This module provides students with an understanding of contemporary cybercrime, its implications and its sociological meanings. It examines how cybercrime functions, how it relates to wider criminological debates and theories, and how it raises challenges in our understanding of the nature of crime, criminality, crime control and policing. Students will become familiar with cutting edge research and theories in the field of cybercrime, and debates that are developing both within the UK and across the world. By focusing on the differing levels of both action and actors, this unit will provide a holistic and nuanced understanding of these vital contemporary challenges facing society. This module equips students with the necessary theoretical and practical tools and modes of social enquiry to make sense of an increasingly digital and networked world.
Total Contact Hours: 22
Private Study Hours: 128
Total study hours: 150
BA (Hons) Criminology and joint honours Criminology courses – optional module
Main assessment methods
Coursework - 3500 Word essay: 80%*
Coursework - Seminar participation: 20%
* This component is pass compulsory
Reassessment methods
100% coursework
Button, M., & Cross, C. (2017). Cyber Frauds, Scams and Their Victims. London/New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Martellozzo, E., & Jane, E. A. (Eds.). (2017). Cybercrime and Its Victims. London/New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Martin, J. (2014). Drugs on the dark net: How cryptomarkets are transforming the global trade in illicit drugs. Basingstoke, Palgrave MacMillan.
Yar, M. (2013). Cybercrime and society. Los Angeles, Sage.
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the relationship between contemporary cyber- and networked-enabled crime and the more traditional conception of crime and crime control.
2. Critically reflect on the challenges that the digital world poses to criminological understanding and modes of investigation.
3. Discuss issues of crime, control and crime prevention in the networked and digital world at an in-depth level.
4. Offer a critical analysis of the different roles public and private actors play in the management, security and enablement of cyber activity and practices.
5. Evaluate the consequences and implications that the global interconnectedness of cyber offending poses to individual nation states and other institutional bodies.
6. Critically evaluate and reflexively deploy sociological approaches to evaluate online behaviour.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate communication skills in presentation and debate, and in utilization of research and empirical data (including quantitative sources).
2. Synthesise the theoretical contributions of different disciplines of enquiry.
3. Gather appropriate library and web-based resources for undergraduate study; make critical judgments about their merits and use the available evidence to construct an argument.
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