COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA (Hons) Professional Policing degree at Cardiff Met provides a comprehensive and applied education in modern policing, fully aligned with the Policing Education Qualifications Framework and College of Policing standards. In the first year, students build a foundation in law enforcement, exploring key police powers, roles and responsibilities, criminal investigations, applied criminology, and the workings of the criminal justice system, while developing academic, digital, and evidence-based policing skills. The second year deepens knowledge with modules on core criminal offences, community policing across urban, rural, and coastal areas, vulnerability and safeguarding, cross-border and international policing, intelligence gathering, and the application of research through evidence-based policing. Students learn to adapt policing strategies to diverse environments, manage complex risks, and apply ethical and legal frameworks to operational practice. In the final year, students undertake a dissertation or research project integrating academic and practical insights, while studying serious and sensitive crimes, homicide and major investigations, ethical policing, corruption, and leadership in operational and strategic contexts. The program emphasizes professional skills including investigation, community engagement, operational decision-making, leadership, resilience, and digital policing. Graduates leave with the knowledge, practical expertise, and ethical grounding required to enter the police service or pursue related careers in criminal justice, youth justice, and community safety.