The BSc in Police Sciences and the Foundation Certificate in Police
Sciences at Glamorgan recruited its first intake of students in
October 2003. The programmes were designed to create a multi-disciplinary
set of vocational awards, which would prepare individuals for careers
in the Police Service and related employers. To ensure that these
aims were realised programme development was overseen by a steering
group drawn from the Police Service and National Police Training.
The BSc award contains themes drawn from forensic science and criminology, alongside modules dedicated to the application of legislation to professional practice, the development of personal skills (including those relating to investigation, interviewing, operational planning and the supervision of staff) and the critical evaluation of police strategies and professional doctrines. These modules were designed at level one to reflect the scenario-based assessment received by student officers under the probationer development programmes delivered by the Home Office through its agency (Centrex) in order to give university students an advantage when they were applying to the Police Service and later undergoing training and promotion examinations, and also to provide a potential bridge to accredit existing police probationer programmes in the future. Levels Two and Three of the award simulate increasingly demanding managerial roles, with a module entitled ‘Strategic Management in the Police Service’ acting as a vehicle for a critical analysis of current strategic directions, including service modernisation and performance management.
In January 2006, building upon and deepening the University’s established relationship with South Wales Police, the Certificate in Higher Education (Police Sciences) for student officers was introduced, with students and SWP Trainers being based on the Glamorgan Trefforest campus. At the same time, the final stages of the latest version of the Advanced Appointment Scheme (AAS) were concluded, whereby full-time BSc students at Glamorgan could compete for up to 25 positions per year which (subject to various requirements being fulfilled) will lead to these students appointed as Constables with South Wales Police. AAS provides a link between conventional undergraduate and practitioner provision and it is expected that the content of the conventional undergraduate and the practitioner courses will converge more in the future. The pilot group of 8 first year Police Science students passed the academic requirements set by Glamorgan University and the Special constable selection assessments in February 2007. They will receive two weeks training in June 2007 before patrolling their neighbourhoods alongside regular police officers.
The Certificate in Higher Education programme for student police officers, contains a legislative core (assessed by the University), with new university modules on scenes of crime and crime reduction. Participants on the programme are assessed by the University using evidence from the Student Officer Learning Assessment Portfolio (SOLAP). Access to the Cert HE programme is conditional on students studying and passing a 10-credit Pre-induction Module (PIM) in their own time and before being appointed by South Wales Police – a requirement that is unique in the UK. Following a pilot in October 2006, PIM will be the starting point of the training of Special Constables and possibly in the future other police staff.
In March 2007, as a logical extension to the Cert HE programme, a Foundation Degree for Police Student officers was validated by the University to meet demands for further specialised modules for probationers. Student officers will complete the foundation degree in their second year of training, commencing October 2007.For further information contact: Mr Brian Blakemore
fbblakem@glam.ac.uk
