BA (Hons) in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Do you have an enquiring mind? Are you interested in why people commit crimes or become victims of crime? If so, then this course could be for you. Discover the political, personal and social aspects of crime with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

The course goes that little bit further by including criminal justice and examining how offenders and victims are treated by the criminal justice system. The subject is developing rapidly as new areas of study open up for criminological investigation. You’ll explore issues concerning how crime is defined and managed in our society and will have the opportunity to specialise so that you can tailor your degree depending on the career path you are interested in e.g. policing, the prison service or social work.

The course addresses the widespread and growing interest in crime apparent throughout modern society and meets the ever-increasing demand from Government agencies and other employers, nationally and internationally, for graduates in Criminology and Criminal Justice. It offers specialist study strands for those wishing to pursue careers in policing, in the prison service, working with victims/survivors of interpersonal violence, working with young offenders, working with drug users and working with non-government organisations in conflict situations and with victims/survivors of trafficking.

The course attracts students with a personal interest in the subject matter who are often considering a career in the criminal justice system or organisations related to criminal justice and victim/survivor support. It offers a challenging and rigorous examination of the nature of how crime is perceived, defined and managed in modern society. You will develop a critical stance through a broad curriculum that forms an excellent exploration of this subject through a balanced mix of compulsory and optional modules which are taught by specialists in those areas.

Where Will The Course Take You?

Graduates follow careers in areas such as the police, the probation service, prisons and branches of the Home Office such as the Border Agency and the Criminal Justice Social Work. Students might also consider community development work, local government administration and adult guidance work with ex-offenders. Paid employment in the voluntary sector is an increasingly important area with positions in victim support and women’s refuges etc. Graduates have joined the UK Border Agency, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), local prisons, drug schemes, educational institutions and youth offending teams.

Lancashire Law School works to support you to achieve improved employment outcomes. Within each programme of study, there are embedded employability skills within a number of modules to enhance and promote employability skills and graduate attributes.

The School has developed employability and community links within the North West of England and the UK as a whole. This ensures that you have the opportunity to engage with employers, community groups, professionals and practitioners from ground-breaking organisations to develop their academic portfolio and pathway into the world of work. We provide the opportunity to meet, communicate and network with a wide range of professional associates, from multi-disciplinary settings, who can provide first-hand experience and knowledge of the key skills required to be successful in your career destination.

Employability and career development is fully supported throughout the programme and opportunities exist to learn a language through Worldwise to support the international dimension of the programme and international career opportunities. Opportunities also exist for national and international work placement through Lancashire Law School and the award-winning Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership.

The Study Abroad Exchange Programme provides you with the exciting opportunity to experience a whole new outlook on Criminology and Criminal Justice, by spending half or all of your second year at another University with a similar programme of study

Entry Requirements

Our typical offer is 104 - 112 UCAS Points. We operate a flexible admissions policy and treat everyone as an individual. This means that we will take into consideration your educational achievements and predicted grades (where applicable) together with your application as a whole, including work experience and personal statement.

General Studies accepted.

• BTEC Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit
• BTEC Diploma: Distinction* Distinction - Distinction* Distinction*
• Pass Access Course: with 106 - 112 UCAS Points
• International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 104 - 112 UCAS points from Higher Level Subjects
• IELTS: 6.0 with no score lower than 5.5
• GCSE: 5 at grade C/4 including Maths & English or equivalent

Course Overview

Year 1

Compulsory

• CJ1010 Crime and Justice in Society
• CJ1011 Morality and Criminal Justice
• CJ1012 Key Approaches in Criminology: Socio-Cultural Perspectives
• CJ1013 Criminal Justice in Action

Year 2

Compulsory

• CJ2030 Theory and Research Methods in Criminology

• CJ2031 Understanding Policing and Security

• CJ2032 Perspectives on Prisons and Society

• CJ2033 Youth Justice

Year 3

Compulsory

• CJ3003 Dissertation

• CJ3004 Diversities, Discrimination and Justice in the UK

Options: choose TWO

• CJ3001 Perspectives on Cybercrime

• CJ3002 Crimes of the Powerful

• CJ3005 Gendered Violence, Crime and Justice

• CJ3006 Trafficking in Vulnerable Persons

Working in Partnership

We have developed and nurtured working partnerships within numerous professional environments, such as the National Health Service, Lancashire Constabulary, Social-Enterprise Entrepreneurs, Armed Services, Criminal Justice System, multi-faith communities, non-government organisations, third sector providers, primary, secondary and further education, local councils, social services, the Probation Trust and equality and diversity practitioners.

Learning Environment and Assessment

Modules are delivered by various methods from traditional large group lectures to smaller more informal sessions with occasional use of audio-visual material to be analysed in small groups where appropriate. Lectures are supported by smaller seminar-workshop groups where students can discuss issues arising from the lecture programme. Students are required to undertake individual, and sometimes group, reading and preparation for seminars and workshops

Staff are all experts in their particular areas of academic study, active researchers and writers and contributors to national evaluations of research and to discussions and debates in the policy and public sphere.

You will benefit from student-led conferences and guest visit speakers from various sectors such as the Lancashire Constabulary, Armed Services, the Criminal Justice system, Social Services, Magistrate and Crown Court Services and the Cumbria & Lancashire Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC)

Assessment is by a variety of methods from essays and assignments to end-of-module tests. Overall there are more essays, assignments and projects than tests, with some modules using 100 per cent coursework.

CJAM

Final year undergraduate and postgraduate law students have the opportunity to get involved in our annual cJAM employability event. cJAM shakes-up the traditional career fair format and gives UCLan students face-to-face time with up to 30 successful industry professionals all of whom have come to the event with the offer of valuable work placement opportunities. The cJAM event format consists of four main components:

• Students hear from keynote industry speakers who share their personal career journey and how they got to where they are now.

• The industry Q&A session allows students to ask questions to gain further advice and insight.

• Informal networking opportunities during the breaks and lunch.

• The key element of cJAM is the giant speed pitching session. The students have eight minutes of one-to-one time to pitch to selected industry guests to try and win a placement. Students can choose to pitch an idea, their reasons for wanting a placement with that particular law firm or to showcase their enthusiasm, skills and talent. Immediately following the pitching session, placements are decided on and the event closes with all the winning students being presented with their placement awards.

Industry Links

The school has developed and nurtured working partnerships within numerous professional environments, such as Lancashire Constabulary, Cumbria & Lancashire Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC), The Crown Prosecution Service, Victim Support Lancashire, HM Prison Service, the National Health Service, Equality and Diversity Practitioners, Armed Services, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Third Sector Providers, Local Councils, Social Services, Primary, Secondary and Further Education, Social-Enterprise Entrepreneurs, and Multi-faith Communities. Examples also include people from Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation, Recycling Lives, the Youth Offending Team.

Opportunities on the Course

Graduates follow careers in areas such as the police, the probation service, prisons and branches of the Home Office such as the Border Agency and the Criminal Justice Social Work. Students might also consider community development work, local government administration and adult guidance work with ex-offenders. Paid employment in the voluntary sector is an increasingly important area with positions in victim support and women’s refuges etc.

Graduates have joined the UK Border Agency, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), local prisons, drug schemes, educational institutions and youth offending teams. Two-thirds of our students will follow career paths connected with their degree.

Some recent Criminology graduates have also gone on to study an MA by Research or further research degrees (MPhil/PhD ).

In 2018, there were four cJAM events and a total of 320 placements were awarded. All of which enabled our students to establish credible links in line with their career aspirations. To find out more about cJAM: Law, see the video and read the press release.