- UCAS course code
- P567
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Crime and Society
| Unit code | CRIM10002 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This course is about the problem of crime. It aims to introduce some of the central issues, themes and concepts involved in thinking critically about crime. We will be concerned with exploring how perspectives drawn from across the social sciences can inform our understanding of this significant contemporary social issue
Indicative weekly topics: (1) Defining and measuring crime; (2) The politics of crime; (3) Media representations of crime; (4) Approaches to understanding crime; (5) Gender and crime; (6) Race and crime; (7) Age and crime; (8) Crime, power & inequalities; (9) Bringing it all together; (10) Course overview & exam preparation.
Aims
To (1) introduce students to the concept of crime and criminality; (2) introduce key approaches to studying and understanding crime; (3) critically explore the social and political context of crime.
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching and learning across course units consists of: (1) preparatory work to be completed prior to teaching sessions, including readings, pre-recorded subject material and online activities; (2) a weekly whole-class lecture or workshop; (3) a tutorial; and (4) one-to-one support via subject specific office hours.
Knowledge and understanding
Explain, critique and evidence key issues connected with crime and society
Apply concepts from different disciplines to the study of crime and criminality
Construct a clear argument about crime in a diverse society to develop critical thinking
Intellectual skills
Accurately summarise relevant literature on crime into clear explanations
Practical skills
Apply academic writing skills to meet required word limits.
Employability skills
- Other
- (i) analyse, critique and (re-)formulate a problem or issue; (ii) rapidly and thoroughly review/rate argument and evidence from targeted bibliographic searches; (iii) plan, structure and present arguments in a variety of written formats and to a strict word limit, (iv) express ideas verbally and organise work effectively in small teams for a variety of written and oral tasks; (v) obtain, manipulate and (re-)present different forms of data; (vi) manage time effectively; (vii) reflect on and improve performance through feedback.
Assessment methods
This unit is summatively assessed by 100% coursework consisting of two parts. Part A: 150 words per question x 5, Part B: 2 essays from a choice of 4 - 750 words per question. Formative assessment is by a practice of a part B question.
Feedback methods
You will have the opportunity to practice the short answer questions similar to Part A of the
assessment in your lectures and tutorials. You will receive formative feedback during the weekly lectures and in your tutorials as well as
being provided with example answers to the preparatory short answer questions. Towards the end of the course unit, you will have the opportunity to practice an essay similar to Part B of the assessment only. You will receive formative
feedback on your essay prior to the assessment period.
Recommended reading
Liebling, A, Maruna, S and McAra, L (Eds) (2023), The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 7th Edition. Oxford: OUP.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 |
| Tutorials | 10 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 70 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Emily Turner | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
Across their course units each semester, full-time students are expected to devote a ‘working week’ of around 30-35 hours to study. Accordingly each course unit demands around 10-11 hours of study per week consisting of (i) 3 timetabled teacher-led hours, (ii) 7-8 independent study hours devoted to preparation, required and further reading, and note taking.
Restricted to BA (Criminology) students for which this subject is compulsory. Open to BA Social Sciences (BASS) students as an optional unit and other students may be accepted at the discretion of the Course Unit Director. Available also to incoming study abroad students university wide.
Cannot be taken in conjunction with CRIM10122.