Definition of Relevant Degree for entry to the Graduate Diploma Pathway


 

The Graduate Diploma pathway within the PQF may be accessed by graduates holding relevant honours degrees who are able to demonstrate the potential to complete the pathway's academic and vocation qualification programme within 15 months.

The definition of what constitutes a relevant honours degree for this purpose will form part of the framework of probation qualifications that the Secretary of State is required to publish. The policy responsibility for the definition rests with the Probation Qualifications Assurance Board (the 'Assurance Board'). The Assurance Board has a duty to ensure that the definition is reviewed and updated as appropriate on a regular basis.

The Graduate Diploma pathway necessitates the contracted H.E. Providers approving entry to a Graduate Diploma Programme which is equivalent to the third year of their honours degree programme. H.E. Providers' internal validation mechanisms require entry to their Graduate Diploma being conditional on specific evidence of prior relevant academic study and qualification.

The two key factors in this are the relevance and the currency of academic understanding and achievement. This means that the Graduate Diploma entrants must be able to demonstrate that they have satisfactorily covered the core curriculum in Parts 1 & 2 of the PQF Degree progamme and that their knowledge is up to date.

There is no existing or potential capacity within the NOMS PQF structure for individual cases to be reviewed to determine whether a potential Graduate Diploma applicant exceptionally can be deemed to have the relevant honours degree. This means that relevance will be determined solely by the subject and currency of the degree.

Where subjects are not specified here are mostly, but not fully, relevant there may be the potential for the H.E. Providers to review the content and possibly top up any deficits with additional modules. However, it is for the individual H.E. Providers to offer this provision as they see fit.

The Assurance Board on behalf of the Secretary of State has defined the following single honours degree subjects as relevant qualifications for the purposes of conferring eligibility to apply for entry to the Graduate Diploma pathway:

  • Criminology

  • Criminal Justice

  • Community Justice

  • Police Studies

Background Information

Some really useful websites for background information on the Probation Service and Community Justice Sector are:

Home Office
Probation 2000
Community Justice Portal

For other useful sites please click here


What do Probation Officers do?

Make assessments to advise Courts and others, especially about the risk posed by individual offenders

Manage and enforce Community Orders made by the Courts

Work with prisoners during and after sentence to assist in their resettlement and to implement the requirements of their license

Work, directly and with others, to change offenders'  behaviour and to reduce the risk of harm

Work, directly and with others, to reduce the impact of offences on their victims

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