BSc (Hons) Criminology with Integrated Foundation Year

Overview

This four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Criminology course includes an Integrated Foundation Year. Understand the causes of crime and how society responds to it. Investigate current issues, debates, and trends surrounding crime and the criminal justice system. Gain real-world experience volunteering in roles within the criminal justice system and graduate with a qualification in criminology.

Course Structure

• Duration: 4 years
• Mode: Full-time
• Current fee: £5,760
• UCAS code: L311
• Next start date: 15 Sep 25

Course Overview

Studying on the BSc (Hons) Criminology course will allow you to explore the key issues and debates around crime and victimisation in society today, covering topical and dynamic content, and reflecting current issues, policy, and practice within the criminal justice system. You'll understand the causes and consequences of crime and how we manage and respond to it as a society.

Why Us?

• Our BSc (Hons) Criminology course has a 100% positivity score for how good teaching staff are at explaining things (National Student Survey, 2024)
• We have strong links with organisations and institutions such as the HM Prison Service, Youth Justice Service, and local police constabularies, enabling you to volunteer or do work placements to gain experience and enhance your employability
• Our Criminology academic team is responsible for founding and running the Local Appropriate Adult Scheme in collaboration with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Northumbria police, which provides you with a unique opportunity to volunteer as an appropriate adult during your studies, achieving an additional professional qualification
• We offer an applied route which includes visits to the courts, guest talks from current practitioners, and a work-based placement

Course Modules

Foundation Year:

• Foundations of Social Sciences (40 credits)
  • This module will give you an introduction to social theories, examining wider research on the impact they have on key social structures, institutions and social forces which influence and shape our views of the modern world. A key focus will be to allow you to gain confidence when discussing social theory.
• Global Rights and Wrongs (20 credits)
  • Take a multidisciplinary approach to human rights abuses and violations across the globe, including how they’ve developed and how they can be combated, and to what extent. You’ll discuss the historical and philosophical development of human rights as a concept and how these ideas spread due to global frameworks, networks, and international organisations.
• Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
  • This module supports the development skills and attributes needed for degree level study and graduate employment. This includes searching for information, reviewing evidence, presenting information, and self-analysis to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Foundation Project (20 credits)
  • This module supports understanding in a topic area related to your area of study. It also encourages independent and team working with support available from tutors throughout the lifespan of the project.
• Practical Numeracy Skills (20 credits)
  • Explore a range of relevant, real-world concepts and ideas which will help develop confidence and competence in numeracy. The module encourages a critical approach to numerical facts, and topics include interest rates and loans, budgeting, and the use and misuse of statistics and fake news.

Year 1 (national level 4):

• Criminology: Theories, Trends and Myths (30 credits)
  • In this module, you’ll explore criminology as a discipline within the social sciences, including its emergence, impact, and role in your understanding of criminal justice. You’ll gain an appreciation of ‘rational’ understandings of crime and deviance and how these are created, whilst examining how social, cultural, and historical factors may shape this. You’ll also enhance your knowledge of criminological theory and gain an introduction to how gender, race, disability, age, and social class can impact understandings and experiences in relation to crime, deviance, and victimisation.
• Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice (30 credits)
  • This module introduces criminal justice agencies, their role in administering justice, and the rationale behind their practices. You’ll discuss the penal philosophies that underpin punishment in criminal justice and gain awareness of different models of justice and their role in ensuring miscarriages of justice are avoided. You’ll build the solid foundations needed to enter a profession in criminal justice; enhancing your historical knowledge of criminal legislation, discussing the rise and fall of criminal justice agencies, and debating current controversies in the England and Wales criminal justice system.
• Becoming a Criminologist (30 credits)
  • This module has been designed to develop your research and study-based skills, preparing you to become a criminological researcher in years 2 and 3. You’ll gain an introduction to social research methods, focusing on criminology as a discipline, allowing you to expand your knowledge and understanding of the people, spaces, and situations of interest. You’ll learn about the initial stages of planning research including research philosophies, ethical considerations, drafting methodologies, crafting literature reviews, and producing a research proposal.

Year 2 (national level 5):

• Theoretical Perspectives: Crime, Harm and Social Justice (30 credits)
  • In this module, you’ll explore the dominant theoretical perspectives and issues regarding the study of crime, deviance, and justice in the 20th century. You’ll interpret and evaluate how criminological approaches to criminality, deviance, and notions of rights and wrongs have been contested within the discipline and debated within socio-political culture more generally. You’ll develop and apply your knowledge of competing theorisations of equal justice, subcultural deviance, rational choice, criminalisation, human rights, and the social construction of criminality.
• Doing Criminological Research (30 credits)
  • This module will help you enhance your knowledge around theory and practice of research methods in social science. This involves techniques of manual data analysis of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods of datasets and building research skills using the appropriate software. You’ll move away from the sole use of existing datasets to complete your analyses and conduct a piece of research investigating an aspect of contemporary criminal justice.
• Offender Punishment and Risk Management (30 credits)
  • You’ll engage with key philosophies of punishment such as rehabilitation and alternative discourses like risk management in order to evaluate criminal justice legislation and subsequent policies and practices of the probation and prison services in England and Wales. You’ll gain an understanding of how social and political climates influence, and analyse the implications of rehabilitation and risk management focused policies and practices for offending behaviours and society.

Year 3 (national level 6):

• New Horizons in Crime and Justice (30 credits)
  • In this module, you’ll explore new forms of crime and harm in contemporary society and develop a cutting-edge theoretical understanding of how these can be explained. You’ll analyse recent threats, current dangers, present risks, and the role of the state and big corporations in manufacturing these. You’ll then locate your knowledge of criminology in a global context and reimagine the futures of crime, harm, rights, wrongs, and crime control.
• Criminology Dissertation (30 credits)
  • You’ll have the opportunity to engage in independent and in-depth research in criminology, building on foundational knowledge acquired in earlier modules. You’ll obtain advanced analytical and critical research skills to investigate a specific topic in relation to criminology. This will give you the chance to develop a specialism that relates to your interests and the profession you wish to pursue. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete research around a placement relevant to your research interests, where feasible.

Facilities

You'll be based at the recently refurbished Wearside View, situated on the award-winning Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's. This stunning riverside location benefits from dedicated library services and has superb transport links with the city centre and City Campus.

Entry Requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for Ireland. Please contact the Student Admin team on or .

Fees and Finance

The annual fee for this course is £5,760 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

Career Ready

The BSc (Hons) Criminology degree creates a number of career options and you will graduate ready to work in a range of employment settings due to the transferable skills and critical awareness studying criminology provides. Your skills in analysing data, undertaking research, and developing strong arguments will be highly valued by many employers.

Voluntary Work and Opportunities

We have strong links with a number of organisations which offer placements and voluntary work opportunities during this criminology course, including Northumbria Police, the probation service, HM Prison Service, youth offender teams, community rehabilitation companies, criminal court, and victim support agencies. This gives you the opportunity to gain valuable experience in an area you're interested in which will help you in your career once you graduate.

Work-Based Placements

You can also choose to incorporate an 84-hour work placement into your criminology degree. You'll have the opportunity to work with criminal justice agencies or an organisation which supports people who are at risk of offending or who have been in contact with a criminal justice agency. Examples include Shelter, Campus Police, Changing Lives, NEPACS, NERAF and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, and the Prince's Trust programme.

The Northumbria Local Appropriate Adult Scheme

We are incredibly proud to have founded the Northumbria Local Appropriate Adult Scheme (NLAAS) in a unique partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Northumbria Police. The scheme is the first of its kind in the country and moves to address a serious shortage of appropriate adults in the region. You will be trained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 to provide a 24-hour volunteer service across the Northumbria Police force area.

