RPPOSECS - Professional Doctorate in Policing, Security and Community Safety

The students are furnished with training in both research and methodology, social science issues in policing law enforcement and criminal justice, and inputs,seminars and lectures by specialist practitioners in specialised aspects of policing.

In keeping with the overall ethos of the course, the lectures ensure a twin balance of,

• balance of local community based issues of policing on the one hand and international issues in law enforcement and criminal justice on the other, and
• training in research and academic learning on the hand and imparting, specialist practitioner knowledge, on the other.

The principal twin objectives of this course are,

i for students to advance their knowledge of issues in policing security and criminology and

ii ensure that the students research compile and submit a thesis to university doctorate standard on a topic of their choice within the areas of policing, security and community safety.

To this end the course aims

• To produce competent, informed, reflective, ethically and professionally competent practitioners who have a sophisticated and critical academic understanding of wider policing theories and issues.
• To provide students with a comprehensive and advanced ability to utilise a range of analytical and research skills to critically interpret police policy and practice in a range of contexts.
• To enable students to develop advanced skills and competencies in designing, conducting, evaluating and presenting research relevant to policing, security and community safety.
• To ensure that the specialised and diverse skills and competencies developed by students during the programme can be contextualised to wider policing issues.

The following learning outcomes incorporate and depend on the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, through original research or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, extend the forefront of Policing, Security and Community Safety, and merit publication.

In keeping with the principal twin objectives of this course namely,,

i)for students to advance their knowledge of issues in policing security and criminology and

ii) ensure that the students research compile and submit a thesis to university doctorate standard on a topic of their choice within the areas of policing, security and community safety.

To this end, on successful completion of the DProf Policing, Security and Community Safety students will be able to:

1. underpin their work with the systematic acquisition and critical understanding of a substantial body of theoretical and empirical knowledge that is at the forefront of research into work and working life in global and local contexts

2. conceptualise, design and implement a research project for the generation of new knowledge or understanding at the forefront of researching work and to adjust the research design in the light of unforeseen problems

3. apply on the basis of a detailed understanding, techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry

4. make informed judgements on complex issues in specialist fields, often in the absence of complete data, and be able to communicate their ideas and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences

5. continue to undertake pure and/or applied research and development at an advanced level, contributing substantially to the development of new techniques, ideas or approaches

6. apply the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and largely autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations, in professional or equivalent environments.

SS8069
SS8070
SS8071
SS8072
SS8073
SS8136
SS8P75

Learning Outcomes cover LO1-6

Criminology
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBS-criminology-14.pdf

During the taught module stage Yrs 1 and 2
in house group written and verbal assignments and presentations,
and following each module, individual assignments

During Years 3 and 4
Completion of thesis, examined by external examiner and internal examiner, and viva voce exam

Module leaders/convenors of the taught modules are drawn from available practitioner staff from the John Grieve Centre and from Criminology and other specialist academic(s), taking into consideration the needs of the student intake on the module(s) and their respective specialist needs for their individual researches.

Full attendance on the taught modules is mandatory.

During the (minimum) two year thesis period , thesis supervision is either by face to face supervision or by distance learning or a combination of both depending upon the students’ work circumstances and location.

Generally not necessary, as all students are studying part time, and in practitioner employment.
However, contacts are facilitated and made available for police practitioner students with various units and departments of the Metropolitan Police.

For non-police intake, opportunities in the government agencies and private security sector are monitored and students are made aware of such career openings. Where possible, initial exploratory contacts between students and agencies/sector are facilitated.

Police personnel generally continue their career within the police service, where in UK policing a doctorate level qualification can be advantageous on the promotion path from middle senior management rank to ACPO rank.

The doctorate level qualification has been found to be of benefit in students seeking second careers in international organisations. Two examples to date are those of students successfully applying for positions in the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.

Also several students on leaving law enforcement have obtained academic positions at universities where they can continue to both pass on their practitioner experience and enable students to translate this experience in academic research at Masters and doctorate levels.

The course will be of direct benefit to law enforcement officers who wish to progress their careers through a high-level doctoral qualification. As this qualification is more interactive and practical than a traditional PhD, it is an opportunity to gain a recognised qualification while making a significant contribution to your professional environment. Previous graduates have gone on to roles in the Crown Prosecution Service as barristers and as senior police officers with the London Metropolitan Police.

You will be required to have:

• an undergraduate degree
• experience as a policing officer or law enforcement professional
• at least three years of full-time experience in a senior role and already be making a significant contribution to policing policy or processes

Visa information for international students

As a part-time programme, this course does not qualify international applicants for a Tier 4 visa. Non-EU students can attend the study weekends on short-term study visas.