BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology with Foundation Year

The Sociological Imagination introduces students to the foundational principles and concepts of sociology. It explores the key distinction between 'common sense' and 'sociological sense' in relation to selected aspects of Contemporary British society.

To introduce students to how we think about crime and criminal justice. The module explores how popular and official knowledge about crime and victimisation are constructed. It goes on to locate these constructions within the context of contemporary British society.

This module will introduce students to the key elements of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in England and Wales. It highlights how the police, CPS, courts, jury and sentencing operate independently but also within a wider framework, thereby giving students vital introductory information that is required to explore the deeper workings of the system later within their degree. There is also opportunity to consider potential future careers within the CJS (through listening to guest speakers who work in the field, asking questions and reflecting upon their own possible aspirations within seminars) and work towards the Wolverhampton Enterprise and Employability Award Silver Level (WEEA). The assessment for this module also builds upon the employability theme of this module, as students take on the roles of different parts of the CJS and develop team work, debating and presentation skills.

This module will review the importance of advocacy in challenging disadvantage and in raising awareness of issues that impact on the health, wellbeing and efficacy of citizens locally, nationally and/ or globally. It will also focus on skills for the workplace, including working in a team and research skills. It will examine the importance of knowledge to a functioning society, including active citizen engagement, and how to access reliable information to support the campaign. It will examine the skills needed to work productively in a team and how to put them into practice. The module will review successful awareness raising campaigns, leading to the development and implementation of a campaign or event.

The module examines the notion of rights, with particular reference to the rights enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1998. The legal issues arising from claims that human rights have been infringed are examined in the context of case law. This in turn illustrates the relevant legal principles that are applied and remedies available for infringement.

This module examines the relationship between the media, culture and society by questioning the role of media and culture, and its centrality to social life in the 21st century. Who controls the media? What messages does the media send about social groups – particularly disadvantaged ones? What role does the media have in manufacturing deviance? Is independent media really independent and can it challenge the mainstream media? Does social media have too much power? What is ‘Fake News’? Through these questions, and others, this module will examine the relationship between the media, culture, capitalism, political power and society.

The module aims to provide students with a comprehensive introduction to victimology, an important and increasingly relevant subject within the discipline of Criminology. The module will provide students with an overview of the development of victimology and its history, theoretical perspectives in victimology, the measurement of victimisation, victims in the media, the nature and impact of the victim experience including that of the criminal justice process, and the development of support services and victim policy. The module will consider key issues and debates within victimology and in relation to victims of particular types of crimes.

This module will explore a selection of twentieth and twenty first century theoretical perspectives.& nbsp; In this way, it builds on the work of the classical theorists considered in the compulsory level 4 module, 4SL007.& nbsp; In order to impart some continuity and coherence into the subject matter, attention will be paid to the emphasis of the theorists on structure and agency in society.& nbsp; Rather than treating the subject matter as an abstract body of knowledge, the module will seek to emphasize and the students will be assessed in how social theory can explain contemporary societies.

This module will introduce students to both qualitative and quantitative research methods in the social sciences. The distinction can be over-stated given as many research projects now use mixed methods, but a difference does exist and it is necessary to unpack it for heuristic purposes. The module will proceed through first outlining the background and key aspects of the qualitative and quantitative traditions, before providing case examples of field work using particular research techniques (surveys, semi structured interviews) within the two broad approaches.

Provides students with sociological perspectives and theories that help to explain gendered differences, gender identities,sexualities and inequalities. Provides knowledge of the processes of gender divisions and differences. Examines the contexts in which gender divisions and inequalities continue, e.g. Education, work and the media.

This module offers the study of the main crimes against the person. It will cover the components of a crime including mens rea and actus reus, along with issues of causation and omissions liability. The module will cover the crimes of murder, manslaughter and non- fatal offences such as assault, battery, actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. It will then investigate how crimes may be proven by establishing all elements of the offence in the absence of a valid defence. Defences covered include the murder specific defences of loss of control and diminished responsibility, consent, insanity, automatism and intoxication.

