Psychology with Criminology - BSc (Hons)

This module provides you with an overview of the purpose, design, and conduct of qualitative research in psychology. This module builds upon and complements research methods modules delivered in level 4 by providing students with grounding in the use of qualitative research methods and analysis techniques commonly used in psychology. All sessions are structured to facilitate both conceptual learning and the development of applied research skills. More specifically, this module aims to help you develop skills in research and inquiry and develop academic attributes such as being able to think critically about different methodologies and knowledge claims.

This module will continue to develop key transferable skills from level 4 such as group discussion and debate, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. There will be research-led teaching which will explore key debates and methodologies used in neuropsychology and cognitive Psychology. The GBC area of biological Psychology and cognitive Psychology will be supplemented through this module.

This module builds on the Research Methods and Psychology literacy module (Level 4), by providing you with the skills to master the process of designing and executing research using quantitative research methods, and analysing and evaluating the findings with quantitative data analysis techniques. The module provides hands-on experience of using computer software to build experiments and statistical software for carrying out analyses in the practical workshops. The module will enhance your skills in critically evaluating the strengths and limitations of published research papers and equip you with an advanced understanding of ethics in psychological research.

This module seeks to enable you to examine the nature of both illegal and legal drugs. Within this remit the evolving and ever changing nature of both how substances are supplied and consumed will be discussed. How such substance use/misuse is linked to various forms of deviancy and crime will be considered. To enable a rounded perspective of the subject to be garnered, the content will be global in scale, with the development of the ‘war on drugs’ and related criminal justice policies included. Finally, contemporary issues in both supply, demand, official policy and practice will be at the fore, raising questions around the nature of illicit substance usage.

This module provides you with an opportunity to critically engage with key aims of your course by examining contemporary debates that surround the phenomenon of homicide. You will be introduced to various theoretical perspectives and case studies, focusing on both historical and contemporary examples of homicide, in order to achieve an informed understanding of this unique form of offending. By presenting both a theoretical discussion and real-life cases, you will be able to develop knowledge and a critical understanding of criminology and related disciplines both in theory and practice.

Black theoretical perspectives and debates on crime, criminal justice, and criminology are seldom heard, seen, or referred to, within so called ‘mainstream criminology’. A possible explanation pertaining to this ‘invisibility’ could be as a consequence of ‘implicit biases’ within the discipline itself. It is argued that these implicit biases further reproduce and reinforces privilege of some perspectives, whilst at the same time subordinating others. Russell (2002) calls for the development of a ‘black criminology’, Phillips and Bowling (2003) further call for the need to develop ‘minority perspectives’ in criminology, whilst Glynn (2018) sees the need for a Critical Race Criminology to transcend the current subordinate status of non-white criminological perspectives.

Traditionally criminology has focused on those who perpetrate harm and given far less attention to those who experience harm, and this module seeks to address this discrepancy. This module will give some consideration as to why some events which cause harm are formally labelled and treated as crimes when others are not, and in doing so we will consider the impact of this upon those who experience these harms.

In this module we will take a critical look at the shifting nature of crime, social contexts, and the impact of crime on space and place as linked to the urban city as a social milieu. We will also investigate the nature of contemporary city living and how this is experienced across intersections of identity, and what this means for vulnerabilities to being victims of crime or being led into criminal pathways. We will also look in detail at forms of criminological theory and consider newer emergent aspects of cultural and critical forms of criminology.

Youth Crime and Justice aims to equip students with a sound theoretical knowledge of juvenile offending and justice. In essence, the understanding of the complex relationship between young people and criminality fits within the wider aims of the degree programme and associated pathways as it draws on sociological, psychological and criminological understandings, furthering students’ ability to understand and problematize crime and its causes. The module also recognises that the separate and distinct administration to criminal justice to young people is a topic worthy of consideration in its own right, and considers important debates around justice, welfare, education and the construction of youth and childhood. It takes both a contemporary and historical focus, considering how the nexus of crime, control and youth have variously been considered during different historical periods.

This module aims to introduce you to the area of health psychology and demonstrate how psychological principles may be applied to understand and alleviate problems of illness, ill health and health-related behaviours which are significant real world problems (pursing excellence). Key models and theories that aim to predict risk behaviour and at promoting health and self-care will be discussed, compared and contrasted. Interventions to promote behaviour change will also be covered. Behaviour change techniques and adherence will be debated with practical examples given. After considering the role of psychology in the field of health the module will focus on factors such as stress and its effects on health and illness. Coping styles and strategies as well as social support will be discussed as moderators of the relation between stress and illness.

Work and Organisational Psychology will cover the importance of how the workplace can impact upon people’s health (in both negative and positive ways) and how the workplace can also be used to improve well-being. Work and Organisational Psychology aims to improving the quality of work life and to protecting and promoting the safety, health and well-being of workers’ (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; NIOSH).

The module will provide you with an understanding of the sometimes complex links between workplaces and health, and an appreciation that physical health, psychological health, the quality of working life, job satisfaction and well-being are all intrinsically related. Emphasis will be made of the tensions between the needs and functions of both organisations and of individual workers, and how this can sometimes result in ethical issues that face workplace psychology as a discipline. In exploring the conflicting needs that sometimes exists between workers and organisations, you will understand how workplaces (can) utilise psychological processes in order to obtain maximum effectiveness of workers and the organization; to promote the design of better working and how jobs are done; and to ensure appropriate selection and career trajectories.

