Criminal Justice and Criminology - BA (Hons)

This is an archived course for 2021 entry
2023 courses

What causes crime rates to rise or fall, and who benefits? How can we deal with offenders? Can crime be prevented? Studying Criminal Justice and Criminology, you assess all areas of the criminal justice system, from prevention to sentencing, developing your own view of what works and what doesn’t.

Overview

The School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research is one of the best in the country for teaching and research. Our academics are internationally recognised for their expertise and challenge you to develop your own opinions and ideas, encouraging you to become an independent thinker. We offer high levels of support and our staff are friendly and accessible.

Our degree programme

In your first year, you take introductory modules on criminology and criminal justice, sociology and law that lay the foundation for your future studies.

In your second and final years, you build on this knowledge and can also choose from a wide range of modules that allow you to focus on areas of particular interest to you. Areas covered include: the history of the police, victims and crime, forensic psychology, young people and violence, and women and crime.

Year abroad

It is possible to spend a year or a term abroad at one of our partner institutions. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply. See the year abroad section on the Course structure tab for more details.

Year in professional practice

This degree also includes the option of spending a year in professional practice at the end of your second year. This is an excellent opportunity to put theory in to practice and develop contacts in your area of interest, while gaining the relevant work experience employers look for. Possible placements include:

  • the police
  • the probation service
  • customs and excise.

See the year in industry section on the Course structure tab for more details.

Professional links

The School also has excellent links with local outside agencies, such as the probation and youth justice services, the police and social services.

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Entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

  • medal-empty

    A level

    BBC

  • medal-empty GCSE

    Grade C or above in Mathematics

  • medal-empty Access to HE Diploma

    The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

    If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

  • medal-empty BTEC Nationals

    Distinction, Merit, Merit

  • medal-empty International Baccalaureate

    34 points overall or 14 points at HL

  • medal-empty International Foundation Programme

    Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average.

International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.

Course structure

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

Modules

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 currently include

Legal Process will introduce the institutions and procedures of the English legal system, and the principles and doctrines on which it is based. Through consideration of the constitutional framework underpinning the legal system, there will be critical discussion concerning the development and operation of the English legal system in its social, economic and political context. A careful consideration of the sources of law will provide the basis for a sound understanding of the common law, legislation, European law, civil procedure and criminal procedure. The nature, extent and effectiveness of access to legal remedies in this country will be considered and students will be given the opportunity to develop certain general and legal skills, particularly legal research skills.

Find out more about LAWS3121

The purpose of Reading Law is to prepare non-law students for the study of criminal law, which may follow this module. The main sources of law will be carefully examined to enable students to find, read, understand and cite statutes, statutory instruments and law reports. In addition, secondary resources including books and journals will be located and utilised. The fundamental concepts of judicial precedent and statutory interpretation will be considered, along with sources of law emanating from the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union

Find out more about LAWS3140

This module introduces students to the politics of social policy. Students will explore the role of politicians, pressure groups, the media and public opinion in shaping responses to social problems, and the party-political and ideological approaches to policy-making. Students will explore the tensions between welfare and the economy and the main tensions between individualism and collectivism in the political environment of the contemporary welfare state. Students will be introduced to the role of politics in social policy making to understand the different value positions political parties hold. Students will examine these issues through reference to different policy sectors, such as employment, social security, health, housing, and education.

Find out more about SAPO3120

This module introduces debates about the nature of social research methods principally in sociology, criminology, social history and psychology, with reference to social policy, politics and other social sciences. It will introduce students to social research from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students will develop key study and research skills for research methods module in Stage 2 and the dissertation in Stage 3.

Find out more about SAPO3130

This introductory course in criminology and criminal justice will introduce students to the ways in which images and notions of crime are constructed and represented, including the links between crime and the key social divisions of age, gender and ethnicity. They will be introduced to the workings of the criminal justice system and its key agencies. Students would cover the measurement of crime, media representations of crime, the aims and justifications of punishment and the structure and operation of the criminal justice.

