Criminology BSc

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This course is the ideal choice for anyone with a critical and enquiring mind, an interest in the causes of crime and victimisation, and the ways in which societies respond to crime.

You will learn from an experienced academic team who span a range of specialist backgrounds. Some hold leading roles in professional associations including the British Society of Criminology, others have worked as Visiting Fellows in universities across Europe, America and Australia.

From day one you will gain invaluable insight into the complex areas of crime, deviance and social policy, from the criminal justice system and its impacts on victims and offenders to the ways in which social research can enable social change.

As the course progresses you have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to the real world via a work placement and a series of modules that allow you to plan, conduct, and analyse research first-hand.

Northumbria was ranked top 25 in the Guardian University Guide 2017 for Criminology.

Follow us on Twitter @CriminologyNU

This course is the ideal choice for anyone with a critical and enquiring mind, an interest in the causes of crime and victimisation, and the ways in which societies respond to crime.

You will learn from an experienced academic team who span a range of specialist backgrounds. Some hold leading roles in professional associations including the British Society of Criminology, others have worked as Visiting Fellows in universities across Europe, America and Australia.

From day one you will gain invaluable insight into the complex areas of crime, deviance and social policy, from the criminal justice system and its impacts on victims and offenders to the ways in which social research can enable social change.

As the course progresses you have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to the real world via a work placement and a series of modules that allow you to plan, conduct, and analyse research first-hand.

Northumbria was ranked top 25 in the Guardian University Guide 2017 for Criminology.

Course Information

Department

City

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

As one of the largest criminology courses in the UK we can offer a wide range of core and optional modules, giving you the chance to tailor the course more closely to your interests. You can also choose from a dynamic programme of activities outside of timetabled hours which include workshops, talks from international criminology academics, criminal justice practitioners and ex-offenders.

Our students have access to a number of specially developed work placement opportunities. These might be in the criminal justice field, for instance prisons or police stations, or in the voluntary sector.

Our wide ranging assessment methods vary according to the modules studied, but all assessment takes a student-centred approach and you might find yourself marked on anything from wikis, blogs, essays, exams, portfolios, group reports, presentations and individual research projects.

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

When you join the Criminology BSc course at Northumbria University you will draw on the expertise of our vibrant and dynamic academic team who combine high quality teaching with first class support and strong background in research led teaching.

All of the teaching team hold doctorates or extensive professional experience in the fields of criminology or criminal justice, in areas as diverse as police culture, domestic violence, hate crime and the regulation of the escort industry.

You will also benefit from our partnership with state and third sector organisations - for example, undertaking a work placement in your 3rd year in organisations such as the police, prisons and third sector organisations. Further, we regularly invite practitioners from the organisations to deliver workshops and guest lectures.

To help you get the most out of your degree, the Criminology team has developed a support framework to help you develop the skills to plan, manage and review your work, it also offers full pastoral support to help with any issues that may impact on your studies.

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

We are always looking for new ways to improve the learning environment and increase interaction with our students. We draw upon technology to provide an interactive, dynamic experience that extends beyond the traditional study environment to help you get more from your degree. For example, in lectures and seminars we use mobile technology software (e.g. Socrative) so that you are able to participate and engage in real time.

Using our online virtual learning environment you can compose video podcasts and test your knowledge in our online quizzes. We also develop your technology skills by asking you to collaborate with your peers via web-based platforms (e.g. PebblePad) and to design posters and webpages.

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Research excellence is embedded into our teaching. By involving our undergraduate students in current research developments we feel we are able to offer a broader learning experience and potentially improve your graduate prospects.

To keep up to date with contemporary criminological issues, all core modules are designed to develop your understanding of social and criminological theory and research methods. As you progress through the course you will learn how to conduct research, critically assess the work of others, investigate and solve problems and to translate findings into intellectual questions and arguments.

Research / Social Sciences

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

In Criminology, our approach to teaching evolves in line with changes in the sector. Multi-agency working is become more commonplace and this has led to a greater need for graduates with highly developed inter-personal skills. Research skills are also in greater demand than ever before.

The BSc provides you with the chance to take part in optional work experience modules and placements. This includes working with the police, within a prison or within the public/voluntary sector. There are also opportunities to spend a semester or year abroad to experience the study of criminology in an alternative culture.

