CRIMINAL JUSTICEAND CRIMINOLOGYMedway

The UK’s European university

Undergraduatestudy

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE ANDINSPIRATIONAL TEACHING

Criminology engages with thequestions that inform ongoingpolitical, economic and socialissues. You gain the knowledgeto analyse criminological theoryand criminal justice practice,alongside wider cultural meaningsand economic impact. You also lookat the key elements of contemporarycrime policy: policing, the courts,criminal law, punishment andprevention.

Our Criminal Justice andCriminology programme hasbeen officially recognised by Skills for Justice, the skills counciland standards-setting body for the justice sector, as providingeducation of outstanding qualityand relevance.

Inspiring teachingYour studies take place within aninspiring environment where weencourage you to become anindependent thinker. Our academicschallenge you to reach your full

potential, encouraging you to askquestions, analyse complex dataand draw your own conclusions.

Supportive communityOur lecturing staff are friendly andapproachable, and always happy tomeet with students to discuss anyaspect of their studies. You haveyour own Academic Adviser forguidance on intellectual matters andpastoral support throughout yourdegree. The School also provides adedicated Student Support Officerand the University has a specialistStudent Learning Advisory Service.

Professional practiceOur option to take a year inprofessional practice provides youwith the opportunity to gain relevantworkplace experience duringyour degree. Students on thisprogramme spend the third yearof a four-year programme gainingpractical skills in the workplace.For further information, see p10.

A successful futureThe demand for criminal justicepractitioners is growing nationallyand internationally, so this choiceof subject can open up an exciting range of career options. To enhance your employmentprospects, we make sure thatyou graduate with a good set oftransferable skills and encourageyou to do voluntary work to gainexperience of the workplace.For more information, see p8 orvisit www.kent.ac.uk/employability

Criminal Justice and Criminology

What causes crime rates to rise or fall, and whobenefits? How should we deal with offenders andhow can crime be prevented? Criminal Justice andCriminology gives you the chance to study the growingarea of criminal justice practice, as well as thedevelopment and implementation of ‘crime policy’ .

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A global outlookKent is known as the UK’s Europeanuniversity and has partnershipswith prestigious institutions inEurope and around the world.We encourage our studentsto develop their studies in aninternational context and thereare many opportunities to studyor work abroad.

We also have an internationalcommunity on campus, with 42%of academics coming from outsidethe UK and students representing158 different nationalities.

World-leading researchThe School of Social Policy,Sociology and Social Researchhas a particularly strong researchreputation. Based on our resultsin the most recent ResearchExcellence Framework, our researchwas ranked 2nd in the UK forresearch power and joint 3rd forresearch intensity. Of the researchsubmitted, 99% was of internationalquality.

Staff are internationally recognisedfor their wide-ranging expertise incriminological theory and criminaljustice policy, as well as theirresearch interests in culturalcriminology, policing and security,imprisonment, racist violence,night-time economies, terrorism,drug use, youth crime and femaleoffenders.

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The Times Good UniversityGuide 2017• 2nd overall; 1st for research

quality; 2nd for graduateprospects

National Student Survey(NSS) 2016• 91% of Kent students

studying Law and relatedsubjects such as Criminologywere satisfied with the overallquality of their course

Destination of Leavers fromHigher Education (DLHE)• Of students taking Law and

related subjects such asCriminology who graduatedfrom Kent in 2015, 94% werein work or further study withinsix months.

National Student Survey(NSS) 2016• 1st in London and the

south-east• 4th highest score for overall

student satisfaction

The Guardian UniversityGuide 2018• 22nd in the UK

Independent rankings

University of Kent

School of Social Policy,Sociology and SocialResearch

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SUPERB STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Our modern, sharedcampus at Medwayprovides a stunninglocation for your studies.As well as outstandingteaching and learningfacilities, the campus hasa real sense of community.

Students within our School comefrom a variety of backgrounds.There are always a numberof mature students with workexperience, as well as studentsfrom overseas. This mix means younot only learn from your lecturers,but from the experiences of yourpeers.

Excellent study resourcesThe Drill Hall Library is well stockedwith printed books, journals andelectronic information, and offersfree high-speed Wi-Fi provision.You also have access to a range ofstudy support services, such as ITsupport, library support and publicPCs and printers.