Find out more about SOCI3290

This module introduces students to the history of Britain in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, through an exploration of changes and continuities across three themes:- the political world; the economy, and social life. The political world theme engages with the creation of a mass democracy in 1918, the varying fortunes of the political parties and Britain's changing place in the world. The economy theme explores the impact of depressions and recoveries, industrial relations, affluence and globalization. The social life theme draws out the human scale of such experiences, looking at changing social conditions, the experience of war and shifting social attitudes to gender, sexuality and religion. Students will consider the range of primary sources that historians use to analyse past events and processes, building skills in documentary analysis.

Find out more about SOCI3430

This module follows on from Foundations in Social and Criminological Research 1 in developing students' skills in research and critical thinking. The emphasis in this module is on quantitative methods: evaluating the use of quantitative research in 'real life’ contexts, and developing skills in analysing quantitative data. Students will explore descriptive statistics, the evaluation of research designs and learn how to use SPSS to handle quantitative data.

Find out more about SOCI3440

The module will discuss classical and contemporary sociological perspectives (including Marxism, Weberianism, feminism and Bourdieusian), examining how they address key sociological debates, such as modernity, social order, conflict, agency and power. The module will also discuss key sociological concepts (such as class, gender and 'race'), explaining how they are used to understand social practices and structures in everyday life.

Find out more about SOCI3450

Stage 2

Compulsory modules currently include

This module is concerned with contemporary issues, developments, practices and research in criminal justice. In line with current policy developments it will address the connections between criminal justice policies and other policy developments and critically examine 'new' policy initiatives including such measures as community crime prevention; developments to involve and protect the victims of crime; moves towards broader conceptualisations of justice, including reconceptualisations of crime as social harm. The module examines contemporary policy developments in sentencing, hate crime, racism in criminal justice practices, amongst other issues.

Find out more about SOCI5490

This module introduces students to the use of qualitative methods for research in the social sciences in the interpretive tradition. It builds on the Stage 1 module, Foundations of Social and Criminological Research SAPO3130 and prepares students for sociological and socio-historical dissertations at Stage 3 SOCI5510. The module looks in detail at how sociologists and social historians do research. It contextualises the evolution of their research methods in relation to different schools of thoughts and critical perspectives, e.g. feminism. It exposes students to different tools of research including semi-structured and oral history interviews, focus groups, archival work and documentary analysis, ethnography, and visual, sensory, mobile and material methods.

Find out more about SOCI6470

Optional modules may include

This module concerns the application of psychological theory and research to issues in criminal justice. We will consider psychological research and application in areas such as offender profiling and investigative psychology, detecting deception, confessions and false confessions, jury decision making, and eyewitness testimony. Recent psychological findings will be emphasised. Students will be encouraged to take a critical approach to assessing the validity of theories and applications. Students should gain an understanding of the potential and limitations of psychology's contributions to criminal justice.

Find out more about PSYC6270

This module addresses many of the issues that have shaped the modern practice of policing in recent times. It traces the way in which landmark events have served to mould and shape the daily practice of policing, and the implications that these have for police discretion. The module encourages students to think critically about these issues and to analyse the repercussions that their legacies have had for the routine, everyday social world of police officers and the communities that they serve. Topics include: police-race relations; stop-and-search practice; police cultures; corruption allegations; policing of riots and public disorder; policing of gendered and sexual violence; the rise of police privatisation and vigilantism and the development of performance based cultures.

Find out more about SAPO5570

This module will introduce students to the utility of criminal psychology within the criminal justice context. It will introduce students to various topics such as the history of criminal psychology, how the field has been shaped, theories, the emergence, persistence and desistence of offending. The module will help students develop an understanding of criminal psychology and its importance in criminal justice contexts from different perspectives.

Find out more about SOCI5480

This module aims to provide a broad introduction to social ethics. It will give students moral frameworks with which to address contemporary issues affecting social and professional practices and relationships. The module explores how everyday encounters and practices have ethical dimensions, which are often neglected in sociological accounts. A range of topics will be examined, including euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, prostitution, cannibalism, lying, charity and fair wage. It will draw upon several ethical perspectives, such as utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, feminist ethics and theories of justice, to understand these topics.