Student Life

A great social scene can be found at the heart of our campuses, featuring award-winning bars and a huge range of clubs and societies to join you'll be sure to meet people who share your enthusiasms.

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Physics with Astrophysics. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

We place a real emphasis on developing the transferable skills that will open doors to a range of criminology careers and advanced study opportunities. These include writing, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, quantitative and qualitative research skills, as well as the ability to work individually and in groups.

Our graduates go on to careers in criminal justice and social work settings; a number of students secured these roles where they were on placement during their degree. Others go on to have varied careers in teaching, research, local and national government and third sector employment. A number continue in education.

Book an Open Day / Experience Criminology BSc (Hons)

Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Criminology. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

Year 1

Year one You will investigate core criminological concepts and learn the essential research skills to support further exploration of the areas of crime, harm and deviance.

Year 2

Year two The second year further develops your research skills as you unpick the causes of crime, examine policing and punishment, and investigate further types of criminality, criminology and deviance.

Year 3

Year three Your final year gives you a greater opportunity to specialise through a range of optional modules, your own criminological research project and the opportunity to apply for a placement.

Who would this Course suit?

This course suits anyone who has an interest in sociological readings of crime and deviance; those interested in pursuing careers in research, criminal justice and social policy, as well as those seeking to gain important transferable skills for future careers in teaching and third sector employment. BSc Criminology also provides an excellent foundation for those seeking careers in higher education and academia. 

Entry Requirements 2019/20

GCSE Requirements:

A good GCSE profile is expected including Maths and English Language at minimum grade C or equivalent.  If you have studied for a new GCSE for which you will be awarded a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a minimum grade 4.

UCAS Tariff Points:

GCE and VCE Advanced Level:

From at least 2 GCE/VCE A Levels 

Edexcel/BTEC National Extended Diploma:

Irish Highers:

IB Diploma:

120-128 UCAS Tariff points including minimum score of 4 in at least three subjects at Higher level

Access to HE Diploma:

Qualification combinations:

The University welcomes applications from students studying qualifications from different qualification types - for example A level and a BTEC qualification in combination, and if you are made an offer you will be asked to achieve UCAS Tariff points from all of the qualifications you are studying at level 3.  Should the course you wish to study have a subject specific requirement then you must also meet this requirement, usually from GCE A level.

Plus one of the following:

• International/English Language Requirements:

  Applicants from the EU:

  Applicants from the EU are welcome to apply and if the qualification you are studying is not listed here then please contact the Admissions Team for advice or see our EU Applicants pages here www.northumbria.ac.uk/international/european-union/eu-applications/

  International Qualifications:

  If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

  English Language Requirements:

  International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

  *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2019/20 Entry

UK/EU Fee in Year 1**: £9,250

International Fee in Year 1: £15,000

ADDITIONAL COSTS

You may wish to participate in an optional field trip to Amsterdam, the approximate cost will be £300 (plus spending money).

FUNDING INFORMATION

Click here for International undergraduate funding and scholarships information.

Click here for UK/EU undergraduate tuition fee information**.

Click here for International undergraduate tuition fee information.

Click here for additional costs which may be involved while studying.

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Modules Overview Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Explaining Crime: An Introduction to Criminology (Core,20 Credits)

In this module you will be introduced to the study of crime, the core themes and issues associated with criminological knowledge and methods of enquiry, as well as the key issues and debates within the discipline of criminology.Weekly lectures and seminars will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to introduce you to key issues in the definition and conceptualisation of crime, deviance and control; to situate the study of crime and criminology within the interior and exterior contexts of theory, research, policy and practice; to provide an understanding of some key perspectives, approaches and methods of studying crime and criminology; and to allow you to undertake study on all aspects of the module culminating in 1. writing an essay and 2. producing a group poster presentation, which together will demonstrate your detailed knowledge and understanding of one particular type of crime, and how you might use one particular theory to explain why people commit this crime type.

Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (Core,20 Credits)

Criminal justice is rarely out of the news: there is a regular stream of stories alleging that conditions in prisons are too comfortable, that the courts are not handing out sufficiently harsh sentences, that people are being released from prison when they are still a danger to society, that young offenders can ignore the law and that police officers have been involved in misconduct. In this module you will look behind the headlines and understand what the agencies of the criminal justice system do, the constraints that they operate under and the historical developments that led to their current situation. You will go on a journey through criminal justice from arrest by the police, to the decision to prosecute and appearing in court, to punishment either in prison or the community and (in the case of the most serious offences) release from prison by the parole board. You will also consider elements of criminal justice that fall outside this process: the promotion of community safety, the system for dealing with young people who offend and the method of correcting injustices that are associated with criminal justice agencies.

Real World Research 1 (Core,20 Credits)

This module will allow you to become effective in conducting quantitative social research. It will begin by exploring the key philosophies and approaches associated with social research methods generally. It will then introduce the key mechanisms and approaches associated with quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. The module will explore essential mechanisms of data analysis through supported lab-based session using SPSS. By the end of this module, you will be confident to develop a quantitative based research project, identify and collect quantitative data and conduct essential data analysis using SPSS.

Crime Myths and Realities (Core,20 Credits)

Whilst learning about a number of significant criminal case studies from the UK, you will learn to develop critical thinking skills relating to crime and the way crime is researched, reported and represented. In the course of the module, you will also learn some of the vital skills necessary to be a criminologist, relating to critical thinking, academic referencing, researching crime and society, and interpreting crime statistics.

Thinking Sociologically 1 (Core,20 Credits)

This module introduces some of the key figures in nineteenth century social theory and the founding figures in sociological theory. On this module, you will explore the meaning and application of a range of social theory, and the distinctiveness of thinking sociologically. You will examine key thinkers from sociology, and identify their contribution to understanding, and being able to address, some of the main problems and issues that frame sociology, such as those around social change, social identities, social divisions and power relationships. Our aim is to have a practical approach to theory exploring how we can best use some of the ideas developed by early theorists to understand our own lives and the world in which we live. By the end of the module, you will be able to demonstrate the importance of theory in the understanding and explanation of the nature of the social world, understand the origins and development of key sociological theory, and introduce some of the main classical perspectives.

1. You will develop skills in critical and reflective thinking.2. You will learn how to analyse individuals' biographies, or 'life stories', as part of the sociological study of society3. You will develop a critical, analytical and theoretical understanding of how the life course of individuals is influenced by work and employment experiences and social, economic, historical and political processes and contexts.4. You will develop a range of practical and theoretical sociological skills associated with gathering data in an ethical manner, combining information from different sources and presenting it in verbal and written formats.

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level. The topics you will cover on the module include:• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.• Listening skills for lectures.• Speed reading techniques.

Social Sciences Study Abroad (60 credit) (Optional,60 Credits)

The Study Abroad module is a semester based 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which facilitate study abroad within the programme. You will undertake a semester of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be constructed to meet the learning outcomes for the programme for the semester in question, dependent on suitable modules from the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University. Learning outcomes on the year-long modules on which the student is unable to attend the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.

Concepts, Perspectives and Theories in Criminology (Core,20 Credits)

Why do people commit crime? Why does crime increase or decrease? What should be considered a crime and how can we prevent it? You will explore these and other questions through an evaluation and assessment of the different disciplinary contributions to the study of crime and its control. The dominant theoretical orientation often presented as being most closely aligned with criminology is that of sociology, but any cursory assessment of the history, development and contemporary nature of the study of crime and control will show that it has been significantly influenced by psychology, psychiatry, economics, political science, law and biology. Indeed, while the historical foundations of criminology lie in biological positivism, and much of the twentieth century saw a dominance of what can be called a psychological and sociological positivism, more recently the discipline of criminology can be said to be much more integrative comprising a variety of theoretical perspectives and approaches drawn from the social, life and physical sciences. The module locates criminological concepts, perspectives and theories within this integrative framework as well as within their historical and political contexts. The emphasis is on understanding explanations of crime, of harm and their control through the application of different conceptual and theoretical approaches to specific forms of criminality, victimisation and injustice.

