BSc (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice

Overview:

If you’re interested in studying crime, criminality, victimisation and the criminal justice system, the BSc (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice is for you. You will develop a critical awareness of theory and practice in criminology, and understand the social context of crime and how it is managed. You will also learn how agencies operate within the criminal justice system.

We have strong links with criminal justice agencies and offer modules that reflect the current nature of this subject, often inviting guest speakers to talk to you about their work. As well as volunteering opportunities, you can complete a work placement module, which could help you secure employment when you graduate.

Typical A-Level Offer
CCC (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).

Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points.

Additional Requirements
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

Entry Requirements

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.

Other qualifications and experience

We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.

To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.

If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here

WHAT YOU WILL STUDY

Year One: Criminology Degree

Applied Crime and Justice 1
Perspectives In Criminology: Developmental Criminology
Becoming a Criminologist
Inside the criminal justice system
Perspectives In Criminology: Power and Society
Diversity, Crime and Justice

Year Two: Criminology Degree

Inside Justice: Unresolved Major Crime
The Politics of Policing
Prisons and Imprisonment
Contemporary Issues in Substance Misuse (Optional)
Applied Criminological Inquiry
Understanding VAWDASV
Work Experience (Optional)

Year Three: Criminology Degree

Applied Criminal Investigation
Understanding Homicide

You will also have the opportunity to choose optional modules from the below:

Dissertation
Working in Industry
Social Justice Internship
Green Criminology: Animal abuse and Environmental harms
Transnational Organised Crime: Contemporary Perspectives
Terrorism, Security & Extremism

Mae modiwlau cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cynnwys | Welsh Module options are:

Blwyddyn Un

Dod yn Droseddegwr
Amrywiaeth, Trosedd a Chyfiawnder

Blwyddyn Dau

Carchardai a Charchar
Ymholiad Troseddegol Cymhwysol

Blwyddyn Tri

Traethawd Hir
Gweithio mewn Diwydiant
Interniaeth Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol

Foundation Year

The BSc (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice is also available as a four year course including an integrated foundation year, and is designed for students who do not currently meet admissions criteria for direct entry onto the degree. You will start by completing a foundation year, which provides well structured support, allowing you to develop your skills and knowledge before continuing onto the three year degree programme.

Teaching

Most modules involve a combination of lectures and discussion-based or practical seminars, which will develop your ability to form arguments and tackle specific problems. You will also complete reading, library and topic-related research, project work, and preparation for presentations.

We have expert practitioner guest speakers and encourage students to attend British Society of Criminology (Wales and West) branch talks.

Studying through the medium of Welsh

At least 40 credits of this course can be studied through the medium of Welsh, and specific scholarships, including the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Scholarships are available to students who choose to do so.

RESEARCH-INFORMED TEACHING

The Centre for Criminology has a long history of research on the probation service and custodial institutions, and related topics such as the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders, effectiveness and accountability in policy and practice, inter-agency partnerships and relationships between the criminal justice system, the Third Sector and the UK and Welsh governments. It also conducts high-quality research into the use of drugs and alcohol, violence and homicide, and criminal investigation.

Assessment

Students will be assessed through a combination of approaches including coursework; vlogs; academic posters; presentations; essays; reports; interviews; portfolios; laboratory reports; written examinations; multi-choice questions and interactive assessment exercises

COURSE DETAILS

Placements
The University also offers a work experience placement module to help to enhance your employability which could include opportunities through a range of voluntary and statutory criminal justice agencies.

We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

CAREERS

Criminology graduates have gone on to successful careers in the criminal justice system across the UK. Popular routes include the police, prison, probation, protection and victim support services. There are also opportunities in areas related to the justice system such as social work, drug and housing agencies, and pupil referral units. Many graduates also progress to postgraduate study and research in the social sciences.

This criminology degree is designed to develop a range of transferable skills that can be applied in a variety of related working environments. These include: the ability to present arguments orally, visually and in writing, the ability to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, and the ability to evaluate reports and other research publications. As a graduate with a criminology degree you will be eligible for membership of the British Society of Criminology. The Society aims to further the interests of people who are engaged in criminology in the UK.

Many students progress on to a criminology PhD or criminology research degree.

Our Careers and Employability Service

As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.

Fees

Full time

Complete your degree in the shortest possible time and study flexibly – when and where suits you!

£7,250

You’ll study 9 modules in total (approx. 37 hrs/week).

Part time option one

Study for a degree whilst fitting it around your work, care and other life commitments.

£4,250

You’ll study 6 modules per year (approx. 25 hrs/week).

Part time option two

Take time to study and spread the tuition fees over a longer period – at no extra cost.

£5,500

You’ll study 4–5 modules per year (approx. 19 hrs/week).

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