UDCRILAW - BA Criminology and Law

The course is delivered through a range of pedagogic methods including formal lectures, seminars, workshops, project-based research activity and individual tutorials held in staff office hours. There is an emphasis upon the link between teaching, practice and research and staff research provides the basis for teaching on a range of modules.

The course integrates face-to-face with online learning. All modules use Weblearn/Blackboard facilities making key information available and also providing a convenient place for handbook information, calendars and class announcements. Some modules focus specifically on the development of CIT skills. The course will also progressively examine ways of further developing the link between face-to-face and online learning as ideas and technology develop, and as resources permit. The course encourages contact between students and tutors and, in the course of this, encourages active learning. CIT and other media are used to encourage collaboration among students.

The course aims to:

1. offer a course relevant to a range of careers in the area of criminal justice and related fields and to a range of careers where legal skills are useful (the Criminology and Law joint degree is not a ‘qualifying law degree’)
2. develop the intellectual skills necessary for the understanding, critical evaluation and application of a range of theoretical approaches to the study of crime, deviance and conceptions of human rights, civil liberties and justice
3. develop students’ competence in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
4. develop a range of legal and transferable skills
5. offer the opportunity to develop the above in relation to specific areas of interest culminating in the production of an in-depth piece of research or law work placement at level 6.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Criminology and Law
2. devise and sustain arguments, and/or solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Criminology and Law
3. describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Criminology and Law, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge
4. manage their own learning, and make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Criminology and Law)
5. apply the methods and techniques they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects
6. critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), make judgments, and frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution, or identify a range of solutions, to a problem
7. communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
8. exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts
9. undertake appropriate further training or a professional or equivalent nature.

- Deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Criminology and Law:

SC4000 Introduction to Criminological Theory
(I) SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime
(P) SC5000 Crime in Context (P)
SC6000 Crime Control and Penology (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL4004Criminal Law (I)
LL5001 Public Law (P)
LL5002Evidence and Advocacy (P)
LL6054Penal Policy (P)
LL6004Civil Liberties and Human Rights (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)

- Devise and sustain arguments, and/or solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Criminology and Law:

SC4000 Introduction to Criminological Theory
(I) SC4001 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC5002 Perspectives on Policing (P)
SC5050 Crime, Media and Technology (P)
SC6000 Crime Control and Penology (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL4001 Legal System (I)
LL5002 Evidence and Advocacy (P)
LL5001 Public Law (P)
LL6054 Penal Policy (P)
LL6004 Civil Liberties and Human Rights (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)

- Describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Criminology and Law, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge:

SC4001 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC5000 Crime in Context (P)
SC5051 Youth, Crime and Violence (P)
SC6000 Crime Control and Penology (A)
SC6052 Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)

- Manage their own learning, and make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Criminology and Law):

SC4001 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC5000 Crime in Context (P)
SC6000 Crime Control and Penology (A)
SC6051 Serious and Serial Offenders (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL5002 Evidence and Advocacy (P)
LL6004 Civil Liberties and Human Rights (A)
LL5054 Penal Policy (P)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)

- Apply the methods and techniques they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects:

SC4001 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC5051 Youth, Crime and Violence (P)
SC5050 Crime, Media and Technology (P)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL4001 Legal System (I)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)
LL6W51 Work Placement for Professional
Practice(A)

- Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be
incomplete), make judgments, and frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution, or
identify a range of solutions, to a problem:

SC4000 Introduction to Criminological Theory
(I) SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime
(P) SC5000 Crime in Context (P)
SC5002 Perspectives on Policing (P)
SC6001 Justice, Punishment and Social
Control (A)
SC6050 The Criminology of Pleasure (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL4004 Criminal Law (I)
LL5002 Evidence and Advocacy (P)
LL5001 Public Law (P)
LL6004 Civil Liberties and Human Rights (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)

- Communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences:

SC4000 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)
LL6W51 Work Placement for Professional
Practice (A)

- Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts:

SC4000 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)
LL6W51 Work Placement for Professional
Practice (A)

- Undertake appropriate further training or a professional or equivalent nature:

SC4000 Introduction to the Criminal Justice
System (I)
SC5001 Measuring and Interpreting Crime (P)
SC5002 Perspectives on Policing (P)
SC6000 Crime Control and Penology (A)
SC6P50 Criminological Research Practice (A)
SC6P02 Criminology and Law Project (A)
LL4004 Criminal Law (I)
LL4001 Legal System (I)
LL5002 Evidence and Advocacy (P)
LL6P53 Research Project (A)
LL6W51 Work Placement for Professional
Practice (A)

Criminology

Law

(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/subject-guidance/Pages/Honours-degree-benchmark-statements.aspx)

Students are assessed through a combination of essays, module-specific research projects, seen and unseen examinations and an individual largely self-directed project or work placement at level 6.At level 4 assessments seek to encourage students to specify and describe relevant legal procedures, theories and institutions of the criminal justice system. At level 5 assessments require students to extend and critically to evaluate the knowledge they have encountered. Students at this level are also required to produce research reports including data analysis and interpretation. At level 6 assessments test students’ critical knowledge of applied areas of Criminology and Law and their ability to think and research independently.

Optional work placement in Law at level 6.

There will be opportunities for students to study for part of their degree in another European country. ERASMUS is part of the European Union SOCRATES programme for cooperation in the field of education. Under ERASMUS the university has student exchange agreements with 16 different European countries.

Students must take:

Level 4

English and EU Legal Systems

Criminal Law

Introduction to Criminological Theory

Introduction to the Criminal Justice System

Level 5

Public Law

Evidence and Advocacy

Measuring and Interpreting Crime

Level 6

Crime Control and Penology

Civil Liberties and Human Rights

And:

Either: Law Research Project or Criminological Research Practice or Law Placement

Graduates have gone on to careers in the police service, the probation service and other areas of the criminal justice system as well as undertaking further professional training in the legal field. The programme is also excellent preparation for further study. The analytical, methodological and legal skills acquired on successful completion provide a strong grounding for development within many different careers.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades BBC in three A levels (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg Advanced Diploma)
• GCSE English at grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or above (or equivalent)

Applications are welcome from mature students who have passed appropriate access or other preparatory courses or have appropriate work experience.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.