Criminology and Cybercrime BSc (Hons)

The module introduces candidates to the interesting challenges that ICT presents today and covers many anchor points that may serve as a bridge to their interests and lifestyles.

It also means you understand the value of scholarships, allowing you to move on to postgraduate programs at the University of Portsmouth.

You'll develop academic writing skills and critically analyse texts and images.

Present your analysis to deepen self-awareness and understand diverse perspectives in a global context.

The module will explore the judiciary and other legal practitioners, including judgments, law reporting, and sentencing, as well as barristers and solicitors. You'll gain an understanding of local courts such as magistrates, county, and crown courts, and delve into legal research techniques focusing on the language and discourse of statute and common law.

You'll explore theories of international relations, the nature of the international system, and factors like conflict, globalisation, and international organisations. You'll also dive into key global issues such as climate change, gender, and human rights.

You'll appreciate how these fields intersect and impact each other, gaining insights into the connections between people, their environment, and societal practices. Additionally, you'll be introduced to technological innovations and examine how they are applied in society from a sociological perspective.

This module will help you appreciate the inter-disciplinary connection between people and their environment.

It also develops an understanding of how people, politics, and place are interconnected, including an introduction to criminology and the sociological analysis of urban crime.

You'll gain an overview of the history of legal scholarship. By the end of the module, you'll have a solid understanding and the ability to apply essential legal knowledge and skills. This will prepare you to progress onto degree level study at the University of Portsmouth.

You'll learn to conduct research using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. You'll also enhance your ability to understand and construct arguments, evaluate the rationale and evidence behind claims, assess the credibility of sources, and deliver well-structured, critically reasoned arguments and opinions both verbally and in writing.

You'll look at the historical development of criminal justice, as well as the duties of the criminal justice agencies that exist today, and how they work together.

You'll also explore the ideas behind the different types of punishment used within the criminal justice system.

You'll analyse the big ideas and theories around cybercrime, using the latest digital technology.

You'll also explore responses to and ways to prevent cybercrime, and consider the related social justice issues.

You'll get familiar with social science research concepts, and build your academic reading, writing, presenting, reflecting and critical thinking skills.

You’ll learn how to differentiate quality sources, understand research elements, reflect on your development needs, and recognise and explain the relationships between subjects.

You'll practice capturing and analysing digital evidence and get to grips with how this evidence fits into a criminal investigation.

You'll explore crime scene management, forensic laws that apply to digital evidence and you’ll even learn how to present your findings in court.

By observing digital forensic techniques and reflecting on processes and challenges, you'll gain skills in this growing area of criminology.

You'll examine the origins of criminology, considering the rise of the scientific study of crime and criminality.

You'll also think about the social, cultural, political and economic factors that led to the development of the study of criminology that we know today.

You'll also take a look at some of the major organisations battling cybercrime, and think about these cases in terms of human rights debates on privacy, expression and information in cyberspace.

By engaging with these perspectives while analysing developments in cybercrime, you'll get a deeper understanding of the criminal and social justice matters at play.

You'll look at the groups that engage in these practices, and their impacts on cybercrime theory.

You’ll analyse cyber-threats to organisations and states, gaining understanding of related contemporary challenges.

By the end of the module, you’ll have an understanding of the cyberwarfare, cyberespionage and cyberterrorism issues that states and corporations face.

You'll explore radicalisation, and sociological and psychological theories of individual and social motivation, and consider the role of gender identity and women within terrorist groups.

Critically evaluate various types of terrorist groups, including religious terrorism, far-right terrorism, far-left terrorism, ethno-nationalist/separatist terrorism, and single-issue terrorism.

You'll also learn about the strategies employed by states to combat terrorism and evaluate their effectiveness.

You’ll work independently and in groups with your classmates on research projects, identifying and responding to inherent ethical issues involved in your projects and considering their societal impact.

Finally, you'll develop and produce the results of your research projects in a variety of forms.

You'll explore the topic of illicit substances and their legal categories, while thinking about the historical and contemporary developments of the illegal drug trade and its impact on communities within a global context.

You'll consider drug use within prisons, festivals and within the LGBTQ+ community, analysing and debating prohibition, activism and harm reduction within a criminological context. 

Combining law, language analysis and psychology, you’ll look at the different tools and methods used for analysing texts.

You’ll investigate grammar, orthography, metaphor, punctuation, capitalisation, layout and text management, salutations, spelling and distinctive markers, style of printing, and the use of upper-case letters.

You’ll also explore the different methods used for detecting lies and deception, and apply forensic linguistics tools in written and verbal case reports.

In this module, you'll dive deep into real cases of environmental injustice and inequality across the globe, looking at the nature, scale and range of environmental crimes and harms.

Through interactive lessons, you'll debate thorny issues like: Who should be held accountable for climate change impacts? How can we balance economic growth with sustainability? Is environmental activism ever justified in breaking the law?

You'll ask and investigate what hate crime is, how much of it there is, who is involved and affected, where, when and why it is occurring, and what can be done about it.

