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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Key features
 Learn alongside a skilled team of criminologists actively involved in teaching and research, many of whom have worked within criminal justice or allied fields and have strong links with the British Society of Criminology and the British Sociological Association.
 Study a variety of topics delivered through a block-taught process that encourages active and experiential learning to engage a diverse student population.
 Develop key personal, professional and practical skills that enhance employability upon course completion.
 Gain knowledge and insight into local, national and global criminological contexts from experienced academics working at the edge of criminological research and working to promote SDG16 (for which DMU is the global hub) on Peace, Justice and Stronger Institutions.
 Participate in in-depth learning experiences through our DMU Global programme. Previous trips include the study of state crime at Auschwitz, subcultures in Chicago, and genocide education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 Discover your individuality within the field of Criminology by conducting a self-designed research project from beginning to end that channels your creativity and aligns with your own world views
 Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.
Overview
The Criminology programme provides students with practical knowledge and transferable skills to become active citizens who critically reflect on, and challenge, established institutions and practices to contribute to their community and build a more just society.
It will focus on the sociology of crime, philosophy, social policy, law and jurisprudence to assist students in developing a critical awareness of contemporary issues in criminology in local, national and global contexts. Students will have the opportunity to develop a suite of professional and personal skills to enhance their employability including: reflexivity, critical thinking, ethics and professional conduct, alongside theoretical and practical skills to enter a diverse range of career pathways within criminal and social justice roles.
The programme provides students with skills to support learning for life through inquisitive and reflective practice, and the confidence to respond to the complexity and ambiguity of social change.
Modules
Year 1
Studying at university
This module introduces students to the key skills required to undertake an undergraduate degree programme in Criminology. Students will learn practical skills enabling them to find and present academic sources, develop effective approaches to reading and writing in an academic setting. They will acquire presentation, team work, and referencing skills.
Principles of social research
This module introduces students to the principles of social research. Students will recognise and apply critical thinking, explore the concept of ethics in research, and reflect on biases and positionality. They will explore philosophical questions and how different world views shape our understanding of crime, harm and justice.
Contemporary issues in Criminology
This module engages the students with a range of issues pertinent to complex problems in crime, harm and justice. Students will be able to describe the characteristics of these phenomena and identify the links between crime, politics and society. Lastly students will explore how power inequality and exclusion link with crime harm and victimisation drawing on issues such as race, class gender and sexuality.
Journeys through justice
Students will explore the concept of justice and what it means in the context of criminology. By mapping the institutions of criminal and social justice such as police, prisons, probation, courts and the community sector, students will explore pathways through justice and how it may or may not be achieved.
Year 2
Explaining criminological issues
In this module, students will explore core criminological theories in relation to crime, harm and victimisation. These criminological theories are situated in the context of and applied to a range of issues pertinent to complex problems in crime, harm and justice. The module builds a more critical awareness of from Level 4 Module Contemporary Issues in Criminology with a view to developing a ‘criminological imagination’.
Communities of justice
This module explores the Institutions, practices & interactions of justice. Students will explore the debates on the nature of imprisonment, punishment, rehabilitation and desistance. This module will consider debates on race, power, gender, criminalisation, youth justice as they apply to communities of justice. This module builds on the content of Level 4 module Journeys Through Justice.
TBC
Researching justice journeys
The aim of this module is to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of research methodologies used in social science research. The module will explore a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, techniques, and forms of analysis with students engaging with the practicalities of a range of research methods.
Year 3
Planning social research
In this module, students will identify a relevant criminological topic and design a final year research project. They will develop a series of appropriate research questions, describe and evaluate an appropriate research design and consider the ethical implications of a research project on a criminological topic.
Justice in a globalised world
In this module, students will explore advanced theoretical perspective to help them understand crime in a global context. Students will critically evaluate how these ‘global’ crimes and harms impact crime, harm and victimisation in society. They will also develop knowledge and critical understanding of transnational crime prevention and justice organisations and institutions.
Emerging issues in Criminology
This module aims to promote a culture of curious and continuous enquires as part of a lifelong learning mindset. Students will explore immediate issues that emerge within society and examine these using knowledge and understanding from their undergraduate degree programme.
Final year project
This module is designed to enable students to complete an independent project. Students will integrate their knowledge and skills from across the degree programme to complete a final project. This project will be in the form of one of the following; 1) extended essay, 2) an empirical based research project or 3) social activism project based on their project proposal from module Planning Social research.
Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry criteria
GCSEs
 Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including English and Maths
Plus one of the following:
A levels
 A minimum of 112 points from at least two A levels
T Levels
 Merit
BTEC
 BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit
 BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit
International Baccalaureate
 24+ points
Access to HE Diploma
 Pass in QAA accredited Access to HE overall 112 UCAS tariff with at least 30 Level 3 credits at Merit.
We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.
English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
Interview: No
Work experience: No
Personal statement selection criteria:
 Clear communication skills, including good grammar and spelling
 Information relevant to the course applied for
 Interest in the course demonstrated with explanation and evidence
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Teaching and assessments
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures (both pre-recorded and in-person), seminars, tutorials, computer laboratory workshops, and self-directed study. The focus is on providing essential knowledge before moving on to discussing and applying key ideas and concepts. Contact (teaching) time is between 8-10 hours per week.
For the purposes of designing the delivery of the BA (Hons) Criminology, the following definitions were adopted: 
Lectures: Large-group, academic-led session focused on directed input of knowledge. Where a module is focused on theory, students will attend in person to enable direct engagement with the academic delivering content. This enables a dynamic interaction for students to explore theoretical concepts and develop their understanding.  
Seminars: Small to medium sized group learning activities. Academics lead these sessions to provide a framework for guiding discussions exploring key theories and issues. Commonly students will be asked to engage in pre-session preparation, such as reading key sources, or finding examples of issues that align with their specific interests in criminology. 
Workshops: Medium sized group learning activities focused on developing practical skills, such as practicing the application of research methods, learning about IT packages, or developing projects. 
Tutorials: Individual or small group sessions where students set the agenda by identifying aspects of their learning that they feel they need support to develop. The focus is as much on peer-to-peer learning as it is on academic-led interventions. 
Throughout the course, contact time is supplemented by extra-curricular lectures, employability events, group meetings, meetings with tutors, optional trips and other activities. As a full-time student, you will be expected to devote a considerable amount of time to independent study, voluntary placements and extra-curricular activities. In the final year, the research project will include 1:1 supervision.
Assessment
Over the whole programme, there is a varied mix of assessment that incorporates diverse learning styles including: group presentations, case study analysis, reflective essays, essays, multiple choice exams, individual presentations, posters. There will also be a range of formative assessments including weekly knowledge checks through quizzes and similar variations. Moreover, to help students prepare their skills for future assessments in upcoming blocks, teaching activities will include those that connect to future assessments.
Academic expertise
Staff at DMU come from a variety of backgrounds so students will be taught by a team with varied interests, experiences and skills. Indeed, some of our teaching team have professional experience working in and around the CJS whilst others have developed through teaching and research.
We are passionate about what we do and hold memberships with various professional and research bodies. Our national and international research is incorporated into our teaching. Projects include:
 Research into probation training in Europe and development of a curriculum
 European research into victim empowerment, risk assessment and multi-agency safety planning
Career Opportunities
Volunteering Opportunities
Our strong links with criminal justice and allied agencies enable you to volunteer within the sector. You will be supported to find opportunities that suit your personal and professional development.
You can also access volunteering and research opportunities through De Montfort Students’ Union and DMU Local, develop your practical and professional skills, and enhance your employability upon graduation. Previous students have volunteered with local criminal justice agencies, including prison, probation offices, youth offending services and victim support. Students are also encouraged to visit the local magistrates’ courts and prisons.
Graduate Careers
We have an employability lead for Criminology BA (Hons) who focuses on building up employment links and hosting events to encourage students to think about careers.
Past events include a Frontiers for Future Careers webinar series where local and national organisations hosted session with our criminology students. Guests included CJS agencies, charities and career support services.
Graduate career opportunities are varied, with recent graduates going on to work in sectors including:
 Policing
 Youth justice
 Community safety
 Crime prevention
 Victim Support
 Prison Service
 National Probation Service and probation partner organisations
 Substance misuse services
 Social work
 Teaching
 Policy related employment
 Academia
DMU Global
Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.
Previous opportunities have seen Criminology students gain a better understanding of state crime at the Auschwitz concentration camp, explore sub-cultures in Chicago, and visit Bosnia and Herzegovina to explore the experiences of victims of the Bosnian genocide.
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