Police Leadership, Graduate Diploma

General information

The Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership program provides working police officers with an opportunity to upgrade their credentials by taking graduate-level courses within Ontario Tech University’s Criminology program. The diploma is aimed at officers who are currently employed at a police service. We approach leadership as something that is required at various levels throughout a policing organization. Therefore, officers thinking about assuming more of a leadership role within their organization and those who already have assumed a leadership position would benefit from taking the diploma. The graduate diploma is designed to foster problem-solving skills, critical thinking and scholarly reflection on policing in the 21^st century. The diploma takes a big-picture perspective on policing and is designed with a rapidly changing technological, political, social and demographic landscape in mind.

Students complete four courses which include Leading and Implementing Transformation in Police Organizations , Equity and Inclusion in Policing , Historic and Emerging Patterns in Policing , and Evidence-Based Policing . Police officers completing the diploma will learn about the emerging trends, research and outside influences impacting their profession and will be provided with the skills to navigate, understand and adapt to the complex nature of contemporary policing. To allow for maximum student flexibility, courses are delivered entirely online through a series of modules.

A current list of graduate faculty is available on the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities’ website.

Admission requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate studies , Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership applicants must meet the following program-specific requirements:

• Hold an undergraduate degree, from a Canadian university, or its equivalent from a recognized institution. Normally, applicants are expected to have graduated with a social science degree that has provided them with a sound understanding of social science methodologies and a basic understanding of criminological theories. Students without a social science related degree are encouraged to apply but should reach out to the Graduate Program Director to discuss their specific circumstances before applying.
• Have a minimum academic standing in their undergraduate degree of a B-minus (GPA: 2.7 on a 4.3 scale or 70 to 72 per cent) or obtain the permission of the Graduate Program Director.
• Applicants not meeting the minimum academic requirements or those without an undergraduate degree will be granted admission to the diploma on a case-by-case basis following Ontario Tech’s non-standard applicant process .

Applicants are required to submit a portfolio consisting of the following documentation:

• A curriculum vitae including the applicant’s education, employment, teaching and research experience, and publications (if any).
• A sample of scholarly writing.
• A letter confirming current employment at a police service.

Part-time studies

The Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership is only administered on a part-time basis.

Degree requirements

All Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership students must successfully complete four graduate courses. A minimum passing grade of B-minus is required for each course.

Course listing

Each of the below required courses are delivered through a series of modules as follows:

• SSCI 5410G - Leading and Implementing Transformation in Police Organizations  
   
  1. Police Organizational Culture
  2. Leading and Transforming Police Organizations
  3. The Future of Police
      
• SSCI 5400G - Special Topics in Criminology  (Equity and Inclusion in Policing)
   
  1. Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy
  2. Equity and Inclusion in the Community
  3. Equity and Inclusion within Police Services
      
• SSCI 5430G - Historic and Emerging Patterns in Policing  
   
  1. The Origins and Evolution of Policing
  2. Police Reform and the Proliferation of Policing Strategies
  3. Contemporary Technological and Data Driven Policing
      
• SSCI 5420G - Evidence-Based Policing  
   
  1. What is Evidence-Based Policing?
  2. Good and Bad Research
  3. Emerging Research Trends Shaping Policing
      

Each module is delivered independently of the other modules and courses. Therefore, students can complete the modules in any order at their own pace. Each course is transferable to the university’s Master of Arts (MA) in Criminology degree . However, entry to the MA in Criminology program is competitive and not automatic. Students must meet the existing MA in Criminology entrance requirements and acceptance is not guaranteed.