You are taught using a mixture of lectures and small group seminars and ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. This combination supports you to explore topics more independently and in more depth. The teaching team come from a range of specialist backgrounds including mental health, psychology, sociology, and criminal justice to name a few and these feed in to a rich and varied range of perspectives that underpin teaching and learning. Staff engage in research, national and international conference presentations, and writing for publication on topical issues related to the curriculum, such as gun control, drugs, violence, sexual abuse, policing and policy issues, all of which inform teaching and learning and maintain its currency.
The Criminology course has a strong international experience for students. A focus on out of classroom activity emphasises practical field trips to prisons, courts and destinations including international destinations such as South Africa, Finland, New York, Germany and Poland*.
To support student work experience emphasis is placed on encouraging student involvement in volunteering activities (subject to availability). In previous years an annual Criminology Volunteering Fair has been hosted. Agencies such as Warwickshire and West Midlands Police, Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Victim Support have attended to advertise PCSO and support worker roles. This event also provides excellent professional networking opportunities for posts such as intelligence analysts.
Your teaching and learning will be enriched by guest speakers, presentations and input from experts in practice, including forensic psychiatrists, police officers, practitioners from drug and alcohol services or victim services, probation officers, mental health service users, and offenders currently on licence with the probation service. We also hold an annual Criminology Volunteering Fair, which is attended by Warwickshire and West Midlands Police, Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Victim Support and many more, providing excellent professional networking opportunities, as well as the chance to gain additional work experience.
We regularly introduce contemporary issues into the classroom and, in the past, have debated a prisoner’s right to vote, considered how Black Lives Matter emerged in the United States as a reaction to police brutality and how the slave trade has re-emerged in the UK.
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.