Criminology and Criminal Justice BSc (Hons)

30 credits

This module will introduce students to a range of theoretical perspectives and debates that inform criminology, and which underpin their learning throughout the criminology programme. Theories will be evaluated in relation to academic scholarship, empirical evidence, popularity and application in crime policy and practice, and in relation to their geographical, social, cultural, historical locations.

Students will learn about a changing and dynamic field of study, which has encompassed both positivistic and social analyses of crime and criminalisation. They will learn to evaluate criminological theory in relation to a range of intellectual movements. They will be encouraged to understand criminological theory in relation to shifts across allied subjects like sociology, gender studies, critical race studies, social policy, politics and psychology.

30 credits

This module will provide students with an introduction to the institutions, processes and legal foundations of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. The module is core to the undergraduate degree. The module familiarises students with the language and reasoning of the criminal law and the structure and chronology of the criminal justice process. There is an emphasis on the development and practice of key academic skills especially information retrieval.

30 credits

Who gets labelled as ‘dangerous’ or ‘problematic’ - and why? This module dives into how crime and deviance are shaped by society, politics, and culture, both past and present.  

You’ll explore who is policed and disciplined, how certain behaviours become criminalised, and how others go unnoticed.

Looking at real-world case studies, you’ll examine the blurred lines between offender and victim, the impact of criminalisation, and the role of media and state institutions in shaping our perceptions of crime. Through key criminological debates, you’ll question what justice really means and who it serves.

30 credits

This module will focus your attention on how social scientists have utilised a range of qualitative and quantitative methods to research social life in its various forms. This module grounds your understandings of research methods through the practical application of data collection and analysis, and critical reflection on the research process. You will gain hands-on experience of research skills throughout the module that can be applied to future study and employability.

You will also be introduced to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate; an innovative programme designed to support your personal and professional development, and your ability to articulate your skills and graduate qualities in an external context.

30 credits

In this module, you will gain a critical insight into key issues and controversies in the delivery of justice by the principal institutions of the criminal justice system: the police, prison, and probation services. You will explore the historical context in which these institutions developed and examine the main challenges they face in the 21st century.

Debates around policing will be situated within wider discussions of procedural and spatial justice, decolonisation, globalisation, and the role of the police in a diverse society. You will also engage with the prison and offender management services through a critical exploration of both theoretical perspectives and practical realities.

You will consider the logic of punishment and examine the range of penalties available – from fines and community sentences to restorative justice – while reflecting on how justice is conceptualised and delivered (or not delivered) in contemporary society. Particular attention will be paid to the changing place of the victim in criminal justice processes.

Through real-world learning opportunities and authentic assessments, developed in partnership with external organisations, you will connect criminological theory to practice and gain a deeper understanding of how justice is enacted in practice.

30 credits

This module explores key issues in the study of victims, victimisation, and social harm. It begins by examining the historical marginalisation of victims within the criminal justice system. It highlights the contested nature of defining ‘victims’ in both official narratives and broader societal discourses.

You will engage with a wide range of victimisation experiences, including hate crime and gender-based violence, recognising the varied forms, contexts, and lived realities of harm. The module moves beyond conventional legalistic definitions of crime to incorporate the perspective of zemiology – the study of social harm. This enables you to critically examine victimisation in a broader social and structural context.

Particular attention is paid to complex vulnerabilities and intersectional factors that shape the experience and impact of harm. The module centres the voices and lived experiences of victims. It encourages students to reflect on how social, political, and institutional responses to victimisation have evolved.

In tracing the changing role of the victim within criminal justice, you will explore the emergence of contemporary victim movements and advocacy, and how the criminal justice system and other agencies provide (or fail to provide) support, recognition, and protection.

30 credits

This module explores how true crime and fiction drama - across video games, podcasts, social media, and traditional media - shape our understanding of crime and justice.  

Media can sensationalise crime, create ethical dilemmas, and distort reality, influencing public attitudes and trust in the justice system. With crime increasingly treated as entertainment, research shows it can heighten fear, increase punitive attitudes, and fuel distrust in law enforcement.  

Miscarriages of justice, widely covered on streaming platforms like Netflix, raise concerns about fairness, potentially discouraging crime reporting and encouraging informal justice. This module critically examines these issues and their real-world impact.

30 credits

In this module you will work in small groups to research and address a social problem that affects your local community or society at large. You will choose a topic from a set list and individual members of the group will explore different aspects of the problem. Examples of potential topics include:

• Loneliness and social isolation
• Knife crime and gang violence
• Social media and online harms
• Cost-of-living crisis
• Health inequalities
• Access to justice
• Resettlement after prison

As a team you will bring together your research to construct an informative display which details the problem and recommends solutions or policies to address it.

