Program Overview

At Bath Spa University many of our undergraduate programmes can be combined, so you don’t have to limit yourself to one subject. If you choose to study a combined award then in Year One you’ll start by studying both subjects in equal depth, then from Year Two you can choose whether to continue with an equally joint course, or a Major/Minor route.

Criminology

Criminology is the study of crime and victimisation and the responses to crime that come in the form of justice, law and punishment. Students of criminology explore the causes and motivations underlying criminal conduct and the social conditions and problems which are associated with criminality. The criminal justice system is also a key aspect of criminological studies and you will critically investigate and scrutinise the policies, processes and practices of law, criminal justice and punishment in this course.

As a field of study, criminology has developed with contributions from a range of disciplines including sociology, psychology, law, geography, media and literary studies, biology and history amongst others. This is reflected in the BSU Criminology programme which draws on expertise in a number of fields enabling you to look at the problem of crime from different angles. At the core of the programme is a suite of modules that will provide foundational knowledge of the main theories, methods and debates criminology, provides an applied education in criminal justice and includes opportunities to undertake your own research into crime and justice.Criminological research has had an impact on public policy, but criminologists also have a responsibility to analyse and question forms of governance and social control.You will interrogate the balancing act that criminology plays between contributing to government policies that control and punish crime and critical exploration of them.

Law

This programme meets the needs of students planning careers in the legal sector as well as those pursing other professions or further study.

If you are an aspiring lawyer, the programme is specifically designed to help prepare you for the SRA’s Solicitors Qualifying Examinations, as well as meeting Bar Standards Board and CILEX requirements. If you’re instead focussing on non-legal routes or have not yet committed to a career choice, module options in complementary subjects, along with specific skills articulation allows you to explore themes you find most engaging, enhances your employability and encourages interdisciplinarity. We’ll also encourage you to take periods away from University on a professional practice placement.

The programme is highly applied. In the first year, you will have the opportunity to build foundations of knowledge and skills which you will be encouraged to develop and refine in your second and third years. In the first and second years you will also have the opportunity to reflect on your development and the extent to which you are meeting programme-level objectives so that, in your final year, you focus your efforts to maximise your return on your studies and your employability.

Whatever your goals and choices, you will join a collegiate academic community that champions lifelong learning, supported by research-and practice-informed teaching.