Find out more about SOCI5560

The module examines the global issues and processes confronting contemporary society and the social changes they engender and the interconnectedness of globalisation. It will analyse the social changes in society faced with globalisation.

Topics will include

• Environmental issues: pollution, over-population of some areas

• Critical analysis of the issues of social change and globalisation

• Evaluation of growing interconnectedness: culture, music, military and communication media

• Globalisation, feminisation of workforce, North/South divide with analysis of social changes

Find out more about SOCI6130

This module will cover key criminal justice agencies, contestability, and privatisation; the contested purposes of prisons; offending behaviour programmes in prison and probation; 'alternative' models of offender rehabilitation such as democratic and hierarchical therapeutic penal regimes and the ‘good lives’ model; practice skills in working with offenders; parole, risk, and resettlement; and desistance from crime.

Find out more about SOCI6190

This module will cover: The history of youth crime and youth justice; the age of criminal responsibility; theoretical debates surrounding youth crime; the media construction of youth crime; the politics of youth crime; the structures and technologies of the youth justice system; restorative youth justice; and the relationship between the youth justice system and other branches of social policy.

Find out more about SOCI6500

This module will provide an overview of drug-related offending and the rehabilitation of offenders in the context of wider society. There will be a critical exploration of the relationship between drugs and crime and the effectiveness of treatment in the context of reducing criminality. It will review the laws relating to drug offences and look in detail at the development of government policy linking the criminal justice agenda with treatment. The module will also consider international approaches to the drug-crime link, and address the importance of gender and ethnicity in relation to drug offences.

Find out more about SOCI6540

This module explores the nature of the public sphere in Britain, how groups and individuals from all social classes engage with the state, non-governmental actors/agencies and party politics. Students will examine topics including the role of the state and NGOs, citizenship, social capital, devolution and the 'new localism' and the internet and politics. The major schools of thought that theoretically represent the interrelationships between politics, social structures, ideologies and culture will be explored throughout the module. Indicative topics of study include:

1. Introduction to the British political system and structure

2. The state

3. Non-state actors and agents

4. Civil society

5. Social capital

6. Citizenship

7. Devolution and the 'new localism'

8. Web 2.0, the media and the British public sphere

9. The Big Society

Find out more about SOCI7140

This module, Young People and Violence, approaches the study of interpersonal violent crime as it relates to young people. It will explore violence experienced in everyday life paying particular interest to the social context in which it can occur; for example urban spaces, schools, familial setting and 'gang, gun and knife culture'. The concern with youth, crime and violence is critically appraised in the context of shifting political focus on disaffected young people. It will seek to understand violence within the context of youth in late modernity. One of the primary objectives of this module will be to engage students in analytical debates on crime and violence as experienced by young people as perpetrators and victims. It will examine and apply criminological theory to youth violence exploring the connection between crime and violence through the intersection of race, gender, ethnicity and class. In particular, the module will investigate the link between structure and agency. In this module, students will have the opportunity to review the impact of changing political and criminal justice responses to the youth crime problem. The module will have a national, as well as international focus.

Find out more about SOCI7510

For much of its history criminology has been concerned with the offender and the victim was largely absent from criminological discourse, research and the criminal justice process. It was not until the early 20th century that criminologists [re] discovered the victim and began to consider the role they played in the commission of crime. From these initial investigations, the victim became the central focus of academic scholarship from which the discipline 'victimology' emerged. The victim is no longer considered to be ‘a bit part player’ in understanding crime. They are deemed to be central to crime detection and the prosecution of criminal acts. This module charts the birth and growth of victimology and considers some of its major theoretical concepts. It will explore the nature and extent of criminal victimisation in society and critically examine it from a number of different perspectives. The module will also examine the changing role of the victim within the criminal justice system.

