BA (Hons) Criminology

Level One

Images of Crime and Social Control 

This module is to contrast 'common sense' images of criminality with an alternative criminological reality and to assess the competing merit of different sources of information about crime. This is set in the context of the increasingly complex and involved mechanisms portrayed as vital instruments in the 'war and crime' and 'anti-social behaviour'. This is supplemented by an appreciation of policing as dependant on a much broader web of social controls.

Applying Research

A substantial training in research methods is provided in this module, which lays essential groundwork for a lifetime of search, thinking and analysis. Students will learn how to make sense of and challenge debates about rising and falling crime, how to conduct interviews in sensitive areas and assess the validity of different claims aimed at fixing the problem of crime.

Identity and Citizenship

A thorough grounding in the wider issues of identity, central to depicting the criminal as 'alien'; and the ideal of citizenship, as the basis of Justice and model for reformation; is provided in this interdisciplinary module. This is used to contextualise recurring debates regarding identity cards as well as asylum and transnational crime.

Social Issues and Social Justice

The location of 'crime' as an interactable social problem, and the importance of real or substantive justice, are focused on clearly in the module, which is employed to underpin the comparative interdisciplinary approach characteristic of Criminology. Jast as crime is a social issue so too is criminal justice bound inextricably to conceptions of social justice and this module provides the neccessary basis for any debate about crime.

Level Two

Applying Criminology

This module is not just about theory but instead provides a more intricate examination of the ways in which crime has been explained and the direct impact such explanations of its causes have on the Criminal Justice system. It draws history into the present and looks at the recurring and comparative patterns whereby accounts of criminality are constructed in practice, with very real consequences for offenders, victims and the public alike.

Criminal Justice

The idea and practice of a Criminal Justice System is examined and challenged within this module, as is the argument that any such system may be part of the problem and not a simple solution. To this end students are required to put forward their own evaluation of any one of a number of significant 'reforms' of Criminal Justice policy.

Policing Studies

In this module, the comparative and historical dimensions of Criminology are illuminated and students organise their own collective conference on an agreed theme involving 'policing', which further underlines the complexities of social controls outlined at Level One.

Law, Order & Politics

The way in which the 'crime problem' has become something of a political football in the last 30 years is addressed specifically in this module, which also highlights the political importance of the power to criminalise certain forms of misconduct rather than others.

Criminology in the Professions

This is a vocationally oriented module where students reflect upon the relevance of criminological knowledge and skills in a variety of employment settings. This is supported by close engagement with a variety of criminal justice and allied practitioners working in the field. Students have the choice to study areas of specific interest to them.

Ideology into Practice

Students explore further their area of specific interest in this module, for example the way in which ideas are generated and how such ideas are converted into practical mechanisms or policies designed to address a range of social problems, including crime.

Diversity, Difference and Exclusion 

This module studies the real processes of exclusion faced by criminals and the sensitive issue of how to maintain respect for diversity and difference in the face of an all out 'war on crime'. 

Model United Nations

Students may choose to examine how real and violent conflicts are addressed or resolved on the larger global stage through this highly interactive module. It also seeks to understand where the parallels between more local neighbourhood disputes over crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour become very apparent and richly productive for policy options and contemporary decision-making.

Comparative Politics and Policy

Students can elect to persue the comparative dimensions of criminal justice policy more generally through this module. The different forms of authority, so neccessary for the legitimacy of the power to criminalise and punish, are of special interest here and the comparative approach draws out the viability of alternative methods of crime prevention illustrated by an examination of various regimes and regime change.

Youth, Culture & Resistance

This module prompts a sociological enquiry into youth cultures, addressing issues of identity and meaning within the behaviour, consumption and lifestyles of young people. Reflecting upon contemporary narratives of youth as dangerous or out of control, the module aims to investigate the plurality of youth cultures and the diversity of young people’s cultural practices. Central to the module is the exploration of strategies of control, focusing on policy responses to 'deviant', 'vulnerable' or 'alienated' youth.

Level Three

Penology and Penal Policy

In this module, students examine the complex debates and justifications for punishment and examine contemporary penal policy. This involves the philosophy of punishment, the social explanation of changing forms of punishment and analysis of the variety, meaning and utility of 'new' initiatives aimed at crime and criminality.

Criminological Project: Challenging and Employing Criminological Theories

Students examine criminological theory in more detail, and use this as the basis for the culmination of their degree course through the completion of an independent project in an area of special interest.

Human Rights

This module analyses the central issue of human rights and its importance both to the politics of law and order and to the daily practice of national and international criminal justice. It examines how the advocacy of enhanced criminalisation is a recurring feature of any number of recent 'financial' and institutional scandals. It addresses the general ideas of Human Rights and focuses in particular on the critical reading of Human Rights as one single universal paradigm.

Harm Agency and Regulation 

This module investigates the variety of ways in which harmful activities are executed and regulated and evaluates the role of criminalisation within these forms of misconduct. In particular, the advocacy of enhanced criminalism is a recurring feature of any number of recent 'financial' and institutional scandals.

War Crimes and Genocide

This module offers students the opportunity to examine the justice and utility of criminalising misconduct on a much larger global scale, together with the ambiguities and moral dilemmas entailed in doing so. This module is constructed as an attempt to understand the 'anatomy' of war crimes and genocide – their origins, ideological basis, socio-political contexts, the techniques and technologies used - and whether there are precedented and unprecedented aspects to such phenomena.

Psychology, Crime and Criminology

This module provides students with a convenient focus on the relationship between Criminology and Psychology, how each approaches the problems of criminal or deviant conduct, and their distinctive contributions to criminal justice. A key aim is to analyse the extent to which psychology contributes/detracts from criminological projects.