Crime, Media and Film (Optional,20 Credits)

On this cutting edge module, you will explore the intriguing yet complex relationship between crime, media and film. The module will explore the ways in which factual and fictional accounts of crime are produced, distributed and consumed. Using contemporary examples and drawing on the criminological literature, it will begin by critically examining the changing ways in which crime news is made, how victims, offenders and criminal justice agencies are represented in the news, and the effects crime news has on society. The module will then critically analyse a variety of fictional sources such as television dramas, novels, video games, comics and focus in particular on films where crime is central. Here it will explore both classic and contemporary films, considering the ways in which crime, its causes, consequences and the cities in which the films are situated are represented and the reasons behind this.

Gender, Crime and Victimisation (Optional,20 Credits)

In societies across the globe crime and victimisation is unevenly spread with distinct patterns to offending for different crime types being evidenced in results from various types of crimes surveys and other types of research data. Men and women perpetrate crime and experience criminal victimisation in distinctive ways. This module examines how crime and the process of criminalisation and social controls are gendered and how gender impacts upon and influences the experiences and recovery from crime and victimisation in society. You will be exploring how gender: • mediates the patterns to, as well as our concerns and fears about, crime and victimisation - especially sexual violence; • shapes how crime is reported and made visible in different public, private and institutional locations and settings;• has impacted upon how criminologists explain why crime happens and how it should be dealt with;• contributes to how victims and witnesses experience the criminal justice system;In viewing the crime and victimisation problem through a gendered lens, you will learn how specific conceptualisations of masculinity and femininity are played out in news media reporting of crime and victimisation and in the criminal justice system. In examining all of the above you will also be considering whether and when gender matters most in understanding crime and the experience and recovery from victimisation.

Policing and Regulation (Core,20 Credits)

Historically, it can be argued that the social sciences have paid little attention to those stages in the criminalisation process which intervene between legislation and the application of penal measures to the convicted offender. Specifically, systematic and critical analysis and research into policing and law enforcement agencies only emerged and developed during the second half of the twentieth century. Indeed, it was an epistemological break during the 1960s which first opened the intellectual floodgates to the study of policing. Since then, the nature of policing has radically evolved and expanded – with an increased scrutiny of the public police, considerable growth of private security, and the formal regulation of goods, services and people. It is these contemporary parameters of policing and regulation, through a critical examination of contemporary theory, empirical, policy and practice perspectives that inform the content of this module. The module is split into four parts: Part 1 is concerned with laying the theoretical foundation needed to develop a critical understanding of policing and regulation. Here you will explore the differences between ‘the police’ and ‘policing’ and ‘regulation’ and you will examine some of the key sociological theories and concepts that attempt to rationalise these formal mechanisms in society e.g. risk, Marxism, neoliberalism and globalisation. In Part 2, you will learn all about public policing in England and Wales. You will track the historical development of the public police and explore the social, economic and political developments that have shaped the role and function, structure and accountability frameworks. You will examine key stakeholders, different models of policing, and contemporary reform initiatives. You will also compare the public police in England and Wales with other jurisdictions (to include Scotland and Northern Ireland). Part 3 you will focus on the growth of private security and organisations involved in policing beyond the public police. You will examine reasons for this growth and critically explore some of the contemporary challenges. You will also learn about hybrid models of policing where public and private police provisions work collaboratively. In Part 4, examples of increased regulation in society will be scrutinised. You will examine the regulation of people (e.g. through immigration mechanisms; environmental/climate quotas); goods (e.g. drugs; counterfeit items and animals); and service (e.g. sex work). The correlation between regulation and policing will be explored.

Prisons and Punishment (Core,20 Credits)

Punishing people for breaking the law is clearly one of the most important elements of the criminal justice system. But how are people punished? Why are people punished? Is punishment really the best way to change people’s future behaviour? This is an important module for all students studying any aspect of criminology, and it will ask you to think about whether and how different penal theories (ideas about punishment) are practised in the UK and around the globe. For example, is it possible to have an effective criminal justice system that has elements of both retributive and reparative justice? How might these possibly competing ideas work in harmony? Can we punish people for the things that they have done wrong, while at the same time try to get people to address their offending behaviour?We will then explore the role and emergence of the modern prison in England and Wales. We will look at internal cultures and organisation of prisons and community sentences. We will consider how they are managed and inspected, and how news about the state of prisons is communicated to the ‘outside’ world. Most importantly we will consider the impact on prisoners and offenders of policy changes over the last 50 years. This will include comparing styles of policy and practice in Europe (including looking at Nordic exceptionalism), the ‘Americanisation’ of the penal system, and the role of privatisation on prisons and community sentences.

