Introduction To Criminology

This Unit provides you with an introduction to the discipline of Criminology. It is expected that you will be new to the subject and the Unit traces the development of Criminology as a distinct discipline, highlighting the theoretical approaches that have been forwarded to explain crime, deviance and offending behaviour. Each of the theoretical positions is examined in outline, and introduces you to the language and terminology of the discipline together with examples of the research frameworks used. Having established the principles behind theoretical explanations the Unit begins to explore the responses society makes to offending behaviour through an evaluation of the Criminal Justice System. Thus the development of the main controlling mechanisms – courts, police, prisons and government agencies, such as probation and Youth Offending Panels – will be introduced and explained. Current and future development will also be highlighted towards the end of the Unit. The main themes of this unit will be explored in greater detail at Level Five and so should be considered as a starting point to the study of Criminology.

Human Anatomy And Physiology

This unit aims to provide a broad understanding of Human Anatomy, the study of the structure and relationship between body parts, and Physiology, the study of the function of body parts and the body as a whole. This Unit will focus on the link between form and function, and therefore their integrated relationship. It will provide the foundation required for further study in applied human physiology and related subjects in second year. The basic systems of the body and their interrelationships will be explored.

Human Anatomy and Physiology are fundamental disciplines relevant to medicine, life sciences and forensic science. Their study enables the identification and analysis of tissues and structural changes within them that allow for the diagnosis of disease.

Within the Human Anatomy and Physiology Unit you will learn about the relationship between structure and function, and integration and interdependence of all body systems.

Skills In Forensic Science

This unit will introduce you, as a new student, to the study of biology-based sciences at University level. It will develop a range of key study skills, with emphasis on the analysis and presentation of data. This unit will also provide you with orientation to the available resources in the learning resources centre and provide you with some basic information about career planning and organisation.

Practical classes will introduce basic laboratory techniques and report writing, including concepts of accuracy, precision and reproducibility in measurement.

In addition to the transferable skills you will develop in this unit, you will also learn a number of discipline-specific skills relevant to becoming a competent forensic practitioner, particularly those related to crime scene investigation and forensic evidence examination.

The skills learnt and developed during this unit will both facilitate your study and contribute towards enhancing your employability.

Molecular Genetics

This unit reviews and develops your knowledge and understanding of basic ideas and concepts in molecular genetics and so provides a foundation for many principles in the biosciences. The materials covered provide a foundation for the further study in a wide range of topic areas from biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, through to applications in forensic science.

The aims of the unit are:

to introduce the basics of molecular genetics;

to relate the processes of cell division with chromosome function and structure, and to develop an understanding of genetic inheritance;

to develop the ability to understand and interpret data in simple tables and graphs; and

to foster an awareness of safe laboratory practices and develop laboratory skills and effective group work behaviour.

Chemistry

This unit reviews and develops your knowledge and understanding of basic ideas and concepts in chemistry and provides a foundation for many of the principles in biosciences. The material covered will be useful for subsequent studies of biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, food and nutrition, forensic science, pharmaceutical science and pharmacology units.

The aims of the unit are:

to provide a fundamental understanding of chemistry;

• to develop skills in report writing and to develop the ability to handle data and presentation in simple tables and graphs; and
• to foster an awareness of safe laboratory practices and develop laboratory skills and effective group work behaviour.

Crimes Of The Powerful

This Unit aims to achieve in students’ knowledge and understanding of state, political, corporate crime and corporate offenders. Much of the criminal activity associated with politics, business and financial markets involves financial gain or favour, yet a significant amount of harm is done through voter manipulation, substandard working, business and environmental practices. Students will consider crimes of power drawing on international examples to reflect the multi-national organisation. In addition, the links between politicians, organised crime and businesses will be explored. The unit seeks to address and challenge the emphasis placed on ‘low level’ crime by a focus on crime committed by persons of high social status and/or power.

Theorising Crime, Punishment And Justice

This unit will build on that knowledge gained through your studies at level 4.  Compared with level four, lectures will be more discursive, highlighting debates, controversies and issues that students will pursue further through seminars and independent study. 

The aims of the unit are as follows:

1. To analyse and evaluate crime and offending and the mechanisms used to control crime through the use of different theoretical perspectives. 