Find out more about SOCI7540

This module encourages students to take an international view of social policy, beyond the nation state, and to develop understanding of the global links and comparisons that can be used to consider welfare in this way.

Introductory lectures and seminars will present the challenges and risks facing contemporary welfare regimes, including neoliberalism, globalisation and financial uncertainty, and the notion of mixed economies of welfare. Another block of learning will provide accounts of comparative approaches to welfare and explore histories and contemporary dynamics of welfare in the US and in mainland Europe. Finally, a series of welfare topics on migration, care, work and citizenship will be introduced in order to explore issues and policy responses within a global framework.

Find out more about SOCI7570

The module offers a broad overview of the changing socialities and conflicts in cities, from medieval to post-modern, alighting on a number of key arenas of social conflict and contestation. The module focuses primarily on the everyday life of Western cities, simultaneously noting the limitations of urban theories evolved in the metropolitan centres of the urban West.

The first half of the teaching presents broad theories of urban change, focusing on economic, cultural and political change in cities since the mid-20th century. Consumption is a particular focus. The second half of the teaching sessions focuses on particular groups in cities, including young people, ethnic minorities, homeless people and those with disabilities.

Find out more about SOCI7590

Year in industry

The placement year is taken between Stage 2 and 3 and is an opportunity to apply your criminological learning in practice.  You will learn about the pragmatic contexts in which state, private or voluntary sector providers of justice operate and also develop your knowledge about employment opportunities in these areas.  Not only will a placement year help you to gain work experience and contacts, it will also encourage you to look at your studies in a new light. 

The option of a placement year is open to students on the Criminal Justice and Criminology degree programme who have attained a good academic record at Stages 1 and 2, and have successfully completed an interview process.

Read one student's experience of the placement year.

Year abroad

Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally.  You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.

You can apply to add a year abroad to your degree programme from your arrival at Kent until the autumn term of your second year.  The year abroad takes place between Stages 2 and 3 at one of our partner universities.  Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme.  For a full list, please see Go Abroad.

You are expected to adhere to any academic progression requirements in Stages 1 and 2 to proceed to the year abroad.  The year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification.

Stage 3

Optional modules may include

This module concerns the application of psychological theory and research to issues in criminal justice. We will consider psychological research and application in areas such as offender profiling and investigative psychology, detecting deception, confessions and false confessions, jury decision making, and eyewitness testimony. Recent psychological findings will be emphasised. Students will be encouraged to take a critical approach to assessing the validity of theories and applications. Students should gain an understanding of the potential and limitations of psychology's contributions to criminal justice.

Find out more about PSYC6270

This module addresses many of the issues that have shaped the modern practice of policing in recent times. It traces the way in which landmark events have served to mould and shape the daily practice of policing, and the implications that these have for police discretion. The module encourages students to think critically about these issues and to analyse the repercussions that their legacies have had for the routine, everyday social world of police officers and the communities that they serve. Topics include: police-race relations; stop-and-search practice; police cultures; corruption allegations; policing of riots and public disorder; policing of gendered and sexual violence; the rise of police privatisation and vigilantism and the development of performance based cultures.

Find out more about SAPO5570

This module will introduce students to the utility of criminal psychology within the criminal justice context. It will introduce students to various topics such as the history of criminal psychology, how the field has been shaped, theories, the emergence, persistence and desistence of offending. The module will help students develop an understanding of criminal psychology and its importance in criminal justice contexts from different perspectives.

Find out more about SOCI5480

The aim of the Dissertation is to enable students to undertake independent research. In the course of their projects, students will deepen their critical understanding of research design and the application of specific techniques, and will further develop theoretical and practical understandings of the approaches of the relevant discipline.

Find out more about SOCI5510

This module aims to provide a broad introduction to social ethics. It will give students moral frameworks with which to address contemporary issues affecting social and professional practices and relationships. The module explores how everyday encounters and practices have ethical dimensions, which are often neglected in sociological accounts. A range of topics will be examined, including euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, prostitution, cannibalism, lying, charity and fair wage. It will draw upon several ethical perspectives, such as utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, feminist ethics and theories of justice, to understand these topics.