Race, Crime and Justice (Optional,20 Credits)

In many societies, issues relating to race, racism and crime are high on political, policy and academic agendas. Often these concerns relate to the over-representation of minority groups at various stages of the criminal justice systems. In the UK and many other societies, minority communities often are more likely to be victims of crime. Similarly they tend to be over-represented in contacts with the police, at various stages of the criminal justice system, and in prisons.You will examine the nature of these disproportionalities and develop understanding of the complex ways in which they reflect, and in turn reinforce, broader patterns of exclusion and inequality. You will critically consider the extent to which the over-representation of minorities in the CJS is a reflection of higher offending levels of minorities, who are often more likely to experience social and economic disadvantage. Further you will examine processes of criminalisation and racialisation that also explain disparities.As much as minorities are over-represented as 'clients' of the criminal justice system it is also clear that they are consistently under-represented in personnel terms. You will analyse the nature and possible causes of the under-representation of minorities in police, courts, probation and prison services and critically analyse the extent to which rectifying these patterns would help improve the position of minorities within criminal justice.You will reflect on and research broader relationships between 'race', racism and crime. This will be considered through perspectives on the causes of crime, media and cultural representations of crime, and contemporary debates about Islamaphobia, terrorism and security.

Sex Work: Theory, Practice, Regulation (Optional,20 Credits)

Ever wondered how a brothel operates? Where media representations and opinions about the sex industry originate from? If people who sell sex enjoy it, or if they are being exploited? If legal frameworks and policing affect how, when and where people sell sex? By engaging with cutting edge research, you will explore these issues and more in Sex Work: Theory, Practice, Regulation.The module is split into three parts:In Part 1 you will learn about the diversity of the sex industry and competing theoretical perspectives exploring sex work. We will explore the arguments of academics and scholars, as well as the lived experiences of sex workers. Part 2 concentrates on the practice of selling sex and will explore the empirical, theoretical and sex worker written literature to answer questions like - what strategies do sex workers and clients use to manage the sale and purchase of sex, why do people sell sex, why do people buy sex, and who are the clients?Part 3 explores key regulatory issues including: violence and sexual safety, policing and national/international regulatory frameworks.Workshops will explore and include case studies such as Sweden - where the purchase of sex is criminalised but not the sale, and New Zealand where sex work is decriminalised. You will use your emerging criminological knowledge to explore the theoretical underpinnings of these frameworks, as well as the impact they have on the practice, health and safety of sex workers.

Youth Crime and Deviance (Optional,20 Credits)

The principal aim of this module is to provide you with historical, theoretical and comparative perspectives of diverse forms of youth culture, crime and deviance. It will expose you to a diverse range of empirically based research studies from social science disciplines and illustrate the connection to deeper critical understandings of youth crime and deviance and subcultural analysis to that of wider social/moral/economic and cultural contexts in which they are received and interacted with. In this module, we explore the grounded knowledge and theoretical concepts relating to youth, youth style, popular music and subcultures, youth resistance and youth crime and deviance through historical and late-modern perspectives.

Real World Research 2 (Core,20 Credits)

The aim of this module is to enable you to become an effective qualitative social researcher. In the first part of the module, you will learn about the philosophies and methods used by qualitative researchers in a real world context. Key to this will be covering ‘traditional’ qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups and observations as well ‘contemporary’ methods including qualitative mapping, visual methods and online ethnographies. In the second part of the module we will put that learning in to practice to explore how research projects evolve and how to select appropriate research strategies. In groups you will use qualitative methods to explore a key social issue within the context of Newcastle upon Tyne. To do this you will learn about the research process and will carry out a research project from start to finish, including planning a data collection strategy, going out and collecting that data, analysing it and reporting on it. In addition you will also complete a research risk assessment and an ethics form – all essential components of the research process. Learning from this module will support you in most careers where research, people and analytical skills are needed.