2.  To analyse and evaluate Non-Western concepts of crime, justice and punishment. 

3. To examine and critically evaluate justifications of punishment in order to identify a progressive position on punishment.

4. To examine the main features of penal systems.

5. To assess the usefulness of different theoretical frameworks in explaining the origins of crime, offenders engagement with crime and disorder, state responses and efforts towards crime control and development of penal systems over time.

6. To examine and evaluate changes in policing practices in relation to selected forms of criminal behaviour in the post-war years.

Cybercrime

The unit will introduce students to the complex world of cyber-crime and issues related to cyber-technology and the transformation of crime in this information age. It aims to develop an understanding of different types of groups of cybercrime that are emerging as problematic i.e. cyber terrorism, cyberbullying, and cyber hate. It will permit students an opportunity to examine and conceptualise some of the key debates around crime, policy, human rights, crime prevention, security, and policing.

The module will work well alongside the other modules related to child protection, organised crime, crime and media, and terrorism where students will examine the rationale of cyber-crimes. It will explore, within a (grounded) criminological conceptual framework, theoretical understandings of crime in the information age. It will also develop the students’ knowledge of how cyber-crime emerges and provide the context by which students can develop a critical awareness and systematic understanding of this area within the criminal justice setting.

Skills In Science

Within the Skills in Science unit, you will develop and practice a number of key subject-specific skills essential to a career in science. These include the ability to select and apply appropriate statistical analysis; evaluate relevant research literature and identify areas currently lacking in our knowledge or application; the ability to propose both a hypothesis and a novel experiment to address this hypothesis (including statistical analysis where appropriate); and the understanding to identify and address any health and safety or ethical considerations related to your proposal. These skills underpin the scientific method required for any scientific career. The basic notion of data analysis, identifying an issue, and developing a plan to address that issue is the basis of troubleshooting or product development in any career structure. In addition, within this unit, you will be equipped with transferrable skills such as presentation and communication skills, as well as planning and preparing for a career within your discipline. The skills developed within this unit will prove vital for the Level 6 research project unit and for a career in science. 

Crimes Against Property

This unit will provide you with an understanding of criminal investigations involving crimes against property along with the analysis and interpretation of evidence associated with those crimes. Crimes against property will be compared using case study examples to highlight differences as well as looking at the importance of individuality in terms of evidential value. You will practise laboratory techniques commonly associated with evidence recovery from crimes against property.

Animals And Plants In Crime

This unit focuses on the use of animals and plants to aid forensic investigations, which includes a vast diversity of biological evidence that could be encountered at a crime scene.

It is essential that all forensic biologists have a working understanding of how to approach the examination and analysis of frequently encountered biological evidence types, and a good knowledge of the types of information that can be obtained from the rarer sample types, including how to preserve/recover them and which specialists to seek support from. This ensures that all of the available evidence on the case is utilised effectively to aid the investigation.

Biology In Forensic Science

Forensic biology is the application of biology to legal investigations. The unit focuses on the vast diversity of biological evidence that could be encountered at a crime scene and the various roles that biologists may play within an investigation.

Forensic biology has an application within the investigation of many different types of offences. This includes establishing the time of death, the cause of death, identification of people and establishing links between suspect(s), victim(s) and scene(s). It also covers routine examination and analysis of commonly encountered biological samples such as blood, semen, saliva and hair.

It is essential that all forensic biologists have a working understanding of how to approach the examination and analysis of frequently encountered biological evidence types, including how to preserve/recover them and which specialists to seek support from. This ensures that all of the available evidence on the case is utilised effectively to aid the investigation.

Sass Change Maker Research Dissertation

The aim of the unit is to consolidate and apply the knowledge gained from the previous years by demonstrating the ability to make sense of potentially complex and possibly contradictory findings and apply them to an area or issue related to your subject discipline. The Research Dissertation will allow you to examine contemporary social contexts and issues by applying subject-specific knowledge, theory and appropriate methodologies to the analysis of your chosen topic and consider how your work can contribute to the promotion of social justice. This requires the capability to inquire into complex issues systematically and critically and thus allows you to move from critical acceptance of knowledge to the critical constructor of that very knowledge and its broader application in society.

The Research Dissertation gives you an opportunity to develop a research proposal, consider the ethical implications of your project and to undertake an in-depth focused research enquiry relevant to your course and to your individual personal and professional interests and career intentions. It will take the form of either of the following: 

·       Primary research

·       Substantive literature review

·       Desktop research - secondary analysis project that addresses a proposition you wish to analyse in-depth

·       Content Analysis of policy documents, print media, social media, TV and/or film 

·       A Discourse Analysis 

The unit is additionally designed in part fulfilment of the University’s requirements for all award courses to provide opportunities for you to develop your personal development planning skills and evidence your abilities in independent learning. The predominant aim is to offer you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to complete a sustained piece of individual research on an appropriate topic in ways that also enhance your personal and professional development skills and that can be relatable to your future employment. 

In order to complete this unit successfully, students will need to have presented a Research Proposal which receives approval as assessment 1, before any research commences.

You will undertake this project under supervision in order to maximise the opportunity to fulfil your potential in these areas.   

Urban Crime

The advancement of liberal ideology expressed through popularised maxims such as neoliberalism, free market and capitalism, has exposed the lacuna between ideology and practice. The liberalization and deregulation of markets and its negative effects are more pronounced in the urban areas with issues such as social justice, inequality and exclusion dominating the debates. This unit aims to provide students with the critical understanding of the various complexities associated with urban areas as it pertains to crime, social harm and disorder. The unit will explore the various debates on urban criminology using broad analytical and theoretical frameworks, e.g. historical, political, economic, social and cultural. The unit will also cover themes such as urban management by state, local government, and the community, urban economics, disorder management, impact of   globalisation, urbanisation, victimisation, social structures and global crime management. There is a global element to this unit as examples will be drawn from across the world. 

Interpretation And Presentation Of Evidence

Few areas in forensic science deliver definitive results; in most cases, the skills and expertise of the forensic scientist are called upon to provide the Investigating Officer and the Criminal Justice System with an opinion based on statistical assessment of analytical data and personal experience. The aim of this unit is to teach basic statistical methods, with a view to critically evaluating and communicating a variety of scientific findings.

Forensic Analysis

Within this unit you will cover scientific principles and techniques used in two important areas of forensic science; DNA analysis and  drug analysis.  This will include aspects of laboratory analysis that are essential to a forensic investigation, from sampling of evidence through to interpretation and presentation of results for use in court. Many of the techniques covered in this unit have application outside of forensic investigation, which will enable graduates of the Forensic Science and Criminology BSc to seek employment not only within the criminal justice sector, but also with many research laboratories and analytical science-based companies.

Integrated Forensic Research Project

This unit is an essential part of your BSc (Hons) degree. It allows you as final year students to undertake scientific research and provides an opportunity to develop and appraise your personal qualities for future employment. You will plan, design and execute a piece of laboratory based, case-related research work for which you will write a formal report. This will develop your abilities to read, research and understand scientific literature. You will design your project question to answer a query posed by the investigation of a given forensic mock case. You must critically appraise your data and evidence from relevant research to provide a set of conclusions in response to your question.

During the process of your project, you will develop reflective skills as applied to research as you write your laboratory and reflective research diaries. This will allow you to demonstrate and evidence your ability to collect and analyse data along with a range of practical, interpretive and analytical skills indicative of a Forensic Science graduate.

The key aims of this unit are:

• To research, plan, design and execute experimental methodologies relevant to scientific research work on an individual basis within the context of a research programme.
• To develop the techniques of critical analysis through critical evaluation and appraisal of your findings and their relevance to published scientific findings and data.
• To collect, record, collate and analyse data using appropriate techniques and to use relevant statistical techniques to investigate data.
• To use appropriate IT resources to support a written project report, producing documents which demonstrate a range of skills of written expression and vocabulary relevant to your course.
• To deliver an oral presentation which communicates your work effectively and demonstrates the skills associated with and developed during the project.
• To develop reflective skills as applied to research, based on maintaining a diary containing both a record of your research work and appropriate reflection on it, to provide evidence supporting the work submitted.

Professional Practice Year (Life Sciences)

The aim of this unit is to provide the opportunity to undertake career-related experience which will allow you to understand and undertake responsibilities in the work place at an appropriate level and use the opportunity to assess your readiness to undertake a career in your chosen field.