Find the best route into policing for you

If you already have an undergraduate degree in any subject, you can join the police and follow a work-based programme supported by off-the-job learning.

This route normally takes two years, and you get the opportunity to focus on a specialist area of study: Investigation, Intelligence, Community, Roads or Response policing.

The length of time on probation is reduced on this programme because you don’t need to complete another degree.

Like the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP), this two-year programme combines work-based and off-the-job learning. But as you’d expect, learning is biased towards an investigative perspective.

It’s a more intense programme, as you need to successfully complete the National Investigators Examination and meet PIP2 assessment criteria in order to become a Professionalising Investigation Programme Level 2 (PIP2) accredited detective. 

You’ll also achieve a Level 6 Post-Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice.

This is the original route into the police service. It’s gradually being phased out, but some forces still offer it.

You join your force and undertake a two year training programme.

Once you’ve successfully completed your probation, you become a confirmed police officer.

The PCDA is an exciting mixture of practical on-the-job learning alongside academic theory and knowledge.

You’ll be a police officer from your first day on the job, and you earn while you learn.

It normally takes three years, with the option to specialise in your third year.

Once you’ve graduated with a Degree in Professional Policing Practice, you’ll need to apply to join your chosen police force as a probationary police constable. To do this, you must:

• apply within five years of your graduation date
• meet all of the recruitment criteria for the particular force

During your two-year probation period, you’ll undertake further practice-based learning and assessment, demonstrating your competence in the police constable role.
 

This is an academic, knowledge-based degree, based on the national curriculum for the police constable role.

It’s a two or three year university degree course where you’ll learn the theory behind policing.

Study is self-funded and you need to complete the degree before applying to join the police.

Some universities offer complementary Special Constable opportunities so you get the chance to gain some practical experience.

Both two-year award-winning programmes are national and focus on developing leadership skills, offering a structured route into policing.

They offer salaried, on-the-job training, so you’ll start as a fully warranted police officer from day one. After completing the two years, you’ll have a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice, as well as leadership skills for life.

You can choose from two programmes:

• The National Graduate Leadership Programme – learn to become a leader in neighbourhood policing
• The National Detective Programme – gain core policing skills for modern investigative work

For this entry route, you will undertake a two-year training programme and on successful completion of your probation, you will be confirmed in post as a police constable.