Why you should study this course
Our Criminology and Law degree is designed to equip you with a detailed understanding of the social, moral, psychological, philosophical and legal aspects of criminology, complemented by ongoing study of constitutional, administrative and criminal law.
Designed and shared by Criminology and the Law School and also having input from International Studies, the programme aims to prepare you to think about deviance, victimisation, punishment and regulation of justice issues. It is designed to give you an opportunity to develop a rounded understanding of public and state responses to crime with guest speakers including staff from prisons, and victims providing real-world learning insights into such topics as mental health, court procedures and custody. Law modules also emphasise putting legal writing and research skills into practice.
This course is ideal for those interested in careers in criminal justice and with transferable analytical and problem-solving skills useful in a wide range of jobs. It aims to provide you with the opportunity to acquire insight into two complementary fields concerned with the nature of deviance and its composition and treatment by the law and its agents. You will have the opportunity to learn and apply research and analysis skills to theory, agencies and specialist topics including policing, organised crime and legal advocacy.
The practical focus of the course is designed to enhance your job prospects. The law element aims to provide you with an understanding of practical legal skills and knowledge, such as dispute resolution, written and oral advocacy, negotiation and client interviewing and counselling, useful in most careers.
Students are taught using a mixture of lectures and small group seminars and ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. This supports students to explore topics more independently, in-depth and see their connection to real-world issues.
Ideal for those interested in careers in criminal justice and with transferrable analytical and problem-solving skills useful in a wide range of jobs, the course considers the strengths and shortcomings of the legal system and the various philosophical, political, social, economic and moral issues which have shaped it and affect us today.
Coventry has a reputation for teaching excellence and excellent professional links with the Police, HM Prison Service and Youth Offending Service. Our partnership with Warwickshire Police to provide Police Support Volunteers was the first scheme of its kind in the country.
Course content is regularly reviewed by our Partnership Group, which is made up of key criminal justice agencies and allied professions, including West Midlands Police, HM Prison Service, the Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, MIND and the Citizens Advice Bureau. We strongly encourage our students to gain practical work experience. You could, for example, volunteer as a special constable or spend a year on professional placement working in organisations, such as victim support or youth hostels for young offenders.
You will have the opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of the workings of the criminal justice system, policing and different aspects of punishment, enhanced by regular interaction with criminal justice agencies. You’ll also be able to hear regularly from guest speakers from different sectors of the criminological spheres, such as the Prison Service, Police, UK Borders Agency and Youth Offending Team (subject to availability). We also organise a number of optional practical field trips – in the past visiting Rye Hill and Onley prisons, The Old Bailey and The Holocaust Centre (additional costs may apply).
You may also have the opportunity to participate in exciting field trips abroad, which have previously included the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, Robben Island and Victor Verster Prison in South Africa and the Stasi museum in Berlin.
What you'll study
Year one
In the first year, you will be introduced to the foundation principles of criminology and law – the causes of crime, controlling crime and the basis of the British legal system. You will explore core ideas in criminology from key thinkers, such as Bentham, Lombroso, Foucault, Cohen and Young.
You’ll be exposed to a wide-ranging analysis of historical and contemporary issues in the area of social control, crime prevention, criminal justice and the legal system. For example, stop and search law and practices, mental health in relation to policing and custody, vulnerable victims and representation in court.
Modules
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Introduction to Criminology Theory and Skills - 30 credits
The first aim of this module is to provide you with an overview of the main perspectives and theories within Criminology. You will be provided with core ideas in a range of perspectives and how these relate to and differ from one another in terms of thinking about, and acting on, crime and deviance.
A second aim of this module is to help you relate the perspectives and theories to expectations of study at degree level. You will learn about academic standards and conventions of writing and referencing and be provided with opportunities to practice these. This element of the module also introduces the concept of personal and professional development designed to assist you to prepare for employment after graduation.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and group work
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Victims and Victimology - 20 credits
In this module you will focus on political, social, cultural and popular constructions of victims of crime and wider social harms. The module places a particular focus on the victimisation experiences of marginalised social groups, demonstrating that certain individuals and groups are more readily ascribed victim status than others. You will consider the International context, with technology and global insecurity impacting on contemporary victimisation experiences.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Exploring Crime - 20 credits
This module is intended to introduce you to the practice of researching and formulating structured ideas about criminological issues. The module will emphasise the link between theory, policy and practice and how you can approach explaining each of these and assessing their overall impact on a criminological topic. Ultimately the module focus is on developing your ability to think, write and talk about crime, including for employment.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Legal Method 1 - 20 credits
This module will provide you with an insight into the sources, institutions and structures of the English legal system. You will be able to develop a critical awareness of the wider political and social context in which the law operates, and the principles and values underpinning the English legal system. Study of the English legal system will be combined with an integrated approach to the development of a range of legal skills necessary for completion of the course. The module will aim to develop your ability to conduct effective legal research, primarily focusing on primary sources, using both online legal databases and paper resources in the library. The module will further aim to ensure that you understand how to effectively utilise this research in the context of legal writing, whilst instilling the importance of appropriate legal referencing and citation.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and test
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Legal Method 2 - 20 credits
This module will further develop your understanding of the English legal system, providing you with an insight into the workings of the civil and criminal justice system. It will introduce you to legal personnel, the role of ADR and tribunals within the English legal system and the concept of judicial law making. The module also builds upon the legal skills and knowledge acquired in Legal Method 1. You are encouraged to develop a critical approach to the understanding of the issues raised and there will be scope to evaluate the effect of any recent changes to the topics being studied. The module will also further enhance legal research ability with a focus on the location, retrieval and use of secondary legal sources.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and test
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and exam
Year two
The second year introduces you to a range of topics around the major institutions involved in crime control and representation – the police, the prison service and criminal law. We will evaluate the relationships between the police, the state and the citizen, exploring the independence of the police and their accountability. You will also explore the theory and practice of researching crime-related issues in preparation for your final year project.
