GradDip Professional Policing Practice
01 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2031
| Course Leader | Rebecca Prout |
|---|---|
| Course Team | Claire Evans, Richard Law, Neil Harvey, Barry Murphy, Gareth Evans, Gordon Blake, John Gately, Louise Skilling, Michael Chard, Fiona Webb, Tina Avey-Hebditch, David Maundrell, Rezbi Duffield, Colette Chilcott, Michelle Lamont, Callum Lamont, Leanne Thomas, Paul Searle, Bethan Shellard-Dedman, Andrew Hale, Christijan Boyle, Kirsty Hyland, Kevin Bushby, Ruth Bushby |
| Awarding Body | University of South Wales |
| Teaching Institutions | Dyfed Powys Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, Dorset Police, South Wales Police, Gwent Police, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Wiltshire Police |
| Modes of Study | Part Time |
Document Version
| Version | 2 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2024 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2031 |
QAA Benchmarks
Educational Aim
The overall educational aims of the course are to enable student officers to:
Apply an in-depth understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of policing, criminal justice, and criminology to their current or future professional responsibilities, including the application of criminal law to policing and the adoption of safe, lawful, and effective policing practices.
Understand and evaluate a range of policing specialisms such as response, community, roads, information and intelligence, and the conduct of investigations, and apply appropriate contemporary policing strategies to complex and interrelated contexts.
Apply broad knowledge and understanding of digital policing and technology-related crime and adopt an ethical approach reflecting the highest professional values and standards of the police service.
Take personal responsibility for promoting equality, diversity, inclusivity, and human rights, and synthesize specialist interrelated contemporary theories, ideas, and methods to provide support to victims, witnesses, the vulnerable, and those at risk.
Adopt specialist interrelated contemporary theories, ideas, and methods to prevent and detect crime, deal with suspects and offenders, and critically evaluate and apply evidence-based research to the complexities of policing.
Select and apply specialist strategies, methods, and evidence-based research to the complexities of problem-solving, and make informed decisions in complex, unpredictable, and interrelated situations, founded upon critical thinking and the evidence-base.
Act within selected guidelines and apply professional discretion, understand and apply the skills of conflict management, and apply an in-depth understanding of leadership, team, and partnership-working.
Understand and apply techniques to ensure the wellbeing and resilience of self and others in all situations, and actively engage in continual self-reflection, evolving strategies to improve own practice.
Accurately deploy a range of established techniques for the design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of research, and organize and communicate interrelated information to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, and abstract concepts to identify possible solutions, act autonomously and take responsibility for achieving personal and/or group tasks in complex contexts, and appreciate the current political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal, and ethical discussions impacting the discipline.
Understand contemporary debates about equality, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, understand the impact of culture on working practices, and apply a range of innovative methods and techniques learned to employment.
Select and apply a range of digital skills and techniques in the workplace, actively engage in self-reflection to identify and address own learning needs and understand the importance of engaging with continuing professional development
Learning Outcomes
| A1 | Demonstrate an understanding of the interdisciplinary aspects of policing, criminal justice, and the application of criminal law, to professional policing duties |
| A2 | Understand and implement contemporary policing strategies in complex and specialist policing contexts. |
| A3 | Understand the impact of current political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal, and ethical discussions within Policing |
| A4 | Demonstrate an understanding of the underpinnings and principles of the Policing Constable Entry Routes as they apply to the role of police constable. |
| B1 | Critically apply an evidence-based approach to decision making in a variety of complex policing situations. |
| B2 | Critically evaluate theories arguments and assumptions to identify solutions within professional guidelines. |
| B3 | Organise and effectively communicate interrelated information from a variety of sources to various audiences. |
| B4 | Act autonomously and take responsibility for achieving personal and/or group tasks in complex contexts |
| C1 | Uphold ethical standards and promote equality, diversity, inclusivity, and human rights, that reflect the highest professional standards when engaging with members of the community. |
| C2 | Demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills, ensure personal and others’ wellbeing and resilience in all situations. |
| C3 | Understand and apply the theories and skills of conflict management safely and lawfully whilst engaged in the prevention and detection of crime |
| C4 | Actively engage in self-reflection and continual improvement, evolving strategies to improve own policing practice. |
Course Structure
Level 6 Modules
| Module Code | Module Id | Module Title | Module Status | Credit Value | Module Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC3H013 | MOD013764 | Policing Knowledge (DHEP) | Running | 10 | core |
| PC3H014 | MOD013766 | Policing Skills (DHEP) | Running | 10 | core |
| PC3H015 | MOD013768 | Policing Specialisms (DHEP) | Running | 10 | core |
| PC3H016 | MOD013769 | Organisational Improvement (DHEP) | Running | 10 | core |
| PC3S048 | MOD013765 | Policing Behaviours (DHEP) | Running | 20 | core |
| PC3S049 | MOD013767 | Policing Operational (DHEP) | Running | 20 | core |
| PC3S050 | MOD013770 | Critical Thinking in the Workplace (DHEP) | Running | 20 | core |
| PC3S051 | MOD013771 | Operational Competence (DHEP) | Running | 20 | core |
Teaching and Assessment
Learning and Teaching Methods
Employer Engagement
Visiting Speakers
Partner forces provide ‘associate lecturers’ from within the Policing sector. Specialist officers provide some input on specialist subjects including firearms, CID, Investigative interviewing, domestic abuse, roads policing, investigations.
