BSc (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice
- UCAS code: M930
- Mode of study: Full time
- Duration: 3 years
- Entry requirements 2012/2013: 240-300 points from 3 A levels or equivalent, to include a minimum of 100 points in a relevant subject.
Find out more:
Tel: +44 (023) 9284 8299
Email: humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk
Department: Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
Course overview
This degree offers you an opportunity to study historical and contemporary developments in criminology and criminal justice.
The course develops an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Criminology and Criminal Justice, drawing on the expertise of staff with backgrounds in sociology, social policy, psychology, police studies and theoretical criminology, based in the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies.
You'll study core aspects of the discipline with the additional benefit of a range of highly specialised options. In years 2 and 3, there is a considerable element of student choice, including a dissertation that can be related to any of the research interests of staff or taught units on the programme.
Student support is a major priority for staff and each student has a personal tutor for all three years of their study period. In addition, there are meetings of Staff Student Consultative Committees and Boards of Studies at which student representatives are encouraged to give their views.
The Criminology and Criminal Justice degree has an extremely strong record of student achievement and offers excellent prospects upon graduation. In the year 1999-2000, for example, almost 80% of our graduates went into employment and 18% went into further study or training. To assist students in their career choices, ICJS runs a careers panel of Criminology and Criminal Justice graduates who return to ICJS to discuss their current employment.
Course content
The course facilitates the development of independent study and collaborative work and contains a strong research focus, facilitated by the research interests of the teaching staff. You will be able to make real choices in the balance of your studies through the option units and dissertation. A major strength of the programme is the tremendously wide range of specialised option choices.
Year one
- Introduction to Criminology
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Institutions, Processes & Social control
- Introduction to Psychology
- Skills for Criminologists
- Researching Criminology I
Year two
Core units:
- Questioning Criminology
- Key Issues in Criminal Justice
- Researching Criminology 2
Optional themes in year two may include:
- Punishing Offenders
- Police, Law and Community
- Criminal Law and Psychology
- Crime, Media and Culture
- Learning From Experience (Faculty wide option)
- Languages
- Victims of Crime: Key Players in Criminal Justice
- Crimes of the Powerful
- Substance Use and Misuse
- Policing a Diverse Society
- Global, State and Corporate Security
- Contemporary Terrorism and the Global Response
- Youth Crime, Youth Justice
- Crime Reduction, Partnerships and Community Safety
Year three
Core units:
- Dissertation/Major Project (Criminology)
- Contemporary Criminologies
Optional themes in year three may include:
- Safer Communities and Neighbourhood Policing
- Dangerous Offenders and the Criminal Justice System
- Fighting Fraud and Corruption
- Hate Crime
- Crime, Exclusion and Mental Heath
- Forensic Psychology
- Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders
- Cyber Crime: Virtual Realities, Control and Mitigation
- Miscarriages of Justice
Please note that whilst a range of options will be offered, there will inevitably be some variation in the availability of individual units at any given time.
Teaching and assessment
You will attend a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and studio project work. You will have about four hours of lectures, three hours of practical workshop instruction, three hours of seminars and tutorials per week and two days of supervised practical work.The remainder of the week is made up of self-directed study.
You will also be offered an individual studio space that is available during University opening hours - one of the unique features that makes us stand out from other universities.
In most subjects you will be assessed by practical work, in others by a mixture of coursework and written assignment. Generally speaking, coursework is spread throughout the semester and work is assessed continuously.