In addition to the study supportoffered within the School (see p2),the University has a dedicatedStudent Learning Advisory Service(SLAS). It provides advice on allaspects of effective learning andstudy skills, and is available fromthe moment you arrive. Seewww.kent.ac.uk/learning formore information.

Social facilitiesThe campus has two large socialareas – the Student Hub andCargo – each offering a bar, a bistroand a live performance space.The Student Hub is in the centreof campus and Cargo is at LibertyQuays (our student village). Thereare also several cafés acrosscampus.

The University contributed £3m tothe development of Medway Park –a multi-sport, state-of-the-art sportsfacility close to campus. Studentscan join at special rates to useits sports halls, swimming pools,squash courts, health suites andathletics track.

Five minutes’ walk from campus,the Dockside retail outlet offers arange of shops and restaurantsand a multiplex cinema. Bluewatershopping centre is also within easydriving distance with good bus andtrain links.

Good location The Medway campus is near The Historic Dockyard Chatham,which was built at the start of the20th century. Nearby is the townof Rochester with its stunningCathedral, which is the venue for Kent’s degree congregations.

The Medway campus is quick andeasy to reach from central London.Travel to London from stations atGillingham or Chatham takes about50 minutes. There is a high-speedtrain to London St Pancras fromnearby Ebbsfleet International thattakes under 20 minutes. You cantake the Eurostar from Ebbsfleetand be in Paris in just two hours.

There is also a free regular shuttlebus between the Medway andCanterbury campus, whichoperates seven days a weekduring term time.

Live by the riversideIf you join Kent as a full-timestudent, you could be living in anattractive new ‘waterside village’on the banks of the River Medway.Our student flats have modern,fully fitted kitchens and en-suitestudy bedrooms linked in to theUniversity’s computer system.The development has its own socialarea, convenience store and fastfood outlets.

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How would you describe thefacilities on campus?The campus is rich in history. Manyof our buildings date back towhen they were used by the Navy;there’s a beam inside the Drill HallLibrary that was damaged by abomb. But, apart from that, theinterior is very modern and thelibrary facilities are brilliant. If abook that you want isn’t there, thelibrarians will get it in for you. Thesocial facilities are good too. TheStudent Hub brings in DJs and hasgood music; it’s a nice open space.

What about practicalexperience?I’m doing the Criminal JusticePractice module where you have togo out into the field and volunteer forat least 100 hours. I’m volunteeringfor Kent Police, working within theNeighbourhood Watch office. I keep track of local crimes and alertcommunities of crimes in their area.

Any career plans?The good thing about this courseis that you can go into all kinds ofareas. The police gave me trainingfor my volunteer post so I’m hopingto get a job with them. If not,criminal psychology has alwayssounded interesting to me and I’malso tempted by the idea of doingresearch and becoming a lecturer.

Any advice for students thinkingof coming to Kent?At university you experience lots of things for the first time; it’s somuch fun. So stay open minded and enjoy it!

Barbara Blackwell is inher second year studyingCriminal Justice andCriminology.

What attracted you tostudying at Kent?I always wanted to study somethingrelated to crime. I looked at quitea few different options but whenI came to a Kent Open Day, I just fell in love with the course. I liked thefact that, especially in your secondand third years at Kent, you have thechance to delve into the areas thatyou enjoy the most.

How did you find the move intouniversity studies?I found that I got the hang of it quitequickly. The lecturers explainedthe difference between A level anddegree work and the materialswere nicely written, which helpedto bridge the gap.

How are your studies going?At degree level, you do a lot moreresearch on your own. I like thatbecause it gives me the chanceto bring in other areas that I’minterested in. To be honest, it oftenfeels like you’re not doing any work,because you’re enjoying what you’redoing so much.

You also get the chance to linkthe most practical elements to thetheory. The course has so manydifferent aspects to it; areas I didn’teven know existed. For instance,in one module, I was able to lookat how the media presents crimetoday.

How would you describe theother students at Kent?In the first year everyone is settlingin. It’s really good because thegroup work gives you the chance toget to know the other students reallywell. In the seminars, everyonevalues what you say, even if theydon’t completely agree. I have agood group of friends now and wemeet up in the evenings and revisetogether.

Which parts of your coursedo you enjoy the most?That’s a tough question: I love it all! I think if I had to choose onemodule, it would be Crime andPunishment in England, 1750-1900.I’ve always been obsessed withhistory and we looked at thepunishments such as prisons,deportation and the death penalty.There was a time when the bodywas punished, or the person wasshamed in public. It helps you tosee how society has changed.

