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This module examines the relationship between crime, justice, and the media, exploring how they are constructed and represented across various media platforms. Using key criminological concepts, it analyses the role of the media in shaping public perceptions of crime and justice through news, drama, and documentary formats. The module also considers different media outlets, including print, television, film, and digital media, to critically assess their influence on societal understandings of crime and justice.
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This module focuses on theories of criminal justice and how these help understand the processes and systems which constitute criminal justice within the UK. The module introduces the different stages, institutions and professional roles within justice systems and how the criminal law operates through the courts. You will observe practices and procedures in a courtroom and analyse them using both the academic resources introduced in the classroom. The module will combine tutor led input and input from guest speakers.
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The module explores the key sociological perspectives in relation to crime and deviance. It explores theoretical concepts and research that explains patterns of crime and criminal behaviour. Additionally, the module explores the historical development of sociological theory and the links to contemporary debates in crime and society. Topics include but not limited to, Functionalism, Marxism, Left and Right Realism, Labelling and The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Gender and Crime, Ethnicity and Crime, Social Class and Crime and Locality and Crime. Students will explore a range of different case studies that can be explained using sociological theory and will explore the extent to which theories can explain a range of different crimes
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This module provides an in-depth examination of the factors that contribute to youth crime, critically exploring a wide range of criminological theories, both historical and contemporary. You will engage with these theories to understand why young people commit crime, while also evaluating current policies and legislation within the Youth Justice System, with a specific focus on England and Wales. The module also addresses various strategies aimed at encouraging desistance from crime and the challenges of supporting young offenders in their reintegration into society. Through class discussions and insights from guest speakers actively working in the youth justice field, you will gain a real-world perspective on the complexities of working with young offenders. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to articulate a well-rounded, informed position on the effectiveness of current policy responses to youth crime and understand the ways in which these responses impact a diverse range of young people.
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This module explores the contributions of psychological theory to the multidisciplinary study of crime. It introduces key concepts from Psychology, Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology, providing a theoretical foundation for understanding individual factors influencing deviance, criminal behaviour, forensic mental health, offending, victimisation, and desistance.
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This module introduces students to a variety of research methods and analytical techniques that Criminological researchers use to test social theory and study aspects of social life. Topics covered include; the epistemological approaches underpinning quantitative and qualitative approaches and practicalities involved with generating quantitative and qualitative research (e.g. sampling and recruitment). Research methods covered include: surveys; freedom of information requests; official statistics and content analysis; interviews; ethnography and participant observation; archival sources; digital methods. Space is given to discussions of the importance of ethical research.
Criminology with Policing BA (Hons)
Honours Degree, Undergraduate, September 2025
Key Details
- L311 Course Code
- 3 Years
- 112 Typical UCAS Tariff
This opportunity is provided as a pathway on our BA (Hons) Criminology degree. All students begin their studies on the BA (Hons) Criminology degree before choosing to either continue with Criminology or deciding to study on the the Criminology with Policing pathway towards the end of their first year. Students who complete this pathway will receive the specialist BA (Hons) Criminology with Policing award at graduation.
Overview
Criminology at Birmingham Newman University offers a critical perspective on crime and the criminal justice system, focusing on social harms and social justice. You will quickly become a valued part of a diverse learning community seeking to understand the full range of crimes and social harms that affect society.
You will be taught by a team of experienced lecturers who are research-active and engaged in research that informs the teaching and learning experience in criminology. The teaching team have substantive professional experience in the criminal justice and victim support sectors, policing and legal sectors enriching your learning experience through their connections.
Our innovative approach to teaching, learning, and assessments immerses learners in the study of crime and justice. The Core Criminology curriculum is delivered in the classroom by experienced lecturers.
The Criminology team’s diverse connections and partnerships with criminal justice professionals in the West Midlands mean our students regularly learn about the everyday realities, rewards, and challenges of working in prisons, probation, youth justice, victim support, and more. This immersion includes varied assessment methods such as individual and group presentations, skills in improvisation and responding to panel questions, youth justice panel simulations, consultation reports, appraising and recommending interventions, briefing papers, and designing and writing up research projects. This approach equips students with the necessary qualities and transferable skills for future careers in criminal justice professions.
Criminology with Policing
Criminology with Policing at Birmingham Newman University investigates the complex nature of crime, victimisation, and responses to crime and deviance. This course introduces major criminological and policing theories that explain the social and personal contexts of crime. You will explore how crime and victims are represented in official reports, mass media, and public opinion, and understand the influence of these representations on societal responses to crime.
You will be taught by experienced academics with professional experience in the criminal justice, victim support, and law enforcement sectors. They enrich your learning experience through their connections. Some lecturers are research-active and engaged in research that informs the teaching and learning experience in Criminology with Policing.
Our innovative approach to teaching, learning, and assessments immerses learners in the study of crime, law enforcement, and justice. The Core Criminology curriculum is delivered in the classroom by experienced lecturers.
The Criminology team’s diverse connections and partnerships with criminal justice and law enforcement professionals in the West Midlands mean our students regularly learn about the everyday realities, rewards, and challenges of working in prisons, probation, youth justice, victim support, and policing. This immersion includes varied assessment methods such as individual and group presentations, skills in improvisation and responding to panel questions, youth justice panel simulations, consultation reports, appraising and recommending interventions, briefing papers, and designing and writing up research projects. This approach equips students with the necessary qualities and transferable skills for future careers in criminal justice and/or law enforcement professions.
What to expect from your second year of studying Criminology with Policing pathway
Your second year of study invites you to pursue a meticulously planned curriculum from Criminology and Policing. You will pursue specially selected Professional Policing modules such as Information, Intelligence and Evidence which equips learners with an understanding of the practical and legislative issues related to the collection, retention and sharing of information and intelligence in policing. Learners critically examine aspects of operational policing in Response Policing. Learners will evaluate high profile critical incidents to establish elements of best practice and areas for improvement in police responses, they will also acquire an understanding that effective response policing is influenced through effective leadership and team working, often with other organisations. Enquiry into Decision Making, Discretion and Professional standards, introduces learners to the role of discretion in decision-making processes. Students will be able to discern how bias can inform such decisions. Learners will also study complex issues such as the necessity of maintaining professional standards and an analysis of how procedures have been implemented to reduce professional malpractice and increase community confidence and trust in policing. Alongside this, you will have the opportunity to further develop understanding of key issues in Criminology such as delving into the psychological motivations underpinning various offenders’ crimes. You will acquire criminological skills in quantitative and qualitative project design, designing research projects, analysing data and writing up an account of the project findings.
What to expect from your third year of studying Criminology with Policing pathway
In your third and final undergraduate year of study, you will delve deeper into pertinent criminological issues of Equality and Diversity in Criminal Justice. You will have the opportunity to study the processes of Rehabilitation and Desistance, exploring how individuals cease offending and reintegrate into society. You will also acquire an in-depth understanding of Serious and Organised Crime and Complex investigations. Types of serious organised crimes and police and National Crime Agency responses encountered on the module is likely to include: drug and human trafficking, cybercrime and financial fraud. Learners will also examine intelligence gathering techniques and methodologies used by law enforcement to disrupt and combat sophisticated criminal networks. Depending on your developing area of specialisms, you will be able to choose from two policing modules. These include: Mental Health, Vulnerability and Risk and Public Protection Policing.
Finally, you will pursue independent, in-depth research into a criminological or social harm topic of particular interest to you. You will present this work in the form of a traditional written dissertation report or an extended project that includes a written component and allows you to produce a more creative ‘resource’.
Why study this course?
-The holistic course design (content, simulation assessments, criminal justice site visits, and guest speakers) allows learners to be immersed in their study of crime and justice to aid their eventual progression into various Criminal Justice professions.
-Master a range of criminological theories and their evolution, while learning to evaluate how these frameworks shape modern approaches to crime prevention and criminal justice.
-Small cohorts afford opportunities to personalise students progression and over three years, we nurture and champion students to develop their own specialist criminological subject expertise
-Uncover the issues underpinning social harms and inequalities. Discover the potential for how your learning can be channelled into tackling crime, social harms, injustice and make a lasting difference in the work you do.
Criminology students complete a range of assessments including:
Blog posts;
youth justice panel simulation;
individual or group presentations;
Essay;
Multiple-choice test;
Project report;
Research proposal;
Portfolio;
Consultant report;
Auto-ethnography;
Poster
Criminology graduates generally find employment within:
Youth Justice;
The National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies
The Police
The Prison Service
Third sector organisations such as victim support and local supported accommodation and offender management projects.
Roles within the IPCC
Crime analysts
Investigators in the expanding private security sector.
A criminology degree also promotes an excellent grounding for graduate careers in other public sector and voluntary sector organisations, and for progressing to professional training routes in the areas such as law and social work.
Potential future employers include:
Central and local government departments such as the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, the Police and Crime Commissioners Office, the Court Services, security services, the NHS, educational institutions, and charities that work with victims of crime.
Criminology graduates also work in a range of other social welfare posts, such as social work, teaching, community development, mental health support and drug rehabilitation, in refugee and victim support/counselling and policy and campaigning organisations.
Opportunities also exist in the private sector, for example in in law practices.
Note that entry into some of these professions require further postgraduate training.
Birmingham Newman University is located in Britain’s second city – Birmingham. With one of the youngest city populations in Europe, it is a vibrant and dynamic place to study.
Studying at Newman University, you have the advantage of being near to the city, but living in, or commuting to peaceful and comfortable surroundings on campus.
Dining out
Birmingham has lots of wonderful places to dine out with a range of different cuisines. Places where you can dine out include; Brindley Place, Mailbox and Hagley Road (just 10 minutes’ from Newman).
Entertainment
Whether you like to go to; the theatre, gigs or clubs, or enjoy: sports, shopping visiting art galleries or exhibitions – Birmingham will not disappoint and you will be spoilt for choice!
Location
Getting around Birmingham is easy via train, bus or by car. Birmingham has excellent transport links to the rest of Britain, making it easy for those weekend getaways!
Why not explore the city for yourself by visiting one of our Open Days?
Want to find out more about Birmingham? Then take a look at some Birmingham City Secrets.
Entry Requirements
UK home students
Entry requirements, for UK home students, for September 2025 entry:
- 112 UCAS points
UK Applying Direct Option
International students
If you are an international student, please get in touch with our International team who will be able to advise on entry criteria for this course. Email international@newman.ac.uk or telephone +441218160449.
International Applying Direct option
To apply for this course, you can apply direct using the apply link provided below:
Please note that courses with a professional placement are not available to International students.
Course Fees
UK home students
The full-time course fee, for UK home students, for September 2025 is £9,535 per year.
International students
The full-time course fees and funding, for International students, for September 2025 are:
- Undergraduate Taught: £12,500 tuition fee
- International Excellence Scholarship: £1,500
All International Students who apply in 2024/25 will be eligible for the International Excellence Scholarship which will be automatically applied to their offer as a tuition fee reduction.
Additional Costs
Find out more about the other additional costs associated with our undergraduate degrees.
The University will review tuition fees and increase fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government, if permitted by law or government policy, in subsequent years of your course. It is anticipated that such increases would be linked to RPI (the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments).
International students
For detailed information on course fees for international students, please visit our International Students page.
Additional Costs
Find out more about the other additional costs associated with our undergraduate degrees.
The University will review tuition fees and increase fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government, if permitted by law or government policy, in subsequent years of your course. It is anticipated that such increases would be linked to RPI (the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments).
Please note that stated course fees are subject to final OfS (Office for Students) approval.
Modules
Please be aware that, as with any course, there may be changes to the modules delivered, for information view our Changes to Programmes or Module Changes page.
Timetables: find out when information is available to students
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This module gives learners robust training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and practical skills and competencies in the retrieval, analysis and writing up of quantitative and qualitative data
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This module is a study of the penal system. This includes the history, philosophy, sociology and practice of state punishment. Punishment is highly contested and penal practices both historically and in the contemporary world have been subject to vigorous critique. Students will be encouraged to become involved in these debates and to have the confidence to articulate their own views and opinions concerning state punishment. This module will start by considering a range of conceptual and theoretical approaches towards state punishment. Students will explore how state punishment is justified philosophically and how its operation is explained sociologically. The module will then explore how the penal these ideas are reflected in both in terms of government policy and in practice through the work of courts, prisons and offender management agencies.
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The module focuses on the psychology of criminal behaviour, focusing on cognitive, social, and forensic psychology theories related to crime. Within this module, students will critically examine the psychological factors that contribute to miscarriages of justice including, false confessions, false allegations, eyewitness testimony and memory reliability. In addition, psychological knowledge will be used to understand topics such as hate crime, terrorism, the link between religion and desistance and vigilantism. This module will allow students to explore how psychological theories and research guides criminal investigations, legal processes and the public attitudes and societal responses to crime and criminal behaviour. Students will critically analyse the extent to which psychological theories can explain criminal behaviour, desistance and miscarriages of justice.
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This module provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between gender and various forms of violence. A series of case studies, controversial debates, theoretical frameworks, and current research informs this module. The module explores how gender norms and inequalities contribute to the prevalence and experience of violence in different contexts. The module is updated to keep the topics modern, but is likely to cover a range of topics. This module also emphasizes the importance of intersectionality, recognizing how factors such as race, class, sexuality, and disability intersect with gender to shape experiences of violence. Finally, consideration is given to the role played by the social, cultural, and political factors that perpetuate violence. Lectures, discussions, and completion of the assessment will afford learners with critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the strategies and policies aimed at preventing and addressing different forms of gender and violence.
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This module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of how different criminal justice systems operate across the world, exploring legal traditions, policy frameworks and strategies for crime control in diverse socio-political contexts. Students will be asked to prepare a presentation for a Justice Minister about a chosen crime, topic or location. Students are asked to consider what international approaches can be drawn on to tackle the topic within the United Kingdom. A range of diverse topics will be considered and linked to theory including, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Forced Marriage (FM), Abortion, Honour-Based Violence (HBV), Capital Punishment, Child Homicide and Penology.
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Students will explore the necessity for maintaining professional standards in policing, and relevant governance and their roles and responsibilities. They will compare professional standards within the police service to similar professional organisations. Students will analyse how the police have developed policies and procedures to reduce the possibility of professional malpractice and increase community confidence; then review the progress being made within the police service to improve professional standards. Students will examine the role of discretion in the decision-making process and analyse the effect on bias on the decision-making process. Students will cover and apply the National Decision Model to given professional situations and demonstrate effective judgement and decision making.
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This module will cover and review the overall scope of the response policing role and the types of incidents and crimes likely to be encountered in this area of operational policing. Leadership and team working are key to policing and, therefore, will be explored in this module, in particular, the importance of self-evaluation and the nature of effective teamwork. Students will examine the roles and responsibilities of the police and joint interoperability between other attending emergency services at an incident. Various examples of high-profile critical incidents will be reviewed to establish best practise and development areas. Specific challenges faced by response officers will be examined in more complex response situations and contexts. This module will also examine the key social, political and strategic drivers impacting upon contemporary response policing and strategies involved in response policing to ensure they remain effective in an increasingly challenging environment, including the ethical use of stop and search powers and the impact on communities and trust and confidence in the police.
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This module will cover the importance of information and intelligence to key areas of policing, and the relevant legislation and guidance underpinning information and intelligence in policing. Students will understand the practical issues pertaining to the collection, retention and sharing of information and intelligence. Students will gain an understanding of how the use of information and intelligence which is held by other agencies can help and assist police operations. Data protection regulations will be covered and will be analysed to what impact they can have on professional policing. Issues will be explored that can arise when data management protocols are not adhered to. The rights of the individual will be reviewed in respect of information held about them. Students will further gain an understanding of securing and preserving digital evidence, from various sources and best evidence available.
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Rehabilitation and Desistance explores the various approaches within the criminal justice system aimed at addressing individuals who have been convicted of criminal offenses. Focusing on rehabilitation and desistance, the module examines how offenders are managed, either through incarceration or through programs designed to promote reintegration and reduce recidivism. The module begins with an introduction to the concepts of rehabilitation and desistance, encouraging students to critically reflect on how personal values influence attitudes toward offenders. This foundational understanding will then serve as a springboard for analysing a variety of rehabilitative programs aimed at both adults and young people, including those convicted of violent, terrorist, and sexual offenses. Through a detailed examination of these programs, students will gain insight into the complexities of rehabilitation practices, the challenges of supporting offenders in desisting from crime, and the broader societal and ethical issues surrounding punitive measures and reintegration strategies. By the end of the module, students will be equipped with the knowledge to critically assess and engage with contemporary rehabilitative practices in the criminal justice system.
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This module adopts the perspective of Zemiology (the study of social harms theory) to examine the impacts to victims, perpetrators and wider society caused by a range of crimes; harms, violent and abusive behaviours. The module introduces learners to various theories of power, social harm and victimology before considering their application to some contemporary examples. An array of sources will be used to identify the causes, influences and potential impacts of these crimes and harms. The module also evaluates how various agencies have responded to the threats posed by these acts of violence and abuse. Students will explore a range of data to understand the harms posed by violence/abuse on victims, perpetrators and wider society – they will also develop insights into how agencies working together can more effectively ameliorate, reduce and/or where applicable, bring about reparations for the harms caused by violence/abuse.
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This module explores the complexities of crime control, accountability, and injustice through conceptual, theoretical, and practical lenses. Students will engage with a variety of theoretical frameworks on social control, examining how these theories are operationalised in contemporary policy and agency approaches towards crime control. The module outlines the historical development and social context of professional policing, focusing on the evolution of legal frameworks and their impact on policing practices. A central focus will be the exploration of the assumptions and ideologies that shape police discretion, and how these inform the treatment of offenders and victims. Students will critically assess the implications of such discretion, considering its effects on public opinion and its representation in both media and official discourses surrounding policing. The module will also provide an in-depth analysis of modern policing practices, positioning them within current debates about the challenges faced by law enforcement in an increasingly complex and changing world. This will include consideration of the impact of technological advancements, social media, and evolving societal values on crime control. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the balance between accountability and justice within law enforcement, and to consider how policing can be adapted to meet the demands of contemporary society. By the end of the module, students will be equipped with the tools to critically assess the role of police discretion in crime control and the broader social, legal, and political factors that influence modern-day policing practices.
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This module involves exploring and analysing cybercrime on social media platforms and the challenges of digital policing in online spaces. Students will critically analyse how crimes including, but not limited to, cyber fraud, hate speech, misinformation, child exploitation, and cyberstalking emerge and evolve within digital environments. The module examines the legal, technological, and ethical complexities surrounding the regulation of online criminal activity in relation to accountability, jurisdictional barriers, encryption, and online anonymity. Students will utilise criminological and psychological theories to understand offender motivations within the digital world and explore patterns within cybercrime. Additionally, this module explores the role of law enforcement agencies, social media companies, and policymakers in addressing cybercrime through legislation, AI moderation, community standards, and law enforcement partnerships.
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The undergraduate project affords learners the opportunity for sustained and independent study in the final year of their course. It intends to develop knowledge of, and critical insight into, a topic of the student's choice within the broad area of Criminology. Students are enabled to undertake first-hand enquiry and encouraged to develop an analytical and reflective approach to the subject identified for study. The module aims to encourage the articulation of a critically informed perspective on the subject being studied. It also intends to enable the production of a coherent document or artefact of rigorous academic standards.
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This module will provide the basis for students to critically examine the relationship between crime, the criminal justice system and the increasingly fluid and intersectional social categories of ‘race’, culture, religion, gender, and sexuality. Using national and international contemporary theoretical perspectives, students will examine how these manifest within the context of crime in late modern Britain. Indicative content will include examination of: the pervasiveness of racialised discourses within criminal justice; disproportionality in the prison system sentencing and the use of Police powers; the relationship between the social construction of masculinities and criminal behaviour; developing trends in crime committed by women; experiences of perpetrators and victims of racist and homophobic hate crime; and how Islamophobia is shaping both public perceptions of, and criminal justice policy directed at, the British Muslim community. Through their own reflective writing and the use of a range of visual methods/resources, students will be challenged to critically evaluate how they as potential practitioners are situated within structures of power and privilege and how their own inhabiting of multiple identities will be implicated in their efforts to challenge the inequalities that persist within the criminal justice system
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This module provides a comprehensive exploration of safety and wellbeing challenges facing modern policing professionals. Students will critically examine the psychological, physical, and digital aspects of officer wellbeing, developing practical strategies to maintain resilience in challenging operational environments. The module begins by examining how workplace experiences directly impact psychological wellbeing, emphasising the importance of reflective practice and self-care strategies that enable officers to effectively 'switch off' from work during personal time. Students will explore formal and informal support networks available to first responders and evaluate practical considerations in trauma support provision. Core content addresses the multifaceted nature of wellbeing, including physical safety considerations in high-risk environments such as roads policing. Particular attention is given to the psychological impacts of first response incidents and investigations, especially when working with vulnerable individuals. Students will develop skills in recognising signs of stress, compassion fatigue, and trauma in both themselves and colleagues, while learning effective interventions and coping strategies to foster resilience. The module examines organisational factors affecting wellbeing, including both positive and negative aspects of police culture and the principles of organisational justice. Students will evaluate how these factors influence individual officer experiences and overall team effectiveness. Digital wellbeing and security form another key component, with focus on managing personal digital hygiene, security risks to officers and their families, and ethical considerations regarding digital investigation practices. Through case studies, reflective exercises, and practical applications, students will develop a holistic understanding of the interconnected nature of wellbeing challenges in policing and acquire evidence-based strategies to maintain effectiveness while safeguarding their physical, psychological, and digital wellbeing throughout their careers.
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This module scans all areas of public protection policing, policy, research, theory and practice. Students will be introduced to the diverse and complex nature of public protection policing. Students will develop an understanding of the powers and legislation relating to contemporary and significant areas of practice including, but not limited to, child sexual exploitation, country lines, child criminal exploitation, modern slavery, domestic abuse, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, sexual offences, honour and hate crime. Students will use this knowledge to critically explore complex situations. Students will understand the impact these offences have on the victim, their families, the wider community and the criminal justice system. The concept of multi-agency working will be a theme throughout this module, with reference to serious case reviews and the management of offenders.
Additional Information
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