You’ll be encouraged to develop your own independent, analytical and creative thinking as you explore this important subject.

You'll the theories that underpin organised crime and gang culture, and then the origin, structure and operations of various international organised crime groups. 

You will then assess how governments have sought to combat the organised crime phenomena and the global challenges in doing so.

You'll look at the psychological factors behind the measures that the police, the government and security personnel take in ensuring public security.

You’ll also explore a security issue in-depth through an essay and devise a research project proposal aimed at creatively addressing a real-world security problem, alongside defending ethical positions.

You'll examine the criticisms and challenges of criminology as a social science, thinking about the part it plays in creating social order.

You'll also explore theories of social control and cultural resistance through debate and published ideas on the subject, which will help you develop an understanding of justice and dissent.

You'll examine this hidden part of the internet from the perspectives of criminology, law, culture, computer science and economics.

You'll learn about the technology required to access it, the online communities that use the dark web, the ways the authorities monitor it, and even how its portrayed in the media.

You'll examine reforms, rights and roles of victims, and think critically about how effective existing professional practices are.

You'll look at published literature and debate with your classmates to develop your intellectual curiosity and knowledge of social justice when it comes to the experiences of victims of crime.

You'll think critically about youth justice systems, victims' experiences, and different approaches to rehabilitation, hearing from expert guest speakers who will provide real-world insights.

By evaluating new research and debates, you'll learn key skills in ways to support young people and strengthen their communities.

You’ll analyse the essence of security, exploring how security needs are addressed around the world and on a national level, down to a community and even an individual basis.

You’ll explore different forms of societal risk and insecurity, and approaches to dealing with security threats, taking into account the nature and impact of economic and political developments.

You'll analyse major cases of economic crime and weigh up their wider societal implications.

You'll also learn how to recognise disciplinary perspectives, become familiar with the key investigating organisations, identify investigative techniques, and gather and analyse real case information.

Through interactive lectures with academics, speakers and professionals, you'll discuss, debate and complete practical exercises exploring wildlife crime alongside your classmates.

You'll spend time examining wildlife crimes and the factors behind them, as well as environmental justice and sustainability.

You'll learn about crimes against humanity (such as war crimes and genocide), state crimes against democracy, state-corporate crime, contemporary slavery and human trafficking - shining a light on oppression and injustice.

By examining the responses to these crimes, you'll think about the ways international judicial, state and inter-governmental, and global civil society actors tackle state crime.

You'll develop your ability to think critically about complex global issues, taking many different perspectives into account.

Working alongside the clinic team, you'll learn how the clinic works while assisting in research and working with clinic clients.

You'll use what you’ve learned so far on your degree to help develop clinic materials, conduct community research or participate in awareness projects, building your understanding of real clinic processes.

As you're guided through how different forensic techniques are used in our crime scene simulations, you'll weigh up the value of physical evidence found at crime scenes and learn how to communicate your investigative findings.

You'll also consider how forensic science fits into criminal investigations and the wider criminal justice system.

By the end of the module, you'll know which scene processing methods to use in which cases, as well as how to compare analysis techniques and evaluate evidence.

You'll explore the complex relationships between ethics, laws and imprisonment policies.

Alongside your classmates, you'll focus on pressing issues like mental health, violence and gender while arguing for a more humane, effective prison system.

You'll examine the history, role and organisational structures of the police in the UK, including the wider policing `family' and agencies that are involved in governance and oversight of the police.

You’ll tackle the changing nature of crime and the associated challenges for the police, alongside associated governance, trust and legitimacy issues.

With a minimum 80-hour commitment, you’ll apply what you’ve learned so far on your degree to real-world professional settings within our community of local businesses, social enterprises, and third-sector organisations.

You’ll have support from interactive workshops, tutorials, and guest speaker events, encouraging you to set achievable professional goals and evolve your professional identity.

You’ll explore different system elements and threats, applying security models to real cases and analysing threat scale and nature.

You'll spend time understanding theoretical principles and practices, and evaluate security solutions to cybersecurity threats from a socio-technical view.

You’ll focus on risk analysis, information security policy design and implementation, assessing different security solutions for different types of organisations.

You’ll also design your own security policies based on what you learn, create and evaluate disaster recovery plans, and assess the human, legal and ethical factors in play when developing vital security policies.

You'll explore this question on this module, examining the impact of new technologies on modern criminality, and hearing from specialist lecturers and guest speakers, all experts in cybercrime and its related fields.

You'll explore topics like 3D printing and crime, body-worn cameras, electronic monitoring tech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, the use of the internet in prisons, and more, depending on the latest tech advancements.

On this module, you'll explore online human behaviour and how digital technology influences our actions on individual, group and wider societal levels.

You'll use psychological and criminological ideas to investigate cyberpsychology, and delve into these debates by designing and carrying out your own small-scale research projects on issues like virtual relationships, online identity, digital addiction, and more.

You'll consider concepts like risk, dangerousness and risk management and how they vary and affect the way criminals are managed in different countries, including the UK, the USA, Canada and Australia.