What kind of general skillsare you developing?This course has changed the wayI think. You open up to new ideas,so when I watch the news, I thinkabout the situation differently now.The presentations and essays alsohelp you to develop communicationskills. Employers want people whocan understand what they’re doingand explain it in a very clear way.I’ve learnt how to be more confidentwhen I’m doing a presentation.And the essay deadlines mean youhave to learn time-managementskills as well.

STUDENT PROFILE

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A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

Kent equips you withessential skills to give youa competitive advantagewhen it comes to gettinga job. Many career pathscan benefit from theanalytical and writingskills you will developduring your studies.

More than 95% of our 2015graduates found a job or a studyopportunity within six monthsof graduation.

Good career prospectsA degree in Criminal Justice andCriminology can lead to a widerange of careers within the criminaljustice system, including crimeprevention, the probation service,the prison service, courts,the police, community safety,youth justice, social services, anddrug and alcohol services. Someof our students have gone on topostgraduate courses to becomelawyers. Others have gone intopostgraduate research or jobs with voluntary sector organisations.

For those who wish to stayin Medway, there are manyopportunities available locally –studies of regional employers showthat there is an unmet demand forgraduates in the Medway area.

Gain transferable skillsAs part of your learning experienceat Kent, we help you to acquire keyskills that will be useful when youare seeking future employment. Youlearn to analyse information, to seekimaginative solutions to problems,demonstrate logical thinking and besensitive to the values and interestsof others. Analysing complex data,getting to grips with challengingideas, writing well, gainingconfidence and experience inexpressing your ideas in front ofothers; all are important skills andensure that our graduates will bestrong candidates whatever careerthey wish to go into.

Kent’s Q-Step CentreKent’s Q-Step Centre can help youto improve your skills in handlingdata and statistics and usingnumerical evidence. These are allskills that are highly prized in the jobmarket; for more information, visitwww.kent.ac.uk/qstep

Careers adviceThe University’s Careers andEmployability Service can give youadvice on how to choose your futurecareer, how to apply for jobs, how towrite a good CV and how to performwell in interviews and aptitudetests. It also provides up-to-dateinformation on career opportunitiesbefore and after you graduate.

For more information on the careershelp we provide at Kent, pleasesee www.kent.ac.uk/employability

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Do you have any plans for yourfuture career?One day I hope to open up my ownbusiness in the creative industry.Although this is some way off thesubject I studied, I have no regretsabout my degree at Kent as itlanded me a job I love and hastaught me the value of self-discipline and hard work.

Do you have any othermemories of Kent that youwould like to share? My happiest memories are makinglifelong friends, meeting new andinteresting people and spendingthree years learning about subjectsthat interest me.

Any advice for potentialstudents?Get stuck into everything andanything the University has to offer,whether it be social or work-related.Most importantly, enjoy it and if thework pressure gets too much, askfor help.

*The Criminal Justice Studiesdegree has since been renamedCriminal Justice and Criminology.

Alex Green graduatedwith a BA in CriminalJustice Studies* and wenton to work as a placementco-ordinator at a localauthority council.

What attracted you to Kent andto this programme in particular? I chose to study at Kent as I heardit had a really good reputation in thesocial sciences. It also seemed tobe involved in lots of extra activitiesto encourage and support itsstudents.

I was attracted to my particularprogramme as I have always beeninterested in policing and the studyof criminal activity. The course hadsuch a varied module choice, it wasdifficult to get bored.

What did you find particularlyinspiring or interesting? The lecturers were really smart andobviously knew their subject areasvery well. I particularly enjoyedthe modules on youth justice andprobation, which have laid thefoundations for my career path.

Could you describe your careerpath since leaving Kent?In the first year after graduation,I slipped into a sales role, whichcame up as an opportunity prettyquickly. However, it wasn’t whatI had studied for and shortly afterthat I landed a job working fora local authority council.

I went on to a job as a workexperience placement co-ordinator,working with agencies andbusinesses to secure workplacements and apprenticeshipsfor young people – many of whomare from troubled backgrounds,struggle in mainstream school andneed extra support outside theirimmediate circle.

How do the particular skillsthat you learnt in your degreehelp you at work?I found that learning about thecriminal justice system, asexperienced by particular groupsand classes, helped me to developan insight into the problems facedby different groups in society.

