COURSE CURRICULUM

The BA Social Sciences Politics and Criminology program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of crime, criminal justice, and political contexts through a combination of theoretical study and practical research skills. In the first year, students build a foundation in social research, criminological theory, and criminal justice systems, while optional units allow exploration of development studies, economics, and criminal law. Core topics such as crime and society, criminological research methods, psychology of crime, and data analysis equip students with the analytical tools to understand patterns and causes of criminal behaviour. The second year expands on these skills with modules on policing, crime and deviance, modelling criminological data, and applied criminology in practice, complemented by optional philosophy units that develop critical thinking, formal logic, and ethical reasoning. In the third year, students engage in more specialised studies, choosing from a wide range of optional units including drugs and society, comparative criminology, youth and organised crime, white-collar crime, mass violence, and victim studies, while also completing long or short dissertations to develop independent research and analytical skills. The program equips students to critically assess social and criminal issues, understand the implications of crime on society, and apply evidence-based insights to policy, law, and practice, preparing them for careers in criminal justice, research, policy-making, and related fields.