Find out more about SOCI5560

This module builds on previous sociological and criminological learning. It aims to enhance students' understanding of the 'third sector' and the criminal justice system, and how they operate in practice. It is designed to give students experience of working in the third sector and in the criminal justice system.

Students will undertake work as a volunteer with an organisation that works within the fields of social justice, the third sector or in the criminal justice system, as agreed by the module convenor (assistance is available to identify appropriate volunteering opportunities). Students will complete 100 hours of volunteering for this module by the end of the Spring term.

In addition to their volunteering, students attend lectures and seminars that cover topics such as: the history and development of voluntary action in the 'third sector' and in English criminal justice system; the relationship between volunteers and professionals in 'third sector' and in the criminal justice system; the management, organisation and funding of the principal criminal justice agencies in the public sector; the management and organisation of voluntary/third sector organisations, and the application of sociological and criminological theory to practice.

Find out more about SOCI6013

This module will cover key criminal justice agencies, contestability, and privatisation; the contested purposes of prisons; offending behaviour programmes in prison and probation; 'alternative' models of offender rehabilitation such as democratic and hierarchical therapeutic penal regimes and the ‘good lives’ model; practice skills in working with offenders; parole, risk, and resettlement; and desistance from crime.

Find out more about SOCI6190

This module will cover: The history of youth crime and youth justice; the age of criminal responsibility; theoretical debates surrounding youth crime; the media construction of youth crime; the politics of youth crime; the structures and technologies of the youth justice system; restorative youth justice; and the relationship between the youth justice system and other branches of social policy.

Find out more about SOCI6500

This module will provide an overview of drug-related offending and the rehabilitation of offenders in the context of wider society. There will be a critical exploration of the relationship between drugs and crime and the effectiveness of treatment in the context of reducing criminality. It will review the laws relating to drug offences and look in detail at the development of government policy linking the criminal justice agenda with treatment. The module will also consider international approaches to the drug-crime link, and address the importance of gender and ethnicity in relation to drug offences.

Find out more about SOCI6540

This module traces the way in which criminal justice and criminal justice policy have become increasingly politicised in recent years. It utilises topics such as terrorism, dangerous offenders, penology and capital punishment to highlight the interaction between popular opinion, research, policy formation and the criminalisation of particular groups within society. The module will analyse the manner in which crime has become such an important issue on the political agenda, as well as examining the important role that pressure groups (such as NACRO and the Howard League for Penal Reform) have played in mediating political rhetoric and policy.

Find out more about SOCI6870

This module explores the nature of the public sphere in Britain, how groups and individuals from all social classes engage with the state, non-governmental actors/agencies and party politics. Students will examine topics including the role of the state and NGOs, citizenship, social capital, devolution and the 'new localism' and the internet and politics. The major schools of thought that theoretically represent the interrelationships between politics, social structures, ideologies and culture will be explored throughout the module. Indicative topics of study include:

1. Introduction to the British political system and structure

2. The state

3. Non-state actors and agents

4. Civil society

5. Social capital

6. Citizenship

7. Devolution and the 'new localism'

8. Web 2.0, the media and the British public sphere

9. The Big Society

Find out more about SOCI7140

This module, Young People and Violence, approaches the study of interpersonal violent crime as it relates to young people. It will explore violence experienced in everyday life paying particular interest to the social context in which it can occur; for example urban spaces, schools, familial setting and 'gang, gun and knife culture'. The concern with youth, crime and violence is critically appraised in the context of shifting political focus on disaffected young people. It will seek to understand violence within the context of youth in late modernity. One of the primary objectives of this module will be to engage students in analytical debates on crime and violence as experienced by young people as perpetrators and victims. It will examine and apply criminological theory to youth violence exploring the connection between crime and violence through the intersection of race, gender, ethnicity and class. In particular, the module will investigate the link between structure and agency. In this module, students will have the opportunity to review the impact of changing political and criminal justice responses to the youth crime problem. The module will have a national, as well as international focus.

