BA (Hons) Criminal Justice Bachelor's degree at Northampton

This module develops core academic skills for research and writing. Students learn to assess research quality and use evidence effectively. With an applied focus, it builds oral, written, and presentation skills essential for academic success and professional communication across forensic contexts. Students will develop core criminal justice skills. Reflective practice is introduced and developed.

This module introduces crime scene management and investigative thinking. Students examine crime scene management, forensic evidence collection, and the full criminal justice process. Emphasis is placed on professionalism, ethical practice, and cultural awareness, equipping students with the skills to critically engage with investigations and uphold best practice standards.

This module examines hate crime and other forms of extremism in the UK. Students explore extremist ideologies and triggers for harmful acts. It enables students to explore criminal justice responses, including prevention and practical skills for crisis management.

The purpose of this module is to support students in understanding the role of technology across the criminal justice process. Students will explore a range of technological implementations and associated ethical considerations, and examine the risk, harm and justice for criminal activity in digital contexts.

This module enables students to explore the criminal justice system through victim's and survivor's experiences which will include the examination of traumatic offences. Students will be equipped with a range of skills necessary to best support victims and survivors, and their own emotional wellbeing throughout the criminal justice process.

Students will learn how to safeguard adults and children within the criminal justice system. They will have the opportunity to explore real life cases where inadequate safeguarding processes have led to fatal consequences. Students will learn how to effectively assess and communicate safeguarding concerns.

This module explores the criminal justice process and key agencies involved. The module is designed around an applied approach which includes a visit to the local Magistrates' and Crown Courts, enabling students to develop insights into the roles of court staff, prosecutors, probation officers, and police within the criminal justice system.

This module explores contemporary and relevant sociological, psychological, and biological theories of offending behaviours. Students examine factors influencing offending, including trauma, mental health, substance misuse, and brain injury. Internal and external risk factors that can trigger and motivate offending.

The purpose of this module is to provide students with the current underpinning knowledge and theory linked to youth offending with a specific focus on criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation and knife crime. Students will explore how crime strategies are implemented.

This module equips students with the ability to interpret current, relevant and robust research to determine what works in reducing crime and re-offending. Students will identify socially impactful evidence based approaches to professionally challenge the current strategies being employed. Students' research skills will be developed.

The purpose of this module is to explore current theoretical perspectives and strategies in penology to support the development of students' critical thinking skills. Prison management approaches will be covered to determine how and why prison is used in the UK and internationally.

This module develops communication skills for working with offenders, focusing on rapport building, active listening, and empathy. Students learn to manage challenging behaviours and conduct effective multi-agency meetings, gaining practical tools to support offender compliance and rehabilitation through a skills-based, applied approach.