Undergraduate: BSc (Hons) Professional Policing Practice Police Constable
Become a police officer
The Met’s Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship combines on the job learning with working towards a fully funded degree, all while earning a competitive salary and making a difference to London communities. You’ll be a police officer from the day you join - embarking on an exciting and rewarding career like no other.
Apprenticeship highlights
- Become a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Service
- World-class training as part of a supportive and passionate police force
- Study while you work, with no tuition fees
- Embark on an exciting and rewarding career like no other
Upon successful completion of the recruitment process, monthly start dates are available. Most of your training will take place on the job, working alongside experienced police officers in one of 12 Basic Command Units across London. This course is delivered through work-based study and attendance at a London campus. The Met also offers a part-time PC career route where new joiners can now train and start their service on a part-time basis. Study duration is 3 years full-time and 4 years part-time.
Key facts
Change needs you
We need more people with a drive to protect others and who are courageous, empathetic and respectful. Start a rewarding career like no other and be part of the change.
Have questions about the PCDA?
ARU apprentice PC Griffiths, along with PC Hazelhurst Kilsby, answer your frequently asked questions about the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship programme.
More PCDA FAQsCareers
Joining the Met as a new Police Constable is just the beginning of the journey – this could be the start of an exciting and varied career. During your probationary period, you'll be working alongside experienced officers and gaining a wide range of practical and on-the-job knowledge to compliment your in-classroom training. The foundation you gain will stand you in good stead for the rest of your police career.
Once you've completed your probationary period, you'll then have plenty of opportunities to continue your professional development. Given that London is a unique city, it presents a unique set of policing challenges.
This means that the Met is involved in a wide range of operations and policing events, each presenting their own distinct opportunities to broaden your skill set, on a scale that you wouldn’t find in any other police service.
As a PC in London’s Met your career path could take you in many directions, be it as a detective, working in diplomatic protection, child protection, or as an authorised firearms officer. A dog handler or member of the mounted branch, working on 24hr response, or in cybercrime, the list of opportunities afforded to you at the Met is endless.
Meet the Police Apprentices keeping London safe
The Met provide some of the best training in the world to fully prepare you for the unique challenges of policing London.
This training programme is delivered in partnership with four London universities:
- Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
- Brunel University
- The University of East London
- The University of West London
You’ll be assigned to one of the Met’s four partner universities as part of your training. However, you’ll spend most of your training on the job, working as part of a policing team on a Borough Operational Command Unit (BCU), fully supported in putting your learning into practice by experienced colleagues.
You’ll start your training with an initial period of classroom-based learning at a London university and will be welcomed into an operational policing team in which you will be working. You’ll undertake most of your training on the frontline, in one of 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs), where you’ll work alongside a team of experienced colleagues.
Your learning will cover a wide range of policing topics including officer safety training, emergency life support, safeguarding, crime investigation and operational policing skills (based on a national policing curriculum).
In your final year, you’ll undertake a research project, which will focus on a practical policing problem with a solution that makes a difference to helping keep London safe.
Throughout your training you’ll undertake work-based learning, fully supported in applying new skills and knowledge as part of your operational duties, as well as self-directed study and reflective learning. You’ll be immersed in day-to-day policing. This will let you contextualise what you are learning and develop the skills and experience you need for this challenging role, while actively contributing to policing priorities in your area as a fully employed police officer from day one.
Assessment
You’ll need to successfully complete both operational and academic assessments before being awarded a degree and becoming a fully-fledged police officer. All assessments have been specifically designed to test the skills, knowledge and qualities required to be an officer.
You will have to complete a number of different assessments throughout the course, including written reflective reports and essays, exams, presentations (both group and individual) and digital artefacts (e.g. a case study blog or podcast). Alongside academic assessments, you will also need to compile an Operational Competence Portfolio over the duration of the apprenticeship and pass a number of operational assessments against a range of critical policing skills, including; providing effective initial response to a critical incident, engaging proactively with communities, conducting effective evaluation of intelligence and providing support to vulnerable people, victims and witnesses.
In your final year, you will be required to complete the End Point Assessment, which will be made up of the following:
- a professional discussion based on your Operational Competence Portfolio
- a 10,000-word research project based on your policing specialism
- a presentation and Assessment Panel discussion.
You will also be required to evidence operational competence in several areas, such as:
- providing effective initial response to a critical incident
- engaging proactively with communities
- conducting effective evaluations of intelligence.
In successfully obtaining the apprenticeship and its associated degree you will need to provide satisfactory evidence that you have achieved the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB) set out in the apprenticeship standard. Further information about the KSB’s can be found at the Institute of Apprenticeships website.
Facilities
Specialist facilities
Our London-based teaching facility is purpose built with specialist facilities including a mock courtroom, interview rooms and mock crime scenes.
Entry requirements
GCSE grade C, or 4 or above, in English and Maths (or equivalent level 2 qualifications). If you don’t already hold a level 2 qualification in Maths we’ll support you to achieve this.
Plus one of the following:
- 64 UCAS points (eg 2 A-levels at Grade C)
- An academic or vocational qualification gained outside England & Wales equivalent to 64 UCAS points
- Training or work experience, equivalent to 64 UCAS points
- 12 months service as a special constable having achieved IPS
- 12 months service as a community support officer having passed probationary period
For our complete entry requirements, please refer to www.met.police.uk/pcpathways for latest details.