Centre for Applied Social Sciences

The University of Sunderland’s Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) combines original academic research with practice-based collaborations and outreach activities, often working directly with practitioners, policymakers, and front-line delivery staff regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Meet the Students

• "I never thought education was for me, but I've proved myself wrong and I'm thriving in my pursuits." - Dom McEvoy
• "The support I received during the Foundation Year was instrumental in my progression." - Keeley Davidson
• "The level of support and guidance available from the tutors is second to none." - Olivia Charlton
• "Thanks to the Integrated Foundation Year, I was able to build my academic confidence." - Vicky Giusti

Meet the Team

• Nicola Roberts - Associate Professor of Criminology
• Jodie Weatherston - Lecturer in Social Studies
• Helen Williams - Associate Professor of Vulnerability and Criminal Justice Programme Leader for MSc Leadership in Criminal Justice and Policing
• Sarah Connelly - Lecturer in Criminology, SFHEA

Related Courses

• BSc (Hons) Criminology
• MSc Leadership in Criminal Justice and Policing

Degree Overview:

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BSc (Hons) Criminology with Integrated Foundation Year at the University of Sunderland

This is a four-year program that offers an in-depth exploration of the causes of crime, how society responds to crime, current issues, debates and trends surrounding crime and the criminal justice system. Students will gain real-world experience through volunteering in roles within the criminal justice system and graduate with a qualification in Criminology.

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Key Features:

• Four-year duration
• Full-time program
• Cost: £9,250 (current fee)
• Start date: 16 September 2024
• Offered through the School of Social Sciences
• 20th in the UK and 2nd in the North East (Guardian University Guide, 2024)
• Strong links with organizations and institutions such as HM Prison Service, Youth Justice Service, and local police constabularies
• Criminology academic team founded and runs the Local Appropriate Adult Scheme in collaboration with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Northumbria police
• Offers an applied route which includes visits to the courts, guest talks from current practitioners, and a work-based placement

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Objectives:

• Understand the causes and consequences of crime and how society manages and responds to it
• Develop critical awareness of theoretical approaches to and practice-based implementations of criminal justice systems
• Develop detailed knowledge and critical awareness of theoretical and empirical relationships between power, inequalities, and social change, especially in relation to the impact of globalization
• Equip students with the skills to work with some of the most vulnerable and dangerous people in society
• Equip students with the transferable skills, broad knowledge-base, and critical awareness that studying for a Criminology degree provides
• Develop independent thinking, problem-solving, research, and critical analysis skills
• Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, and prisons
• Equip students with the skills and knowledge to pursue a career in the criminal justice system or a related field

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Description:

The program consists of a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, group work, computer-based learning, and independent study. Students will be assessed through methods such as written coursework, essays, research projects, and presentations.

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Pathway Options:

The program offers four specialist pathways:

• BSc (Hons) Criminology with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L311): This generic Criminology route explores key issues and debates around crime and victimisation in society today, covering topical and dynamic content.
Students will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in the criminal justice system or a related field.
• BSc (Hons) Criminology: Criminology and Criminal Justice with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L312): This pathway provides a comprehensive understanding of criminological thought and detailed investment in specific issues related to the criminal justice system and its processes.
Students will gain a solid foundation in the theories and practices of criminal justice, equipping them for careers in this field.
• BSc (Hons) Criminology: Vulnerability and Social Care with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L313): This pathway focuses on the complexities of vulnerability and social care, providing students with a strong understanding of theory and research on vulnerable populations and practice-based approaches to counselling and safeguarding policies.
It emphasizes the development of critical awareness and practitioner approaches to social policies aimed at addressing social inequalities and social care.
• BSc (Hons) Criminology: Inequality and Social Justice with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L314): This pathway focuses on how social inequalities, such as gender, sex, sexuality, race, and ethnicity, intersect with crime and criminal justice.
Students will develop a strong understanding of the theoretical and practical implications of these inequalities in the context of crime and criminal justice. ## Outline:

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Typical Weekly Schedule:

• A typical week of study will include a range of lectures, seminars, workshops, group work, computer-based learning, and independent study.
• Students will be assessed through methods such as written coursework, essays, research projects, and presentations.
• The program offers an applied route which includes visits to the courts, guest talks from current practitioners, and a work-based placement.

