Criminology and Criminal Justice - BA Hons Degree - Topup

Only applicants that have successfully completed the Foundation Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, validated by Lancaster University, with Blackpool and The Fylde College are eligible to apply to this course.

Course Detail

The course aims to enrich students' existing knowledge acquired on the foundation degree by: 

• extending their understanding  of critical criminological theories and concepts.
• further developing research skills and applying them to the investigation of substantive topics in crime, victimisation and criminal justice.  
• developing an appreciation and understanding of changing forms and patterns of criminality in a globalising world.
• synthesising and critically evaluating a range of criminological theories, perspectives, concepts, ideas and arguments. 

Industry Placement and Field Trips

All students will be required to undertake a work placement in the area of criminal justice. Work Based learning supports the development of higher level learning, where the learning in College can be applied to a work environment.

You are encouraged and supported to find work placements throughout the programme, with the work-based learning assessment embedded in the second year. For the work-based placement, you will create a reflective log of your experience and techniques adopted during your placement, which will in turn be used to generate a final written research report.

Historically, students have worked in a range of agencies in the criminal justice field, spending 96 hours placed within relevant organisations. You will create a presentation of your work as part of an academic poster event at the college, with the further possibility of participating and presenting at conference events attended by academic researchers and industry representatives. The work based placement learning activities will allow you to demonstrate your employability skills and attributes, in a professional and supportive environment, and enable you to demonstrate your ability to research and discuss an area of your own particular interest.

Scheduled Learning

Scheduled time relates to the time you spend in directed study with the guidance and support of our academic tutors. Scheduled learning can take a variety of forms and will vary from one course to the next, but may include lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstrations, studio or workshop time, fieldwork and external visits.

Independent Study

Higher education courses rely on students undertaking work outside of formal, scheduled sessions and this is generally categorised as independent study. Independent study might include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks and revision.

Placement

Many of the degree programmes at B&FC incorporate opportunities for work placements to provide you with the opportunity to link your studies to relevant professional practice in a real work environment. Our programme teams are able to offer support in securing an appropriate work placement where it forms part of your programme, and will work closely with you during the placement to ensure that the opportunity allows you to develop personally, professionally and academically.

Expert Tutors

All staff involved in the delivery of higher education courses within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver. The approval process ensures that staff delivering a given programme are appropriately qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and professional practice.

Our graduates have ultimately progressed onto Level 7 (MA and MSc) programmes or gained employment at a professional level in a range of relevant sector areas.

Our recent graduates have progressed onto Masters Degree courses at Lancaster University, University of Central Lancashire and Edge Hill University, in subjects such as Criminology and Criminal Justice, Social Work, Alcohol and Drug Studies, Mental Health, Human Rights, Forensic Psychology, Applied Social Science, Sociology, Gender and Women's Studies, and Politics and Philosophy.

Other postgraduate qualifications that our graduates have the option of studying include Law conversion courses, LLM in Law and teaching courses such as PGCEs in primary, secondary or postcompulsory education, including the PGCE programme at Blackpool and The Fylde College.

Progression and employability are key to the structure of the programme, as demonstrated by the wide variety of graduate employment gained within criminal justice agencies and related areas.

Alumni have taken up positions in teaching and research and a range of formal and informal agencies across public, private and voluntary sectors in the criminal justice field, such as central and local government, The Police Service, The Prison Service, law practices, The Home Office, The National Criminal Intelligence Service and welfare charities. Popular job roles include: Case Review Manager, Court Clerk, Community Worker, Immigration Officer, Fraud Investigator, Human Rights Officer, Paralegal, Police Officer, Prison Officer, Probation Officer, Youth and Community Worker and work in youth justice.

Graduates are also prepared for work in a range of social welfare and social care posts, such as Social Worker, Drug Rehabilitation worker, Housing Officer and Victim Support.