Industry projects
Students undertake assessments and projects relevant to their respective police forces. The focus of these projects is to address a real-world challenge and contribute to the advancement of policing practices.
Industry visits
Most of the course is vocational ‘on the job’ learning, students are police officers and once out of initial training are practising within the industry.
Work Placements or Internships
Most of the course is vocation ‘on the job’ learning, students are police officers and once out of initial training are practising within the industry.
Work-based Learning
The course is a work-based learning program that integrates academic study with practical, on-the-job training. Students gather real-world experience while earning their degree, ensuring they apply and develop the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed for effective policing.
Means of Assessment
Written Assignment
Oral Assessment
Practical Assessment
Portfolio
Learning Support
Induction
Induction will take place in accordance with University and Faculty expectations. Student enrolment will be coordinated centrally by USW and induction will include introduction to all USW student services, the delivery team, ASOs and force staff.
Students are also ‘onboarded’ by the partner forces, this typically involves 5-10 hours of induction/teambuilding, each partner force having their own sessions.
No sessions/modules are delivered on campus
Year One
Level 6 Off-Campus. On partner Sites
Activities
8 Hours
Week one
Library services Session, Study Skills Session
IT & Blackboard Induction
Students Charter & USW Values
Advice Zone
Misconduct
Wellbeing
As this programme will be delivered off campus, this induction will also include videos and as often as possible a synchronous online meet with various departments (such as Library Services) as well as a virtual tour of relevant campuses. Students have access to the same services as the on-campus students giving them similar support and an equitable learning experience. Students will have full access to physical library services through the SCONUL scheme and courses during their study, being ‘off campus’ students some courses have been provided online. We are proud to have worked with USW English as an additional language Team, Library Services and USW Study skills to ensure an equitable provision for DHEP students. Additional and bespoke online services are built into our programmes and attendance for nuanced support (EAL for example) has been further supported with time and travel from some forces.?
Prior to enrolment students complete an initial competency-based skills scan, which is then throughout their studies used to inform student development.??
The first two weeks of the programme involves several induction inputs that include familiarisation sessions of physical and on-line resources, programme requirements, rules and regulations and an outline of the support services available to them. These are delivered by staff from both partners, sometimes jointly and where appropriate subject matter experts.?
Personal Academic Coach1
Personal Academic coaches are not used within the course however, as an off-campus course students will be allocated a personal tutor who is part of the core teaching staff. Due to the nature of the probationary period of a police constable whereby students' officers will change supervisors and mentors regularly, the personal tutor allocated at the beginning of the course will, where possible, remain the same throughout the programme. This is in order that consistency is maintained for the learner academically, as far as possible.
Learner Analytics
Suitable data sources are rigours scrutinised to ensure responsive and dynamic adjustments throughout personal and course journeys.??
Using collated data approach helps Lecturers understand how students engage with course materials, identify at-risk students, and tailor instructional strategies to improve learning outcomes.?
Office hours
USW lecturers will provide regular times when they are available for contact (office hours) via USW email, as well as working closely with the cohort during any classroom and protected learning time, during asynchronous study students are invited to reach out to USW staff via teams.???