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Modules:

The modules offered in this program vary depending on the chosen pathway. Here are some examples of modules offered in each pathway:

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BSc (Hons) Criminology with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L311):

• Year 1 (national level 4):
• Criminology: Theories, Trends and Myths
• Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 2 (national level 5):
• Theoretical Perspectives: Crime, Harm and Social Justice
• Offender Rehabilitation and Risk Management
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 3 (national level 6):
• New Horizons in Crime and Justice
• Optional modules (choose 90 credits)

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BSc (Hons) Criminology: Criminology and Criminal Justice with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L312):

• Year 1 (national level 4):
• Criminology: Theories, Trends and Myths
• Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice
• Victimology: Rights and Redress
• Year 2 (national level 5):
• Theoretical Perspectives: Crime, Harm and Social Justice
• Offender Rehabilitation and Risk Management
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 3 (national level 6):
• New Horizons in Crime and Justice
• Optional modules (choose 90 credits)

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BSc (Hons) Criminology: Vulnerability and Social Care with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L313):

• Year 1 (national level 4):
• Criminology: Theories, Trends and Myths
• Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 2 (national level 5):
• Theoretical Perspectives: Crime, Harm and Social Justice
• Offender Rehabilitation and Risk Management
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 3 (national level 6):
• New Horizons in Crime and Justice
• Optional modules (choose 90 credits)

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BSc (Hons) Criminology: Inequality and Social Justice with Integrated Foundation Year (UCAS code L314):

• Year 1 (national level 4):
• Criminology: Theories, Trends and Myths
• Criminal Justice: Theory and Practice
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 2 (national level 5):
• Theoretical Perspectives: Crime, Harm and Social Justice
• Offender Rehabilitation and Risk Management
• Optional modules (choose 60 credits)
• Year 3 (national level 6):
• New Horizons in Crime and Justice
• Optional modules (choose 90 credits)
## Assessment:

Some examples of assessment methods include:

• Written coursework
• Essays
• Research projects
• Presentations
• Examinations
• Practical assessments
• Group projects
## Teaching: The program is delivered through a variety of teaching methods, including:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Group work
• Computer-based learning
• Independent study
• Field trips
• Guest lectures
• Work placements
The program is taught by a team of experienced and qualified academics who are experts in their fields. The academic team is also actively involved in research, which informs their teaching and ensures that students are receiving the most up-to-date information. ## Careers: The program prepares students for a variety of careers in the criminal justice system and related fields, such as:
• Police officer
• Probation officer
• Prison officer
• Social worker
• Youth worker
• Criminologist
• Researcher
• Policy analyst
• Lawyer
• Journalist
• Teacher
## Other: The program also offers the following:
• A dedicated personal tutor who will provide support and guidance throughout your studies
• One-to-one support from academic staff
• Access to a range of resources, including the University library, IT facilities, and careers service
• Opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities, such as student societies and volunteering
• The chance to study abroad for a semester
Please note that the information provided above is based on the program's website and may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the program's website.

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The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled. If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan. Please note, this course isn't available to international students.

University of Sunderland

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Overview:

The University of Sunderland is a public university located in Sunderland, England. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines. The university has a strong focus on providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment for its students.

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Services Offered:

The University of Sunderland provides a comprehensive range of services to its students, including:

Academic Support:

Access to libraries, learning resources, and academic advisors.

Student Support:

Counseling, mental health services, and disability support.

Accommodation:

On-campus and off-campus housing options.

Career Services:

Career guidance, job search assistance, and internship opportunities.

Student Life:

A vibrant student union, clubs, societies, and social events.

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Student Life and Campus Experience:

The university boasts a diverse and inclusive campus community where students can connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Students can participate in extracurricular activities, engage in personal and professional development opportunities, and enjoy a vibrant social scene.

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Key Reasons to Study There:

Top-Quality Facilities:

The university has modern facilities, including a state-of-the-art library, sports facilities, and dedicated learning spaces.

Inclusive Culture:

The university fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

Vibrant City:

Sunderland is a dynamic city with a rich history and a low cost of living.

Strong Industry Links:

The university has strong connections with local businesses and industries, providing students with valuable career opportunities.

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Academic Programs:

The University of Sunderland offers a wide range of academic programs, including:

Arts and Design:

Fashion, Photography, Fine Art, and Graphic Design.

Sciences:

Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, and Biology.

Business and Law:

Business Management, Finance, Law, and Tourism.

Computing and Engineering:

Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.

Education and Social Sciences:

Education, Psychology, and Social Work.

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Other:

The university has campuses in Sunderland, London, and Hong Kong, offering students a global learning experience. It is also recognized for its commitment to sustainability and equality, diversity, and inclusion.