Police constables and sergeants without a degree can now earn one on the job with tuition fully covered, as the force launches its first bachelor's programme in March.

The Bachelor of Policing in Security and Criminal Investigation will be offered at the Hong Kong Police College. The curriculum covers criminal investigation, police training, frontline internships and a graduation report.

The force says it wants to upgrade officers' qualifications, because only about 40 percent currently hold a degree.

Cheung Hoi-yan, Head of the School of Specialised Learning at the Hong Kong Police College, expects the programme to be a big draw.

"Our target officers are those who don't have a bachelor's degree at the moment," she said. "Once they enter the police training school, we provide this applied degree for them. They can choose to enrol or not. While they're working, they can also study – so this is very attractive to them."

Students have to complete 488 credits while keeping up with their regular duties. The force covers the tuition in full, but officers must serve at least two years after graduating, or pay the money back.

The force gained degree-awarding status in August, after passing an assessment by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, making it the first government department in Hong Kong to award undergraduate degrees.




Edited by Aaron Tam