- UCAS course code
- VL53
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BASS)
BASS Philosophy and Criminology
Duration: 3 or 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: VL53 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Study abroad
Industrial experience
- Typical A-level offer: ABB including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,5,5 at HL, including specific subjects
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Scholarships and bursaries, including the Manchester Bursary , are available to eligible home/EU students.
Some undergraduate UK students will receive bursaries of up to £2,000 per year, in addition to the government package of maintenance grants.
You can get information and advice on student finance to help you manage your money.
Course unit details:
Criminological Research Methods
| Unit code | CRIM10071 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
Social research plays an important part in our understanding of the social world, and in everyday policy debates. It is vital, therefore, that students have a critical knowledge of the various methods social researchers use to collect data and make sense of the world. This module will provide students with an appreciation of the purpose and practice of social research with a focus upon the research methods most often used to study crime and criminal justice.
Indicative content: (1) Introduction to the course; (2) Quantitative methodologies (3) Quantitative research design; (4) Quantitative research sampling and quality; (5) Ethics in research and key issues in qualitative research; (6) Qualitative interviewing; (7) Ethnography; (8) Visual and alternative research approaches; (9) Mixed methods research; (10) Course review & assignment support.
Pre/co-requisites
no pre-requisites.
Aims
This course unit aims to (1) introduce students to the purpose, principles and practice of research in criminology; (2) furnish students with an appreciation of the diversity and scope of the methods used; (3) give students a critical appreciation of the strengths and limitations of various research methods; (4) provide students with the skills necessary to carry out research; 5) To develop students autonomy and independence as learners.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit successful students will be able to: (1) understand the intellectual roots of empirical enquiry; (2) appreciate key distinctions and traditions in social research; (3) understand the stages of the research process and apply them to criminological research; (4) identify the range of methods and research designs used in criminology; 5) demonstrate a critical awareness of the key features of, advantages and limitations of different approaches and key studies; 6) be in a position to undertake primary research in the future; 7) be in a position to think independently and work collaboratively with confidence.
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.
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
The assessment consists of a 2,500 word essay (in the form of a research proposal) worth 100% of your final mark.
Feedback methods
Formative feedback (both individual and collective) will be given on (1) on tasks and contribution in class, (2) developing essay plans. Summative feedback will be given on the submitted essay via Blackboard (Grademark).
Recommended reading
Davies, P. & Francis, P. (2018) Doing Criminological Research (Third Edition). London: Sage.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 |
| Tutorials | 10 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 70 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Nico Trajtenberg | 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) and LLB (Law with Criminology) students for which this subject is compulsory.
This course is available to incoming study abroad students university wide.
No pre-requisites