The first students in the new Bachelor of Policing training programme are starting their studies at the Police University College on 4 August. There were over 900 applicants for the new degree programme, and 83 students were admitted.
"The students who are now starting their studies are a promising group that we will be happy to train as future police officers. We had the luxury of being able to hand-pick the applicants best suited to the studies and to the police profession," says Director of Education Petri Alkiora.
Although the degree has changed, the profile of students admitted to police training has not faced major changes. The average age of those admitted is now 23 years. Around one third of them are women. Over 80 per cent of new students have completed the Finnish Matriculation Examination or the upper secondary school curriculum.
Practical training
The students now admitted to the degree programme will be the first students to complete the reformed basic police training. The new degree programme of 180 credits provides qualification for positions as police officer, such as Senior Constable.
The degree programme lasts around three years. The new degree has much the same content as the old one, but the syllabus has been entirely redesigned.
"Police training in Finland will remain highly practical, with students studying the information and skills needed in actual police work," Alkiora says.
» Read more about the degree reform
