Criminology BA (Hons)

Course overview

Study level: Undergraduate

The course introduces you to crime as a dynamic process in a rapidly changing world, linking foundational principles and emerging trends to explore its impact on daily life.

After a grounding in first year, you will study a range of areas of crime, victimology, criminal justice, and crime prevention, emphasising key transferable skills in preparation for graduate level employment in a global market. The course is designed to provide you with the knowledge to:

• Link major theoretical perspectives to contemporary issues and debates – putting theory into practice.
• Reflect analytically and critically on a wide range of issues and emerging trends relating to crime, control, and criminal justice in local and global contexts.
• Apply creative solutions to crime problems, and to systemic failures in dealing with crime.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning are delivered in a range of formats.

• Lectures are normally up to one-hour in duration and may be delivered online to facilitate recording so that you are able to access the live recording at any time.
• Seminars involve smaller groups and include working with problems or holding discussions and debates about issues arising in the lectures.
• Workshops may involve a combination of content delivery and group working.
• Individual tutorials may also be arranged.

The current 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 teaching and learning approaches (staff may be subject to change).The course also emphasises a global perspective on criminological and criminal justice issues with optional field trips in the UK and abroad to take your learning outside the classroom².

Teaching contact hours

We understand that everyone learns differently, so each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which can include:

• On campus lectures, seminars and workshops
• Group work
• Self-directed learning
• Work placement opportunities.

If you would like more information, you can request information about teaching hours.

Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include for example:

• Short writing exercises such as abstracts, opinion pieces, and precis
• Extended writing exercises such as essays, reports and dissertations
• Group and individual presentations
• Posters and infographics
• Problem-solving scenarios such as assessment

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.

International experience opportunities

Emphasising inter-cultural awareness in all our students, the course content situates issues in a global context. It offers opportunity for international experience through collaborative international online learning projects where students work on a task jointly with students from an institution abroad.

Overseas experience is also offered through field trips with previous destinations including New York, and Poland which includes a visit to Auschwitz concentration camp, now a Holocaust Museum. Study abroad forms part of the optional sandwich year which is an option after successful completion of your second year.

Facilities

Teaching and learning take place in facilities on the main Coventry University campus near to the University Hub, Students Union and library. Extensive use is made of seminar and workshop rooms for smaller groups to facilitate active group learning.

• Our dedicated subject librarian on main campus will provide guidance on searching and retrieving academic sources using the library systems and databases, as well as assistance and support with individual enquiries
• The Centre for Academic Writing on main campus will offer individual advice on developing writing skills or dealing with writing problems.
• Two prison cells, one single and one double, are in the Richard Crossman Building on main campus and used to give a sense of the real-life experiences of inmates, and for role play learning.