BSc (Hons) Criminology with Foundation Bachelor's degree at the University of Plymouth

This module introduces students to the core academic and organisational skills required to succeed at university. Through skill development sessions, students will practice and apply essential academic skills in the context of their field of study, building confidence and independence as they transition to university-level work.

This module enables students to undertake an individual project on a topic of interest within their field. With supervision and support, they will define, plan and develop the project, gaining experience in designing research questions and identifying sources, methods, and literature. Through this process, students build research, time management and independent learning skills to support progression through their degree.

This module introduces students to the main institutions and processes of the legal system and criminal justice in England and Wales, while developing key transferable skills related to the study and practice of law and criminal justice.

Through the lens of human rights and social justice this module introduces students to a foundational sociological understanding of the structure and organisation of society, the main institutions of domestic and international government, and the theories and concepts used by political science to study them.

This module is organised around the idea of the competent criminologist. It informs students about the constituent elements of competence, which include knowledge of crime, crime control and the wider contexts in which these are constructed; skills that facilitate the collection, use and critical analysis of academic, official and mediated sources of knowledge about crime; and values and ethics that inform both understandings and debates about crime and crime control. It seeks to provide student

Assessment: 100% Coursework

This module introduces students to criminological theory. The module addresses the importance of theory in criminology and professional policing, critically examines a range of criminological theories, and applies criminological thought to a variety of practical concerns throughout history, including contemporary social life and problem-solving policing.

Examining 21st century local, regional and national problems using a range of examples to explore problematic societal issues and their solutions through crime control measures. Considering topics like crime rates and patterns, serious offenders, terrorism and social unrest. The module provides the opportunity to consider the relative impact of crime problems in contemporary society.

Examining police investigation techniques and methods from crime scene to court. Students conduct a criminal homicide investigation scenario looking at crime scene investigation, forensic science and the use of evidence, within the construction and prosecution of criminal cases. Students will also learn about professionalisation, ethics, accountability, legitimacy, profiling and the media.

Examining responses to crime primarily in England & Wales, drawing upon comparative examples and focusing on the criminal justice process, extending to crime founded upon different rationalities, such as restorative justice and risk management. This module incorporates workshops from our School-level employability lead about opportunities and support, including details of the optional placement year.

This module introduces students to the theory and practice of social research. Students also gain introductory knowledge of the social research process, particularly in relation to formulating a research question and conducting literature reviews. With an emphasis on matching research questions to appropriate methods, students also learn about core qualitative and quantitative social research methodologies.

This module examines a range of critical social scientific perspectives which have sought to make sense of crime control within its wider social context and in terms of its wider social significance. It considers the contributions of key social science theorists such as Stanley Cohen, David Garland, and Loic Wacquant and others whose work has focused upon crime control, and it seeks to apply their core ideas in order to illuminate our understanding of contemporary features of policy and practice

Assessment: 100% Coursework

This module focuses on how social science can contribute to criminal investigations. This involvesforensically investigating the backgrounds and experiences of individuals involved in criminal or deviantbehaviour. The sociology of the police who are tasked to conduct investigations is also analysed. Students will be encouraged to apply criminological techniques and theory to scenario-based examples which will focus on victims, offenders and the police, and their positions in society.

Assessment: 100% Coursework

This module provides students with a contemporary overview of debates and issues in policing and security environments that inform practice and development in the field. The module examines how modern policing and security function, the impact of professionalization on all aspects of policing tasks and the tensions and benefits attained from multi-agency working. The module considers policing legitimacy, the ethics of crime control and associated engagement with the diversity of contemporary soc

In this module, students develop their knowledge and practical skills in qualitative and quantitative social research methodologies. The students also learn how to use computer software packages to help with the collection and analysis of data. In addition, students gain knowledge of how to create a research proposal.

This module takes recent developments in criminological theory and analyses the potential for criminology as a discipline to contribute to understanding, contextualising and countering some of the greatest challenges facing society and the planet today. The emphasis on harm tests the boundaries of mainstream criminology and encourages students to think beyond social and legal constructions of crime.

This module is for students in the School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences who are interested in undertaking an optional placement in the third year of their programme. It supports students in their search, application, and preparation for the placement, including developing interview techniques and effective application materials (e.g. CVs, portfolios, and cover letters).

Students have the opportunity to gain work experience that will set them apart in the job market when they graduate by undertaking an optional flexible placement year. The placement must be a minimum of 24-weeks (which can be split between a maximum of two different placement providers) and up to a maximum of 48-weeks over the course of the academic year. The placement is flexible and can be undertaken virtually, part or full time and either paid or voluntary. Students will have the option to un