Criminology

BA Criminology Degree

Mode: full-time

Overview & facilities
Whilst the focus of the Criminology degree at Middlesex in London is on the theoretical concepts of crime and criminality, it has a sufficiently broad spectrum that will enable you to understand how various organisations operate within the Criminal Justice System.

The Criminology degree aims to

• Support the acquisition of knowledge and skills in criminology
• Encourage your development of a critical approach to your studies, evaluating theory and evidence accordingly
• Prepare you to be a participant in society through an awareness and understanding of crime and crime control in society
• Equip you in effective written, oral and IT communications skills
• Develop your analytical, research and graduate skills relevant to a range of professions
• Encourage you to develop as an autonomous learner; and instil a culture of lifelong learning in you
• Provide a thorough grounding in major areas of criminology that will enable you to progress to postgraduate training and education

Based at our Hendon campus in London, you will gain knowledge and understanding through active participation in a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, weekly assignments and practical exercises, tutorials, e-mail support, independent self-directed study and-or experiential learning

Special features

• 12 active researchers in the Crime and Conflict Research Centre, involved in projects such as trans-national organised crime; youth crime; community safety strategies; crime and deviance, inter-ethnic conflict
• Work based projects possible for those with experience in the criminal justice system
• Placement year available - our excellent links with London-based criminal justice organisations have lead to superb placement opportunities.

Partnerships
Metropolitan Police Crime Academy
Dr Robin Fletcher has developed close links with the Metropolitan Police Crime Academy at Hendon, formally the MPS Detective Training School. The most senior homicide detectives have enrolled onto a validated postgraduate work based learning course. This new course has allowed senior police officers to gain academic merit from skills developed in the work place.

Volunteering and work based Learning
We encourage all students to take part in voluntary work within the community. We encourage employers to work with the university and take students part time to develop their work based skills. For example, Dr Anthony Goodman has developed a pioneering opportunity with Les Quinn of the Islington Youth Offending Team (YOT) to enable students to gain experience with young Offenders. Since employers increasingly require prior experience this allows students to become more marketable when seeking employment once they have graduated.

Careers
A variety of careers are open to criminology graduates. These include:

• Local Authorities: including, for example Community Safety; Youth services; Youth Offending Team; Social work; research; crime analyst; housing and environmental health DAAT worker (Drugs and Alcohol case worker)
• The National Offender Management System (NOMS). Formerly the prison service and the probation service, now re-named and re-organised. Opportunities include offender managers to supervise offenders in the community. (Training provided)
• The police. This can take the form of either police officer, police community support officer, member of the civilian staff who support the police or other support worker
• The legal system (with possibly some legal training) either as a support or case worker for the Crown Prosecution service (CPS) or solicitors' offices as a legal representative or in private chambers.
• The voluntary sector as a Victim support worker and care worker
• Agencies also advertise for students who graduate in Criminology in areas relating to community based private projects often with the young and the elderly.