Understanding the Policy Process 

Students can choose to examine policy formulation in more detail. How policy is formulated, implemented and practiced is a vital ingredient necessary both to explain and change criminal justice policy.

Analysing the Policy Process

This seeks to place what has been termed 'a frenzy of criminal justice policy', enacted by successive hyperactive governments, in a much broader context. Building upon Understanding the Policy Process this module requires students not only to continue to develop their knowledge of a range of perspectives on the policy process but, in addition, to use these to analyse a relevant case study to their degree course.

Community and Conflict 1 & 2

Students can opt to examine how conflict emerges and is resolved within communities in these modules. Models of conflict resolution inform any number of new and reinvented forms of crime prevention and this module offers invaluable insight into both theory and practice.

Body Politics

This examines a range of issues, from the role the body has played in punishment, through to human trafficking and the criminalisation of forms of sexuality. A key aim is to recognise the contested nature and critical disciplinary/cultural location of the 'body' and the significance of such understandings in everyday life as well as for social and political enquiry.

A substantial training in research methods and a thorough grounding in the wider issues of identity, citizenship and social justice is employed to underpin the comparative approach and this is supplemented by an appreciation of policing as dependent on a much broader web of social controls.

Criminology draws heavily from the social sciences to inform our analysis but also consider the reflective potential of considering historical presidents for contemporary events and issues.

Criminology at Lincoln combines aspects of both directed and independent learning. Each module is usually delivered by means of a weekly lecture and an associated weekly seminar. These seminars provide an opportunity for students to consider, discuss and argue about the issues raised in the lecture and engage in critical reflection on set readings relating to such issues.

Students will also have the opportunity to meet with their seminar tutors for individual tutorial sessions to explore in greater detail their own individual learning needs. As well as directed study, students will undertake independent learning utilising traditional library as well as a wide range of electronic resources.

The Level One module Applying Research aims to provide students with the requisite skills for effective independent learning and students can explore primary research activities here with the opportunity to conduct questionnaires and more in-depth qualitative interviews.

A distinctive feature of Criminology at Lincoln is the innovative way in which the degree is both taught and assessed involving:

• Student-centred work
• Group-based and individual research projects and assessments
• Large/small scale and multimedia presentations
• Case studies
• Auto-critiques
• Self-appraisal
• Vocationally relevant 'live' projects
• Conferences.

The subject area is therefore well placed to make a significant contribution to the consolidation of important transferable skills, so valued by employers.

The Criminology degree is taught on the University’s main Brayford campus within five minutes walk of the city centre. The Brayford campus is a modern, purpose built campus set within the historic city of Lincoln.

Criminology is thus taught within specialist modern buildings offering a wide variety of lecture theatres and seminar rooms ideal for both large scale lectures and small scale seminars and group work activities.

The campus is set alongside the student village and also very close to the extensive private purpose-built student accommodation. This setting makes getting to and from classes very easy for students but it is equally well set for access to local shops and facilities.

The Single Honours course is relatively unique, offering a dedicated, integrated and distinct curriculum. It is organised and taught by a team of nine Criminologists with extensive qualifications and experience.

One of these Criminology tutors will be assigned to each Single Honours criminology student as their personal academic tutor to assist in their studies as they progress through each level of their degree. Students on other joint awards are usually assigned a personal academic tutor from their other Joint Honours subject area.

If students are looking for a course that provides the foundation for considering some of the most contentious issues in contemporary society, this is the right course.

It also is if students consider the challenging issues which Criminology addresses not merely interesting but worthy of understanding as more complex issues than are 'popularly' though. It is if students wish to take that understanding into the wider world.

This is a subject area that has generated a whole industry of experts. If working in such areas is of high interest to them, then this course may be just the course that students have been looking for.

This degree provides an excellent foundation of knowledge and expertise within the subject of criminology.

Students will develop additional skills in IT, Research Methods and extensive presentational skills. They will also gain a high level of competence in a wide range of general and transferable skills, including time-management skills, team working skills, and problem solving and analytic skills.

The course places a strong emphasise upon not merely 'learning about' criminology, but also being able to apply that knowledge to real life issues and problems.

Graduates proceed to a range of jobs, training and further postgraduate study in diverse areas including the probation and prison services, health and social services, police authorities, youth work, lecturing, victim support and government departments. 

Graduates may choose to continue their studies at postgraduate level.

On the Criminology degree we really value a keen and critical interest in crime, crime control, policing and thus criminology. This may be symptomatic of what is a active and inquisitive mind.

Useful reading in preparation for Criminology includes:

• Carrabine, E. (et al) (2004) Criminology: A Sociological Introduction London: RKP
• McLaughlin, E. and Muncie, J. (eds.) (2001) Controlling Crime, Sage, London
• Muncie, J. and McLaughlin, E. (eds.) (2001) The Problem of Crime, Sage, London
• Pearson, G. (1983) Hooligan: A History of Respectable Fears, Macmillan, London.

Criminology is a very broad subject which trespasses into and borrows widely from other disciplinary areas. As such the only key subjects required are basic maths and English.

But the key skill is the willingness to enquire, think and reason and equally a preparedness to communicate ideas and arguments based upon informed reasoning.

Students are required to obtain 260 points on the UCAS tariff, to include two 6 unit awards and in addition must have three GCSEs at C or above, one to include English Language or equivalent.

2012 Entry	UK/EU	International
Full-time	£9000	£10499
Part-time	£75 per credit point	£88 per credit point
Placement (optional)	Exempt	Exempt
Assessment Only	£38 per credit point	£44 per credit point

 

2013 Entry	UK/EU	International
Full-time	£9000	£11130
Part-time	£75 per credit point	£93 per credit point
Placement (optional)	Exempt	Exempt
Assessment Only	£38 per credit point	£47 per credit point

For further information and funding your study please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding