Criminology and Criminal Justice

Why choose this course?
Our criminology degree tackles 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 which had a ground-breaking impact on the legal arena.

Students will:

• Study criminology from a range of perspectives including social, political and psychological, focusing on modern methods of policing, development of policy and the workings of magistrates and crown courts.

• Examine criminal law and the role and work of the agencies that make up a modern criminal justice system.

• Take part in site visits to various operational areas of the criminal justice system.

• Have a variety of voluntary work opportunities.

• Learn from a dedicated team of research-active lecturers with experience in the criminal justice system and who are research active in the areas of youth justice, prisons, homelessness, terrorism, and substance misuse.

• Regular input from visiting speakers such as judges, police, probation and youth justice staff.

• Leave ready to enter a wide range of sectors including youth justice, probation, prison, the police and voluntary organisations.

• *Study a course which is part of a subject area rated first in the UK for student satisfaction in the Sociology subject league tables, Complete University Guide 2023.

• *Study a course that has been rated as part of the CHA3 subject group Sociology ranked 1st in the UK for the teaching on my course and overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2022.

• *Study a course that has been ranked 1st in the UK as part of the Criminology subject league table for Teaching Quality and Student Experience in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.

Key Course Features:

• Be part of an inclusive, inviting and supportive community which fosters learning and encourages you to reach your full potential.

• You will have the opportunity to become involved with the active Criminology Society and engage with fun, interactive events, guest talks, conferences and charitable fundraisers

• Learning and teaching approaches that are innovative, flexible and enhance the student experience through thought-provoking activities, structured classroom sessions and critical debates.

• Our unique optional module will give you insight and direct experience of professional criminal justice practice and aims to prepare you for working within professional contexts. The module is experientially based allowing you to undertake a work-based placement, along with teaching hours.

• We have good links with all criminal justice agencies and employers such as the police, probation, prisons, magistrates’ courts and the youth justice service.

• Interested applicants are encouraged to join our social media sites for up-to-date information on networking and key events. These are Facebook @CriminalJusticeGlyndwr, Twitter @CCJglyndwr and Instagram @pandccj

• As well as rankings listed earlier, our Criminology & Criminal Justice degree is also part of a subject area rated 1st in the UK for teaching & course satisfaction, and is rated 6th in the UK overall, in the Criminology subject league tables (The Guardian University Guide, 2023).

What you will study

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)
The first year of our criminology degree provides 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 provide 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 students’ abilities 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)

Optional
Multi-Agency working to manage risk and dangerousness (optional)
Youth Justice (optional)
Terrorism (optional)
Policing Contemporary Communities (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 be required to do a research project on a topic of your interest.

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.

Wrexham University is committed to supporting our students to maximise their academic potential.

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.