Find out more about SOCI7510

For much of its history criminology has been concerned with the offender and the victim was largely absent from criminological discourse, research and the criminal justice process. It was not until the early 20th century that criminologists [re] discovered the victim and began to consider the role they played in the commission of crime. From these initial investigations, the victim became the central focus of academic scholarship from which the discipline 'victimology' emerged. The victim is no longer considered to be ‘a bit part player’ in understanding crime. They are deemed to be central to crime detection and the prosecution of criminal acts. This module charts the birth and growth of victimology and considers some of its major theoretical concepts. It will explore the nature and extent of criminal victimisation in society and critically examine it from a number of different perspectives. The module will also examine the changing role of the victim within the criminal justice system.

Find out more about SOCI7540

This module encourages students to take an international view of social policy, beyond the nation state, and to develop understanding of the global links and comparisons that can be used to consider welfare in this way.

Introductory lectures and seminars will present the challenges and risks facing contemporary welfare regimes, including neoliberalism, globalisation and financial uncertainty, and the notion of mixed economies of welfare. Another block of learning will provide accounts of comparative approaches to welfare and explore histories and contemporary dynamics of welfare in the US and in mainland Europe. Finally, a series of welfare topics on migration, care, work and citizenship will be introduced in order to explore issues and policy responses within a global framework.

Find out more about SOCI7570

The module offers a broad overview of the changing socialities and conflicts in cities, from medieval to post-modern, alighting on a number of key arenas of social conflict and contestation. The module focuses primarily on the everyday life of Western cities, simultaneously noting the limitations of urban theories evolved in the metropolitan centres of the urban West.

The first half of the teaching presents broad theories of urban change, focusing on economic, cultural and political change in cities since the mid-20th century. Consumption is a particular focus. The second half of the teaching sessions focuses on particular groups in cities, including young people, ethnic minorities, homeless people and those with disabilities.

Find out more about SOCI7590

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

  • Home full-time £9,250
  • EU full-time £12,600
  • International full-time £16,800
  • Home part-time £4,625
  • EU part-time £6,300
  • International part-time £8,400

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Fees for Year in Industry

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Fees for Year Abroad

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status. 

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Search scholarships

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

Teaching and assessment

We use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, case-study analysis, group projects and presentations and individual and group tutorials. Study groups are normally no more than 15-20 students and give you the opportunity to discuss a topic in detail.

Modules are usually assessed by a combination of coursework and written examinations. Some modules take the form of an extended dissertation or essay. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree result.

If you choose to take the placement year, you will have the opportunity to spend 900 hours in a relevant professional setting, approved in advance to be suitable for your respective degree. Although you are responsible for obtaining your own placement, guidance will be offered in the form of tutorial support and access to networks of providers developed and maintained by the School. You will be visited once (where possible) during your placement, to ensure that the placement activities are suitable and achieving the programme learning outcomes. Assessment is on a pass or fail basis and the marks gained do not contribute to the final degree classification.

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

The programme aims to:

  • produce graduates with analytical and knowledge-based skills relevant to employment in the criminal justice professions, public service and the private sector
  • produce students who have acquired an in-depth understanding of the complexities of the way the criminal justice system operates and develops
  • ensure that students acquire a solid understanding of methodologies for the study of social science in general
  • develop new areas of teaching in response to needs of the community
  • provide learning opportunities that are enjoyable, informed by a research environment and which offer appropriate support for students from a diverse range of backgrounds
  • promote an understanding of contemporary social issues and of the impact of diversity and inequality on local and national communities
  • provide an understanding of the social processes that influence the relationship between individuals, groups and institutions
  • understand the emergence of social problems (including crime) and the responses of welfare and criminal justice institutions, including analysis of the theoretical, political and economic underpinnings of these responses
  • help students to link theoretical knowledge with empirical enquiry and to identify and understand different ideological positions
  • allow all students to develop the analytical and research skills necessary to understand and use social science knowledge effectively
  • give students the opportunities to develop and practice a range of transferable or key skills that will be of use in future work and employment
  • 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 high-quality teaching by experienced and qualified staff in a pleasant environment.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • the principal concepts and theoretical approaches in criminology
  • the social processes that shape contemporary society and the relationships between groups
  • the key international policy developments around human rights
  • the origins and development of UK criminal justice policy institutions
  • the principles that underlie criminal justice policy, how they have changed over time and how they relate to the workings of particular agencies of welfare and crime control
  • contemporary issues and debates in specific areas of criminal justice
  • the main sources of data about crime and social welfare and a grasp of the research methods used to collect and analyse data
  • patterns of social diversity and inequality and their origins and consequences
  • interdisciplinary approaches to issues in criminal justice and the ability to use ideas from other social sciences
  • the competing theories of punishment and social control
  • crime prevention issues and practices
  • the English legal system and its practices.