Modules
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Researching Crime - 30 credits
The aim of this module is to further develop your criminological research thinking and research practice. You will be provided with the methodological and practical tools necessary for: developing your own thoughts and ideas about criminological matters; how to go about reviewing criminological literature; how to plan and conduct research; and how to present it to diverse audiences. The knowledge acquired during this module is designed to provide you with a set of digital literacy and other skills that are transferable to other modules and employment scenarios.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Punishment and Control - 20 credits
This module focuses on both historical developments and contemporary issues surrounding the use of criminal sanctions. It covers the theoretical underpinning of punishments and risk management whilst aiming to equip you with a critical understanding of the effectiveness of custodial and community sentences. You will explore a number of key issues relating to punishment and control, such as the complexities of managing a diverse prison population, privatisation and reintegration. You will demonstrate your understanding through group exercises in an assessment centre environment.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and assessment centre
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Policing and Society - 20 credits
The key issues relating to policing democratic societies will be your focus in this module. This will include a critical evaluation of the relationships between the police, the state and the citizen. You will assess the independence of the police and their interdependence within the wider criminal justice system and investigate concepts such as consensus, legitimacy and accountability in relation to policing society. Topics to be discussed range from policing protest and disorder to the role of the media in representing the police.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Criminal Law - 20 credits
This module initially enables an understanding of the principles and criteria upon which a person's liability under criminal law will be assessed. This requires an analysis of criminal responsibility and an appreciation of the elements that constitute criminal conduct. Having studied these basic principles, the module then aims to develop knowledge of homicide offences, non-fatal offences against the person, sexual offences, property offences, inchoate offences and liability for participation. The module concludes by application of the defences that may be raised in relation to certain crimes and the impact that they have on criminal liability.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Introduction to Practical Legal Skills - 20 credits
The aim of the module is to provide you with a working understanding of practical legal skills and professional ethical awareness in the areas of Advocacy, Drafting, Interviewing and Negotiation.
Compulsory
Assessment: Group practical and portfolio
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and exam
After your second year, you have the opportunity to spend a year on professional placement or studying abroad*.
If you wish to do so, you can opt to take the Professional Placement year module or Study Abroad Year module which both typically run for a full academic year between years 2 and 3 of your course. You are able to progress onto the relevant module if you have successfully completed the first two years of the course (i.e. having accumulated 240 credits) and provided that you confirm your interest in undertaking this option before the end of your second year, typically in August.
While these modules are non-credit bearing, if successfully completed, these modules will appear on your final academic transcript.
Final year
The final year of the programme is based around the development of your knowledge in contemporary topics. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with a member of academic staff and apply the knowledge of research methods obtained during the first two years of your degree to design and conduct your own piece of research in an area of your choice. In the past, students have researched conviction rates for rape, the prosecution of war crimes in Cambodia and the regulation of environmental crimes.
Modules
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Current Issues in Criminology - 20 credits
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of criminological issues that currently dominate both political and professional attempts to make sense of the global phenomenon of ‘law and order’. Throughout this module you will be encouraged to develop your skills as an independent learner, and be given the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge across assessments.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Violence and Exploitation - 20 credits
In this module you will explore forms of violence and exploitation in childhood and adulthood. You will explore violence and exploitation in relation to incidence, prevalence and reporting, theoretical and explanatory frameworks. You will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the concepts, issues and current debates in the field of violence and exploitation, with emphasis on developments in theoretical approaches, policies and procedures. Through discussions of recent research, you will explore the impacts and meaning for victims/survivors, persistence and change with respect to the justice system, support services and approaches to prevention.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and group work
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Research Project in Criminology - 30 credits
This module is designed to enable you to develop, enhance and implement the research skills acquired in your previous years of study in combination with focusing your attention on a specific area of knowledge in the criminological sphere. You will also develop time management and independent learning skills.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework/dissertation
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Global Organised Crime - 20 credits
The module will examine the recent evolution of the traditional criminal organisations in comparative perspective (Sicilian mafia, American Cosa Nostra, Japanese Yakuza and Chinese Triads), the growth of the new wave of organised criminal groups (with a focus on the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Africa and the South American Cartels), the nature of criminality behind the human trade and piracy, the emergence of youth gangs and the evolution of organised crime in the UK. The module will also consider the linkages between transnational criminal organisations and terrorist groups. Particular attention will be given to the international and domestic organisations in fighting organised crime and the impact of globalization on the criminal groups.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Law of Evidence - 20 credits
The module aim is to provide you with an insight into how the rules of evidence work in practice. Primarily focusing on a criminal case (but with comparisons to civil cases) the module will investigate the practical impact of rules of evidence. The law of evidence where rules and regulations are used to decide what facts will be used in a case as proof. The module will examine who in the system will investigate criminal cases and the methods of investigating cases including the means and methods of gathering evidence, the rules of admissibility and how evidence can be challenged. It will challenge the methods and rules and will place emphasis on the historical development and look at how statute, secondary legislation and case law have interacted in developing the law of evidence.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Add+vantage module - 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and exam
