BSc (Hons) Professional Policing Practice | Degree Apprenticeship
- Entry year:
- 2025/26
- Start date:
- July, October, January, April
- Study mode:
- Full-time
- Course duration:
- 3 years
- Campus:
- Mount Pleasant
About your course
The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship is one of a number of entry routes into the policing sector. Successful applicants will enter a programme that will include on-the-job learning within police constabularies to ultimately become a police constable.
PLEASE NOTE: Applications for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) will only be to a host Police Force. Currently, the Police across England and Wales are involved in a procurement process. LJMU will be involved in the delivery of the PCDA, but each Police Force will retain control of their recruitment for the Degree Apprenticeship. To view current policing vacancies please view individual Police Forces' websites.
- The Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) introduced by the College of Policing states from 2020 there will be three entry routes into policing, including the PCDA
- Degree Apprentices will study for three years while training to become a police constable
- The starting salary for new PEQF entry Police Constables is £23,586
- Subjects you will study include: code of ethics; duty of care; professional standards; equality; service delivery; efficiency and effectiveness; value for money; diversity and human rights; criminal law; work with communities and evidence-based practice
- Delivered by experts in the Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies
An initial face-to-face period at University will be supplemented by access to police training facilities at Mather Avenue in Liverpool and Lea Green in St Helens. Academic staff will be supported by competent police practitioners, while learning will be classroom-based with scenario and role-play work. You will receive training on typical equipment utilised by police officers, as well as health and safety, police IT and systems. Many of our Policing Studies students receive specialist training and experiential events, such as the in Liverpool.
Further learning blocks across the rest of the programme will be supported by workplace education and practice. A reflective Occupational Competence Portfolio (OCP) will be compiled by the apprentices alongside the academic programme. Occupational competence will be a cornerstone, alongside intellectual ability. At the end of the programme, successfully completing the EPA will result in permanent appointment.
Deadline for applications: 30th June 2025
Course modules
What you will study on this degree
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Core modules
Core modules
Optional modules
Your Learning Experience
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
The LCAPS teaching team includes three former Chief Constables, Detective Inspectors, criminal investigators, criminologists and criminal justice specialists who will provide you with the very latest learning, insights and expertise across a wide cross-section of policing and law enforcement matters.
As an LCAPS student, you will have access to a wide range of learning events, including Masterclasses with key law enforcement experts and annual chief constable lectures.
Successful completion of the Degree Apprenticeship will result in permanent employment as a police constable. While you will be employed by the host constabulary and will learn on-the-job, you will spend one-day per week in university where you will study a range of degree-level modules written to the College of Policing's PEQF guidelines.
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
As a police constable apprentice you will receive support from your employer and learning guidance, tutor support and online support from LCAPS staff. You will also receive access to LJMU's student support services, libraries and online resources.
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
Generally you will be assessed using written assignments, presentations and exams.
The majority of the assessment of professional skills will be carried out in the workplace with the compilation of an Occupational Competence portfolio (OCP). This will be supported by workplace mentors and assessors as well as LJMU staff. In addition there will be a requirement for self-reflection and at least one assessment in level 5 and 6 will include reflection reports.
These together with the OCP will be subject of the End-Point Assessment. Each level will have a pass/fail element within one module. This is to ensure incorporation of the OCP during the whole learning phase, both in University and in the workplace. Degree Apprentices must prove their academic ability in the workplace to move though the programme.
Where you will study
Based within the John Foster Building, in the Mount Pleasant Campus, the School of Justice Studies is a leading provider of education in Policing Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice. We provide specific training for policing students wishing to enter the service as a graduate recruit. The John Foster Building has many outstanding facilities, including well-equipped IT Suites, a light-filled Student Common Room and dedicated study areas. At the back of the John Foster Building is the Aldham Robarts Library, which gives you access to an exceptional range of materials to support your studies.
Course tutors
Moya Ward
Programme Leader
Policing is a really exciting industry to be involved with and the undergraduate policing programmes at Liverpool John Moores University are an outstanding introduction to this field and provide you with the skills you need to be successful in pursuing your ambitions.
Policing is a really exciting industry to be involved with and the undergraduate policing programmes at Liverpool John Moores University are an outstanding introduction to this field and provide you with the skills you need to be successful in pursuing your ambitions.
Prior to joining Liverpool John Moores University, I worked in law enforcement for over ten years, having experience across many different departments. I am experienced in both the administration and delivery of training having being a Force Trainer for a local police force for many years. During this time, I taught a variety of subjects from initial learning to leadership and delivered to officers and staff of all levels. I was also a member of the Special Constabulary with operational experience at a supervisory level. In my previous role, I was seconded to work on the All Wales Policing Education Qualifications Framework as the North Wales Police Practitioner lead on both the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP). This role involved writing materials for use across Wales, planning the implementation of the PCDA and DHEP, preparing for validation events and presenting information to senior officers. I was also been part of a small team which developed a regional Neighbourhood Policing development course in conjunction with the College of Policing. I have recently completed a MSc in Terrorism, Security and Policing.
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Lecturer in Policing -
Career paths
On completion of the three-year Degree Apprenticeship programme, the participants will undertake an End-Point Assessment. Completion of the EPA will lead to permanent employment as a police officer with the particular police force.
Achieving this degree is a requirement but does not guarantee appointment to a police force. Recruitment and appointment is subject to the relevant regulations and requirements of police recruitment and selection processes. This includes medical and fitness testing along with background and security checks. Recruitment and selection processes are rigorous and may vary between forces.
Candidates applying to join a police constabulary must also undertake a series of assessments including National Recruitment processes and Force vetting. Guidance on recruitment can be found on the College of Policing website (opens in a new tab).
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.
Tuition fees and funding
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus Wi-Fi.
Financial Support
The University offers a range of scholarships to support students through their studies. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist funding pages, including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs including those for placements, visas and travel for studying abroad and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in accordance with any changes to the maximum allowable fees set by the UK Parliament. In the event of such a change, any fee increase will be subject to a maximum cap of 10% of the total course cost as originally stated at the time of your offer.
Entry requirements
Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements
Grades/points required from qualifications:
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Qualification requirements
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU Degree Apprenticeship form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
LJMU entry requirements will align with the employing force. The programme recruits on a closed client basis, students may not fit the standard academic entry criteria for undergraduate policing courses.
What qualifications will I need?
To undertake the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) you will need to have achieved a minimum of Level 2 in English and Mathematics (or equivalent - see GCSE requirements for equivalents) prior to entry.
To complete the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) you will need to have achieved an Honours Degree; Third class and above.
When can I apply depending on my results. Will you accept a conditional offer?
Police Regulations state you need to be 18-years of age in order to apply to become a police officer. We will accept applicants who meet the age criteria and who are waiting for results from Level 2 or equivalent qualifications (or Degree results if applying for the Degree Holder Entry Programme, however the minimum entry criteria requirements must be met prior to being offer a start date.
The recruitment process will follow national requirements for police recruitment, which involves a Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT), an interview, medical test, fitness test and police vetting procedures. Candidates will be offered employment once they have satisfied all stages. In order to apply to a police organisation the normal entry criteria for a police officer must be fulfilled, for example, aged 18 or over, nationality requirements etc.
There will also be input from LJMU Academic Registry and the LJMU Student Administration and Recruitment teams, but as a programme with a closed client group the students will be first and foremost apprentices employed by the relevant police organisation. For more information please view the College of Policing Programme Specification document.
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