From Practice to Perspective
How Bachelor’s Theses Transform Police Students’ Understanding of Their Profession
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8252756 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Linda Hoel (0000-0002-1205-3914, Norwegian Police University College, corresponding author), Tina Luther Handegård (0000-0003-2442-9111, Norwegian Police University College) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-21 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-24 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Nordic Journal of Studies in Policing (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2703-7045 • E-ISSN: 2703-7045 |
| Publisher | Scandinavian University Press (PUBLISHER • NO) |
| DOI | 10.18261/njsp.13.1.4 |
| OpenAlex | W7131277442 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
A persistent debate in police education concerns the academisation of police training and practice. Specifically, the bachelor’s thesis has highlighted the tension between theory and practice. This study explores how the thesis can promote systematic experiential learning and contribute toward providing critical insight into practice. It originates from a pedagogical pilot project at the Norwegian Police University College (NPUC), where the use of scientific essay (SE) was introduced. SE was chosen for its stronger emphasis on experiential learning than other thesis formats. Analysis of SEs and an open questionnaire generated three main themes in students’ learning processes: i) Students were motivated to write SE because they perceived themselves as non-academic; ii) A personal willingness to engage in emotional work and dialogue to foster understanding; and iii) Lessons learned fostered an expanded “police gaze”. These themes are discussed in light of research on police students’ learning and socialisation in practice, transformative learning theory, and theory of practical knowledge
Experiential education · Experiential learning · Learning theory · Norwegian · Perspective (graphical · Transformative learning · Work (physics · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Policing Practices and Perceptions
Transformative Learning as Discourse
Adding value? A review of the international literature on the role of higher education in police training and education
What the Student Does
Becoming a member of the police. Workplace expectations of police students during in-field training
Research in police education
The changing landscape of police education and training
Professional identity development
Fra praktiske ferskinger til ferske praktikere
Learning Professional Ways of Being
Using thematic analysis in psychology
We are Seen as a Threat
Behavioral Study of obedience
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |