Why you should study this course
This course explores public social attitudes, psychological explanations of criminal behaviour and consequences for social policies and for the management of offenders. Ideal for those who are looking at potential career options in the criminal justice sector (e.g. policing, community safety, youth offending) upon successful completion, this fascinating course explores the role of crime and its control through the criminal justice process. It draws on aspects of applied psychology to look at better understanding the behaviour of criminals and the impact of both crime and punishment.
- The course aims to equip you with an understanding of how crime and punishment are perceived, exploring a wide variety of phenomena associated with crime, victimisation, punishment and criminal justice in a global context. The curriculum focuses on the causes of crime and the means by which society attempts to deal with it.
- Staff engage in research, national and international conference presentations, and writing for publication on topical issues related to the curriculum, such as gun control, drugs, violence, sexual abuse, policing and policy issues, all of which inform your learning.
- We adopt an innovative approach to student learning through involving guest speakers from different spheres such as prison service, probation, police, practising psychologists, victims support and rehabilitation agencies, designed to provide effective learning insights (subject to availability). We have excellent current professional links with employers including Police, HM Prison Service and Positive Youth Foundation.
- A focus on out of classroom activity emphasises practical field trips* which may include visits to prisons, courts and destinations which in the past have included trips to South Africa, Finland, New York, Germany and Poland. The course also has a strong track record of work with international partners to offer opportunities for online international learning, field trips and overseas placements.
- You will be encouraged to engage in volunteering activities supported by the university and our Talent Team can support you in finding such opportunities. In previous years an annual Criminology Volunteering Fair has been hosted. Agencies such as Warwickshire and West Midlands Police, Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Victim Support have previously attended to advertise PCSO and support worker roles. This event also provides excellent professional networking opportunities for posts such as intelligence analysts.
What you'll study
Year one
In the first year, we introduce you to the foundation principles of criminology and psychology – the causes of crime, types of criminal activity, victims of crime, and the construction of crime. We explore core ideas in criminology from key thinkers, such as Bentham, Lombroso, Foucault, Cohen and Young. For example, we’ll examine the theory of labelling – or stereotyping – and explore how the self-identity and behaviour of individuals may be influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them, at times becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You’ll be exposed to a wide-ranging analysis of historical and contemporary issues in the area of social control, crime prevention and criminal justice. We’ll consider informal controls within communities, as well as formal controls administered by the principal criminal justice agencies: the police, courts and prisons. We also examine alternatives to conventional crime control strategies, such as restorative justice and abolitionism.
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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Psychological Approaches to Crime - 20 credits
The module is designed to provide you with an overview of key themes in psychology and forensic psychology from historical, theoretical and applied perspectives. The expertise you develop in this module will provide the framework required to understand how different theoretical and methodological approaches in psychology link together. The module will enable you to explore how these approaches contribute to understanding of human behaviour in context of a range of criminal activities and events. This module aims to provide a theme-based approach to key concepts and theories relating to psychology and crime. For example, themes could include key ideas in psychology such as: emotional development; self-regulation; social identity; cognitive development, context and culture, interpersonal relationships; maladaptive behaviour; and aggression. Sub-themes included within each of these overarching categories will reflect the contemporary subjects relating psychology and crime.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework
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Psychology, Crime and Culture - 20 credits
This module aims to investigate the popular perception of psychology and crime. A range of portrayals of psychology and crime in the popular media will be explored. The module aims to demonstrate how psychological ideas are used to explain crime and how it is portrayed in popular media such as newspapers, magazines, film, TV and on the internet. Subject matter is drawn from different areas of psychology and forensic psychology. The module aims to highlight how psychology and criminology have been viewed when applied to explaining crime. The module will also critically investigate the more complex reality behind these “pop” portrayals of psychology in explaining crime. The content, and the presentation, have been developed in order to introduce both academic and independent study skills in a supportive, directed and developing environment.
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
Year two
The second year introduces you to a range of topics around the major institutions involved in crime control, community safety and representation – the police, the prison service and the public. We will evaluate the relationships between the police, the state and the citizen, exploring the independence of the police and their accountability.
We’ll also examine the science of the mind, looking at the biological and cognitive processes underpinning specific behaviours. For example, we’ll consider the role of sleep, the nature of addiction, behavioural genetics and pain in criminal behaviour.