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level. The topics you will cover on the module include:• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.• Listening skills for lectures.• Speed reading techniques.

Social Sciences Work Placement Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Work Placement Year module is a 120 credit year-long module available on degree courses which include a work placement year, taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6 (the length of the placement(s) will be determined by your programme but it can be no less than 30 weeks. You will undertake a guided work placement at a host organisation. This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to classification. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Work Placement Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Work Placement Year)”. The learning and teaching on your placement will be recorded in the work placement agreement signed by the placement provider, the student, and the University.Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

Social Sciences Study Abroad Year (Optional,120 Credits)

The Study Abroad Year module is a full year 120 credit module which is available on degree courses which include a study abroad year which is taken as an additional year of study at level 5 and before level 6. You will undertake a year of study abroad at a European University under the ERASMUS+ exchange scheme or at an approved partner University elsewhere. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. The course of study abroad will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded for an individual student on the learning agreement signed by the host University, the student, and the home University (Northumbria). Your study abroad year will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. It will not count towards your final degree classification but, if you pass, it is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Study Abroad Module and on your degree certificate in the format – “Degree title (with Study Abroad Year)”.Note: Subject to placement clearance; this is a competitive process and a place on the module cannot be guaranteed.

AT5004 - Year in International Business (This is made up of 5 modules studied in Newcastle (Semester 1) & Amsterdam (Semester 2) (Optional,120 Credits)

This overarching module descriptor covers the Year in International Business which is made up of 5 modules which students study in Newcastle (semester 1) and Amsterdam (semester 2).This additional year of studies has been designed to develop students’ business awareness and their soft skills through a semester of study in the UK followed by engagement in studying in Amsterdam and working on real business projects to further enhance and develop this knowledge, skills and attributes.Semester 1 in the UK comprises three 20-credit modules aimed at students new to business and management, which also equips the students for a semester in Amsterdam, working in teams on a “real-world”, client facing project. Of the modules studies in Semester 1 provide students with the “soft”, “analytical” and “project management” skills necessary to embark on a “real-world” client-centred consultancy project in Semester 2. In Semester 2, students will work move to Amsterdam and study two modules on Northumbria licensed premises. The first module, Group Business Consultancy Project, is a Level 5 40 credit Consultancy Project providing a supported and challenging experience with real business supervised by Northumbria and possibly Dutch academics. The final module complements the development of business knowledge and application through a contextualised consideration of International Business. This will also add to the Business Consultancy experience, thereby guaranteeing a coherent business experience.The modules are outlined below:Semester 1 SM9511 Global Business Environment (20 credits) AF5022 Financial Decision Making (20 credits) Semester 2AT5001 Group Business Consultancy Project (40 credits)In semester 1, students will learn in an environment aligned to that of business students on full time programmes. A mixture of large group and small group sessions will take place. In semester 2, in accordance with the experiential learning pedagogical approach in the Business Clinic operated at Newcastle Business School, the group consultancy work will involve students working in groups, facilitated by academics but also independently and amongst their peers in collaborative project work to provide real business consultancy. Assessment has been developed in accordance with Northumbria’s Assessment for Learning principles including a broad mix of assessment appropriate to the learning outcomes being assessed and with opportunities for formative feedback.A student who passes all modules will, on successful completion of their undergraduate programme of study, have the title “(Year in International Business UK and Amsterdam)” added to their degree award title. Students who do not pass 120 credits will have those modules that have been completed recorded on their transcript.

Concepts and Patterns of Organised Crime (Optional,20 Credits)

This module will introduce and critically explore the manifestation of organised criminal activities that have embedded themselves within an increasingly globalised political economy, whilst not ignoring the essentially localised functions of indigenous enterprise crime. In order to explore the concepts and patterns of organised crime an inter-disciplinary social scientific approach will be adopted that critically evaluates the historical, criminological and sociological approaches upon the assessment of organised criminal activities.