Working days will be clearly articulated to the students in the Course Handbook, Blackboard and email signatures.??
Supports Officers are available for contact for holistic support during regular office hours via email and employer supervisors and welfare services are available 24/7.??
Each module on Blackboard has clear individualised links to all force aligned USW staff.??
Tutorials
Tutorials are built into the initial training timetable. Additional academic and pastoral tutorials are available upon request and by arrangement.
Seminars
Smaller groups of seminar size are used for case studies and immersive simulation exercises allowing for more in-depth group discussion and reflection during these more immersive sessions.
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is built into each module covering both academic and operational elements of development. For example, within the second module of the course a formative ‘Essay’ in the form of a police report is included within sessions, feedback from these feeds forward into the summative assignment. Formative assessments will take many forms including scenarios (whether this be verbal, written or physical), role play exercises, quizzes and group tasks.
Progress meetings
Progress meetings will be incorporated into tutorials through the Personal Academic Coaching model. If Cause for Concern is identified by the course team or an operational mentor, further progress meetings can be arranged in liaison with the employing force. These tripartite (USW,Student, Employer) meetings can be structured into the curriculum with Students given protected time to attend.
Research Supervision
Online Resources
All learning materials will be available via Blackboard Ultra as well as information and announcements. Students will also have access to USW online library resources, access to which will be explained and demonstrated during induction and monitored throughout for engagement.
Advice Zone
As the programme will be delivered off campus, students will be made aware of the physical services available on campus as well as provided with details of how to contact Advice Services electronically. This will be detailed in induction and via information provided in the Course Handbook and Blackboard.
Disability
As the programme will be delivered off campus, students will be made aware of the physical services available on campus as well as provided with details of how to contact disability services electronically. This will be detailed in induction and via information provided in the Course Handbook and Blackboard.
IT/Library
As the programme will be delivered off campus, students will be made aware of the physical services available on campus as well as provided with details of how to contact IT/ Library services electronically, a service which is available 24/7 and helpful to student officers who will be working shifts. This will be detailed in induction and via information provided in the Course Handbook and Blackboard
Course Exit Points
| Award | Criteria | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Diploma | 120 credits of which at least 100 must be at Level 6 and no more than 20 at Level 5 | Final |
Progression Route
N/A *progression routes for these students will be made available upon promotion and via the employing force.
Entry Requirements
Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:
For entry onto this programme a student must also be a serving police officer.
For a detailed breakdown on eligibility to become a Police Officer see (https://recruit.college.police.uk/Officer/Pages/eligibility.aspx.)
A Chief Constable can elect to add additional eligibility criteria based on individual force requirements. Any additional requirements are clearly stated on the partner Force recruitment pages.
In accordance with guidance provided by the College of Policing and agreed by forces and HEIs, candidates must have achieved at least one level 3 qualification to be eligible to apply for the role of police constable via this programme. Where no formal qualification exists, candidates will also be expected to pass an additional element of the police service recruitment process in the form of verbal and numerical reasoning at that point.
Further situational and decision-making online assessments must also be passed by all candidates before being eligible to sit the College of Policing National Assessment Centre. This entails 5 hours of further testing under exam conditions and includes: interview, interactive scenarios and further verbal and numerical tests.
USW has reviewed the recruitment process in its entirety and having considered the requirements to successfully achieve the standard required, have concluded the applicant will have evidenced sufficient ability to enrol onto this programme.
The collaboration has been working closely to scrutinise and agree online information regarding recruitment. Force contains information regarding eligibility criteria to become a police officer, the recruitment process and provides a link to USW sites that contains comprehensive information of the PCER entry programmes.
USW will be involved at each stage of recruitment, including pre-join familiarisation events to ensure that qualifications are scrutinised by USW and agreed before candidates are deemed suitable to progress to the next stage of the recruitment and assessment process.
Once names and numbers of successful candidates are known, USW and the employing force will work together to coordinate who will be invited to the next intake of student officers. This will be the point at which USW will enroll the student officers onto the programme.
Finally, by accepting a post with the employing force and enrolling as a USW student they must agree to the terms and conditions of both organisations, including as a warranted officer, swearing an oath of attestation.
