Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship | Northumbria Police
3 years full-time | Professional Policing Practice BSc (Hons)

All modules throughout the three-year PCDA adhere to CoP learning outcomes and content. Apprentice Officers will receive an in-depth weekly timetable once enrolled on the programme. 

During the programme, apprentice officers will undertake a number of supported and specialist deployments in order to achieve Independent Patrol Status and Full Operational Competence. On the programme, they will address critical questions that span a range of areas, to explore problems from multiple perspectives relating to the role, function, and delivery of 21st century policing, including expertise in:

• Criminology;
• Law;
• Applied Science;
• Computer and Information Services (CIS);
• Business.

At the end of the programme, apprentice officers will undertake an individual project based around evidence-based policing and the specialist area they have undertaken in year three. Apprentices will also develop transferable key skills throughout the apprenticeship, including:

• enhanced research skills enabling apprentices to progress, if desired, to postgraduate study, or a research orientated career;
• communicating ideas in written and oral forms;
• the use of appropriate IT tools;
• personal time management;
• project management;
• problem solving abilities;
• independent learning skills enabling apprentices to take responsibility for their own continued and sustainable professional development.

End Point Assessment

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (2020) state that - Rigorous, robust and independent End Point Assessment (EPA) gives employers confidence that apprentices can actually perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the occupational standard. For details of the current EPA for your standard please consult the IFATE Apprenticeship standards / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education webpage.

This apprenticeship normally takes 3 years full-time, followed by the endpoint assessment which will typically be completed within 3-12 months. Full details are available on the IFATE website.

Northumbria University has developed considerable expertise working with police forces regionally, nationally, and internationally.  This sustained excellence in police research, is a unique strength and advantage as our work supports the design, development and delivery of this programme.

Our work is characterised as informing policy and practice, providing wide-ranging, cutting-edge science and applied research, which is developed in partnership with the Police and agencies regionally, nationally, within European networks and internationally.

During the three-year apprenticeship, apprentice officers will have a minimum of 20% of contracted hours of off the job training over the course of the programme for university study. They will be taught and supported by a diverse range of highly experienced Northumbria Police and Northumbria University personnel. This includes law trainers and tutors who will provide practitioner specific curriculum input in relation to law and procedures; operational tutors who will provide support, guidance and encouragement during periods of work-based learning. 

Based at Coach Lane Campus, apprentices have access to an unprecedented range of facilities including:

• Immersive Interactive™ suite.
• Forensic Suite
• Purpose-built interview rooms

Additionally apprentices will have access to unrivalled facilities at City Campus including:

• Specially designed courtroom equipped with DVD recording;
• The brand new dedicated Computer Network Technology and Digital Security labs;
• Open access computing areas;
• The comprehensive media centre with television and radio studios;
• City Campus University Library which is open 24/7 during term time.

Immersive Interactive™ suite

This is a flexible learning space where images and videos are projected onto three walls to enhance realism and give a fully immersive, multi-sensory and interactive learning environment. The space incorporates a control room and observational area and as a fully interactive teaching facility is one of the biggest and best in the country. Providing realistic safe learning environments for apprentices to practice their skills, it will play a pivotal role in educating and training officers, through simulated learning, an invaluable experience of “real life” policing situations, for example public order, custody suites, road traffic collisions.

Forensic Suite

An entire property converted into a crime scene house to enable apprentices to examine simulated crime scenes. Apprentices will also be able to access Return to Scene software that provides a 360-degree interactive scan of a crime scene allowing them to perform analysis in detail.  The rooms in the crime scene house are also fitted with recording software which can be played live to another room or recorded later for analysis.

Purpose-built interview rooms

A number of purpose-built interview rooms which are installed with recording equipment suitable for simulating interview skills which can be recorded and reviewed, as well as live streamed to another venue. The interview rooms are set up in both a traditional manner and also for cases where more vulnerable witnesses/victim may need a less formal environment.

This is a three-year Degree Apprenticeship during the course of which the apprentice will be employed by Northumbria Police and contracted to work 40 hours per week, with provision for off the job learning which will constitute a minimum of 20% of contracted hours over the course of the programme.

Apprentice Officers will be deployed operationally on tutor-supported phases, in order to achieve Independent Patrol Status (IPS) by the end of year one. Apprentices will then continue to develop their personal Occupational Competency Portfolio (OCP) during years 2 and 3 in specialist and general attachments to prepare for the End Point Assessment at the end of year 3. This will include a work-based project, presentation and discussion around personal OCP.

Key members of wider police teams will provide support and assistance as apprentices apply in practice the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to deal competently, lawfully and safely with work related duties in a range of situations relevant to the role of the police constable. Tutors, mentors, coaches and line managers will support individuals as well as having a role in the tripartite meetings with employer, University and apprentice officer.

Northumbria Police will cover all tuition fees for the apprentice officers, however, as they are in full-time employment, they are therefore not entitled to apply for student finance.  

There are four intakes for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship with Northumbria Police each year:

• March
• June
• September
• November

Applications for this course are made directly through Northumbria Police.

Skills Assessment

Before entry onto the programme, all Apprenticeship applicants must complete an Initial Skills Assessment which maps their prior knowledge against the apprenticeship standard. This is part of the University’s regulatory funding obligations. The purpose of an apprenticeship is to provide new learning and the skills assessment will be used to establish whether we need to tailor your programme in any way to account for your previous qualifications or experience. It also provides a benchmark against which to map your progress on the programme.