COURSE CURRICULUM

The Criminology and Criminal Justice program is designed to build students’ understanding of crime, criminal behaviour, and the systems that respond to it through a structured three-year curriculum. In the first year, students develop a foundation in criminology by exploring what crime is and how it affects society. They study topics such as youth crime, gangs, and substance misuse while gaining an introduction to the criminal justice system, including the roles of the police, courts, prisons, and probation services. The year also introduces key social factors such as race, gender, and class, helping students understand how these influence crime and responses to it. In the second year, students deepen their knowledge by examining policing, offender rehabilitation, and the wider social impacts of crime. Modules explore issues such as social inclusion, victimisation, welfare, and the relationship between crime and public policy. Students also prepare for research while developing employability skills, and they complete around 80 hours of volunteering or placement within a relevant organisation, with an optional opportunity to study abroad. In the final year, students focus on more advanced and specialised topics, including media representations of crime, serious and organised crime, and the relationship between crime, vulnerability, race, religion, and gender. The program concludes with an independent dissertation where students conduct research on a chosen topic, applying the analytical and research skills developed throughout the course.