Why choose Police Studies with Criminal Investigation at BNU
Why choose Police Studies with Criminal Investigation at BNU
Why study Police Studies with Criminal Investigation at Buckinghamshire New University? Well, firstly they have a partnership with Thames Valley Police and that’s what caught my attention when applying for this degree at BNU. Having that partnership gives you the chance to become a special constable during your first year whilst studying. There is also the chance to access other volunteering opportunities in policing or the criminal justice system as part of the hands-on ethos of the course.
As part of the course you’ll get to use the police code of practice suite, which is a custody area that enables you to practice presenting a detainee to the Custody Sergeant, including the outlining of the reasons for a lawful and necessary arrest and continued detention, as well as the understanding of the rights of a detainee and the risk assessment process to ensure a safe period of detention.
In addition there is also a suspect interview area which enables the practice and understanding of a structured interview and the various dynamics involved, including the PEACE structure and the role of participants such as an appropriate adult or solicitor.
If you’re not sure what kind of career you want to go into, this is a perfect degree as there are a lot of careers options. Many graduates have gone into the police service, prison service, probation service, youth justice, child and youth protection, drug action teams, private security, intelligence services, community partnerships, local government, civil service and the Home Office.
As a third-year Police Studies with Criminal Investigation student, I can definitely say that BNU really is brilliant. I might be a bit biased but believe me I speak from experience. The lecturers are very open to feedback from students as they want the classroom to be a safe environment but to also make the degree better as well. There is a friendly, and non-judgmental environment for learning, and it means you actually learn and retain the information.
All lessons are very interactive including modules where you get to use the custody suite and interview room and act as custody sergeant or get to be the suspect. During seminars the class groups are a small size, so the lecturers get to know you on a personal level and everyone by their first name. Also, with a smaller class size you will benefit from getting additional help and support from the lecturers and one to one feedback meetings.
You will be taught by lecturers who have worked in the policing field across many departments and some who still have connections in the field who will come in and tell us about how they got into their careers. There are so many fascinating stories to hear and it really gives you a better insight into how it all works in real life, and not just in seminars.
I hope this has given you an idea of the course and made you want to study Police Studies with Criminal Investigation at Buckinghamshire New University, you definitely won’t regret it.