BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice with Foundation Year

Media, Culture and Society examines the relationship between the legacy media, social media, and their power to influence public perceptions, individual agency and political actions. The following are some of the issues explored throughout the module. Who controls the media and to what extent is it independent? Whose interests does the media represent? How do the media portray different social groups? Does the mainstream and social media manufacture fear and influence criminal and deviant behaviour? Should government regulate social media, and would legislation disempower rather than empower its users? Is the publishing of fake news undemocratic? What is the relationship between the media, political power and capitalism? The aim of the Media, Culture and Society module is for students to think critically about how the media influences social relationships, how individuals understand their social worlds, and how digital tools can be appropriated to influence positive social change.

This extended induction module supports your transition into university, introducing you to your chosen discipline. You build confidence, develop your academic identity, and understand the expectations of university study. Through the theme GLOCAL you explore how global trends and events unfold in the West Midlands and make links across subject areas. You practice independent learning, digital literacy, and ethical academic conduct in line with university policy as well as reflecting on inclusive practice. The module is structured around themes identified by students as essential to their university experience: Ready to Study: Clear guidance on expectations, transitions, and workload planning. Academic Skills and Educational Gain: Development of time management, critical thinking, and digital fluency. Career Readiness and Professional Identity: Early exploration of career pathways, CV building, and professional behaviours. Personal Development and Belonging: Activities that foster confidence, inclusion, and identity within the university community. Social Engagement and Community Building: Opportunities to connect with peers, staff, and wider university life. Feedback and Reflective Practice: Structured opportunities to receive, apply, and reflect on feedback to support growth. Wellbeing and Student Support: Embedded access to holistic support services and strategies for success. This lays the foundation for the Level 5 Professional Development / placement experiences.

This module will introduce you step by step to the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales, from the point of arrest through to sentencing. We start with the role of the police, and then progress through to legal representation and bail, the Crown Prosecution Service, through to the Magistrates and Crown Courts, and sentencing. As part of that, this module also introduces you to those who work within the CJS, and what it might be like to do this yourself. We will be meeting and talking to people who work or have worked within the CJS, and encouraging you to think about your future career throughout, directing you to volunteering opportunities and the careers service. We also offer a field trip to Wolverhampton Combined Court (please see under 'Announcements here on Canvas'), where you can receive a guided tour, ask questions, and often are able to watch a live case.

This module is about developing your lens and understanding of the rapidly changing world, refining your specialism as a professional or /practitioner and improving your professional facing profile. The module is delivered across specific course groupings that capture the academic standards, core values and employment opportunities of your subject area. This module draws on the well-evidenced benefits of community-facing service learning to the local community, the local economy and you, the student. In this way it supports the University’s Graduate Attributes, providing opportunities to enrich your learning and develop skills for the workplace through engagement in real-world activities. Therefore, across this module you will undertake at least one externally facing activity. That might include live or simulation briefs, placements, virtual placements, community events, or a Collaborative Online International Learning project (COIL) in order to build your graduate attainment, consolidate your subject interest and support your career aspirations. 

The module will focus on developments in punishment within the UK from 1853 to the present day. It will explore the types of punishments employed in the UK throughout the period as well as the social and intellectual forces that have had a seminal impact on the development of punishments and sentencing during that period. It will also consider how, over time, the role of the victim in sentencing has altered, as well as the wider social, historical, economic and cultural factors which various criminological theorists argue have driven these changes. It will provide you with the opportunity to learn about, debate and critically discuss the fundamental changes in punishment methods following the introduction of prison as a major form of punishment for serious offences which also paved the way for a more rehabilitative and reformative approach to punishment of both adults and juveniles. It will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context as to both how and why we have the current system of punishing offenders and also ask you to consider the degree to which such a system is effective in its means of punishment.

Delve into the dark underbelly of environmental crime in this compelling module designed for students passionate about conservation and justice. Environmental Crime. Unveiling the shadows of illegal trade exploring the intricate connections between the thriving black market that fuels these illicit activities and those driving them. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will uncover the alarming statistics and devastating impacts of these crimes on biodiversity and global ecosystems. Engaging with case studies that highlight the tactics of poachers targeting endangered species and examine how the illegal organ trade exploits vulnerable communities, compromising ethical standards and human rights. Analysing enforcement challenges, the role of organised crime syndicates, and the effectiveness of international legislation aimed at combating these threats. By the end of this module, students will not only be equipped with the knowledge to advocate for policy changes but will also develop critical thinking skills to propose innovative solutions for protecting our planet's invaluable resources.

The module looks at key issues affecting policing and crime prevention. This will include issues such as a critical analysis of policing models (such as community policing, Intelligence led policing and zero tolerance policing), cop culture and its effects/interactions with different groups (such as police stops), police accountability, representation of different groups within the police, and what works in crime prevention (situational, social and community crime prevention), privatisation (crime control as industry)

This module will provide you with the opportunity to identify gaps in theoretical knowledge and work-based policies and practices in an area of their choice, and conduct a piece of research to address those identified gaps. You can select from sociological, criminological and policy-based disciplines and produce an independent piece of work, which demonstrates the knowledge and skills acquired and developed throughout their degree programme of study. You will have the option of carrying out a piece of applied research, working in collaboration with a local public or VCFSE (Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise) organisation to benefit the work of that organisation. That might include: An evaluation of an event or project; A scoping exercise of local services addressing specific community; Co-design of online resources

This module will provide you with an applied understanding of research methods and their utility in the social sciences. You will learn about qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research and gain a critical understanding of how these methods can be used to produce rigorous academic research. You will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and develop and in-depth understanding of the various methodologies.

This module focuses on theoretical perspectives, practices, and the foundations of offender rehabilitation, desistance, and the process of change. It explores the precepts of rehabilitation of offenders, what works in offender management, and how the relevant theories and interventions inform these practices and the practitioners. The module appreciates that multi-agency working remains vital to the above processes and as such the enablers, barriers, and challenges around multi-agency work in rehabilitation are examined. It further incorporates consideration of the elements of diversity, inclusion, and discrimination in the rehabilitation context and how these affect the prospects of community reintegration The module also aims to integrate examination of the place and role of probation in the process of change due to its direct association with rehabilitation and desistance.

The module will allow you to gain an in-depth critical understanding of the way in which the youth justice system has developed. You will explore societal reactions to and perceptions of children and young people who commit crime. The types of crimes that young people commit will be considered, alongside a critical look at why young people become involved with the youth justice system. You will evaluate the best ways to prevent and address youth offending. There will be a wider consideration of the contexts within which youth crime occurs, and how victimisation, vulnerability and offending behaviour are often complex and overlapping.