Police Leadership

The Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership is designed to foster problem-solving skills, critical thinking and scholarly reflection on policing. It is designed with a rapidly changing technological, political, social and demographic landscape in mind.

The Graduate Diploma in Police Leadership was created to meet the urgent need for adaptable, innovative and diverse police leaders. This program was developed for both active duty police officers who are interested in advancing in their organizations as well as officers who have already assumed leadership positions, and are mandated to complete educational training to serve in their supervisory roles.

Police leaders enrolled in this program will develop a more thorough understanding of not only their local policing context but also the broader regional, national, and global contexts in which policing occurs.

Our flexible program offers a contemporary approach to policing by bringing the latest trends to the forefront, allowing students to contextualize these changes in policing within historical as well as present-day criminological literature.  

Police officers will learn social science research methodologies and outside influences that impact their profession. They will also be provided with the skills needed to navigate, understand and adapt to the complex nature of contemporary policing.

By the end of this program, students will be able to:

• Explain the historical origins of policing as a social institution, its development throughout earlier periods, and its emerging contexts in contemporary times.
• Describe and evaluate policing techniques, research, and challenges in order to problem-solver complex policing issues.
• Participate in collegial, evidence-based discussions about controversial policing issues with peers, community partners, and the public.
• Formulate and execute evidence-based strategies for change in order to improve the functioning of policing organizations.

Master's minimum admission requirements

• Bachelor's Degree Equivalent: Bachelor’s
• Mid-B Equivalent: 3.23 - 3.45; 78.7 - 81.2 per cent; Very Good (mid-range)

Doctoral minimum admission requirements

• Master's Degree Equivalent: Master’s
• B+ Equivalent: 3.46 - 3.67; 81.3 - 83.9 per cent; Very Good (high range)

After you have explored graduate programs at Ontario Tech University, there are five steps you must go through to complete the application process. Please review each step carefully before proceeding to the next step. After you have completed the first five steps in the application process, you can proceed to step six to check the status of your application.

• Step 1: Review admission requirements.
• Step 2: Check application deadlines.
  
• Step 3: Prepare your application.
• Step 4: Apply online.
• Step 5: Send your documents.
• Step 6: Check your application status online.

Have questions about the graduate application process? Review our Grad Admissions FAQ page.