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What makes Criminology with Policing at Worcester special?

Our Criminology with Policing degree will prepare you for a range of rewarding roles in the criminal justice system. You'll develop an understanding of criminology from different perspectives, in areas such as crime, criminality, victims and vulnerability.

The policing course content takes key elements of the College of Policing Core Curriculum - a requirement for all student police officers – and combine these with forward thinking elements from other associated professional bodies.

Our criminology and policing modules will put you in a great position to pursue a career in the police force or to work alongside members of a police service. You'll learn from specialist practitioners and real-world experience, so you'll get a genuine taste of the work police officers perform on a day to day basis and work you could be doing after you graduate.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Designed for individuals who wish to join the police service, prison or private security organisations
  • You'll have the opportunity to develop specific police skills and/or knowledge and critical understanding of specific areas of criminology and policing, such as leadership
  • Develops your understanding of the legal framework and criminal justice responses to crime
  • Our criminology with policing degree can be studied on a full or part-time basis

Register your interest

Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.


Entry requirements

Entry requirements

112
UCAS tariff points

Entry requirements

112 UCAS tariff points (for example, BBC at A Level)

Other information

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk for advice.

Further information about the UCAS Tariff can be obtained from http://www.ucas.com

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Study Abroad

Our Criminology courses have an option to study abroad in your third year. This is an excellent way to expand your experience and skill set. 

Find out more about studying abroad
Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative. 

The modules for this course are currently being reviewed and updated for 2024 entry; for the latest information please contact the course leader.

Year 1

Mandatory

  • Introduction to Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • Professional Skills, Practice and Research in Criminology
  • Individual Differences in Criminal Justice Practice

Optional

Year 2

Mandatory

  • Building on Theory and Research in Criminology
  • Probation, Penology and Rehabilitation
  • Emotional Intelligence and Blackbox thinking' criminal investigation
  • Contemporary & Global Issues in Criminology

Optional

Year 3

Mandatory

  • Criminology Dissertation
  • Public Protection and Multi-Agency Working

Optional

  • Victims and Vulnerability
  • Youth Justice and Crime
  • Intimate Partner Abuse: Impact and Response
  • Organised Crime, Terrorism and Gangs
  • Mental Health and Substance Use in the Context of the Criminal Justice System
  • Cybercrime
  • Work Based Learning
Eloise Jones

Eloise Jones

Eloise chose Worcester after looking at a number of universities. “I knew for a long time that I wanted to study policing, I have wanted to be a police officer since at least my early teens. We had a talk from the lecturers and honestly, that is what sold it for me, their passion was clear, and I could tell they were here for us as students, to make our degree as successful as possible.”

“I know I want to go into this career as a result of my studies, due to the academic content and how interesting it has been … I feel my degree has set me up well to enter the police and find which area suits me best.”

Read Eloise’s full case study here.

Elizabeth, a Criminology student

Elizabeth, Year 1 Single (hons) Criminology

''Before starting this degree, I spent 5 years working as a prison officer within the high security estate. Starting the job at 18, I didn't know what to do as a career. Over those years, my knowledge in the Criminal Justice System grew, as well as my confidence, and I realised I needed to be working with survivors of crime, rather than the perpetrators, to give back to the community.

This degree is allowing me to chase the career I want and although I was nervous at first, I can't believe I didn't do it sooner. Everything we're learning whether that be criminological theories or the effect of social justice on society, is fascinating to me and I’m so looking forward to the Victimology course next year.''

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

We enable students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

   

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, groups range 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 reports
  • 1 x personal development plan
  • 1 x research methods report
  • 1 x joint presentation
  • 1 x essay

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 essay
  • 1 x political discourse analysis
  • 1 x case study

Year 3

  • 1 x dissertation
  • 1 x poster conference presentation
  • 2 x digital presentations
  • 1 x vlog
  • 1 x portfolio
  • 1 x essay
  • 1 x group MARAC meeting

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.

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

The team includes senior academics with previous professional experience and professional practitioners currently worked within the sector.

Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and 50% per cent of course lecturers have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Here are a few of the current members of the department who teach on this course:

Amy Johnson

Amy Johnson

Amy has been a lecturer at the University of Worcester for four years. Amy enjoys bringing real-world challenges and issues into her classroom and draws upon her experience of working with various client groups (homelessness, addictions, offending and domestic abuse) to demonstrate application. Specifically, Amy enjoys listening to her student’s ambitions and supporting them throughout their degree to reach their potential. Amy has been working with organisations across Worcestershire to ensure students have the best volunteer and work placement opportunities.