During the module you will learn about the substantive topic you choose and practice research methods so that you will grow in confidence of your ability to identify, investigate and detail social problems with a view to offering solutions or policy responses.

You will also take part in an Assessment Centre Experience which helps you to develop your skills for graduate job applications and interviews. There will be an opportunity to reflect on your own personal development as part of the process.

30 credits

This module gives you the opportunity to independently develop your own area of specialism through a focused research project. You’ll choose a topic related to criminology or criminal justice and explore it in depth, with support from an academic supervisor.

You’ll have two pathways to choose from:

• Dissertation: You’ll design and complete an independent research study, either by collecting your own data, analysing existing datasets, or conducting a critical review of the research literature.
• Internship: You’ll undertake a voluntary placement with an organisation working in criminal justice or social justice – this could include state bodies, charities, or voluntary sector organisations. You’ll then produce a written project that reflects on your work-based learning in the context of criminological research and theory.

Whichever route you take, you’ll be supported throughout. Dissertation students will work closely with an academic supervisor, while those choosing the internship route will also be supported by the department’s Employability Lead in securing a suitable placement. The form and focus of your project will reflect the pathway you choose and the specific context of your research or internship experience.

30 credits

In this module, you'll explore key debates around crime, harm, and control within a global context. You’ll be encouraged to think critically about the dominance of the Global North in criminological discourse and engage with the call to decolonise criminology.

Through a comparative lens, you'll examine how crime and justice are defined, experienced, and addressed across different nations and regions. You'll explore both the convergences and divergences that emerge globally, developing an understanding of how local and global dimensions of crime are interconnected.

You'll interrogate the concept of global crime and explore its transnational nature by studying a wide range of substantive topics. These may include drug and human trafficking, terrorism and the 'war on terror', violence against women and girls, organised crime, environmental harm, genocide, and crimes against humanity.

30 credits

In this module, you’ll explore the emergence and development of new risks and forms of criminality in the digital age, alongside the evolving responses to them. Drawing on academic theories of risk, algorithmic governance, and anticipatory or predictive policing, you’ll critically examine how crime, danger, and (in)security are perceived and managed in contemporary society.

You’ll investigate a growing range of online risks, crimes and harms, including cyberbullying and harassment, sextortion, revenge porn, online dating scams, catfishing, fraud, hacking, and identity theft. You’ll also analyse how these crimes are policed, prevented, and punished, and consider the tools – such as surveillance technologies and data-driven policing – that are reshaping approaches to public protection, offender pursuit, and crime investigation.

Through this exploration, you’ll gain insight into how risk has become central to the management of crime control in a digital and data-driven society. The module encourages you to consider the broader societal impact of these developments on individuals, communities, and institutions.

By the end of the module, you’ll have developed a critical understanding of the complex intersections between victimisation, vulnerability, and the social narratives that frame digital crime and justice in the 21st century.

15 credits

In this module, you’ll explore how the youth justice system in England and Wales operates as a distinct system from the adult criminal justice system. Designed for children and young people aged 10 to 17, this system raises important questions about how society understands and responds to youth offending.

You’ll examine what is meant by 'youth' – both as a life stage and as a social category – and consider how young people are often framed as a 'problem' within policy and media discourse. You’ll explore young people's lived experiences of crime, harm, and justice, and critically reflect on how they are treated by the criminal justice system.

You’ll study the rules, processes, and institutions that respond to youth offending, and engage with the complex and often contradictory discourses of 'care' and 'control' that underpin youth justice policy. From the point of arrest through to sentencing, you’ll learn to analyse the relevant legal framework and apply wider criminological research to real-world issues.

While the focus is on England and Wales, you’ll also consider how youth justice systems operate in other jurisdictions, helping you to develop a comparative and critical perspective on how young people are policed, prosecuted, and supported – or punished – by the state.

15 credits

This module gives you a dedicated opportunity to develop your Future Skills Graduate Attributes. 

At the start of the module, you will be supported to self-assess your current skills profile. You will determine which attributes and skills you need to develop to support your career ambitions. In this process, you will be supported by a dedicated career coach, helping you explore a range of options that includes self-employment/freelancing, starting your own business, higher level study, and other professional graduate-level opportunities. Throughout the module, you will be given opportunities to engage with external mentors, to support reflection and to develop a professional network.

You will undertake a tailored series of activities and projects, aligned to your goals, from a menu of development options. This could include short courses, enrichment activities and experiential learning options such as micro-placements. You will also be able to reflect on activities outside the University that develop your graduate attributes, such as work or volunteering.