Environmental Crime offers a critical exploration of environmental dangers through a criminological lens. It assesses the cultural and legal parameters of causing harm to the planet (Green Criminology) by considering what constitutes an environmental crime in contrasting contexts. The module focuses on a variety of forms of environmental crime, from fast fashions to the illegal trade and poaching of wildlife. The spatial and progressive dynamics of environmental factors are examined with reference to debates on black markets and cultural rituals. Collectively the lectures enable students to develop comprehensive knowledge and theoretical understanding of Green Criminology. The module explores environmental crime as a distinct criminological topic, whilst examining its relationship with criminology and criminal justice more broadly.

To introduce students to the history of the modern police force. To examine the relationship between police and society.

Forms of punishment have changed over time from the infliction of retributive and immediate bodily pain (hanging, branding etc) in public to the wider use of imprisonment and non-custodial based punishments, such as probation and fines. The module will discuss how and why these changes have taken place. It will explore the types of punishments employed in the UK in the period 1718-1948, 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 theorists argue have driven these changes.

Although the existence of distinct races has been scientifically discredited, its essentialist meaning continues to have real material consequences, for groups who are racially Othered. This module explores the social construction of race and the function of racism in modern society, against the backdrop of Empire and European modernity. Students will examine historical relationships of power to understand how racism is reproduced and legitimated in social interactions, economic relationships and political discourse, in the here and now. They will also explore how racist ideologies are interwoven in society’s institutions and structures, and how racism is contested and fought over. The aim of this module is to enable students to understand the function of racism in the making of the modern world, and how it continues to be a major source of inequality in late modernity.

This module provides opportunities for community-based learning through voluntary community engagement. This activity will enable you to understand the relevance of your studies within a community context, combining practical experience with academic studies. In addition, it is an opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the Third Sector, and the notion of citizenship. Both subject specific and transferable skills will be developed and utilised throughout this module, thus developing graduate employment attributes.

To enable study in depth of certain contemporary issues in criminology. To allow critical evaluation of issues in criminology and to relate these to theory, policy and practice.

This module aims to examine how crime in modern society is prevented and controlled. To critically examine informal and formal methods of controlling crime. To address ways in which the broader behaviour and lifestyles of particular individuals and social groups are controlled through crime control.

The free market principles of neoliberal capitalism expose males and females to new uncertainties about social life, and unprecedented dimensions of risk. In the consumer society of late modernity, economic insecurity, high levels of crime, rampant individualism and deviance, are accepted norms rather than aberrations. This module explores the impacts that economic changes have on wealth disparities, and maintaining inequalities, amongst different social groups. Who are the winners and losers of consumer capitalism? How do social actors negotiate risk? What are the neoliberal penalties and consequences of being unable to compete in society’s market situations? Why are the poor demonised under the rhetoric of responsibilisation? These are some of the questions examined in this module, within the context of power and its application to racialised, gendered and classified social groups.

The module will explore how social science perspectives are imperative if society is going to respond to the urgent environmental challenges we face today and bring about the social change needed to address them. It will explore the concept of consumerism and how reframing citizens as consumers has helped drive unsustainable economic growth within the developed world. It will review how sustainability relates to sociological concepts such as social justice and equality, and how this relationship is fundamental to The United Nation’s Goals for Sustainable Development. You will analyse the relationship between the social and the natural world, through the theory of ‘entanglement’ which will be used to map your own pattern of more sustainable living. At the end of the module you will have a critical understanding of how knowledge drawn from sociology can contribute to the debate about – and the building of strategies to enhance – sustainability, and bring about change to the environment-society dynamic.

For this module, students will undertake an independent project, support by a member of the teaching team, about a topic of their choice. Students have three options for their project. Option one is a secondary research dissertation, option two is a primary research dissertation, and option three is an applied research project with a not-for-profit organisation.

