Criminology BA

Core modules:

Comprehending Criminology

This module introduces students to key areas of criminological definitions, empirical study, theory and the development of criminal justice systems. The module looks at case studies of crime and deviance from contemporary life to help students understand how some of the history and theory of criminology can be brought to bear on social and legal issues. Topics may feature, for example, youth crime, spouse murder, football hooliganism and credit card crime but also other areas if and when interesting cases arise.

20 credits

Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice

This module examines current debates and emerging trends in research on crime and criminal justice. It focuses on specific case studies of recent or ongoing research on the institutions of criminal justice - such as the police, prisons and probation services - being undertaken by staff in the School of Law. In doing so, students are provided with an introduction to the criminal justice system and first-hand insights into original research projects in the field of criminology. The case studies will involve an exploration of the research design, process, findings, implications and impact. Students will also consider how research agendas are shaped by the unfolding dynamics of society.

20 credits

Criminal Law and Justice

This module will introduce students to the concepts, theories and institutions of criminal law and justice, and its place in society. It will develop an understanding of the essential concepts of criminal liability. It will focus on the main institutional and procedural features of the criminal justice system, with the aim of stimulating an enquiring attitude towards the practice of criminal process. Students will have the opportunity to practise applying these processes to factual scenarios. The module provides a firm foundation for the more advanced study of criminal law and also of criminal evidence, criminal justice and criminal process.

20 credits

Introducing Criminological Research

This module focuses on how crucial criminological topics have been investigated. The module is taught by lectures and seminars/classes and assessed by two 'take-home' exercises. In the seminars/classes students will work in small groups to examine real research studies, and work out how to tackle research problems.

20 credits

Representations of Deviance and Social Control

This module examines representations of crime, criminalisation and criminal justice in cultural forms such as journalism, film, television, literature, music, theatre, art and games. Its concerns are the nature of representations of topics such as crimes, crime data, offenders, deviants, gangs, criminal justice systems, police and victims. It critically analyses the role of cultural forms in constructing and/or reproducing ideas about crimes which inform subjective identity, public and political perceptions, prejudices and practices. The module considers the ways in which certain groups or behaviours acquire labels, values and meanings which place them outside of legitimacy and normality justifying monitoring, suspicion, control or incarceration.

20 credits

Situating Crime

The module looks at what crime occurs, how, where and to whom. It provides an introduction to the social factors linked to offending and victimisation, including the geography of crime and social deprivation (and wealth). As well as considering traditional forms of crime against individuals and businesses (and people's fear of such crime), it will also explore the nature of and effects on the victims of internet crime, fraud, organised crime and human trafficking, as well as crime in war zones. It will examine whether there has been a drop in crime rates and if so, what might explain this.

20 credits

Skills for Criminologists (S4C)

The module provides students with a critical introduction to criminological studies, encouraging them to approach their degree with careful attention to what they want to achieve out of the course, and what their course can do within (and for) modern society. It also provides a vector for the teaching of core skills and values required by the study of criminology, including critical thinking, academic writing and oral presentation skills, and independent research.

Core modules:

Analysing Crime Data

This module covers basic statistical analysis of datasets, especially crime survey data. Using data-bases based on pre-existing surveys, students are taught how to enter, clean and check data, and all commands necessary to analyse survey data (eg frequency, cross-tabulation, correlation, select, count). This module does not assume any prior knowledge of the main data analysis computer package used by criminologists to examine survey data (IBM Statistical Package for Social Scientists - IBM SPSS).

20 credits

Punishment and Penal Policy

This module is concerned with the sentencing and punishment of offenders. It considers, in historical context: the philosophical underpinnings of punishment; sentencing policy and practice; and the forms that punishment takes (including custodial and non-custodial options). It also considers what we know about public attitudes toward punishment. A key issue addressed by this module is the rapid growth of the prison population since the mid-1990s: how can we explain this state of affairs, and can/should this trend be reversed?

20 credits

Responding to Crime

The module looks at key topics in relation to responses to crime and victimisation. It explores policing and prosecution, public responses, crime prevention, restorative justice and victim support. To what extent are policing and public priorities for policing aligned? How does the public view the role of the authorities? How can we support victims? Are there alternative responses to crime instead of prosecution and sentencing? What are we doing to prevent crime? Do certain types of crime require particular responses? A goal of the module will be to emphasize the interrelatedness of these topics and present them as integrated problems.

20 credits

The Value of Criminology: Policy and Practice

This module focuses on the role and value of criminological research in the development of policy and practice within criminal justice, with a focus on England and Wales. The module will build from discussions introduced in first year BA Criminology modules, particularly LAW113 Introducing Criminological Research, to develop students' understandings of policy making processes and how criminological research can influence these processes. The module will also explore the ways in which academic research intersects with practice developments at the frontline of criminal justice and within criminal justice agencies such as, for example, the police, the probation service, and others. As part of this module, students will interact directly with front-line practitioners and other professionals (such as policy makers) who will contribute to teaching (e.g.: co-presenting case studies with academic staff) where appropriate.

Students will be introduced to processes including evidenced-based policy making and knowledge exchange between academics and practitioners. To demonstrate this, the module will draw on case studies of research conducted by criminologists at the University of Sheffield to situate discussions in existing examples of research being conducted at Sheffield.

The module is also designed to develop key transferable skills for students, including working in close collaboration with peers, interacting with professionals and practitioners, producing innovative outputs, and presenting complex content in a variety of formats, including producing digital outputs.

20 credits

Skills for Criminologists 2 (S4C2)

The module builds on the first year Skills for Criminologists, which provides students with a critical introduction to criminological studies and teaches them the core skills and values required to study criminology (e.g. critical thinking, independent research, academic writing and oral presentation skills). It is designed to support students through the second year of their degree programme via a series of lectures and tutorials.

The module has a core purpose of reprising and enhancing the skills students learn at Level 1, with a particular focus on preparing them for their final year dissertations. Students will be required to draft and present a research proposal (including research question, research strategy and discussion of ethical issues). 

Additionally, the module aims to support students in developing their employability and awareness of career opportunities. This element of the module draws on opportunities provided by the School (e.g. Employability and Skills Initiative events) and University (Ie.g. volunteering, USE, careers service, SURE), through which students can develop their skills, knowledge and values, for the next stage of their lives. Students will be required to undertake an individual training/skills needs analysis and write a CV. A key element of the module is to develop students' reflexive skills and as part of this, students will be required to undertake an individual training/skills needs analysis and write a CV. The university's MySkills platform will be used to capture students' reflections on their own development and to allow them to track their own progress in addressing self-identified areas for development.

Optional modules:

Advanced Criminal Law and Justice

This module builds upon the foundational learning in LAW135 Criminal Law and Justice, developing students' knowledge about the doctrine and principles of criminal law. The focus rests upon the theme of criminalisation 'Beyond Homicide', the main family of substantive crimes examined by the predecessor module. It examines the range and scope of criminal law in critical detail, looking at the substantive offences and considering them in wider socio-legal context.

20 credits

Cities, Violence and Security

Introduces students to key examples of violence, conflict and insecurity in urban contexts around the world. The course focuses on efforts to make better and safer places and seeks to develop student understanding of the political, economic and social drivers of human insecurity in urban settings. Examples of urban violence and crime, policing, forced evictions, domestic violence, terrorism, gangs and the rise of gated communities and other modes of design and control to produce securitised urban spaces are discussed and analysed in their effectiveness.

20 credits

Crime, Justice and Social Policy

This unit examines the variety of responses to crime that encompass the use of both crime policy and social policy. Crime policy responses encompass the use of the role of the police, courts and prisons. Alongside this is the social policy approach which includes health, housing, education, employment, youth and family as a means of crime reduction. The module seeks to demonstrate the criticism of 'traditional' crime policy-based responses to crime and the way in which social policy has emerged as an alternative way to tackle the so-called 'crime problem'. The module includes a consideration of theories of crimes which make competing arguments for the use of crime or social policy as a response; the role of criminologists in policy making; and the criminalisation of social policy as an unintended outcome.

20 credits

Criminology and War

The module enables students to critically analyse the nature of contemporary war from a variety of criminological perspectives. It does so through the following debates: criminology of war; war as policing; war as crime; crime in war; masculinity, violence and war; victimology and war; environmental criminology and war; war and domestic criminal policy; war, veterans and domestic crime; and criminology as peacemaking. These debates are informed by a range of examples, in particular from the post-9/11 battlefields of the Middle East.

20 credits

Criminology Research Project

This module develops on the earlier research methods module (Analysing Crime Data). There, students learned to manipulate and analyse data using SPSS on a computer. Here, students will work in small groups developing research ideas to form a fully developed questionnaire, which will be subsequently administered to a small general public sample via Corporate Information and Computing Systems (CICS). Thereafter, resulting data iscoded, computerised and analysed, and results written up as an individual report.

20 credits

Doing Qualitative Sociological Research

Qualitative research still dominates sociological research and the skills and techniques that researchers use to generate qualitative data have numerous other applications in the work-place and beyond. In this inquiry-based module students will continue to develop their ability to collect, analyse, and present qualitative data by working on individual and team-based projects. Not only will they come up with their own research proposal for their Level Three dissertation - and go through the process of having it approved by a departmental committee. They will also utilise interview, ethnographic, and indirect data, to produce a 'research in progress' newsletter, and critically reflect on the process of doing qualitative research.

20 credits

Drugs, Crime and Control

This module aims to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of drugs, crime and control by engaging with the key academic and policy literature. Students will explore a wide range of drug-related issues and debates, critically analyse the laws, policies and institutions of drug control, and situate them within the wider social context. The topics covered will include: the social construction of the 'drug problem'; drugs and crime; historical and contemporary perspectives on drug policy; drugs policing from the global to the local; tackling drugs through criminal justice interventions; drug control across the world; and the legalisation debate and alternatives to criminalisation.

20 credits

Murder, Myth and Memory: A History of Jack the Ripper

This module introduces students to historical criminology through the lens of an infamous case study, namely Jack the Ripper (an unidentified serial killer who preyed on London's Whitechapel district between August and November 1888). It seeks to disentangle the layers of meaning surrounding the Ripper's murders and examine how myth and memory have shaped understanding of this case. 

Some of the questions that will be explored throughout the course include: 

Does the application of modern techniques of investigation, such as geo-profiling, to the Ripper case impinge on historical values? To what extent is Ripperology a 'masculine' discipline and how have feminist approaches helped to address this? How do dark tourism activities such as 'Jack the Ripper Walking Tours' shape cultural memory? What role do ethics and empathy play in historical research? By undertaking this module students will gain practical experience in the analysis of a variety of historical source material including letters, newspaper reports, photos, postcards, cartoons, post-mortem reports, official police reports and parliamentary debates.

20 credits

Police and Policing in a Global Context

This module explores policing on a macro-level, taking into account developments on a national and global scale. The topics covered will include: conceptualizing the police and policing; key features of policing, such as police powers, discretion, police culture and accountability; models of policing; the history of policing in the UK and elsewhere; the policing of multi-ethnic communities (who can also be thought of as 'global citizens'); the role of the police in policing, in the light of the growing involvement of non-warranted civilians and others in policing activities; policing in other countries, including post-colonial countries; and policing in a transnational context; policing in global, late modern societies. The module will be partly empirical, but it will also be grounded in theories about the use of power; for example, it will be situated within theories about governance and social control, whilst also exploring whether and from where the police derive legitimacy in exerting power/authority over citizens.

20 credits

Prisons, Prisoners, and their Families

Imprisonment and its effects are a key concern in studies of punishment. This module takes a holistic approach by developing understandings of the impact of imprisonment on prisoners, prisoners' families, and prison staff. Beginning with a history of imprisonment and policy making, the module explores the management of prisons, including examination of the rules and regulations that govern day-to-day life in prisons, power relations and modes of resistance. The module then considers the experiences of specific groups of prisoners, prisoners' families, and staff. The module concludes with discussion of the future of imprisonment and arguments around prison abolition.

20 credits

Race, Gender and Crime

This module examines the relationships between gender, race and crime. It explores, from a critical standpoint, when and how patterns of law-breaking and victimisation vary according to gender and race. Focusing on topics as diverse as gender-based violence, sex work, political protest/disorder and Islamophobia, the module examines how patriarchal and racialised social structures serve to marginalise and criminalise, and also under-protect, (some) women as well as Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

20 credits

Solidarity: Politics, Law, and Society across the Globe

In this interdisciplinary module, we explore how solidarity has been understood, practised, and contested across the globe. From Cuban solidarity for African liberation struggles to cross-species solidarity in climate activism today, we explore the possibilities of solidarity in action. In doing so, we will look at the wide-ranging impact that solidarity has had from individual survival to regime change. Taking a critical approach to the topic, we will also explore situations in which acts of solidarity can amplify forms of exclusion and injustice.

20 credits

The Sociology of Crime

Crime, and processes of criminalisation, are major features of all societies. Since the 19th Century, sociologists have developed a range of criminological theories to explain 'criminality'. This module will review the historical development of a range of theoretical approaches to the study of crime; consider how sociologists have studied the primary institutions of social control such as the police and prisons; and examine the contribution of the sociology of crime to issues of contemporary significance

20 credits

Youth Crime and Justice

This module examines youth crime and 'antisocial behaviour, as well as formal responses to young people who offend. During the first half of the module, contemporary and historical views of youth crime are critically examined, attending particularly to class, ethnicity and gender, and to the historical construction of youth as problematic. The second half of the module focuses on youth justice, including the role of the police, the courts, Youth Offending Teams, custodial institutions and other bodies in regulating unruly youth and preventing and responding to youth crime.

20 credits

Core modules:

Dissertation (BA Criminology)

The dissertation module requires students to conduct an in-depth independent piece of research on a criminological or criminal justice topic of their choice (subject to finding a suitable personal supervisor and approval from the module convenor). This module is assessed by an 8,000 word dissertation and is taught though personal supervision sessions.

40 credits

Optional modules:

Children and the Law

This module critically engages with legal and ethical debates relating to children, at both international and national levels. It allows final year students to apply a child-centred approach when analysing legislation, policies, practises, and court decisions concerning children. Children and the Law draws on a variety of disciplines, including childhood studies, sociology, psychology, criminology and law.

There are five parts to the module. First, students are introduced to the core principles underpinning child law. These include, the best interests of the child, children's capacity, parental responsibility, and children's participation. These introductory lectures also address child related theories. During the first stages of teaching, students will be invited to take part in media training facilitated by Sheffield IT Creative Media Services.

In parts two-four of the module, students apply their foundational knowledge across three case studies. These draw on the expertise of staff and cover a broad range of issues involving children. Each case study consists of lectures (4x1 hour), a tutorial (60 minutes), and a workshop (90 minutes). Tutorials consist of set questions that students must prepare for in advance of the session. During each workshop, students are divided into small groups and asked to respond to a statement in an oral presentation. This exercise will strengthen students' public speaking, analytical and problem-solving skills. It is envisaged that individual members of staff will be responsible for the delivery of their case study's lectures, tutorial and workshop.

The fifth part of the module includes a series of concluding lectures to prepare students for the summative assessment and bring together cross-cutting themes explored in the case studies.

Not only will this module provide students with a sound knowledge of child law, it will also enhance their employability prospects by developing a range of skills. These include, time management, organisation, leadership, digital literacy and communication. Video presentations allow students to become co-creators of knowledge, whilst enabling them to grow as legal advocates. The module learning outcomes of Children and the Law line up with several of the Sheffield Graduate Attributes, including 'using clear, concise language appropriate to the academic discipline'; 'selecting, using and seeking existing and new knowledge to develop intellect'; and 'assessing and presenting data, information and evidence using software and digital media.'

20 credits

Criminal Evidence

The Law of Criminal Evidence is that body of rules which determines what material may be used to prove or disprove the criminal offence alleged to have been committed by an accused. The module looks at what evidence can be presented, the way in which it can be presented, orally or by written statement, who can give evidence and the circumstances in which it can be given. The aim of the module is to provide students with knowledge of the basic principles of the law and an understanding of how these principles operate within the criminal trial and pre-trial process.

20 credits

Drugs, Crime and Control

This module aims to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of drugs, crime and control by engaging with the key academic and policy literature. Students will explore a wide range of drug-related issues and debates, critically analyse the laws, policies and institutions of drug control, and situate them within the wider social context. The topics covered will include: the social construction of the 'drug problem'; drugs and crime; historical and contemporary perspectives on drug policy; drugs policing from the global to the local; tackling drugs through criminal justice interventions; drug control across the world; and the legalisation debate and alternatives to criminalisation.

20 credits

Murder, Myth and Memory: A History of Jack the Ripper

This module introduces students to historical criminology through the lens of an infamous case study, namely Jack the Ripper (an unidentified serial killer who preyed on London's Whitechapel district between August and November 1888). It seeks to disentangle the layers of meaning surrounding the Ripper's murders and examine how myth and memory have shaped understanding of this case. 

Some of the questions that will be explored throughout the course include: 

Does the application of modern techniques of investigation, such as geo-profiling, to the Ripper case impinge on historical values? To what extent is Ripperology a 'masculine' discipline and how have feminist approaches helped to address this? How do dark tourism activities such as 'Jack the Ripper Walking Tours' shape cultural memory? What role do ethics and empathy play in historical research? By undertaking this module students will gain practical experience in the analysis of a variety of historical source material including letters, newspaper reports, photos, postcards, cartoons, post-mortem reports, official police reports and parliamentary debates.

20 credits

Organised Crime & Illicit Markets

The unit is an introduction to students to the growing field of organised crime studies. By focusing on an exploration of the primary literature concerning historical and contemporary developments in organised crime, students will be equipped to engage with sociological debates surrounding the development of this type of criminality, particularly its (alleged) increasingly transnational nature over the past two decades. In particular the unit will explore how governments and law enforcement agencies have tried to respond to this type of crime and will present a range of case studies specific to illicit marketplaces. The unit will also explore the role of the media and the influence of popular culture on the way organised crime is defined and understood.

20 credits

Prisons, Prisoners, and their Families

Imprisonment and its effects are a key concern in studies of punishment. This module takes a holistic approach by developing understandings of the impact of imprisonment on prisoners, prisoners' families, and prison staff. Beginning with a history of imprisonment and policy making, the module explores the management of prisons, including examination of the rules and regulations that govern day-to-day life in prisons, power relations and modes of resistance. The module then considers the experiences of specific groups of prisoners, prisoners' families, and staff. The module concludes with discussion of the future of imprisonment and arguments around prison abolition.

20 credits

Perspectives on inequalities

This module is co-taught with local agency, community and family members. It asks students to think about the everyday experiences of inequality. It explores some of the core theoretical frameworks for interrogating inequality, and then explores everyday reality to apply the theories and concepts. The involvement of practitioners, community members and families means that the module is interactive and requires full attendance, in order to ensure a respectful experience for external contributors.

20 credits

Police and Policing in a Global Context

This module explores policing on a macro-level, taking into account developments on a national and global scale. The topics covered will include: conceptualizing the police and policing; key features of policing, such as police powers, discretion, police culture and accountability; models of policing; the history of policing in the UK and elsewhere; the policing of multi-ethnic communities (who can also be thought of as 'global citizens'); the role of the police in policing, in the light of the growing involvement of non-warranted civilians and others in policing activities; policing in other countries, including post-colonial countries; and policing in a transnational context; policing in global, late modern societies. The module will be partly empirical, but it will also be grounded in theories about the use of power; for example, it will be situated within theories about governance and social control, whilst also exploring whether and from where the police derive legitimacy in exerting power/authority over citizens.

20 credits

Race, Gender and Crime

This module examines the relationships between gender, race and crime. It explores, from a critical standpoint, when and how patterns of law-breaking and victimisation vary according to gender and race. Focusing on topics as diverse as gender-based violence, sex work, political protest/disorder and Islamophobia, the module examines how patriarchal and racialised social structures serve to marginalise and criminalise, and also under-protect, (some) women as well as Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

20 credits

Sex Work: Rights, Regulation and Resistance

This module draws on a large and growing body of international scholarship to introduce students to the complexities and diverse realities of sex work. It will equip students with a sound understanding of a whole range of theories and concepts that help to make sense of the social, cultural, and legal dimensions of sex work. It will explore the various sex markets; gendered differences in the buying and selling of sex; violence, exploitation and trafficking; sex worker-led activism and resistance; and the regulatory models used across the globe to govern sex industries. In so doing, the module uses sex work as an entry point to consider key sociological and criminological debates concerning structure and agency, social justice, and race, gender, migration and class. 

20 credits

Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Law

This module explores the theoretical foundations of criminal law in England and Wales, attempting to situate criminal law in its political, philosophical, historical, and social contexts. Specific issues of criminal law theory, such as criminalisation, harm, responsibility, the rule of law, and minimum intervention are discussed, along with an introduction to the principles of criminal justice and the developing trends affecting these issues. Students will be encouraged to critically deconstruct these issues, and evaluate the distance between these theoretical principles and practice by applying these principles to current debates and tensions in the law, gaining a richer and more critical understanding of the law they have previously studied.

20 credits

Youth Crime and Justice

This module examines youth crime and 'antisocial behaviour, as well as formal responses to young people who offend. During the first half of the module, contemporary and historical views of youth crime are critically examined, attending particularly to class, ethnicity and gender, and to the historical construction of youth as problematic. The second half of the module focuses on youth justice, including the role of the police, the courts, Youth Offending Teams, custodial institutions and other bodies in regulating unruly youth and preventing and responding to youth crime.

20 credits