BA (Hons) Criminology, Policing and Investigation Bachelor's degree at Birmingham City University

This module explores and examines the origins of criminology, highlighting some of its key debates and concepts. It will outline what are often considered the core perspectives and theories related to crime and criminality. The module will provide you with an introduction to the history and development of criminology and will help you to appreciate the 'rendezvous' nature of the subject – or in other words, how subjects such as history, sociology and law have aided our understanding of crime. Yo

In this module you will explore the relationship between various media forms and crime, offending and victimisation. This module engages with both fictional, and non-fictional representations of crime and locates them within relevant theoretical perspectives. In exploring news representations of crime, we adopt a critical lens to examine the role of the media, paying particular attention to gendered and racialized portrayals of crime. As such, we draw on the concept of 'news values' to examine t

This module will be focused on helping you to develop your criminological imagination. It will give you the tools to be able to recognise how major developments in criminology relate to the social and political context of historical moments. Topics include major historical eras such as the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, and major shifts in the economy from the Post-War State to the rise of Neoliberalism, as well as changes in social attitudes and demographics through social movements

This module provides you with an overview of the Criminal Justice System from point of entry to rehabilitation, and the roles and responsibilities of different actors within the system. You will develop an understanding of the evolution and structure of the different components of the Criminal Justice System. You will critically engage with the political, social, and economic factors which influence the delivery of justice and the consequences of these for suspects, victims, and wider communitie

The aim of this module is to explore research, theories, and contexts that shape policing, investigation and society. You will examine the origins of policing and investigation, the role and function of policing, its structure, contemporary policing issues and debates, informed by academic literature and research. You will study the broader principles of policing, together with police responses to crime and examine the political context of policing linked to broader notions of social regulation

This module introduces you to the discipline of Security Studies. The module provides an overview of different theoretical approaches to the study of security, the historical development of the discipline, and a range of relevant and contemporary topics such as terrorism, global security, environmental security, and cybersecurity. Security is an area of tremendous contemporary and international significance, this module aims to provide you with the requisite knowledge and understanding to apprec

This module will introduce you to some of the contemporary debates surrounding policing and the Police in England and Wales. Focusing on the 1990s onwards, you will discuss the changes which policing has undergone in recent years and evaluate different approaches to policing. You will explore some of the most current, critical, and controversial issues which our police forces are facing including stop and search, rising knife crime, responses to violent crime, and police use of force. We will al

This module considers the role of forensic science in criminal investigations. You will examine a variety of methods and practices of forensic science, including crime scene analysis, DNA evidence and blood spatter analysis, and will discuss how these are interpreted to solve criminal cases. You will explore the theories and academic debates surrounding current practice.

This module will provide you with a practical and theoretical understanding of the skills required to successfully pass both the assessment centre exercises and written application that all English and Welsh police forces ask applicants to undertake. This module is specifically designed to improve your employability chances if you wish join the Police after your degree and is focused on the development of core skills, qualities and personal attributes; encouraging you to draw from your own perso

This module is designed specifically to make you a confident social researcher, prepare you for writing an undergraduate dissertation, and enhance your employability, particularly project management skills. You will have a chance to engage with major and emerging methods of researching criminological, policing and security issues. The module will encourage you to think critically about choosing appropriate research approaches, ensuring ethical conduct, designing and using data collection tools,

In this module we will take a critical look at the shifting nature of crime, social contexts, and the impact of crime on space and place as linked to the urban city as a social milieu. We will also investigate the nature of contemporary city living and how this is experienced across intersections of identity, and what this means for vulnerabilities to being victims of crime or being led into criminal pathways. We will also look in detail at forms of criminological theory and consider newer emerg

Youth Crime and Justice aims to equip students with a sound theoretical knowledge of juvenile offending and justice. In essence, the understanding of the complex relationship between young people and criminality fits within the wider aims of the degree programme and associated pathways as it draws on sociological, psychological and criminological understandings, furthering students' ability to understand and problematize crime and its causes. The module also recognises that the separate and dist

This module is designed to give you a detailed overview of the phenomenon of terrorism that charts historical developments and contemporary trends from a range of different theoretical perspectives. Discussion and debate surrounding issues such as the definition, history and causes of terrorism as well as the divergence that exists between "orthodox" and "critical" schools of thought will allow you to engage critically with this topic of tremendous contemporary significance. On this diverse modu

Black theoretical perspectives and debates on crime, criminal justice, and criminology are seldom heard, seen, or referred to, within so called 'mainstream criminology'. A possible explanation pertaining to this 'invisibility' could be as a consequence of 'implicit biases' within the discipline itself. It is argued that these implicit biases further reproduce and reinforces privilege of some perspectives, whilst at the same time subordinating others. Russell (2002) calls for the development of a

This module provides you with an opportunity to critically engage with key aims of your course by examining contemporary debates that surround the phenomenon of homicide. You will be introduced to various theoretical perspectives and case studies, focusing on both historical and contemporary examples of homicide, in order to achieve an informed understanding of this unique form of offending. By presenting both a theoretical discussion and real-life cases, you will be able to develop knowledge an

This module seeks to enable you to examine the nature of both illegal and legal drugs. Within this remit the evolving and ever changing nature of both how substances are supplied and consumed will be discussed. How such substance use/misuse is linked to various forms of deviancy and crime will be considered. To enable a rounded perspective of the subject to be garnered, the content will be global in scale, with the development of the 'war on drugs' and related criminal justice policies included.

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 40-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Undergraduate Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.