study and applied work, you need to understand the concepts and frameworks that inform policing, but you also want to see how they work in reality. You're likely drawn to public service, problem-solving in communities, and professional development. Studying this will feel like a blend of classroom learning and real-world exposure, preparing you specifically for the professional environment you're entering.
University & format
De Montfort University is a public university located in Leicester. This degree is studied full-time over 3 years in English. The BA (Hons) award is recognised by the UK degree-awarding body framework and nationally recognised. De Montfort University received a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code 5N23). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at De Montfort University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
undergraduate students with household income £50,000 or less
Check eligibility →students with household income £50,000 or less
Check eligibility →Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Sociology & Social Sciences graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £26,000 | £23,000 – £31,000 | 695 |
| 3 years after | £23,500 | £20,000 – £26,500 | 30 |
| 5 years after | £30,500 | £25,000 – £34,500 | 35 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 695. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sociology & social sciences · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sociology & Social Sciences nationally
National figures for Sociology & Social Sciences graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 695. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sociology & Social Sciences courses at the same study level.
Compared with 751 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Sociology & Social Sciences graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Sociology & Social Sciences graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Local authorities
- Charities & NGOs
- Research organisations
- Government & universities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sociology & Social Sciences graduates.
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £26,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 6.8 out of 10: NSS 86.7% · continued 50%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
De Montfort University
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around De Montfort University
4,747 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Sociology & Social Sciences right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to De Montfort University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by De Montfort University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check De Montfort University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with De Montfort University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at De Montfort University
Sociology & Social Sciences at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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