For this module, students will undertake an independent project, supported by a member of the teaching team, about a topic of their choice. Students have three options for their project: a secondary research dissertation; a primary research dissertation; or, an applied research project with a not-for-profit organisation. Further details are provided in the module content.

The module will focus on developments in modern punishment within the UK from 1948 to the present day. It will provide students with the opportunity to learn about, debate and critically discuss the fundamental changes in punishment methods following the introduction of the 1948 Criminal Justice Act, which abolished the use and distinction between convict and local prisons and which also paved the way (at least in theory) for a more rehabilitative and reformative approach to punishment of both adults and juveniles. It will allow students a deeper understanding of both how and why we have the current system of punishing offenders, and also ask them to consider the degree to which such a system is effective in its means of punishment.

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. Desistance is introduced as an associated to rehabilitation concept to particularly inform the understanding of the processes that aspire to ceasing offending behaviour (Weaver and McNeil, 2007). Central part of the above exploration is the supervision of offenders which invites exploration of key aspects and methods, such as Relationship building, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural techniques, and the Risk-Need-Responsivity and Good Lives models. 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 (Thompson, 2012). 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 focus of this module enriches the scope of the CCJ curriculum and develop the knowledge from other modules, such as Criminal Justice, Punishment and Society, Prisons and Prisoners, and Theories of Crime. It further integrates the students' critical understanding of Probation and Offender Management and their role within the criminal justice journey. Quite crucially, this module may also assist graduates interested in joining the Probation Service and the relevant training programme (PQiP). The current HMPPS guidance provides that the period of the training programme is reduced from 21 to 15 months if the applicant's degree covered three out of the four listed topics, namely The Criminal Justice System, Understanding Crime and Criminal Behaviour, Penal Policy and the Punishment of Offenders, and Rehabilitation of Offenders, and they clarify that eligible applicants need to have studied modules on at least three of the four topics as part of a degree. As the fourth one in the above list is directly linked and covered in the present module, 6CJ015 provides a great benefit to the students concerned. Additionally, as a standalone module focussing on desistance and rehabilitation, 6CJ015 is very useful to those interested in mentoring or prison work too. It is also worth noting the timeliness of this module which is also telling of its necessity in CCJ curriculums. The part-privatised infrastructure of Probation Service in England and Wales is set to undergo a process of re-nationalisation in June 2021 which will renew and enhance the attention and interest in the service and offender management. The module's focus on rehabilitation, desistance, and supervision as well as direct links to employability makes it now an essential part of a CCJ programme more than ever.

This module examines concepts and theories of serious and organised crime and evaluates its development, impact and initiatives taken to tackle it. Case study material will include drug smuggling, human trafficking, environmental crime and maritime piracy.        

This module focuses on global issues and trends in the twenty-first century. We will explore the increased interconnectedness of states, societies and peoples and the economic, political and social impact of this interdependence. Case-study material will be drawn from many different parts of the world and is likely to include finance, communication and information technology, the role of the nation state, environmental problems and resistance to globalisation.  

    Migration is a fundamental feature of the contemporary world.  Its social and economic effects are self evident; its political ramifications frequent.  This course will provide an overview of key concepts and issues in the study of migration.  The organisation will be split into two interrelated sections.  The first will consider the key motivations why people move from one country to another.  Here the course will look at definitions, push and pull factors in migrant flows and migration in history.  Second, it will look at immigration and British society.  This will section will pay particular attention to immigration to the UK since 1945: Irish and New Commonwealth immigration, Immigration Control and contemporary asylum and Eastern European immigration.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the idea of young people as criminals, and the youth justice system they move through. Youth crime has been a persistent concern over the past century, with an increasing societal focus and concern on anti-social behaviour. This module will allow students to consider the emergence of ‘youth offending’ and consider whether current youth justice policy is working. The module will explore youth pathways into crime and the treatment of young people in the YJS. The welfare vs. justice debate will be explored and students will gain a critical appreciation of the theory and ideas underpinning youth justice policy and practice in England and Wales.