Explore and examine the origins of criminology, some of its historical debates, concepts, literature and research.

You'll look at the core perspectives and theories related to crime and criminality.

Find out about the history and development of criminology as an academic discipline.

Explore criminological understandings and situations of violence in society.

We'll cover the types, characteristics, and forms of violence and violent acts within society.

You'll distinguish between individual acts to organised actions of groups and states, all whilst unpacking the ambiguous content and perception of violence.

You'll give due consideration to the frequently neglected victims of violence.

The module framework includes criminology, sociology, psychology, law, cultural studies, political science and sociobiology.

Learn about policing UK society, starting with the history of police development, roles and structures, and addressing modern day criminal activity.

You'll explore how police maintain trust and confidence in communities, and the impact on modern criminal behaviours.

We'll cover policing strategies, internal police cultures - looking at areas including gender and race - and how attitudes have changed over time.

You'll also examine criminological theories to understand how and why crime is committed and its relationship to police interventions.

Learn the basics of social research, academic writing, presenting and professional development.

Combine your learning from personal experience with an ability to engage in an empathic, ethical and compassionate way.

Reflect on and develop your employability profile, find and apply for placements, and complete a Professional Challenge Project or work placement at the end of semester two.

In the second semester, you'll begin to understand the importance of social research by examining how sociological data may be collected, analysed, displayed and explained effectively.

You'll look at different ways of communicating research and identify the methods used by historical and contemporary criminologists and sociologists.

You'll get advice throughout the year relating to the professional application of your skills.

You'll have regular personal tutor meetings, giving you more personal support and professional skill development.

Understand why we view criminals and crime in certain ways, due to cultural factors and the media.

Think critically about crime, crime control and its media coverage.

We'll look at contemporary criminological theories, exploring how crime is constructed and defined by subcultures, the nation-state, the criminal justice system and corporations.

We'll also explore how these theories help us interpret media depictions of crime and crime control.

You'll analyse how mainstream media and social media shape our collective (mis)understanding of a range of crime and crime control.

Explore the theory of desistance and the concept of rehabilitation within the practice of the criminal justice system, particularly in relation to the prison system and probation delivery.

You’ll be given an overview of offender management in prisons and the community in England and Wales, as well as the opportunities to critically examine the management, treatment and control of individuals processed through the system and the pressures it faces.

You’ll draw up on a range of lived experience perspectives to support your learning, alongside a recognition of wider policy and political climates through case study examples.

Get an understanding of the history and theories of victimology, the term 'victim' and the social construction of victims.

You'll reflect on the relationship between social inequalities and victimisation in domestic violence, hate crime, sexual violence and corporate crime.

Learn about victimology theories and the experiences and interactions of the victim for both the crime and the criminal justice system.

You'll be encouraged to think critically of the term 'victim' and consider how to improve the victim's experiences.

You'll explore how to collect, analyse, display and explain social science research data.

You'll find out what it means to be research literate and how to apply this to employment, policies and organisational considerations.

We'll focus on qualitative and mixed methodology in one semester and quantitative methodology in another semester.

You'll look at different ways to communicate research and identify methods used by social scientists.

You'll be able to critically evaluate the strength of research findings and identify appropriate ethical considerations.

You'll also develop skills to plan and begin an independent research project.

You'll finish the module with a six-week professional placement, using your research methods skills and knowledge to think about how research may inform the approaches taken in the workplace.

You can opt to do at least 60 hours of volunteer work instead, spreading out your placement activity over two semesters.

Your final year dissertation project is the culmination of your studies.

It's an independent project guided by the support of your supervisor.

It can either be a theoretical-based piece of work, investigating a particular issue within social sciences, or you can take on a piece of primary research.

It should bring together knowledge and understanding from other modules to create a research project that could generate new knowledge, or develops our understanding of the topic.

The proposal for the research project undertaken in SOC 6044 will have been developed and assessed within SOC 5042 Contemporary Research 2.

You'll have a flexible range of opportunities to enhance your professional skills and graduate opportunities as this module will be tailored to each student's development.

You'll apply the theoretical understanding you've been developing throughout your degree to a chosen professional context. This could include a work-based project or skills development approach where you will identify and address specific gaps in your portfolio of graduate-level skills.