BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology with Foundation Year Bachelor's degree at Birmingham City University

Broad introduction to the academic discipline of sociology, covering the history and development of sociological thought, key sociological themes including social class, race, gender, sexuality, culture and social control, the three central sociological perspectives, and sociology in an international context.

Broad introduction to the academic discipline of criminology, covering the history and development of criminological thinking, the inter-relationship between crime and society, contemporary issues such as class, race and ethnicity and gender and sexuality, and criminology in an international context.

Develops essential skills required to be successful on Sociology and Criminology degree programmes, including thinking like a sociologist or criminologist, academic skills such as reading, writing and referencing according to the Harvard system, and interpersonal skills including communicating with clarity, working collaboratively and managing online presence.

Focuses on current debates and important questions about social and criminal justice in society, drawing on the social sciences as publicly engaged disciplines. Topics include 'Crises in criminal justice', 'Left and Right populist politics', 'Neoliberalism and Austerity', 'The changing face of misogyny', 'Climate Disaster and Extinction' and 'AI: Threat or Opportunity?'.

Interactive journey through the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England & Wales, exploring the concept of crime, the process of criminalisation, and key components of the CJS including the police, the courts and the prison service. Hands-on practical module designed to give a range of skills through workshops, academic theory and critical analysis.

Offers insight into the preparatory stages of the research process within the social sciences. Introduces the broad area of Social Scientific Research and explores the research process from both a Sociological and Criminological perspective.

Introduces a range of classical sociological theories and perspectives situated in their social and historical contexts, outlines the origins of social theory and explores key classical thinkers and theories, and critically examines the legacies of colonialism and gender exclusion at the heart of European modernity.

Introduction to urban sociology via the city on the doorstep. Uses Birmingham as an 'urban laboratory' to explore urgent questions facing contemporary cities. Applied in nature with research-based learning where students explore Birmingham using a sociological lens and engage with local organisations.

Develops criminological imagination and gives tools to recognise how major developments in criminology relate to the social and political context of historical moments. Topics include the Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, shifts in the economy, social movements, immigration, surveillance, and environmental politics.

Advances awareness of the interplay between individual experience and wider society. Develops and applies the 'sociological imagination' concept, introduces contemporary sociological thinking and practice with alertness to social setting, agency and social structure. Uses contemporary socio-political themes relevant to lived experience.

Introductory module familiarising students with key themes in political sociology. Introduces politics from a sociological perspective encompassing institutional and extra-institutional means of doing politics, different spheres of claim-making, forms of political participation, and social change.

Introduces social research methods, offering initial training to be developed at Level 5 and feeding into Integrated Research Project at Level 6. Core skills include identifying a topic, writing an effective research question, developing a conceptual framework, identifying appropriate methods, and practicalities of empirical research.

Takes 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. Investigates contemporary city living and how it is experienced across intersections of identity, vulnerabilities to being victims of crime, criminal pathways, and forms of criminological theory.

Explores the principles of sociological research strategies and designs and how these principles may be applied in practice. Focus on qualitative methodologies, clarifying how research questions, strategies, methods and forms of analysis influence each other. Students must complete and follow ethical procedures.

Explores the principles of sociological research strategies and designs and how these principles may be applied in practice. Focus on qualitative methodologies, clarifying how research questions, strategies, methods and forms of analysis influence each other. Students expected to complete and follow ethical procedures.

Examines Black theoretical perspectives and debates on crime, criminal justice, and criminology. Addresses implicit biases within the discipline that reproduce privilege of some perspectives whilst subordinating others. Discusses development of 'black criminology', 'minority perspectives' in criminology, and Critical Race Criminology.

Considers the role of forensic science in criminal investigations. Examines a variety of methods and practices of forensic science, including crime scene analysis.