BA (Hons) Professional Policing Bachelor's degree at Sheffield Hallam University
BA (Hons) Professional Policing at SHU. You'll develop specialist knowledge in areas matched to your career interests, alongside professional skills that employers expect.
About this course
<p>Prepare for the fast-paced world of policing in a department that has career development, industry experience, inclusivity and diversity at its heart.<p> From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Professional Policing is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at SHU, based in City Campus. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for General Studies, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 4 modules
- Operational Policing: Counter-Terrorism & Digital PolicingCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module provides an awareness of core policing legislation and police powers, exploring counter-terrorism provisions and describing the role of technology in crime and policing. Through a blend of 'online anytime' lectures and face-to-face seminars, you'll develop knowledge of the core areas of policing in roads, communities and investigations.
Assessment: Coursework (60%), Exam (40%)
- Police Problem-SolvingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module develops your knowledge and understanding of how research in policing can be applied to policing problems.
Assessment: Coursework (100%)
- Professional & Academic Skills In PolicingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module develops your academic skills for university level study, alongside personal reflection to encourage your personal and professional development. You'll learn through a blended approach of 'online anytime' lectures and face-to-face seminars.
Assessment: Coursework (100%)
- The Role Of Police Officers, Operational Powers & LegislationCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module provides you with an awareness of the role of a police constable, including core legislation and police powers. You'll learn through a blended approach of 'online anytime' lectures and face-to-face seminars.
Assessment: Coursework (60%), Exam (40%)
Year 2 4 modules
- Applied Police Problem-SolvingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module helps you to apply research and theory to policing problems.
Assessment: Coursework (100%)
- Applying Academic & Professional Standards In PolicingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module encourages you to consider the complexities of professional standards in policing, learning about communication models and theories to improve operational practice. You'll review the different elements of successful communication, the need to adapt communication for different audiences, and the risks and impact of poor communication.
Assessment: Practical (100%)
- Operational Policing: Core Policing PracticeCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module provides the opportunity to build on the knowledge you've gained so far with the introduction of further legislation, key theoretical models and policing processes. You'll critically examine, consider and analyse the considerations, processes and impact on the five core policing areas – response, communities, roads, intelligence and investigation.
Assessment: Coursework (100%)
- Operational Policing: Vulnerability & RiskCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module introduces the concepts of risk in the context of criminal justice and public protection, expanding your knowledge of legislation, key theoretical models and processes. We'll explore issues of vulnerability – with reference to what makes an individual more vulnerable to victimisation in a variety of situations – and how this is linked with risk management practices.
Assessment: Coursework (60%), Exam (40%)
Year 3 1 modules
- Undergraduate Sandwich Placement Applied Professional DiplomaCompulsory
Module details
The aim of this module is to enhance students' professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s). A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. Students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Final year 4 modules
- Applied Investigation & Interviewing SkillsCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module uses your practical knowledge of procedures, legislation and policies to carry out an effective investigation and interview in a safe learning environment. This process helps you develop an understanding of how to investigate a crime and obtain witness and suspect accounts using interviewing skills.
Assessment: Coursework (50%), Practical (50%)
- Evidence-Based Policing ProjectCompulsory40 credits
Module details
This module will prepare students to apply their research skills to a contemporary policing and/or criminal justice problem. Blended approach comprising 'online anytime' lectures and face-to-face seminars.
Assessment: Coursework (100%)
- Large Scale Incidents & Specialist ResponseCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module provides you with knowledge and understanding of specialist operational functions within policing. This includes how local, national and international contexts shape policing responses, as well as the importance of partnership working in response to large scale incidents and operations.
Assessment: Practical (100%)
- Personal & Professional DevelopmentCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module prepares you for employment through the demonstration of continuing professional development and an awareness of future opportunities. You'll learn and reflect through a blend of 'online anytime' lectures and face-to-face seminars.
Assessment: Practical (100%)
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 prepares you for career development, industry experience, and professional practice in policing. A course like this typically progresses from foundational concepts and core policing knowledge, building through interdisciplinary core study and applied projects in Year 2, before moving to specialist options, professional skills development and placement experience in Year 3. You'll engage with specialisations such as interdisciplinary core modules, applied projects, optional breadth modules, placement experience, independent research, and professional skills. Throughout, you'll develop the research and writing capability needed for evidence-based policing practice, working with data and digital tools, and drawing on real-world briefs and case studies.
Who it's for
This course suits someone drawn to policing as a career who values both practical experience and intellectual rigour. You'll thrive if you're curious about criminal justice, community safety and the social context of policing, and if you're willing to engage critically with real-world challenges. The part-time format works well if you're already in police training or employment, or managing other responsibilities alongside study. You're organised enough to balance competing demands, and you're motivated by the prospect of developing specialist expertise that advances your standing within the service.
University & format
BA (Hons) Professional Policing is taught part-time at Sheffield Hallam University, a University located at City Campus in Sheffield. The course is delivered in English and leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. Sheffield Hallam University holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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. 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 Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at SHU →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
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
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 General Studies graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in general studies · 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 General Studies nationally
National figures for General Studies 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.
Job market & outlook
How General Studies 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 General Studies 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
- Employers across sectors
- Public sector
- Corporates & charities
- Startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit General Studies graduates.
General PractitionerMatchMedicsGeneral ManagerParkside RecruitmentGeneral ManagerThe Management Recruitment Group (MRG)General ManagerBite TalentGeneral ForemanCONTRACT SCOTLAND LIMITEDGeneral PractitionerFlexzo AiWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Sheffield Hallam University
Combined and general studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around City Campus
3,427 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 General Studies right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to SHU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £18,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 SHU’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 SHU and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at SHU
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BA (Hons) Professional Policing
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.