Criminology - BA (Hons)

with Quantitative Research

Course structure

Duration: 3 years full-time (4 with a year abroad), 6 years part-time (7 with a year abroad)

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.   On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘elective’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.

Stage 1

Compulsory modules:

SO410 - An Introduction to Quantitative Social Research

SO341 - Critical Thinking

Optional modules:

SO305 - Introduction to Criminology

SO333 - Crime and Society

SO336 - Sociology of Everyday Life

SO337 - Fundamentals of Sociology

SA300 - Social Problems and Social Policy 1

SA301 - Health, Care and Well-being

SO334 - Modern Culture

SO335 - Contemporary Culture and Media

SP304 - Introduction to Psychology 1

SP305 - Introduction to Psychology 2

Stage 2

Compulsory modules:

SO744 - The Power and Limits of Causal Analysis

SO746 - How to Win Arguments with Numbers

CB554 - Introduction to Big Data

Optional modules:

SO505 - Sociology of Deviance

SO536 - Criminal Justice in Modern Britain

• Year in industry
• Year abroad

Teaching and assessment

In addition to learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, project supervision, and statistics classes, students can carry out hands-on research in the ‘field’ through placements and field trips. Most modules are assessed by examination and coursework in equal measure.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

• provide a pioneering educational opportunity within the UK context combined with student engagement in a range of disciplines, enabling students to progress into high-level careers and related postgraduate opportunities
• provide a broad knowledge and understanding of key concepts, debates and theoretical approaches in criminology which allow us to understand the social and personal context of all aspects of crime, victimisation and responses to crime
• develop new areas of teaching in response to needs of the community
• widen participation in higher education by offering various entry routes
• help students to link theoretical knowledge with empirical enquiry and to identify and understand different ideological positions
• develop problem-solving skills and an understanding of the nature and appropriate use of research methods used in social science research
• teach students key writing, research and communications skills
• give students the skills and abilities to enable them to become informed citizens, capable of participating in the policy process and equipped for a dynamic labour market
• provide students with the statistical and analytical tools to independently and successfully conduct advanced quantitative research
• help students make persuasive arguments using quantitative research, and to critically assess the arguments made by others in the course of social life
• help students link theoretical knowledge with empirical enquiry, so that they understand how to conduct and critique social research in the real world.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the origins and development of UK Criminal Justice Policy institutions
• the principal concepts and theoretical approaches in criminology
• the ways in which images of crime and notions of crime are constructed and represented
• the principles that underlie criminal justice, how they have changed over time and how they relate to the workings of particular agencies of crime control
• contemporary issues and debates in specific areas of criminology and criminal justice
• knowledge of the main sources of data about crime and a grasp of the research methods used to collect and analyse data
• understanding of interdisciplinary approaches to issues in criminology and the ability to use ideas from other social sciences
• understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of statistical techniques applied to the study of social issues
• cross-disciplinary understanding of advanced quantitative reasoning and application of these methods to the analysis of complex societal problems
• knowledge of how to abstract findings from the application of quantitative research methods to examine essential features of complex societal problems and provide a framework for assessment of contemporary institutional arrangements
• understanding of the value of comparative analysis across disciplines
• understanding and awareness of ethical implications of social sciences’ inquiry.

Intellectual skills

You develop the following intellectual skills:

• problem-solving skills and the ability to seek solutions to crime, criminal behaviour and other social problems and individual needs
• data collection and research skills: ability to apply research and inquiry techniques with critical awareness; ability to formulate research questions and hypotheses across a range of different disciplines; gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and primary sources
• evaluative and analytical skills: to assess the outcomes of criminal justice, crime prevention and social policy intervention on individuals and communities; ability to evaluate and critically assess quantitative evidence, both in its own right, and to assess how this evidence is used in the arguments of others; ability to synthesise relevant information across multiple forms of evidence and to integrate these within a single account
• sensitivity to the values and interests of others and to the dimensions of difference
• quantitative: the appropriate use of analytical methods – including advanced methods – in handling, analysing and presenting statistical data across relevant disciplines; ability to interpret both research data and official statistics.

Subject-specific skills

You gain the following subject-specific skills:

• identifying and using theories and concepts in criminology to analyse issues of crime and criminal justice
• handling and interpreting statistical data relevant to issues of crime and criminal justice
• undertaking an investigation of an empirical issue, either on your own or with other students
• understanding the nature and appropriate use, including the ethical implications, of diverse social research strategies and methods
• distinguishing between technical, normative, moral and political questions
• communicating quantitative empirical findings effectively across disciplines and audiences
• constructing criminological arguments using quantitative empirical evidence

Transferable skills

You gain the following transferable skills:

• studying and learning independently, using library and internet sources.
• having an appetite for learning and being reflective, adaptive and collaborative in your approach
• making short presentations to fellow students and staff
• communicating ideas and arguments to others, both in written and spoken form
• preparing essays and referencing the material quoted according to conventions in social policy
• using IT to word-process, conduct online searches, communicate by email and access data sources
• developing skills in time management by delivering academic work on time and to the required standard
• developing interpersonal and teamwork skills to enable you to work collaboratively, negotiate, listen and deliver results
• appropriately using analytical methods – including advanced methods – in handling, analysing and presenting statistical data in diverse real-world settings.

Careers

Graduate destinations

In an increasingly competitive job market, graduates with quantitative skills are in high demand by all employers from across the public, private and third sectors.

The variety of careers related to crime control has increased in recent years, with traditional justice agencies joined by companies in the voluntary and private sectors. Recently, our graduates have gone into:

• the police force
• criminal justice services
• social services
• the crown court.

Some graduates choose to go into more general areas such as banking and financial services, or on to further study.

Help finding a job

The School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research has its own employability team who work with businesses to maximise opportunities for our students. We also hold an Employability Month every February and run networking events throughout the year to help you develop your skills and contacts.

The University has a friendly Careers and Employability Service which can give you advice on how to:

• apply for jobs
• write a good CV
• perform well in interviews.

Work experience

There are opportunities to apply your newfound skills in quantitative analysis in professional settings through placements and applied research modules. We have links to placements across many sectors, including government (national and local), think tanks and charities, cultural organisations and the private sector. 

Career-enhancing skills

You graduate with subject-specific knowledge that is essential if you plan to work in the broad area of criminal justice. Alongside this knowledge, your advanced quantitative research skills, which give you the ability to understand, explain and critique data in diverse real-world settings, can set you apart from other graduates.

You also develop the key transferable skills graduate employers look for. These include:

• the ability to analyse problems
• excellent communication skills
• teamworking
• an understanding of, and sensitivity to, the values and interests of others.

You can also gain additional skills by signing up for our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a new language or volunteering.