Criminology BSc (Hons)

The content of this module enables students to develop understanding of the foundations of the discipline alongside academic and transferable skills relevant to career readiness. The module firstly introduces students to the breadth of criminological scholarship, providing a pathway into the discipline by identifying and exploring key debates and ideas. Students will examine how crime, deviance and harm are constructed, perceived and responded to in society. This content will include key ideas associated with differential treatment and experiences of the criminal justice system for marginalised and under-represented groups in society alongside non-conventional forms of crime and harm, especially those committed by the ‘powerful’. Students will critically consider the array of individuals, agencies and processes integral to the functioning of the criminal justice system alongside theoretical and practical perspectives of punishments. There will also be a theoretical and practical exploration of the interrelationships between crime and harm, victimisation, social problems and their context.

Students will examine the consistencies, contradictions and conflicts which arise across theoretical and philosophical inquiry, as well as among political ideologies. In doing so, students will critically evaluate the influence sociodemographic characteristics and lived experiences hold in the operational objectives, procedures and outcomes of the criminal justice system across different groups. Within this module, there will be a focus upon influences that shape public perceptions, in particular in reference to deviance and the influence of both traditional and contemporary media platforms on societal views, looking in particular at deviance, from crime to inequality, mental health and politics. In doing so, students will acquire meaningful skills which can be influential in their personal and professional lives as proponents of criminal justice reform. Throughout students’ engagement with the academic content, they will develop as an individual and lifelong learner whilst also being part of a learning community. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon how academic skills acquired might transfer over into purposeful and rewarding forms of employment.

This module will enable students to critically develop their existing knowledge and understanding of current – and former – representations of crime and criminal justice. Through analytically deconstructing a wide array of historical, geographical, social and political representations of crime and criminal justice. Students upon the module will be encouraged to identify and assess how and why these representations of crime and criminal justice are constructed and disseminated among society. Considerations of gender, class, disability, age, race, religion and sex will therefore be acknowledged to emphasise the spectrum of individuals within society (sub-)consciously influential in, as well as influenced by representations of crime and criminal justice. Whilst the philosophical and theoretical concepts which are embedded throughout the module will serve to highlight to students the advantages and limitations of representations throughout practice. This module will allow students to acquire meaningful skills which can be pivotal in their personal and professional lives as champions of social justice reform. From having explored and discovered the pervasive influence representations hold over the ongoing (re-)configuration of culture in practice, as well as developing their digital proficiencies in communication.

This module offers students an understanding of the interactions between race, ethnicity and migration in the contemporary governance of global injustice, inequality, and in the structuring of society. It introduces students to race and ethnicity as fluid and contradictory categories, and as social constructions with real social and legal consequences. It further discusses migration, both as a range of practices and relations that people enact, and as a system of governance that manages inequality in the freedom to move, and in life opportunities.

The module approaches race and ethnicity to show the global variation of the concepts, going beyond the criteria used in the Global North and in anglophone contexts. It further discusses migration, both in terms of different practices of global mobility and participation and society, and in terms of specific aspects of governance, from border controls and migrant detention, to the attribution of citizenship rights. It also explores how systemic inequities in race and ethnicity intersect with criminal justice practices, influencing outcomes such as policing, sentencing, and incarceration.

The module introduces students to how race, ethnicity, and migratory experience and background can lead to diversity in the impact of social issues. It encourages students to critically examine the ways in which race, ethnicity, and migration inform societal responses to crime, law enforcement, and broader patterns of injustice. The module further guides students to consider life histories and the mutual relation between social concepts and individual biographical experiences.

This module will explore the contribution of medical and scientific expertise in the management of mental illness. Furthermore, the convergence of mental health and criminal justice policy, legislation, systems and practice will be critically examined. There will be an exploration of the development of psychiatry and the medicalisation process, focussing on themes of power and control. The module will consider how historical treatments of mental illness have created false identities of mental illness being connected to crime and concepts of risk and dangerousness. These discussions will then expand to the criminal justice system through the mapping of theory, policy and practice in the area of public protection and offender assessment and management in the conventional criminal justice process. This content will enable students to develop a critically informed viewpoint on the ethical, practical and legal complexities of treating, assessing and managing offenders with a mental health disorder in the criminal justice and psychiatric systems. This will support students in understanding the complexities of assessing and managing so-called ‘dangerous’ or ‘high-risk’ offenders in practice, and to develop integrity to seek ways to proactively respond to these equality concerns.

• Experiential Learning: Social Impact Leadership in Action (40 Credits) Optional
  This experiential module is designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that complement their academic studies. This module aims to bridge the gap between personal social missions, theory and practice, equipping students with critical awareness, essential skills and experiences for their future plans, including employment, further study and other ventures. The module is enriched through partnership working between academics and others working in a range of organisations promoting social impact. Students will have opportunities to foster their own social missions, develop and apply academic understanding and key skills through working on real-world projects. Key components of teaching and learning include:
  • Real-World Projects: Students engage in projects that address actual challenges faced by organisations, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge and key skills in practical settings.
  • Service Learning: Initiatives that combine community service with learning objectives, promoting social responsibility and civic engagement.
  • Reflective Practices: Encouraging students to reflect on their experiences through journals, discussions, and skills analyses to enhance critical thinking and personal growth.
  • Networking Opportunities: A range of networking opportunities will be shared that students can engage in during independent study to build sector insights and develop their networks.
  • Skills workshops: Experts will deliver Social Impact Leadership workshops giving insight into personal success and challenges in their paths and teaching key skills towards success.
  • Career Guidance workshops: Knowledge from Career Experts will underpin career guidance to support students to develop personalised plans for actioning towards aspirations, including employment, further study and other aspirations.
  This module aims to empower students with the tools and resources necessary to secure meaningful employment and embark on successful careers.

• Work Placement (40 Credits) Optional
  This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.
  The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.
  All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:
  • Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)
  • Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 4, 5 or 7 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement
  • Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.
  • All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.
  The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.

What role do social sciences play beyond the University? This module introduces students to the key discussions in public social science. You will be encouraged to consider the possibilities and challenges sociologists face in engaging with the public and contributing to social change. Where do sociological/ criminological ideas and theories originate from, who do they serve, and, most importantly, what impact can they have? 

We will examine how sociologists and criminologists approach public social science, both historically and today, critically evaluating the institutional structures that shape it, including funding, influence, and policy considerations. Students will explore the role of current sociological and criminological research in driving social change and informing policy across diverse sectors. Together, we'll discuss the major social challenges that public social scientists encounter today. 

The module also encourages you to think about life after University, considering the responsibilities and opportunities you have as a social science graduate to bring your sociological and criminological insight to the world. In line with this focus, assessments will test a variety of skills beyond traditional essays.

This module critically examines the multifaceted ways in which state actions can contribute to social harms, injustices, and environmental degradation. Students will explore state-induced crimes through a critical criminological lens, focusing on how policies and actions can perpetuate systemic inequalities and harm both individuals and communities globally. The module introduces sense-making theories, providing tools to analyse and evaluate the impact of state actions on broader social injustices, including ecological damage and economic inequality. Through a combination of theoretical insights and real-world case studies, students will critically assess topics such as state violence, environmental harms, economic policies, and human rights violations. Key learning outcomes include the ability to analyse the global impacts of state-induced crimes, apply theoretical frameworks, and devise strategies for mitigating harms. The module emphasises practical, socially responsible approaches to addressing systemic issues, equipping students with actionable skills to contribute to meaningful change. With a structured curriculum spanning ten weeks, topics include the historical and contemporary dimensions of state crime, environmental and social injustices, and the role of human rights frameworks. By the end, students will be well-prepared to critically engage with these pressing global challenges and advocate for justice in diverse contexts.

This level 6 major project module will take students on a transformative journey that will enhance their critical thinking, analytical abilities, and academic writing.  Students will learn about the philosophical foundations of social research and will be able to reflect on their own philosophical and methodological standpoint. Research design, ethical issues and methodological tensions will be covered throughout the first two terms of this module. A practical focus on quantitative and qualitative data analysis will aid students to become career ready for the research sector. Teaching will be face to face in small groups, where students will work with peers to consider the staged process of research design and apply what they have learnt to real world research phenomena. Once students have developed their knowledge and understanding of research methods and data analysis techniques, they will embark on their own piece of research under the guidance of an academic supervisor. By writing a substantial piece of independent research students will gain essential skills in research methodology, data analysis, and academic writing that will serve them throughout their academic and professional career.

This module will enable students to critically analyse and evaluate theoretical and philosophical justifications of punishment across time and space. Coupled with an examination of why and how punishment is delivered in practice. This module will encourage students to appreciate the consistencies, contradictions and conflicts which arise across theoretical and philosophical inquiry, as well as among political ideologies. That serve to impact upon the creation, development and application of penal policy. Students upon the module will critically appraise what is (and is not) known of the inner workings and relationships among practitioners. With considerations of gender, race, religion, age, class, sex and disability also being acknowledged to emphasise the role(s) and responsibility(s) of society as determining factors in the development and delivery of punishment. This module will allow students to acquire meaningful skills which can be influential in their personal and professional lives as proponents of criminal justice reform. From having explored and discovered the multiplicity of individuals involved in and impacted by the existence of crime, as well as developing their capacity to communicate effectively to an audience and stimulate change.