Intellectual skills

You develop the following intellectual skills:

  • problem-solving and the ability to seek solutions to criminal justice issues and other social problems and individual needs
  • research, including the ability to identify a research question and to collect and manipulate data to answer that question
  • evaluation and analysis, to assess the outcomes of criminal justice, crime prevention and social policy intervention on individuals and communities
  • sensitivity to the values and interests of others and to the dimensions of difference
  • interpretation of both research data and official statistics
  • identification and gathering of appropriate library and web-based resources, making judgements about their merits and using the available evidence to construct an argument to be presented orally or in writing.

Subject-specific skills

You gain the following subject-specific skills:

  • identification and use of theories and concepts in criminology to analyse issues of crime and criminal justice
  • analysing and providing a critique of specific criminal justice policies and practices to create new policies
  • seeking out and using statistical data relevant to issues of crime and criminal justice
  • seeking out and using statistical data relevant to social issues
  • 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
  • understanding the socio-legal context in which the criminal justice system and other agencies operate

Transferable skills

You gain the following transferable skills:

  • communication: communicating ideas and arguments to others, both in written and spoken form for both specialist and non-specialist audiences making short presentations to fellow students and staff; preparing essays and referencing the material quoted according to conventions in social policy
  • numeracy: analysing and utilising basic statistical data drawn from research and official sources at a rudimentary level
  • information technology: using IT to wordprocess, conduct online searches, communicate by email and access data sources
  • working with others: developing interpersonal and teamworking skills to enable you to work collaboratively, negotiate, listen and deliver results
  • improving own learning: exploring own strengths and weaknesses; having an appetite for learning and being reflective, adaptive and collaborative in your approach; studying and learning independently, using library and internet sources; developing skills in time management by delivering academic work on time and to the required standard
  • problem-solving: developing the ability to identify and define problems, exploring alternative solutions and discriminating between them.

Careers

Graduate destinations

The variety of careers related to crime control have increased in recent years, with traditional justice agencies joined by companies in the voluntary and private sectors. Recent graduates have gone on to work in areas such as:

  • crime prevention
  • the probation service
  • the prison service
  • courts
  • the police
  • social services departments
  • drug and alcohol services.

Some of our graduates choose to go on to postgraduate study, including training to become a lawyer.

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.

Career-enhancing skills

You graduate with subject-specific knowledge that is essential if you plan to work in the broad area of criminal justice. 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.

If you choose to take the placement year, you will gain invaluable workplace skills and experience, which will help you to stand out when you graduate.

Taking the year abroad option gives you the opportunity to further increase your portfolio of skills by gaining experience of living and studying in a different culture. You will learn to appreciate and assess different approaches to criminal justice and criminal policy giving you a uniquely global perspective.

Professional recognition

Criminal Justice and Criminology has been recognised by Skills for Justice, the skills and standard-setting body for the justice sector, as providing education of outstanding quality and relevance.

Apply for Criminal Justice and Criminology - BA (Hons)

This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.

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United Kingdom/EU enquiries

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T: +44 (0)1227 768896

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International student enquiries

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T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk

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