What’s a typical workingday like for you?A typical day might involveresponding to messages, settingup interviews, visiting studentsat their colleges to see how theyare progressing and perhapsmeeting with them and their parentsto discuss what they are lookingfor in terms of work experience.

I also contact new businessesto seek placement opportunitiesand visit placement providersto ensure they provide a durableenvironment for young peopleto work in. My time is also spentsupporting and maintaining existingrelationships with the young peopleI have placed.

GRADUATE PROFILE

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CHOOSING YOUR PROGRAMME

Not sure which degree tochoose? Here’s a guide tothe programmes on offerat Kent.

Criminal Justice andCriminologywww.kent.ac.uk/ug/365Criminal Justice and Criminologylooks at the key elements ofcontemporary crime policy:policing, the courts, punishmentand prevention. The modulesaddress many issues in criminaljustice including poverty, hate crime,illegal drug use, restorative justice,the care of victims, communitysafety, domestic violence, politicalresponses to crime, anti-socialbehaviour, penal policy, socialjustice and human rights.

Criminal Justice andCriminology with a Yearin Professional Practicewww.kent.ac.uk/ug/365This four-year degree programmeincludes the option of a year inprofessional practice at the end ofStage 2, depending on academicperformance. Students taking thisroute gain essential workplace skillsand networks during their third year.

You spend 900 hours (approximately30 hours per week for 30 weeks) ina relevant professional placementsetting, such as the police, theprobation service or customs and

excise. You undertake assessment inthe form of reflective portfolios whiledeveloping a range of transferableskills and professional networks.

Studying part-time It is possible to study the CriminalJustice and Criminology degree on a part-time basis. You study thesame modules as students on thefull-time programme, but take twoyears to complete Stage 1, and fouryears to complete Stages 2 and 3.

Canterbury programmesOur Canterbury campus offersa single honours degree inCriminology, as well as joint honoursdegrees combining Criminologywith Cultural Studies, Law, SocialPolicy or Sociology. To order

a subject leaflet for one of thesedegrees, go to www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/leaflets

International studentsIf you need to extend your existingacademic qualifications or abilityin English to be able to study atuniversity level, Kent’s one-yearInternational Foundation Programme(IFP) gives you the opportunityto do so. The IFP can provideprogression to the criminal justiceand criminology programmes. Fordetails see www.kent.ac.uk/ifp

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YOUR STUDYPROGRAMME

Teaching methods includelectures and small groupseminars, each lastingan hour.

On average, you have four lecturesand four seminars a week if you aretaking the degree full-time, or two ofeach if you are taking it part-time.Seminar groups are normally nomore than 15-20 students and give you the opportunity to discussa topic in detail.

You explore the subject using avariety of approaches, includingcase-study analysis, group projects,presentations and individualtutorials.

Most modules are assessed bycoursework (50%) and writtenexaminations (50%). Some modulestake the form of an extendeddissertation. Both Stage 2 andStage 3 marks count towards yourfinal degree result.

Please note: the module lists beloware not fixed as new modules arealways in development and choicesare updated yearly. Please seewww.kent.ac.uk/ug for the most up-to-date information.

Stage 1Stage 1 covers the first year of yourdegree and lays the foundation forthe rest of your studies. You take thefollowing compulsory modules:• Introduction to Criminology and

Criminal Justice (SO329)• Introduction to Sociology (SO306)• Legal Process for Criminal

Justice (LW312)• Reading Law (LW314).

You then choose one of thefollowing modules:• Introduction to Contemporary

Britain: Economic, Political andSocial History from 1900 (SO326)

• Social Problems and Social Policy(SA311).

Stages 2 and 3Stages 2 and 3 represent thesecond and final years of yourdegree programme.

You take the following modulesduring Stages 2 and 3:• Crime and Punishment in

England, 1750-1900 (SO706)• Issues in Criminal Justice

(SO651)• Research Methods in Sociology

(SO647).