This module aims to equip you with the relevant skills and knowledge, which are required for the role of the educational psychologist. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts underlying the British educational system and the relevance of psychology to that system. This module examines the role of the educational psychologist and explores the relationship between theory and practice within different educational contexts. The module will familiarise you with different methods of investigation (psychometric testing, observational techniques, interviewing and projective techniques) and intervention methods (behaviour modification, task analysis, conflict mediation and counselling). The module will also help you appreciate the integration and inter-relationships of different perspectives in psychology which contribute to this specialised applied area in psychology which transcend into applied and specialised areas of work within the Educational sector.

This optional Level 5 module is designed to introduce you to the field of forensic psychology. Forensic psychology is one of the key psychological domains recognised by the British Psychological Society and covers a broad range of topics highly relevant to the real world context. A key aim of the module is to teach you about a range of criminal justice settings within which psychology can be applied to assist the work of practitioners and the police.

At this level of study you will be encouraged to think about areas of study or work that you would like to pursue upon completion of this course. You will be firstly introduced to the different areas of psychology that you can specialise in. This will involve looking at the roles that psychologists perform within each of the branch areas as well as what is entailed to become specialised and charted within each particular branch. Workshops will be carried out within the following which will be supported by psychologists both within and external to the university.

A semester abroad is a fantastic opportunity to explore your subject in an international context at one of our partner institutions. Spending a period of time abroad as part of your degree allows you to understand a different culture, and gain specific knowledge about working practices in your host country. Connecting with fellow international students can broaden your network and increase your graduate prospects.

If you choose this option, you will study 60 credits of modules at the overseas partner institution and fewer modules at BCU.

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 40- week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Undergraduate Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace. 

Understanding research issues is an essential skill for psychologists operating in an evidence-based paradigm. The ability to produce an in-depth dissertation and present a logical argument using such research is a crucial skill for a successful psychology graduate.

This module builds upon learning at level 4 and level 5 in previous Psychological Research Methods modules. This module will encourage you to plan, execute and write up a research project which adheres to principles of the Psychology Ethics Committee. You should seek out research sources to produce an in-depth dissertation that answers your own identified research question or knowledge gap, making a contribution to the existing literature within your chosen topic area. This will be facilitated through critical evaluation of the sources you have selected and used. You will also be facilitated in using statistical and other specialist software, testing equipment and materials, as well as the use of the Psychology laboratories.

The applied social psychology module focuses on exploring how social psychological theory and research can be applied to real life. Throughout the module you will be presented with a number of contemporary social issues and will explore relevant theoretical models and examples to illustrate the impact that social psychological constructs, theories and research has had on informing applied interventions. Theoretical perspectives might include cross cultural psychology, individual differences, and critical social psychology. Contemporary social issues might include encouraging cooperation with authorities, understanding responses to terrorism, reducing prejudice, and promoting employee production.

This module aims to investigate human development throughout the lifespan focusing on changes to biological, cognitive, social and emotional elements of psychological functioning. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts, different theoretical perspectives, research methodologies, contemporary debates and areas of application of Lifespan Development. This module will enable you to develop skills in critical reading and analysis of theoretical and empirical issues related to Lifespan Development. In the context of contemporary societies and globalisation, the role of social and cultural context of development is explored.

Organised crime has become a significant concern and appears to be on the increase. In this module, you will study contemporary global crimes such as drug and human trafficking, terrorism, illegal arms trading and financial crime through the lens of critical criminology. In addition, you will examine the extent of transnational organised crime, its historicity at a global level and law enforcement responses.

This is a Level 6 optional module which will introduce students to hate crime and issues related to hate crime and how multi-agencies have to deal with such complex issues.  It will examine the issue of vulnerable groups such as children, those with a learning disability and people who have suffered anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia as potential victims of religiously motivated hate crimes. 

This innovative module will engage your critical thinking to situate emotions at the forefront of contemporary criminological thought by examining the experience and role of emotions in criminal behaviour and criminal justice responses to such behaviours. The approach to emotions within the legal system and criminal justice agencies is often paradoxical. Your module content will draw on diverse theoretical approaches to define emotions and the affective role of emotions in our everyday lives. Building on this, the module seeks to examine the social construction of emotions in comparative British and international contexts. The intersection of emotions, power and gender is central to your analysis of representations of offending and criminal justice policy and practices across cultural and jurisdictional contexts.

The module will examine surveillance and the extent to which everyday life is now subject to an extensive array of monitoring and data collection. The module questions how and why state surveillance practices operate and also explores the extent to which civil liberties and personal freedoms have been affected by recent surveillance developments. We will consider the revelations of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, as well as theorists such as Foucault and Bentham. The module will expand on how governments, big business and new technologies are aiding and easing the collection of personal and targeted data. 

The module will introduce students to the complex world of cyber-crime and issues related to cyber technology and how the police deal with cyber issues from cyber terrorism, cyber bullying and cyber hate. The module will work well alongside the other modules related to security studies where students will examine the rationale of cyber-crimes.

This module will explore the gendered nature of crime and criminal justice. In doing so, we will consider the gendered perspective of victims, perpetrators and those working within the Criminal Justice System. This module will draw on a broad theoretical framework; including feminist, psychological, biological and human rights perspectives. This module is central to the students’ development of critical appreciation of the relationship between the individual and social aspects of crime and victimisation.