Policing and Criminal Justice Access to HE Diploma Level 3 (Bury St Edmunds)

About the course

This exciting new course combines the  subjects of Policing Methodology, Crime Scene Management, Criminology, and Sociology.  Delivered two days per week over the duration of 36 weeks, the course gives you the opportunity to develop the knowledge and the range of skills which are essential for a successful transition to Higher Education.

Access to Policing provides students with knowledge of a range of pertinent subject matter along with the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level to facilitate progression to degree. This programme broadens student's experience and knowledge by exploring theories and practical elements of the course within a variety of contexts and arenas. In addition, we focus on encouraging the students to form their own unique approaches to learning; thus, being able to seamlessly transition to degree programmes of their choice.

This course provides a recognised route to higher education courses for many branches of Public Services, including Policing and Criminal Justice, and other related programmes. It may also lead to higher education degree courses in areas such as Criminology, Psychology and Sociology. Access to Higher Education programmes are designed to meet the needs of students who may not have had the opportunity to enter higher education earlier in their lives. Classes are flexibly timetabled to meet the needs of student learners.

Entry requirements

Acceptance onto the Access programme is conditional on you:

• Being a minimum of 19 years of age by 31st August.
• Providing evidence of achievement in English and Mathematics at GCSE Grade C / 4 and above. Candidates who are willing to work towards a Level 2 Qualification in either English or Maths would be considered following a successful interview.

Applicants should have an interest in policing or criminal justice and be prepared for nine months intensive study.

This Access to Criminal Justice and Policing Studies programme of study is of A Level standard, and we must ensure at interview that applicants have a good chance of success.

Qualifications

On successful completion of this course, you will be awarded a Level Three Access to Higher Education Diploma in Criminal Justice and Policing Studies.

What you'll learn (core modules)

Academic themes studied will draw from the disciplines of, Policing, Criminology, and Sociology. Studying these subjects will expose you to an exciting programme of study, and will include the following: 

• Policing: you will gain knowledge of subject areas such as: Weapons offences, offences against the person, the powers of the police, and crime scene management. 
• Criminology:  You will develop an understanding of the key themes associated with this subject, such as offender profiling, the theories of crime, and further aspects of law and policing.
• Sociology:  Within this subject area, students will gain an understanding of society and the impact on the individual. Topics explored within this area include inequality, research skills, and disability.

The unit titles are shown below.

Ungraded Units:

HE Study Skills

Criminal Justice System

Criminology: Theories of Crime  

Sociology: Introduction to Sociology

Graded Units:

Criminology: Treating Crime

Criminology: Offender Profiling  

Criminology: Psychology in the Courtroom

Human Rights

Offences Against the Person

Crime and Deviance

Traffic Offences  

Crime Scene Management

Weapons Offences

The Powers of the Police

Public Order Offences

How will I be assessed?

Students are prepared and supported to help them to undertake a range of different assessments. Assessment strategies include essay writing, report writing, presentations, and exams - all of which prepare students for the assessments that would be normally undertaken at university.

Where is the course delivered? (facilities/classrooms)

This course is delivered at

Where will this course take me?

The structure of the programme provides learners with all of the tools required to undertake a variety of degrees in subjects including:

• Policing
• Criminology 
• Public services
• Home Office
• Criminal Courts

How much will it cost?

Funding is available via Student Finance England in addition to other funding methods.

The course fees are waived if the student is under 24 years of age and has not completed a full Level 3 qualification.

Students over 24 years can finance their course through an Advanced Learner Loan.

If you need help with funding

For further information on the Advanced Learner Loan, please head to our information page: Advanced Learner Loan

I'm interested. What should I do now?

Please apply online, or email us to find out more: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Days & times

Starting 18/09/2023