Contemporary Policing and Security (Optional,20 Credits)

From being a relatively marginal political issue, modern policing and security has risen rapidly up the social and political agendas of western societies. As inequalities have increased, so the actual and perceived risks of crime and other social ills have grown rapidly for all sections of society: the management of crime has become a central concern.In this module you will develop your critical understanding, analysis and interpretation of the key themes, theories, issues and political debates concerning the development and contemporary nature of modern policing and the delivery of security in England and Wales. Where appropriate, you will be directed to comparative material from other countries and our discussions will draw upon these comparative dimensions to contemporary policing and security.Given the ‘contemporary’ nature of this module and the continually evolving nature of policing and security, the content of this module is revised each year. Examples of topics covered in previous years include: • The changing role and function of the police • Policing and Mental Health

Crime and Society in Newcastle and Amsterdam (Optional,20 Credits)

On this cutting edge module you will explore two important cities – Newcastle and Amsterdam – to compare and contrast key criminological and sociological issues in both places. The module offers important insights into the city in which you study (Newcastle) and a city that is often featured in the media and academic literature, often portrayed as an innovative, liberal, if controversial, city from which other cities might learn lessons from (Amsterdam). On the module you will consider a number of important issues such as the way in which both cities have developed and evolved; the relations between both cities; the way crime and society operates in both cities; and how crime and other social issues are governed. A key part of the module is the Amsterdam fieldtrip where you visit Amsterdam, be taken on tours of the city, and conduct small group fieldwork on an important issue in the city (for instance, sex work, drugs, policing, the night-time economy, urban regeneration and gentrification, cycling), and consider whether Newcastle should emulate ‘Amsterdam-style’ policies.

Mentally Disordered Offenders (Optional,20 Credits)

Mentally disordered offenders: “mad, bad and dangerous to know”? During this module you will begin to explore who ‘they’ are, what ‘they’ do, why we are afraid of ‘them’, how we identify ‘them’ and what we are doing about ‘them’.You will learn about and critique mentally disordered offender theory and practice, including: developing a critical understanding to the concept of ‘mentally disordered offenders’; the links between mental disorder and crime; the links between the mass media and the public in the development of the concept of the ‘dangerous offender’; the development of Forensic Psychiatry and its impact on the concept of ‘risk’ and ‘risk assessment’; and a critical assessment of the impact of policy developments on approaches to the care and/or control of mentally disordered offenders.

Restoration, Rehabilitation and Desistance (Optional,20 Credits)

Do children who break the law always turn into adult offenders? What might help someone change their behaviour? Is it always the impact of a criminal justice intervention that makes someone desist from crime? This module will look at all of these questions. The first part will track the nature and complexity of criminal careers. It will demonstrate different ways in which offenders come to be engaged in crime and the extent to which starting early is a predictor of a criminal career. After considering the different ways in which criminal careers are sustained and developed, you will look at the interventions criminal justice and aligned organisations put in place to change offenders’ behaviour. We will investigate forms of restorative justice and reparation, and question whether, and how, they might fit within different criminal justice systems around the world. For example, what might the role of ‘circles of support’ be in a risk adverse society? The module will also look at whether some activities in prison might have a role in desistance after release. For example are creative, artistic, spiritual and sporting activities a hook for changing offending behaviour after release? Throughout the module we will consider UK and international criminal justice practice, and question the impact of social, political and cultural contexts of restoration, rehabilitation and desistance. You will be encouraged to explore all of these elements from cultural and critical criminological perspectives.

Work Experience Dissertation (Optional,40 Credits)

The module provides an opportunity for you to independently pursue your own piece of research based on work experience with an agency or organisation such as a police force, prison, youth offending team or voluntary sector organisation. You can also gain experience of research by working with a member of academic staff. With the support of a dissertation supervisor, you will seek to answer a research question either by collecting your own data, using existing data sets or by engaging in an analysis of the research literature. Your chosen topic will be linked to your work experience, which should last normally 80 hours. You will draw on and develop your research skills and on completion of the module you will be able to demonstrate the following: an extensive knowledge on your chosen dissertation topic, successful execution of a research project, the ability to set and explore a focused research question, the capacity to develop a structured and analytical argument; an aptitude for the application of theory and methodology; and an understanding of the ethical considerations of conducting your own research.

