Police Studies
Police Education at Södertörn University focuses on and increases knowledge of social diversity. The programme offers interdisciplinary research and education, integrating theory and practice on all courses. Police Education is conducted at the School of Police Studies.
In January 2015, Södertörn University welcomed its first intake of around 170 police cadets. Around 900 policing students now study at Södertörn University. Our urban location, close to a major city, along with broad research and education and numerous external partners, provides Södertörn University with everything necessary for educating police officers who reflect the future demands of Swedish policing.
Work as a police officer is demanding, requiring continual updates to knowledge and expertise in many areas. The police must reduce criminality and increase security, while societal development means continually changing tasks.
To meet these demands and challenges, there is a need for modern police education that provides the relevant skills and knowledge. Police Education at Södertörn University provides trainee police officers with the right knowledge and skills for the challenges of urban environments and a society in constant change.
As a student at Södertörn University you will spend time on a campus with a diverse range of people that is close to the places and organisations that police officers encounter as part of their working day: hospitals, courts, police stations, schools and social services. The programme has teachers with policing expertise and teachers with academic expertise.
Future police education
Police Education at a university means that you are in close proximity to many other degree programmes, providing the right conditions for integrating and sharing activities with other groups of students. There are plenty of opportunities to benefit from research in areas relevant to future police officers.
Integration of theory and practice
In order to utilise your studies in your professional life, Södertörn University works specifically with uniting theory and practice in an integrated, advanced manner. To achieve the objective of integrating theory and practice, teachers with policing expertise and those with academic expertise work together when planning and developing courses and, when necessary, both types of teachers are present at a seminar.
The Police Education programme
Originally, Police Education at Södertörn University was three semesters of full-time study and then six months as a police trainee with the Swedish Police, followed by another semester of full-time study at the university.
For programmes that started after the spring semester of 2020, Police Education comprises four semesters of full-time study at Södertörn University. After completing their studies, students undertake a six-month paid traineeship with the Swedish Police.
Intakes to Police Education are in both the autumn and spring semesters. The Police Education programme is conducted as contract education, just as it is at Umeå University, the University of Borås, Malmö University and Linnaeus University
Apply to Police Education via the website for the Swedish Defence Recruitment Agency. They manage the admissions process and the higher education institution manages the study programme.
If you have questions about Police Education, please contact us via polisprogrammet@sh.se