The module takes traditional and contemporary areas of criminological debate and seeks to facilitate students’ engagement with these theoretical paradigms. Students will have to show higher level knowledge and understanding of the contours of contemporary criminology and its theoretical proponents. This understanding will culminate in their ability to analyse, apply, and reflect on the relevance and application of these emergent paradigms to a topic of criminological interest for them. The key criminological concepts covered on the module include:¿
Classical Criminology, Positivist Criminology, Interactionist and Critical Criminology, Feminist Criminology, Cultural Criminology and Deviant Leisure, Ultra-Realism, Social Harm, The Global South, Green Criminology, Life Course Criminology and Desistance Studies, Big Data and Administrative Criminology.¿
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The lectures/seminars are set around themes and issues that deal with emergent topics and fields of interest, and the studied perspectives are clearly linked and do cross over. However, during the module, students will deal not only with theory, but consider emergent areas and topics that are at the centre of criminology, which will be combined with discussion of emerging cases and examples. These will include:¿
Terrorism and domestic extremism, homicide, borders and immigration, human trafficking, global warming, gangs and youth crime, wildlife crime, environmental harms, COVID-19, financial crimes, and a range of ‘street’ crimes.¿

Students will be required to write a 4000-word assignment whereby they select a theoretical perspective from the taught content and relate it to a criminological issue. This issue might be a type of crime, a prominent social issue, a case study of a particular crime, a particular representation in the news or media, or an emerging official response such as a new policing initiative.¿
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They will combine the criminological perspective with the topic and write a 4000-word simulated journal article. The assignment should contain a title, 4-5 key words, and be referenced in the Harvard style.¿
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The assessment will be based on submission in the style of an academic journal article, hopefully aiding students to develop a written form and style that meet the high standards of academic criminology, which may in the long-term assist those who are seeking professional roles to better understand writing for academic audiences.¿
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Learners have the opportunity to submit formative coursework, in the form of a short essay plan. They will receive formative feedback on their submission.

Out of 200 hours, 26 hours will be delivered in a recorded lecture/seminar format, and 174 hours will be self-guided, independent study.¿



During lectures and seminars tutors will highlight key issues, problems and debates for discussion.¿

Students should undertake a range of structured independent activities which will involve, for example, literature review, problem-solving, engagement with case studies and scenarios.¿

Students will engage in independent study which includes:¿
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- Completing required readings that are relevant to each week’s topic. These readings will give students a deeper understanding of each topic under discussion.¿
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- Listen to a series of recorded lectures and seminars that cover key issues on the topic, and a session on assignment guidance.¿

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Learning materials will be delivered using the Blackboard virtual learning environment via reading packs of selected journal articles, book chapters, and reports.¿

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The readings will provide:¿
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- An essential knowledge base which will be available to all students.¿
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- A resource for coursework and all assessed assignments.¿

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Students will be able to access guidance on online resources available via the university’s e-resources pages.¿

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Tutors will provide online academic support and guidance to students throughout the module and will respond to student enquiries in a timely manner.¿

1. On completion of this module, you will be able to explain the core components of criminological theory.

2. On completion of this module, you will be able to critique the application of the perspective under discussion to issues of policy in relation to crime control and regulation

3. On completion of this module, you will be able to assess the contribution of a criminological perspective to an important social issue.¿


4. On completion of this module, you will be able to develop a high-quality written analysis of a contemporary criminological perspective to a crime-related topic that shows wider knowledge and understanding in the field of theoretical criminology.¿

The University library¿
The Blackboard virtual learning environment¿
Full-text journals database for criminology (SAGE)¿

Brisman, A., Carrabine, E., and South, N. (2017) The Routledge Companion to Criminological Theory and Concepts. London: Routledge.¿
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Chamberlain, J.M. (2015) Criminological Theory in Context. Los Angeles: SAGE.¿
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Hopkins-Burke, R. (2018) An Introduction to Criminological Theory. 5th edn. London: Routledge.¿
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Tibbetts, S.G. (2018) Criminological Theory: The Essentials. 3rd edn. Los Angeles: SAGE.¿
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Additional reading available from the online reading list.¿

The module takes traditional and contemporary areas of criminological debate and seeks to facilitate students’ engagement with these theoretical paradigms. Students will have to show higher level knowledge and understanding of the contours of contemporary criminology and its theoretical proponents. This understanding will culminate in their ability to analyse, apply, and reflect on the relevance and application of these emergent paradigms to a topic of criminological interest for them. The key criminological concepts covered on the module include:¿
Classical Criminology, Positivist Criminology, Interactionist and Critical Criminology, Feminist Criminology, Cultural Criminology and Deviant Leisure, Ultra-Realism, Social Harm, The Global South, Green Criminology, Life Course Criminology and Desistance Studies, Big Data and Administrative Criminology.¿
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The lectures/seminars are set around themes and issues that deal with emergent topics and fields of interest, and the studied perspectives are clearly linked and do cross over. However, during the module, students will deal not only with theory, but consider emergent areas and topics that are at the centre of criminology, which will be combined with discussion of emerging cases and examples. These will include:¿
Terrorism and domestic extremism, homicide, borders and immigration, human trafficking, global warming, gangs and youth crime, wildlife crime, environmental harms, COVID-19, financial crimes, and a range of ‘street’ crimes.¿