Deviant Leisure (Optional,20 Credits)

This module aims to equip students with a detailed understanding of consumer culture, social deviance and the concept of social harm in order to look at leisure as a legitimate area of criminological enquiry. The module begins by exploring the theoretical underpinnings of criminology’s traditional analysis of leisure, before progressing on to more recent theoretical debates in the field. Students will understand the role of globalisation, political economy and social change in the development of leisure and the rise of a consumer culture, and the importance of developments in the field of social harm to the discipline of criminology. Drawing upon our own research and existing case studies, the module will turn to contemporary social problems surrounding leisure, deviance and harm both locally and globally. This includes but is not limited to: the night-time economy; gambling; social media and new technologies; consumer culture and environmental harm; transgressive risk-taking in urban space; and recreational and image-enhancing drugs.

Crime, Animals and the Environment (Optional,20 Credits)

Is there a relationship between violence against animals and violence against humans? Why is it okay to kill certain animals, but a crime to kill others? How do large corporations get away with polluting the planet? How can we address crimes against animals and the environment? These are all questions we will attempt to address on this module. As part of your studies you will learn about the emerging and competing perspectives and frameworks regarding the neglected topic of crimes and harms against animals and the environment. In a module offered at very few universities, you are introduced to the philosophies and perspectives of Green Criminology and Critical Animal Studies. You will develop skills that enable you to critically analyse notions of crime and harm, and social and ecological justice in relation to animal abuse, deforestation, wildlife, pollution and many other areas that pertain to green and environmental crime and victimisation. While honing verbal and written skills, this module will give you the working knowledge to discuss the type, scope, and impacts of green and animal-related crimes and harms and how this is different from street and ‘traditional’ volume crimes. This module provides a fresh new area of criminological scholarship which you will contribute to in discussion and debate with the module tutors and fellow students - examining crime from new and cutting edge perspectives.

Understanding Extreme Violence (Optional,20 Credits)

This module looks at three distinct but inter-related aspects of violence: structural violence, symbolic violence and subjective violence. Analyses of structural violence looks principally at the violence of systems. It is the unseen violence that occurs every day; the violence that needs to take place so that contemporary western consumer societies to continue onwards in their present form. Analyses of symbolic violence focus on the violence of language and symbols. Bourdieu’s account of symbolic violence, for example, addresses the ability of the powerful to deny the working class a language that might allow them to understand their true value and social position. Analyses of subjective violence focus on forms of violence committed by clearly identifiable ‘subjects’, or individuals. In this module, we will use psychoanalytic theory to identify the fundamental forces that drive the violent individual to inflict harm upon others.

Terrorism (Optional,20 Credits)

In this module I will analyse how ideas of terrorism have evolved throughout the twentieth century. This module offers me an opportunity to study in some depth the modern terrorism phenomenon and the methods currently being undertaken to counter it. I will focus essentially on two questions: what, exactly, is terrorism and what can be done about it?

Intimate Partner Violence (Optional,20 Credits)

The module provides a critical analysis of contemporary debates about intimate partner violence. Its focus is primarily the UK, with some consideration of the situation in the USA and other countries. On the module, we will draw primarily on sociological analysis, with some consideration of other disciplines (such as criminology and psychology). We will examine theoretical explanations of intimate partner violence in sociology, the policy and legal responses to it, and the social movement that has developed in response to it. You will gain an understanding of the sociological aspects of intimate partner, and the policy and activist responses to it, including relevant methodological issues.

Social Sciences Dissertation (Optional,40 Credits)

This module will provide you will with an opportunity to independently pursue your own piece of research on a criminological or sociological topic of your choice. With the support of a dissertation supervisor, you will seek to develop and answer a research question either by collecting your own data, using existing data sets or by engaging in an analysis of the research literature. As a result, you will draw on and develop your research skills and on completion of the dissertation module you will be able to demonstrate the following: • an extensive knowledge of your dissertation topic• having successfully executed a research project• an ability to ask and respond to a focused research question• the capacity to develop a structured and analytical argument• an aptitude for the use of theory and methodology• an understanding and experience of the ethical considerations of conducting research.

Academic Language Skills for Humanities & Social Sciences (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level. The topics you will cover on the module include:• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.• Listening skills for lectures.• Speed reading techniques.

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