Assessment of Criminal Convictions
If you have a criminal conviction, you should have declared this on your application form. For undergraduate applicants applying via UCAS, you will only be asked to declare if you are applying for certain programmes. If you have applied for a programme where you are not asked to declare, if you are successful in receiving an offer to study at Queen Margaret University, you will be asked to declare and you should do so at this point. If a declaration has been made, the nature of the conviction will have been investigated and a decision made on whether or not you may be admitted to the programme.
We would like to emphasise that a criminal record does not automatically prevent you from joining a programme. However, failure to disclose a criminal conviction is a disciplinary offence. Failure to declare on your application form and/or providing misleading information will result in your being asked to withdraw from your programme.
Disclosure Scotland
Students of certain programmes at QMU are required to complete a clinical placement. Duties on these placements may involve caring for children and vulnerable adults.
In line with NHS policy and Scottish Government regulations, students will not be allowed to undertake clinical placement until the appropriate criminal record checks have been made.
Below is a list of the specific programmes this covers at QMU:
- BA (Hons) Education Studies
- · BA (Hons) Education Studies (Primary)
- PGDE Secondary (all programmes)
- BSc Paramedic Science
- BA (Hons) Performance
- BSc (Hons) Public Health
- Master of Physiotherapy
- Master of Radiography: Diagnostic
- Master of Radiography: Therapeutic
- Master of Occupational Therapy
- Master of Speech and Language Therapy
- Master of Dietetics
- Master of Nursing
- MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration)
- MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration)
- MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration)
- MSc Speech and Language Therapy (Pre-registration)
- MSc Audiology (Pre-registration)
- MSc Diagnostic Radiography (Pre-registration)
- MSc Therapeutic Radiography (Pre-Registration)
- MSc Podiatry (Pre-Registration)
- MSc Art Psychotherapy
- MSc Dramatherapy
- MSc Music Therapy
There are also programmes that will require a PVG check from your current employer such as the DipHE Hearing Aid Audiology and certain PgDip Person Centred programmes - we would contact you directly to inform you if this is required.
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre and Film students may also require a PVG Scheme Record for working with Children, depending on their specialism/dissertation projects. These are normally applied for during their second year of study (for specialisms) or third year for Honours projects. BSc (Hons) Nutrition students may also require a PVG Scheme Record for working with Children, depending on their placement experience, and this will be advised by the Programme Leader when required.
Applicants who have received an offer for one of the programmes in the list above who have lived outside the UK will be required to provide a Criminal Record Check from all countries outside the UK where they have been resident for a single period of more than 3 months, since the age of 16, in addition to joining the PVG scheme. Please note this needs to be provided before you can matriculate onto the programme.
Once you have matriculated, the school will provide you with a PVG application pack and aid you through the PVG application process. For International or European applicants, this is in addition to a comparable check from the police in your home country.