By analysing historical and modern-day debates around dangerousness and public protection, you'll develop your own informed perspectives on legislation, policies and key criminal behaviour profiles.

It's up to you what your dissertation or project is about – this will be your chance to showcase your passion for criminology and associated disciplines by choosing a subject area or topic that most interests you.

You'll draw on everything you’ve learned so far to investigate, analyse, craft and refine your dissertation or project, using existing texts, sources and artefacts to support your arguments and give them context.

You'll have the support of a dedicated dissertation tutor to guide you throughout this module.

You will be provided to access to Association of Certified Fraud Examiners resources and learning materials. The module is taught through interactive seminars from certified fraud examiners, experienced professionals and other experts in the field.

You will gain the key skills needed towards the fight against fraud and other economic crimes.

Environmental problems are a serious national and international concern, regularly dominating media headlines.

As scientific research has shown, these issues are increasingly urgent and include climate change, pollution, habitat loss, species decline and the destruction of our natural resources.

Through interactive lectures, discussion, debate and practical exercises, you'll critically analyse perpetrators and victims of green criminology, examine national and international policing and risk regulation roles, and reflect on justice issues.

You’ll get familiar with the big issues and contemporary debates in education studies as well as the role and expectations of a teacher.

You’ll develops fundamental knowledge and skills that teachers require, as well as your capability to structure and critique a lesson plan.

You'll examine the powers afforded to police constables as they carry out their duties, alongside professional standards, accountability and key issues around diversity, ethics, values and wellbeing.

You'll discuss the purpose of the police force, demonstrate critical understanding of consent principles, evaluate equality policies, summarise resilience strategies, and critically examine the application of law within policing.

You'll take a detailed view of the historical and modern-day right-wing extremist parties, pressure groups and street movements in Britain, including the British Union of Fascists, the National Front, the British National Party, the ‘counter-jihad’ English Defence League and Britain First.

You'll also evaluate arguments from contemporary criminological accounts on the extreme right, such as Realist Criminology and Cultural Criminology.

Based on the topic area you choose, you will be assigned a supervisor with whom you'll have a series of timetabled group tutorial sessions and individual supervision meetings, so that you are supported throughout your research.

You'll learn about the job application process from the perspective of both candidates and recruiters, thinking about what employers look for in graduates and how you can optimise your own professional profile.

Through mock interviews and assessments, you'll hone your skills and learn how to communicate your achievements and career goals, ready to take the next step after you graduate.

You’ll develop your knowledge of core linguistic frameworks in order to investigate a range of communication issues, such as language and control, the role of interpreters, the veracity of witness statements, and the interviewing of vulnerable witnesses, such as children.

You'll consider psychological theories related to criminal justice issues.

Forensic techniques you'll cover include deception detection and the cognitive interview, thinking about the role of psychology within these methods.

Skills you'll strengthen include locating key information, critically applying theory to problems, and effectively communicating your ideas in writing.

You'll explore this question on this module, examining how gender affects pathways into offending, victimisation, punishment, treatment, rehabilitation and more.

You'll think critically about crime, criminology and criminal justice from the perspective of gender, with a focus on the experiences of women and those who identify as women.

You'll look at high-profile examples of miscarriages of justice and what led them to occur, from poor police work to 'junk science'.

You'll also discover how advances in forensic science can help prevent injustices, and explore research that will give you an international perspective on the rights of suspects and appeals processes.

You'll learn how criminals make their dirty money appear as 'clean' and how terrorist finance their activities.

Yo will also learn how to fight these crimes in organisations, including how organisations must manage their internal systems.

You'll also spend time looking into serious offences such as organised crime and terrorism, and evaluate the role of the police in countering these threats.

With a minimum 80-hour commitment, you'll apply what you've learned so far on your degree to real-world professional settings within our community of local businesses, social enterprises, and third-sector organisations.

You'll have support from interactive workshops, tutorials, and guest speaker events, encouraging you to set achievable professional goals and evolve your professional identity.

You'll think critically about the theoretical concepts behind existing approaches to offender rehabilitation, comparing and evaluating how they work in the real world.

Through independent research and reflection, you'll gain crucial skills you can use to examine and find ways to improve rehabilitation practices across the criminal justice system.

On this module, you’ll dissect the media phenomenon of true crime, looking at public perceptions of crime and justice.

You'll think critically about how emotive true crime narratives frame key players, from villains to victims. Exploring ideas of prejudice, you’ll investigate whether sensationalised serial killer stories simply reinforce stereotypes of class and gender.

Alternatively, could advocacy-focused wrongful conviction cases challenge assumptions and drive social change?

By applying criminology theory, you'll uncover complex biases shaping everything from podcasts to primetime prison documentaries.

You’ll delve into the various types of sexual offending, gain an understanding of the consequences, examine the role of media in shaping public perception, and discuss alternative methods for addressing offending.

There’s a strong emphasis on fostering respectful and informed discussions of sensitive topics.