COURSE CURRICULUM

This Criminology and Sociology course explores crime, social harm, justice, inequality, and social change through an interdisciplinary approach combining criminology, sociology, and social justice perspectives. The programme develops students’ understanding of how crime is created, experienced, and responded to within different social, cultural, political, and global contexts. In the first year, students build a strong foundation in criminology through modules covering crime, justice, contemporary society, research methods, true crime, digital crimes, and the criminal justice process. Students examine how crime is defined and constructed, how justice systems operate, and how evidence-based research helps explain social issues and criminal behaviour. The second year expands students’ knowledge through advanced study of crime, harm, and society, exploring topics such as environmental harms, digital societies, surveillance, intersectionality, injustice, and crimes against humanity. Students critically evaluate how power, inequality, identity, and global structures influence experiences of crime and social harm. The course encourages students to challenge traditional narratives by considering diverse perspectives, including those from the Global South, and develops their ability to analyse complex social problems using research skills and digital tools. In the final year, students explore specialist areas including restorative justice, trauma-informed practice, policing challenges, children in the justice system, sociology for social justice, and spatial inequality. Students complete a criminology and sociology dissertation, allowing them to conduct independent research on topics related to crime, inequality, justice, or social change. A key focus of the programme is restorative justice and restorative practice, where students examine alternative approaches to addressing crime and conflict by focusing on accountability, rehabilitation, relationships, and community wellbeing. Throughout the course, students develop skills in critical thinking, research, communication, problem-solving, and social analysis. Graduates are prepared for careers in criminal justice, policing, probation, social research, community organisations, policy development, advocacy, and public services. The programme equips students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to understand social challenges and contribute to creating fairer and more inclusive societies.