Criminology BA (Hons)

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of interactive lectures, workshops and seminars. As part of your learning you will also be asked to attend areas of the criminal justice system such as the Court, to observe the sector in an operational setting. There is also some online learning activities and group activities where you will be provided with a structure of independent learning through which you will learn to organise and prioritise your research and design and develop your learning strategy. This will be supported through formative feedback and personal academic tutoring. Personal Academic Tutors are scheduled on at least 4 occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course.

You will also have an opportunity to apply to study at the University of Malta for a semester of the second year. This opportunity will offer you a chance to study with students from many different countries and experience modular learning from a different institution. It will expose you to a very different way of life, culture and practices that will enhance your personal and academic development and your future employability.

Contact time

In a typical week, students will have around 10-12 contact hours of teaching. The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected and in the final year there is normally slightly less contact time to do more independent study. In each semester, students will be studying four modules. Each module will have 2-3 hours of weekly classes on campus, typically including a lecture and a smaller seminar or workshop. The final year dissertation has more flexibility in terms of teaching as this consists of small group seminars and individual supervision tailored to the progress of each student.

Typically, on campus classes will be structured around:

• Lectures
  • First year lectures can be large (70-80 typically)
  • Second and third year lectures are smaller (40-50 typically)
• Seminars and workshops
  • Groups are smaller ranging from 25-40
  • Seminars encourage students to work in groups of 6-8
• Tutorials
  • Staff have weekly 20 minute 1:1 tutorial slot’s available to book
• Use of course Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard) for online activities.
  • Each module will include a range of online activities including recorded talks, discussion boards, padlets, quizzes and directed reading.

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 24 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve researching, reading, planning and designing projects, completing formative and summative assignments, working with other students in group activities and meeting with your PAT or Supervisor, writers in residence or librarian.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources.

Assessment

A range of assessment methods are used to enable students to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes. Literacy and critical thinking around criminology is developed and assessed through assignments such as essays, literature reviews and critical reviews of journal papers. Such assessments aim to develop skills such as problem solving, research, organisation, planning, and effective communication. Effective and fluent written, oral, and visual communication is enhanced further through assessments that use posters and PowerPoint presentations, video, and webpage design; whilst the use of group work for assessment enables better team working and the development of leadership skills. Finally, several modules use weblogs, e-portfolios, and case studies to develop and assess a range of skills including reflection and independent learning.

Furthermore, the course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods will vary but could include Essay, Reflective Log, Personal Development Plan, Public Communication, Literature Review, Research Proposal, Presentation (group and individual), Research Project, Poster Presentation, Case Study, Portfolio, Policy Briefing, Extended Essay, and Vlog.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

Year 1

• 3 x case studies
• 1 x report
• 1 x personal development plan
• 1 x research methods report
• 2 x portfolios 

Year 2

• 2 x reports
• 1 x research proposal
• 1 x risk evaluation
• 1 x presentation
• 1 x podcast
• 1 x reflective journal
• 1 x literature review
• 1 x essay

Year 3

• 1 x dissertation
• 1 x poster conference presentation
• 1 x digital presentation
• 1 x vlog
• 2 x essays
• 1 x portfolio
• 1 x CV and interview
• 1 x reflective journal

Feedback

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader.

Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.