Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

• To provide students with an intellectually stimulating environment in which they can develop the necessary critical and practical skills for the analysis of criminology and social policy. 
• To provide students with the opportunity to study criminology and social policy in a multidisciplinary context where the value of interdisciplinary analysis is explored.
• To enable students to gain a broad knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and empirical bases of criminology and social policy.
• To enable students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of particular aspects of criminology and social policy.
• To provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the historical origins and development of British social policy and social issues and associated welfare agencies.
• To provide students with an understanding of how public concerns become issues of social and criminal justice policy and practiceand appear on the social agenda, and how policies are formulated and implemented.
• To familiarise students with British organisational and institutional arrangements for addressing issues of social and criminal justice policy and practice.
• To develop students’ ability to theorise about issues in criminology and social policy.
• To provide students with a knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues relating to criminal justice and agencies of criminal justice in England and Wales.
• To familiarise students with contemporary issues in policing and crime control.
• To develop the ability of students to conduct independent enquiry in the fields of criminology and social policy, using appropriate methodologies.
• To provide a high quality honours programme in criminology and social policy, which enhances students’ career and employment opportunities on graduating.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• The Benchmark Statement for Social Policy and Administration
• The Benchmark Statement for Criminology
• Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (2008)
• University Learning and Teaching Strategy
• External Examiners’ Reports for BSc Criminology and Social Policy

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• A broad overview of contemporary British social policy.
• A broad overview of contemporary British criminology.
• A detailed knowledge of a number of key issues in social policy.
• A detailed knowledge of a number of key issues in criminology.
• An understanding of the nature of crime and how the relevant agencies and agents respond to it.
• An understanding of the policy process, and the agencies and agents through which social policies are developed and delivered.
• An understanding of the main theoretical approaches within criminology and their relevance in any analysis of specific criminological issues.
• An understanding of the main theoretical approaches and ideologies associated with welfare provision and of their relevance in any analysis of specific areas of social policy or particular social issues.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Understand criminological and social policy questions and investigate them.
• Have an appreciation of the complexity of criminological and social problems and be able to assess the merits of competing theories and explanations.
• Interpret the values and practices of agencies that respond to criminological and social policy issues.
• Apply relevant theory and research methods to problems and questions in criminology and social policy.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Understand the nature of questions in social policy and criminology and investigate them.
• Use appropriate analytical methods and research tools in relation to criminological and social problems; including quantitative, qualitative and evaluative techniques.
• Analyse and assess social policy and criminological findings methodologically and communicate information about them.
• Examine the relevance of social policy and criminological research at a national and international level.
• Communicate ideas for different audiences orally and to write essays, reports and a major dissertation.
• Act professionally and in accordance with ethical propriety.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Marshal evidence in support of arguments and analysis.
• Produce reasoned and structured arguments both orally and in writing.
• Use information technology: use instructional material and research tools on computers, and search for relevant material on the internet.
• Collect data in numerical form, present it in tables and graphs, and analyse it with a range of statistical tools.
• Clarify questions, consider alternative solutions and evaluate outcomes.
• Share responsibility for a task with others; agree common goals and methods to achieve them; co-ordinate the use of common resources.
• Write and speak clearly to topic; to draft and edit presentations and contribute actively to group discussion.
• Manage self-learning: seek out sources of information, plan time to make the best use of resources and review priorities in the light of deadlines.

4. Programme structure

Programme Code:  SSUB03

This is a three-year long full-time degree programme. In each of the three parts (years) of the degree (A, B and C), students take modules amounting to 120 credits. In addition, students have the opportunity to undertake a Placement Year (Part I) after Part B.

Important note: No modules may be taken and passed more than once. Optional module availability is subject to timetabling constraints and optional modules may also be subject to change. 

Part A - Introductory Modules

COMPULSORY MODULES (90 credits)

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 1 and 2

OPTIONAL MODULES

Students take THREE 10 credit options from the following:

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semesters 1 and 2

Students can also choose other modules from the University’s Module Catalogue, approved by the School of Social Sciences for inclusion in the programme, including languages in French, German, Spanish and Mandarin.

Part B - Degree Modules

COMPULSORY MODULES (70 credits)

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 1 and 2

OPTIONAL MODULES

Students take 50 credits worth of options across two semesters. A selection will be offered from the following list, plus language modules:

Semester 1

 Semester 2

Semesters 1 and 2

Part I:  Placement or Study Abroad Year

Placement Year: Students have the opportunity to take a work placement or study abroad year (Part I) after successful completion of Part B. Two placement routes are available:

• Diploma of Professional Studies (DPS) Route: Students taking this route undertake a programme of professional training leading to the Diploma of Professional Studies (DPS) in accordance with Senate Regulation XI (module code SSI001).
• Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) Route: Students taking this route can either undertake a full year study abroad or undertake a British Council approved Teaching Assistantship either at a school or other approved placement in a French, German or Spanish speaking country in accordance with Senate Regulation XI. Successful completion of either route leads to the award of the Diploma in International Studies (DIntS). It should be noted that students undertaking a Teaching Assistantship should have a minimum of AS level in the appropriate language, or its equivalent. The equivalent level in the University Wide Language Programme is level 4. Note that students undertaking a Teaching Assistantship will be registered on module EUI002.  Students undertaking a study abroad placement will be registered on SSI002.
• Registration on the DIntS and DPS routes is subject to School approval and satisfactory performance during Parts A and B.

Depending on the Placement type, students are enrolled on one of the following modules:

Semesters 1 and 2

Students opting for the Erasmus Study Abroad scheme in Part B will only be allowed to undertake placement year (DIntS or DPS) in exceptional circumstances, and at the discretion of the School.

Part C

COMPULSORY MODULES (80 credits)

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 1 and 2

OPTIONAL MODULES

Students take 40 credits worth of options across two semesters. A selection will be offered from the list below, plus language modules:

Semester 1

 Semester 2

Semesters 1 and 2

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to C, and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Candidates' final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B and C. The percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 40% : Part C 60% to determine the final programme percentage mark.