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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Psychological Perspectives on Crime 1 - 20 credits
This module aims to provide coverage of the core domains of biological psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and individual differences. It will achieve this by adopting a thematic approach. Several themes will be considered across the module delivery. Themes will be contemporary, of global significance (e.g. mental health) and may change in any given year. You will be required to examine individual and group responses to the issues presented by drawing on knowledge and understanding of key topics within each of the core domains and demonstrating how these relate to the criminal context.
Compulsory
Assessment: Coursework and test
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Psychological Perspectives on Crime 2 - 20 credits
This module continues the development of your understanding of the core domains of psychology from Psychological Perspectives on Crime 1 and extends this to consideration of how this knowledge could contribute to solving a community relevant issue. It continues the aim to provide coverage of the core domains of biological psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and individual differences by adopting a thematic approach. In addition, it tasks you with developing an output designed to highlight an issue relevant to external community-based organisations. You will be required to examine individual and group responses to the issues presented by drawing on knowledge and understanding of key topics within each of the core domains.
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
After successfully completing your first two years of your degree course, you will have the opportunity to spend a year on professional placement or studying abroad.
While both of these modules are non-credit bearing, if successfully completed, these modules will appear on your final academic transcript and you may be required to submit a piece of work reflecting on what you have learned during the placement or study abroad year.
Coventry University’s Talent Team can provide you with a wide range of support services in order to help you apply for a placement opportunity.
Final year
The final year of the programme is based around the development of specialist interests on cutting edge topics.
Your final year addresses more specialist issues on contemporary topics, including forensic psychology, which delves further into the explanations of crime, such as mental health issues, as well as the development of treatment programmes and prevention of crime.
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 course, in order to design and conduct your own piece of research in an area of your choice.
In the past, previous 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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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
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Optional modules
Choose two from the following:
Criminal Behaviour and its Contexts - 20 credits
How does psychology contribute to how we view criminal behaviour? By studying this module, you will explore the development of explanations of crime across different contexts in society, and will have the chance to apply psychological theories in relation to three types of crimes which include violent, sexual and economic crimes, within family, workplace and sports contexts. The module will demonstrate the impact psychology has made in specific areas of the criminal process, and the prevention of crimes.
Assessment: Coursework
Drug Use and Addiction - 20 credits
The subject of psychopharmacology focuses on the interrelationship between drugs, psychology and behaviour, drawing on several areas of psychology, in particular cognitive and biological approaches. These principles will be considered in relation to the effects of addiction and the motivations to sustain substance abuse. Relevant findings from several branches of science, including psychophysics, psychopharmacology and molecular biology will be considered.
Assessment: Coursework
Educational Psychology and Psychology of Special Needs - 20 credits
By choosing this module you will study key theories and research that relate to the psychology of development, teaching and learning and the application of those theories to applied educational contexts. By examining issues of assessment, labelling, intervention and remediation you should have greater awareness of the special educational needs experienced by children and adults and how these difficulties impact on their experiences growing up.
Assessment: Coursework
Mindfulness and Meditation - 20 credits
In this module you will be introduced to the western secular-based mindfulness interventions and explore their essential theoretical, applied and empirical bases. The interventions you will study include Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Focusing Oriented Psychotherapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Compassion Focused Therapy.
Assessment: Coursework
Psychology of Gender and Sexuality - 20 credits
Taking an international perspective, in this module you will examine how gender and sexuality are understood across different historical and cultural contexts. You will draw upon many areas of psychology including social psychology (e.g. sexual prejudice), developmental psychology (sexual and gender identity development across the lifespan); and biopsychology (e.g. biology of sex and sexual orientation) to consider how the psychology of gender and sexualities intersects with applied areas such as educational, clinical, health, forensic and sports psychology.
Assessment: Coursework
Clinical Neuroscience - 20 credits
This module introduces contemporary and complex neural mechanisms of human behaviour in typical and clinical populations. It seeks to develop your ability to critically evaluate published scientific reports of current research in the area of clinical neuroscience. The module aims to develop an appreciation of neurological mechanisms underlying human thinking and behaviour and the clinical pictures that arise when the mechanisms are disrupted. You will have the opportunity to engage with the emerging critical issues within clinical neuroscience, and explore a range of factors that influence human behaviour.
Assessment: Portfolio
Optional