You can also choose optionalmodules from:• Britain on Film (SO752)• BSc Social Sciences Dissertation

(SO551)• Contemporary Issues in Policing:

Concepts, Theories, Debates(SA557)

• Criminal Justice Practice (SO705)• Criminal Law (SO758)

• Drugs, Crime and the CriminalJustice System (SO654)

• Forensic Psychology (SP627)• History of the Police and Policing

(SO675)• Prisons, Probation and Offender

Rehabilitation (SO619)• Social Justice Practice (SO686)• Social Policy and Everyday Lives

(SO749)• Social Policy in Global Contexts

(SO757)• The Sociology of Urban Life

(SO759)• Victims and Crime (SO754)• Welfare Histories, Welfare

Futures: Social Policy in HistoricalContext (SO545)

• Women and Work: Britain 1850-1975 (SO669)

• Women, Crime and Justice(SO618)

• Young People and Violence(SO751)

• Youth, Crime and Criminal Justice(SO650).

You can also choose ‘wild modules’from another subject area.

Year in ProfessionalPractice If you meet the academicrequirements at Stages 1 and 2,you have the option of gainingworkplace experience during yourdegree. Students can spend a yearbetween Stages 2 and 3 gainingpractical skills in a related workenvironment. For further information,see p11 .

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VISIT THE UNIVERSITY

Come to an Open Day oran Applicant Day and seefor yourself what it’s liketo be a student at theUniversity of Kent.

Open DaysKent runs Open Days during thesummer and autumn. These providean excellent opportunity for you todiscover what it is like to live andstudy at the University. You canmeet academic staff and currentstudents, find out about our coursesand attend subject talks, workshopsand informal lectures. We also offer

tours around the campus to viewour sports facilities, the libraryand University accommodation.For further information and detailsof how to book your place, seewww.kent.ac.uk/opendays

Applicant DaysIf you apply to study at Kent and weoffer you a place (or invite you toattend an interview), you will usuallybe sent an invitation to one of ourApplicant Days. You can book toattend through your online KentApplicant Portal.

The Applicant Day includespresentations in your subject area,tours of the campus, includingUniversity accommodation andthe opportunity to speak withboth academic staff and currentstudents about your chosen subject. For further information, see www.kent.ac.uk/visit

Informal visitsYou are also welcome to make aninformal visit to our campuses atany time. The University runs toursof the Canterbury and Medwaycampuses throughout the yearfor anyone who is unable to attendan Open Day or Applicant Day.

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More informationIf you would like more informationon Kent’s courses, facilities orservices, please contact us on:T: +44 (0)1227 768896www.kent.ac.uk/ug

To download another subject leaflet,go to www.kent.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/leaflets

On the webFor updates and news storiesfrom the School, please see:www.kent.ac.uk/sspssrwww.facebook.com/KentSSPSSRwww.twitter.com/sspssrwww.youtube.com/sspssr

It may also be possible to arrangemeetings with academic staff,although we cannot guarantee this.For more details and to book yourplace, see www.kent.ac.uk/informal

Self-guided tourWe can provide you with a self-guided tour leaflet, whichincludes the main points of interest.For more details and to downloada self-guided tour, go towww.kent.ac.uk/informal

Scholarships andbursariesFor details of scholarships andbursaries at Kent, please seewww.kent.ac.uk/ugfunding

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LocationMedway

AwardBA (Hons)

Degree programmes

Single honours• Criminal Justice and

Criminology (M900:K)• Criminal Justice and

Criminology with a Year inProfessional Practice (M900:K)

Offer levelsBBC at A level, IB Diploma 34points overall or 14 points at HL.

BTEC Extended Diploma withDistinction, Merit, Merit.

Successful completion ofan Access course.

Mature students may beaccepted on the basis ofmotivation and experience.

Required subjectsGCSE Mathematics, grade Cor grade 4.

Offer levels and entryrequirements are subject tochange. For the latest courseinformation, seewww.kent.ac.uk/ug

This brochure was produced in June 2017. The University of Kent makes every effort toensure that the information contained in its publicity materials is fair and accurate and toprovide educational services as described. However, the courses, services and othermatters may be subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, seewww.kent.ac.uk/ug and for full details of our terms and conditions, seewww.kent.ac.uk/termsandconditions

For the University to operate efficiently, it needs to process information about you foradministrative, academic and health and safety reasons. Any offer we make to you issubject to your consent to process such information and is a requirement in order for youto be registered as a student. All students must agree to abide by the University rules andregulations at: www.kent.ac.uk/regulations

COME ANDVISIT US

University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: +44 (0)1227 764000 www.kent.ac.uk/ug

To find out more about visiting theUniversity, see our website:

www.kent.ac.uk/visit

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