Introduction:
Policing is a vitally important public service that frequently deals with complex issues of public safety such as the safeguarding of vulnerable people and the protection of communities.
The police service faces several critical challenges, such as the need to provide services with fewer resources, to target resources where they are needed most and to improve the service provided to communities. This course will give students the ability to help meet these challenges by applying advanced and specialist knowledge and skills at the cutting edge of our understanding.
The general aim of the course is to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to become a leader at any level of policing and to drive continual improvement in policing practice by using and generating evidence about what strategies and tactics are most effective. You will study existing evidence on effective policing and how to produce new evidence that can help inform policing decisions. You will also undertake research, supported by an expert supervisor, using the most appropriate methods to answer policing questions that particularly interest you.
During your studies, you will encounter opportunities to build your understanding of policing in an international context through specialist modules and your interaction with students from our accompanying MSc courses in International Law Enforcement and Management of Fraud Investigation.
This course is aimed at students who have an undergraduate degree in policing, criminology or a related discipline, or who have equivalent knowledge of policing gained through professional practice.
What you’ll study
This course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills need to become a leader at any level of policing and to drive continual improvement in policing practice. The flexible design of the course means that there are opportunities for students to achieve either a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert), Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) or full Masters (MSc). In addition to this, a range of modules are available as single units of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for students to achieve credits or accumulate these towards a final award.
At full Masters, the course consists of 180 credits at level 7 on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. You will study six taught modules, each of 20 credits, and complete a 60-credit capstone project.
How you’re taught
The course is delivered on a blended learning platform, with learning taking place both within a classroom environment and through our dedicated online platform.Teaching methods will include, lecturers, group workshops, problem-based learning, guided independent study and a Capstone Project.
This course will use a variety of teaching methods to help you develop an advanced understanding of policing leadership and the skills needed to be a leader at all levels of policing. The course is delivered on a blended learning platform, with learning taking place both within a classroom environment and through our dedicated online platform.
Learning methods will include:
- Lectures delivered by academic experts and visiting speakers from the fields of policing, international law enforcement, and the management of fraud investigation.
- Group workshops in which students and staff discuss a topic, synthesising professional and academic knowledge to understand its relevance for policing, law enforcement and the management of fraud investigation.Problem-based learning in which you will be given a law enforcement problem to research and then be guided by staff in developing a solution based on the best-available evidence.
- Guided independent study in which staff will guide you in understanding important academic, official and professional sources of information.A capstone project in which you will be supported by an expert supervisor to produce your own research on a law enforcement topic of your choice.The teaching on this course is ‘blended’, meaning there will be a mixture of face-to-face and online teaching. This is designed to support our students whose personal and professional commitments, or geographical distance, may mean that attending in person is not always possible.
- Interactive/group learning is a major method used within the modules for both face-to-face and online delivery. It is designed to enhance confidence in your own learning and future practice by enabling you to explore and develop ideas and methods, and to support others in doing so.
The course is structured to provide you with the flexibility to study alongside other responsibilities. Students can enter the programme either in January or October, and study full time or part time.
Assessment methods
Assessment on the course involve written assessments, report writing, presentations and group work. All modules will have at least one formative assessment, which will not count towards your final grade, these assessments will give you the opportunity to get feedback to help improve your work.
To encourage and facilitate independent learning the course will take full advantage of NTU’s online workspace (NOW).
An active research environment
The staff who teach this course are all active researchers in policing, law enforcement and the management of fraud investigation. They publish articles and books on policing and present their work at leading national and international conferences and convene events for practitioners and policy makers. This means they can help you understand and evaluate cutting-edge work in this field, as well as train you to produce your own research. Teaching materials are frequently updated to take account of the latest information gained from research both in this department and elsewhere. In addition to this academic expertise, we are proud to count a number of leading authorities from international law enforcement policy and practice as our partners. You will come into contact with guest lecturers, supervisors and speakers throughout your studies with us.
In-sessional English language support
In-sessional English language support classes are available to all international (non-EU) students studying on degree courses at NTU. There is no extra charge for these classes.
Careers and employability
This course is primarily targeted at those in employment within policing services in the UK who are seeking to build their leadership skills for potential career enhancement. This course is designed to provide you with the qualification that signals advanced knowledge and skills, which can help to accelerate your career progression. For those from outside the policing service, this course will provide a route into policing leadership.
The Masters level qualification is specifically designed to build leadership and advanced analytical skills (through research) that are often requisites for career advancement.
Campus and facilities
As a Social Sciences student you will have easy access to the fantastic facilities in the Chaucer and Taylor buildings including:
- Lecture theatres and teaching classrooms;
- Open access PCs and secure wireless points;
- Study areas and social spaces;
- Chaucer cafe serving drinks and light snacks;
- Our School of Social Sciences reception, providing you with easy access to our helpful and friendly support staff.
IT resources
Our IT resource rooms and PC clusters are distributed across our City Campus, with PCs providing access to Microsoft Office, email, web browsing, networked file storage and high-speed online printing services, with a free printing allowance for each student.
Resource rooms are available 24 hours a day.
Books and library resources
Our state-of-the-art Boots library will give you access to an extensive and diverse range of books and periodicals that focus on specialist areas within the built environment. The library’s OneSearch system provides access to all our electronic resources, journals and books.
Within the library there is a liaison librarian who has specialist subject knowledge and can offer detailed help in finding and using print and electronic resources, and also with areas such as Harvard referencing and research skills.
