FAQs
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You can now apply to join the police service at 17, though you'll need to wait until you're 18 before you can officially become a police officer. Check out the other basic eligibility criteria you need to meet.
To undertake the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) you will need to have achieved a minimum of a Level 2 qualification (or equivalent) in Maths and English prior to entry. To complete the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) you will need to have achieved an Honours Degree; Third Class and above.
If you haven't got a Level 2 qualification, there are many institutions that can help you acquire one.
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To undertake the Degree Holder Entry Programme (a 120-credit Level 6 Graduate Diploma, in essence a graduate conversion) individuals must hold a bachelor’s degree. On behalf of the UK Government a national agency called UK NARIC undertakes the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills, and provides vital support to universities. If they deem your foreign degree an equivalent to a bachelor’s degree then you may be allowed to use this, dependant on University regulations.
Yes you will receive a student identity card. As well as being a full-time employed police officer, you are also a full-time student at Liverpool John Moore’s University (LJMU) and will have access to their facilities such as the library, support networks, student union, etc.
An Open University degree has the same status as one from any top UK university, and degrees awarded are comparable with those awarded by other UK universities.
After successfully completing your apprenticeship you will be awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Policing Practice.
During the first year of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) the training is split into a number of mandatory blocks of learning and working in company on operational patrol with a Tutor Constable. As such a four-week annual allocation will already be planned into the training programme. In Year 2 and 3 you will have more freedom to choose when you would like to take your leave, although you will not be permitted to take leave during any of your formal blocks of learning.
The new pre-join degree in Professional Policing is based upon a brand new College of Policing licensed curriculum (this will not come into effect for joining Merseyside Police until 2022/3) As such your degree in policing is likely to have covered some areas of legislation and practice but not all. We would sign post you to undertake the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) to ensure all aspects of the curriculum are covered, although some of your learning already gained is likely to be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and may reduce the amount of learning you need to undertake.
Block learning will be delivered at Merseyside Police Training venues at Mather Avenue in Liverpool and Lea Green in St Helens. There may also be some learning at LJMU sites.
Our programmes have been designed to mix both classroom based theory with blocks of operational experience working collaboratively with Merseyside Police and Liverpool John Moore’s University spread over a 12-month academic year. This will allow individuals to link practical experiences to theory and reflect on their practice. A blended learning approach will also be seen throughout the programme.
An Equality Impact Analysis has been conducted and has been widely consulted on by Staff Support Networks and Advisory Groups. Apprenticeships are subject to Equality Act 2010 legislation and this will be applied in the context of the police medical and fitness criteria that all police officers are required to meet. Learning support is available for those who require additional support.
The online assessment process consists of up to four exercises to be taken within a timeframe agreed between the College and the force you have applied to. The exact number of exercises depends on the force you apply to, as some forces use a different sifting process.
The process is broken up as follows:
- Exercise 1 – Situational judgement test (SJT)
- Exercise 2 – Competency-based video interview
- Exercise 3 – Written exercise
- Exercise 4 – Briefing exercise
Further advice and guidance can be found College of Policing Assesment Process
No prior knowledge of the role of a police officer or any policing knowledge is required to complete the exercises.
Staff may apply to work part time but only once they have successfully met the requirements of the tutor period. Applying for part time working does not automatically mean that this will be granted but will be based upon the individual and organisational need. In the event of being granted part time study / working the programme of learning will be extended pro rata.
Throughout your apprenticeship learning programme, as well as the two work-based assessments stated above (IPS and FOC) you will need to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of all aspects of policing. To assist you with this there will be small informal assessments that will help you develop your knowledge and understanding but there will also be formal academic assessments that will assess the knowledge and understanding that you have gained whilst studying on your programme. These will be devised by LJMU our partner university but will consist of a variety of different types of assessment designed to also develop your policing skills. So for example, whilst at first glance a written assignment may appear to just be about writing about policing it also helps develop your research skills and your report writing skills, both of which will be required as part of your policing duties; similarly giving a presentation helps develop your communication, whilst a self-reflection can aid your decision making.
Towards the end of your 3 year programme you will undertake an ‘end point assessment’ which is a requirement of an apprenticeship; this will assess your overall progress of knowledge, understanding, skills and behaviours that you have developed whilst being on the apprenticeship.
You will need to successfully pass both the work based and academic assessments in order to be successful and be confirmed in the rank of Constable at the end of your 3-year probation period.
The learning programme for this apprenticeship is 3 years in length. During this time you will get 4 weeks of holiday a year, some of those weeks must be taken at certain times within your programme, others can be taken at your request subject to certain operational requirements (in other words whilst you are guaranteed the 4 weeks, you cannot be guaranteed to be able to take it when you may wish).
You will be required to work shifts throughout your programme (days and lates when in learning phases; days, lates and nights when in operational phases).