Criminology and Criminal Justice

Why choose this course?
Our Criminology and Criminal Justice degree will allow you to explore a fascinating array of questions from why people commit crime and how it affects society, to historical landmarks in the justice system and high-profile cases that have shaped the legal landscape.

You will:
Utilise cutting-edge facilities, including a modern moot court room and 'learning crime scene house'
Experience the field of criminology and criminal justice first-hand with site visits to operational areas of the criminal justice system such as a working prison
Gain practical skills and enhance your employability through a variety of voluntary work opportunities
Benefit from the invaluable insights of a team of expert lecturers and also high profile guest speakers, including judges, police officers, probation officers, and youth justice professionals
Graduate ready to make an impact, with the skills to pursue careers in youth justice, probation, the prison service, the police, and other voluntary organisations

Key Course Features:
You will have the opportunity to customise your degree to suit your interests and career goals with a range of optional modules.
This degree offers a Work-Based Learning module, allowing you to gain experience in professional criminal justice practice through a work-based placement, ultimately enhancing your employability and experience in the criminology and criminal justice field.
You will be part of a close-knit community and given the opportunity to join our active Criminology and Criminal Justice Society where you can get involved with fun, interactive events, guest talks, conferences, and charitable fundraisers.
The course has learning and teaching approaches that aim to enhance your student experience through thought-provoking activities, structured classroom sessions, and critical debates.
The course allows you to study criminology and criminal justice through social, political, and psychological lenses, focusing on modern policing methods, policy development, and the workings of magistrates and crown courts.
You will examine criminal law and the roles of the various agencies that make up today’s criminal justice system.

What you will study

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)
The first year of our criminology degree provides you with an introduction to practice matters relating to working in the community justice system and understanding and engaging with offending behaviour. The range of modules explored in year one provides knowledge and understanding of the causes of crime at a societal and individual level and explores the work of the agencies that make up the criminal justice system.

MODULES:
• Study Skills in Higher Education (Core)
• Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice (Core)
• Signal Crimes and Criminals (Core)
• Drugs, Alcohol and Crime (Optional)
• Crime, Society and Social Policy (Optional)
• Introduction to Forensic Psychology (Optional)
• Attachment and Crime (Optional)

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)
The second year is designed to build directly on the skills and knowledge acquired during year one. You will study criminal law and in traditional lecturers and field trips where possible e.g. to prison and court, you will learn about advanced issues in effective practice with particular types of offenders. Criminological and research theory is explored to begin the process of developing your ability to think theoretically and critically about the practice of criminal justice.

MODULES:
• Research Methods (Core)
• Criminology (Core)
• Crime and Criminal Behaviour (Core)
• Social Difference and Inequality (Core)
• Work-based learning (Optional)
• Working in Custodial and Community Settings with people who have offended (Optional)
• Criminal Law and the Criminal Justice Process (Optional)

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 6)
In the final year, modules develop your abilities to apply theoretical and critical perspectives to criminal justice processes and practice. Some degree of choice is also offered in relation to modules options. The socio-political nature of criminal justice policy-making is explored and a critical lens is brought to bear on the criminal justice system.

You may then choose to explore how guilt and innocence might be negotiated in police and courtroom, the contribution forensic psychology might make to understanding crime, youth justice or multi-agency criminal justice response to crime. Students will also complete their own research project (option to conduct primary or secondary data collection) which explores an area of interest to themselves under the supervision of one of the experienced criminology lecturers in the department.

MODULES:
• Research Project (Core)
• Control, Justice and Punishment (Core)
• Multi-Agency Working in the Criminal Justice System (Optional)
• Youth Justice (Optional)
• Terrorism (Optional)
• Policing Contemporary Communities (Optional)
• Constructing Guilt and Innocence (Optional)

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Teaching & Assessment
There is a variety of assessment methods for this course, including essays, presentations, case studies and examinations.

In year 3, you will produce a final-year dissertation, designed to evaluate your understanding and application of criminological concepts. You will be required to do a research project on a topic of your interest. This will be a secondary piece of research which draws upon current knowledge and research.

Flexible, accessible and inclusive teaching methods are utilised across the degree programme.  Students will attend face-to-face lectures three days a week. Students are encouraged to participate in site visits to operational areas of the criminal justice system, which in the past have included visits to a crown court and a prison.

TEACHING AND LEARNING
We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments.

Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping deal with the practicalities of university work. Our student support section has more information on the help available.

In terms of particular needs, the University’s Inclusion Services can provide appropriate guidance and support should any students require reasonable adjustments to be made because of a recognised prevailing disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference.