Unit information: Criminology: an introduction in 2017/18

Unit name	Criminology: an introduction
Unit code	SPOL10019
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Mike McBeth
Open unit status	Open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The unit will provide students with an introduction to key criminological concepts and theories. Specifically, it will introduce students to:

1. key concepts such as crime, social harm, deviance, victimisation and criminalisation
2. criminological theories explaining the production of crime and social harm
3. the wider social, political, and economic context in which theories emerge and come to be influential
4. how criminological theory has impacted on criminal justice and wider social policies

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

1. understand and apply key criminological concepts such as crime, social harm, deviance, victimisation and criminalisation
2. critically evaluate a range of different criminological theories and explain their social, economic and political origins
3. critically assess what impact, if any, criminological theory has had on criminal justice and wider social policies

Teaching Information

20 Lectures and 10 seminars (plus 1 reading week and 1 revision week)

Assessment Information

The assessments have been developed in order to meet the intended learning outcomes of the unit:

Formative assessment is by:

• a seminar presentation of a small group project which has been jointly researched, and
• an essay of 2000 words (maximum)

Summative assessment is by:

• an essay of 2500 words (maximum)

All assessment is marked against the published marking criteria for that level, as stated in the Programme handbook

Reading and References

Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahidin, A., & Wincup, E. (2013, 3^rd Ed.) Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Lilly, R., Cullen, F., Ball, R. (2015, 6th Ed.) Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences, London: Sage

McLaughlin, E. & Muncie, J. (2013, 3^rd Ed.) The SAGE Dictionary of Criminology, London: Sage

Newburn, T. (2013, 2^nd Ed.) Criminology, London: Routledge

White, R., Haines, F., & Asquith (2012, 5^th Ed.) Crime and Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press