Amy enjoys researching offending behaviour and exploring how the criminal justice system is set up to support individuals with behavioural challenges and those who have a lower intellectual ability. Amy has an interest in the development of behaviour change interventions and evidence-based practice, particularly within the community and healthcare settings. Most recently, Amy is working on a large scale research project relating to the development of an integrated intervention targeting men in substance use treatment who perpetrate intimate partner abuse. Over the past twelve months, Amy has been delivering intimate partner violence and ADVANCE training all over the UK to practitioners at substance use services.

Michelle Clarke

Michelle Clarke

Michelle joined the University of Worcester in 2019 as a Lecturer in Policing having served 17 years with West Mercia Police in a variety of roles. She achieved the rank of Sergeant, serving predominantly as a detective within the Criminal Investigation Department and associated specialist units.

During this time, she discovered a passion for investigating the most serious and complex crimes committed against our most vulnerable members of society, specialising in domestic violence and abuse investigations, and has experience working within associated specialist investigation departments, including Major Incident Units. For the last four years of service, Michelle designed, delivered and co-ordinated the training for the College of Policing accreditation of all newly recruited detectives across West Mercia and Warwickshire police forces.

Profile Image of Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith

Courtney joined the University as an Associate Lecturer in March 2021, having previously gained her undergraduate degree in Law and Masters in Criminology from the University of Nottingham.

Courtney’s interests within Criminology are in the field of green criminology. Specifically, Courtney enjoys exploring the criminogenic nature of the current environmental crisis and investigating the distribution of criminal responsibility for such acts. Courtney is also interested in critically thinking about how traditional criminological theory may apply in the context of green criminology, exploring the challenges and benefits that this may bring to mainstream understandings of ‘crime’ and ‘justice’.  Courtney enjoys taking a multi-disciplinary approach to her work, drawing on expertise from a range of academic fields.

Sarah Lloyd

Sarah is a lecturer in Psychology, co-lead of Undergraduate Psychology Courses, and Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) Co-ordinator in the School of Psychology. She is predominantly interested in Forensic Psychology but teaches across the Psychology curriculum, leading the Professional Skills and Practice, Evidence Based Practice, Psychology in the Real World, and Psychology and Law undergraduate modules.

Sarah completed her MSc in Forensic Psychology at Birmingham City University and is currently in the final year of her PhD which explores the group decision-making processes of juries. Before joining the team at Worcester in 2021, she was an Assistant Lecturer in the Forensic Psychology MSc at Birmingham City University. 

Isabel Gilbert

Isabel Gilbert

Isabel has a background in the heritage sector and has specialised in the relationship between interpretations of history and racism in contemporary society. She brings her knowledge of societal inequality, social justice, symbolism, politics and ideology, and the influence of popular culture to the subject of Criminology.

Isabel enjoys researching cultural conflict, social justice movements, reactionary politics and legacies of colonialism.

mikahil-sulaiman-azad

Mikahil Sulaiman Azad

Mikahil Azad is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University Worcester. He joined the team in September 2023 and has previously taught at Birmingham City University and Arden University in Criminology. Mikahil is toward the end of his doctoral research which focuses upon safety in and around the space of mosques using ethnographic methodologies.

michael-allen

Michael Allen

Michael is a former police officer who served 27 years in West Mercia Police. He was fortunate enough to serve the community in a broad range of operational front-line policing duties.

After serving 12 years in a wide variety of uniform policing roles, Michael became a Detective and later Detective Sergeant. He developed a keen interest in interviewing, which included the interviewing of suspected offenders, victims of crime, and witnesses involved in serious and major crime investigations.

Careers

Careers

Employability

Our degree in Criminology and Policing can help you pursue a career in the criminal justice system, including:

  • Police force
  • Prison services
  • Private security sector
  • Criminology
  • Pathway to post-graduate education

Our programme is informed by the College of Policing core learning, providing students with the required skills for candidacy. This includes:

  • Communication
  • Ethics and integrity
  • Evidence-based policing
  • Leadership and management

Please note: From 2020, all new police officers in England and Wales will need to be educated to degree level.

Two students are walking next to each other and smiling

Careers and Employability

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

Find out how we can support you to achieve your potential
Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the academic year 2024/25 are £1,156 per 15-credit module, £1,542 per 20-credit module, £2,312 per 30-credit module, £3,083 per 40-credit module, £3,469 per 45-credit module and £4,625 per 60 credit module.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Chestnut Halls' at £131 per week to 'Oak Halls' at £221 per week (2024/25 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

How to apply