POL6006 - Research Project and End Point Assessment

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
carry out research, including the collection and analysis of data, to identify and understand an emerging issue or problem in a specific poling area to support an ethically sound research question;
plan an intervention to tackle the identified issue/ problem;
present an evaluation of research on the identified issue/ problem and proposal for tackling it;
engage in a professional discussion about their policing practice to the satisfaction of a panel of assessors.

Content:

This module will allow students to conduct research on a police-related issue which the force identifies as having the potential to add value within an operational delivery setting. This could come from either the West Yorkshire Police Knowledge Bank, which contains research areas generated through current issues provided from districts, police policy, practice, training, education or the apprentices’ experiences. Students will choose a specific issue relevant to their selected specialism which they will research using sound academic research methodology. The common elements of the research process will be covered, including, defining the research question(s), evaluation of current research evidence and related policy and/or professional practice, research design, research methods, research ethics, interpretation and evaluation of data and writing up and/or presenting the work. Specific research methods and analysis will also be a focus of learning.

Learning and Teaching Information:

This module content will be delivered through taught sessions and one to one supervision meetings, of which there will be 5 allocated to each student over a period of 6 months, with further support provided by a blended learning approach using our VLE. This will enable the students to ensure their research is relevant and appropriate to the area they are researching and that it follows accepted academic practice within the scope of an undergraduate degree. Preparation for the presentation of the project in both written and verbal form will also be supported through one to one supervision and using the VLE. Students will have the choice of working in groups on larger projects or on their own on smaller projects. However, all the students will write up and present their work for summative assessment on an individual basis. Ethical approval must be obtained prior to any primary research with or about people. Where students do not obtain ethical approval, they will undertake a desk-based research project using information in the public domain, or conduct a secondary analysis on an anonymised data set provided by WY Police.

One to one supervision meetings
Hours: 5
Intended Group Size: 1

Taught Session
Hours: 8
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Guided independent study
Hours: 587

All assessments must be passed as a requirement of the College of Policing

Additional Regulations for Professional Policing:
The module is exempt from the regulation on marginal failure in order to meet the professional standards set by the College of Policing in the EPA Assessment Plan for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. The following assessment criteria apply:
1. Research project – pass mark of 50%
2. OCP-based Professional discussion – all 13 (100%) of the operational competence criteria need to be passed. Learners who demonstrate an approach that is measurably beyond the minimum required standard to a complex / critical operational situation will be awarded Distinction. For the purposes of degree classification this will be translated to a numerical mark.
3. Presentation and Panel discussion – pass mark of 50%.

The aggregate pass mark for the module is 50%.

Further details relating to assessment
* Gateway entry to the End-Point Assessment will be opened by the Police Force only after it is satisfied that the required evidence has been collected and providing that Level 2 in English and Maths has been achieved. The EPA period is typically the final 9 months of the apprenticeship.

This module includes both the production of a research project and a viva-voce examination of the project as part of the end point assessment – which is the culmination of the degree apprenticeship. Governed by very clear guidelines from the College of Policing, the research project has to be 10,000 words or equivalent and the learner will be expected to enter into a formal discussion about their research project and findings as part of the End Point Assessment.

They will also engage in a professional discussion about their professional practice based on an Operational Competency Portfolio (OCP) which has been assembled typically in the first 24 months of the apprenticeship to ensure they are occupationally competent.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Gary Curnow
Level - 6
Credit Value - 60
Pre-Requisites - NOT APPLICABLE
Semester(s) Offered - 6WP22S6WP24S6WP25S6P29S

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