The University has a recognition of prior learning (RPL) procedure in place http://celt.southwales.ac.uk/rpl
Inclusive Curriculum Statement
The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/
Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution
N/A
Methods Of Quality Standards
Course Management
\\rThe Course Leader will work with the course team and DPP to develop a course to its full potential so that it provides a professional, employment-focused learning experience for student officers. The Course Leader will oversee academic standards, quality assurance and enhancement and will regularly engage with DPP Learning and Development Services to integrate the academic with operational requirements and practices. A carefully coordinated governance structure will be observed in order to ensure that both the academic and operational elements of the programme are monitored, integrated and managed effectively.
\\rArrangements for Feedback to Students
\\rThe arrangements for providing feedback to students on their assessed work within 20 working days are:
\\rFor electronic submission, the module leader will ensure that electronic feedback is provided within 20 days.
\\rFor hard copy submissions such as those assessments which include sensitive case material, the module leader will ensure that feedback and grades are provided to students during arranged tutorial appointments.
\\rStudent Representation
\\rStudents on this course will be represented at meeting with teaching staff and other members of the University by Course Representative and Student Voice Representatives.
\\rThe role of the Course Representatives is to elicit the views and issues of the students they represent, and reflect these views/issues at Student/Staff Course Liaison Groups (SSCLGs) and feedback to the students the outcomes/actions from the SSCLGs.
\\rStudent Voice Representatives are responsible for representing their group of Course Representatives at Course Boards and Faculty Quality Assurance Committee and Faculty Learning and Teaching Enhancement Committees. While operationally deployed SVRs may have difficulty in physically attending certain events, they will remain invited to attend and where this is not possible their views will be recorded and provided in writing.
Quality Of Standards Indicators
Course Monitoring
\\rThe University is responsible for both the standards of its awards and for the quality of its students’ learning experience. In order to ensure that standards are maintained and there is continuous enhancement a process of regular review takes place. This process is known as Continuous Monitoring. The University requires Module Leaders, Course Leaders and Deans/the Principal RWCMD (and their counterparts in collaborative partner organisations) to undertake reviews throughout the academic year and to report the outcomes of these reviews, using a standard format. The continuous monitoring reports, compiled over a six-year period, form the basis of the Course Review & Revalidation process.
\\rHeddlu Dyfed Powys Police will support the collaboration with University South Wales by providing information to support the University’s continuous monitoring programme. During year one, when learning is delivered principally by DPP staff, the Evaluation and QA lead will review information provided by student officers during dedicated weekly tutorials to assess the course progress. This information will be shared with the head of learning and development services at monthly intervals as a standing item on the PEQF management meetings. This will allow an element of formative evaluation, the data will also be aggregated and used also for an overall evaluation of the ‘classroom’ training delivered by DDP. In addition the Evaluation and QA lead will carry out an extensive structured de brief immediately prior to the tutoring phase.
\\rThe tutoring stage will the first opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of learning transfer and an evaluation of the tutoring period from the perspective of Tutors, Student Officers and their supervisors will be undertaken immediately following IPS. All of this material will be shared with USW to assist with they University’s continuous monitoring.
\\rExternal Examiner
\\rExternal examining provides one of the principal means for maintaining UK academic standards within autonomous higher education providers. The majority are drawn from other higher education institutions in the UK. In some cases there will be external examiners drawn from industry or practice.
\\rThey provide carefully considered advice on the academic standards of the courses and/or modules to which they have been assigned, and can offer advice on good practice and opportunities to enhance the quality of those courses/modules. They are also able to offer an informed view of how standards compare with the same or similar awards at other higher education providers (primarily in the UK, and sometimes overseas as well) of which they have experience.
\\rExternal examiners provide of annual written reports to the University based on what he/she has observed of the University’s assessment processes and student assessed work.
\\rThe external examiner(s) associated with this course are recorded in the Course Handbook.
\\rEngagement with Subject Benchmark Statements, QAA Quality Code, CQFW and FHEQ
\\rThe College of Policing is the Regulatory Body for Policing and as such has stated that there is no QAA benchmark for policing. This programme does, however, meet all core requirements set out within the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) National Programme Specification provided by the College which is also subject to rigorous QSA processes.
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