About us

We are delighted to be empowering law enforcement officers and those who are interested in the field of policing, broadly defined. Through Unisa's open distance and elearning (ODeL) model, our reach is far and wide but primarily focused on South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

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Message from the Chair of Department

Prof SA Mabudusha
Chair: Department of Police Practice

As you embark on your academic journey, you are faced with an important decision of where, how, and what you will choose to study. As you carefully weigh your options, I assure you that the Department of Police Practice, within the University of South Africa (Unisa) is one of the most vibrant comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution. The comprehensiveness of our curricula encapsulates a range of offerings, namely:

• Certificate in Criminal Justice
• Diploma in Policing
• Bachelor of Arts degree in Policing or Forensic science and Technology or Maritime, Air and Land border Policing
• Honours, Masters and Doctoral degrees

Unisa's "openness" and its distance eLearning character result in many students registering at Unisa who may not have had an opportunity to enrol in higher education. Our ODeL character implies that our programmemes are carefully planned and structured to ensure success for students ranging from the under-prepared but with potential to the sufficiently prepared.

Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involves multiple modes of delivery ranging from blended learning to fully online. As a default position, all postgraduate programmemes are offered fully online with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmemes are offered in a blended mode of delivery where printed study materials are augmented with online teaching and learning. In some instances, undergraduate programmemes are offered fully online as well.

Furthermore, our programmemes are aligned with the vision, mission, and values of the University. Unisa's commitment to serving humanity and shaping futures combined with a clear appreciation of our location on the African continent, Unisa's graduates have distinctive graduate qualities which include

• independent, resilient, responsible, and caring citizens who can fulfill and serve in multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national, and global communities
• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its histories, challenges, and potential to globally diverse contexts
• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information and data from multiple sources in a globalized world with its ever-increasing information and data flows and competing worldviews
• how to apply their discipline-specific knowledge competently, ethically, and creatively to solve real-life problems
• an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential

You need to browse through the website to learn about the different programmemes we offer in the department, how to apply for admission, the type of student funding we have, and the range of student support provided to students.

Please note that we are committed to helping all students achieve their ambitions. People with disabilities wanting to study through Unisa must apply and register for their qualification(s) of choice. The university has a dedicated Division called Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD), that assists with the administrative processes. For more information on services and support offered to students with disabilities, email Arcswid@unisa.ac.za. 

We are looking forward to welcoming you in the following academic year.

Best wishes

Prof SA Mabudusha
Chair: Department of Police Practice