Social Care Practice
Criminology with Security with Foundation Year
School of Health and Society
Full-time
Four year
September 2023
In a nutshell
Please note that the programme is now full for the 2021/22 academic year. The next available start date will be September 2022.
The Foundation Year programme will help you develop an understanding of the key subjects in the social sciences so that you can continue to successfully study your degree in Criminology or a related subject.
This foundation year is part of a four year pathway which will prepare you to study your chosen social sciences course. There will also be a limited number of places on our BSc Social Work programme for suitable students of this foundation year.
The key areas of study are effective communication and study skills, combined with fundamental subjects in the social sciences.
BSc (Hons) Criminology with Security is one of the first of its kind. The course responds to recent events which highlight the importance of security in preventing, controlling and responding to all forms of crime, whether originating in local, national or transnational contexts.
You will:
- Be introduced to basic theories and concepts within the disciplines to provide a basic knowledge in all related subject areas
- Use different theories to understand social change and how societies try to address inequalities and discrimination
- Examine key ideas in political and social thought, discussing ideas of citizenship and democracy and learning about the development of policy
This is for you if...
You want to continue on to any of our undergraduate social sciences courses, including Criminology with Security
You need extra support to help you progress
You have a keen interest in changing society
All about the course
The aims of the Social Sciences Foundation Year programmes are to:
- Improve competence in essential areas of social sciences necessary for progression onto social science degrees
- Develop factual, theoretical knowledge, skills and understanding necessary for progressing in social science subjects
- Develop analytical, critical and problem-solving skills in social science subjects
- Develop IT skills
- Develop communication and study skills
Below you will find the modules for your foundation year study, as well as the modules for the 3-year BSc (Hons) Criminology with Security programme.
This module aims to introduce you to key ideas about social care practice. Key models of practice and values will be explored in order to equip you with the knowledge to meet the requirements of this level of study. The focus on culturally competent practice and service user led provision will help you to understand the needs for practice that recognises a range of needs and is able to respond to individuals living within the community. The assessment strategy is designed to measure academic knowledge and communication skills with an explicit relationship between the lectures, seminars, learning outcomes and assessments.
Introduction to Sociology
The module aims to provide you with a firm grounding in sociological substantive and factual knowledge, help build interpretive capacity, and encourage the development of evaluative thought. You will also be encouraged to develop a range of allied transferable skills. Teaching will include formal delivery of material via lectures, supported by online materials, alongside seminars, for which you will be expected to prepare and in which you will be expected to actively participate. Tutorials will give you the opportunity to speak one-to-one to members of the teaching team to discuss any issues, questions or queries they have pertaining to aspects of their learning and development.
Understanding Social Policy
This module aims to introduce you to key ideas in social policy. The focus on the British experience of welfare services is designed to encourage you to examine welfare provision from different perspectives, use theory to explain social change and critically assess existing institutions such as the NHS, benefits and housing systems. Lectures include topics such as; meeting needs and the different welfare providers, introduction to social divisions; researching race/ethnicity in the media, political and ideological influence on policy, the feminist perspective (worker, wife, mother, carer), disability and education, poverty in the UK, tax and benefits, the winners and losers.
Understanding Criminology
The module introduces fundamental questions in criminology: What is crime? What causes crime? How does crime and criminal justice affect us? How should we best respond to criminal behaviour? In addressing these questions, key concepts will be explored. You will have the opportunity to choose a particular type of crime or deviance, then apply the various fundamental questions raised by the module week by week. The case studies will help you to apply concepts to contemporary issues. You will have the opportunity to consider different policy and practice solutions for criminal justice ‘industry’.
Introduction to Counselling
What is counselling? What does it mean to be an effective citizen? Counselling skills of active listening, empathy, respect and genuineness, identifying our values, beliefs and barriers to communication, enhancing personal development. This module introduces you to basic counselling skills and the skills and qualities required to be an effective citizen. The assessment strategy will prepare you for interview for admission to undergraduate Counselling and Psychotherapy programmes. The assignment is a personal learning statement which will require you to make your own learning plan for the future.
University Life
This module has been designed to promote a positive and supportive transition from further to higher education, focusing initially on the importance of wellbeing to successful study. The module will provide a firm grounding in the key skills required to be able to read, write and present in the academic world. You will embed your learning through a series of large and small group activities using a problem-based approach. Small group work will allow for regular, tailored feedback specific to small group tasks and group dynamics with a focus on your future chosen vocation. Following the completion of the module, you should feel very prepared for your journey at level 4 and beyond.
Crime, Conflict and Society
You will be introduced to the key foundational issues, ideas, and ways of thinking within criminology. You will explore the various relationships between crime and society drawing upon contemporary, historical and comparative evidence and demonstrate links between particular theories and concepts and their implications for research methodology and crime policy.
Criminal Justice and Human Rights
You will be introduced to the form, key features and purpose of the institutions of the contemporary criminal justice system in England and Wales and begin an exploration of the issues relating to justice and civil liberties.
Becoming a Social Scientist
This module introduces you to the ways in which sociologists and criminologists work and aims to develop the critical, interpretive, reflective and academic skills required to succeed on the programme.
International Politics 1
This module introduces students to key political concepts and ideologies and uses them in the study of international politics and the history of international relations. Concepts such as state, power, politics, nation, sovereignty and rights; and ideologies such as conservatism and liberalism; are used in everyday speech but they are complex ideas with contested meanings, yet central to analysis in security, politics and international relations. The module examines these ideas and applies them to significant developments in international politics such as the attempts to construct lasting arrangements for peace in the wake of major conflicts.
Social Divisions and Inequality
You will be introduced to social scientific concepts and theories about the nature of social divisions, diversity and social inequality in advanced industrial societies. You will develop an understanding of evidence about major forms of social division and their causes and social consequences and compare alternative explanations of complexity and differentiation in contemporary society.
Introduction to Security, Intelligence and Terrorism Studies
This module introduces various conceptualisations of ‘intelligence studies’, ‘terrorism studies’ and ‘security studies’. You then analyse the historical evolution of the idea and practice of security, intelligence and terrorism in the 20th and 21st centuries. The theoretical discussion is illustrated by case studies and examples form current policy debates around terrorism and intelligence.
Theoretical Criminology
You will develop an understanding of the range of theories of crime and criminal justice and locate the key issues of criminology within their socio-political and historical context. You will gain a knowledge of the most important theories, and their relevance for understanding crime matters in contemporary society.
Research Problems and Methods: Qualitatively better
You will develop an understanding of competing methodological approaches to social research. The focus throughout this module will be on learning and experiencing applied methods to address “real world” research social problems. You will gain a working knowledge, and practical experience of, alternative methods of collecting, reporting and presenting qualitative data.
Research Problems and Methods: Making it count
You will gain an understanding of the survey research process, including forming a suitable research question, operationalisation, and types of sampling strategy. You will gain knowledge of key concepts in quantitative research, including statistical significance and probability and practical experience of alternative methods of analysing qualitative data.
Contemporary Security
On this module you will examine the main security challenges facing states, their institutions and societies today. You will gain knowledge of and assess the principal security actors, the current threats to national and international security, and the approaches that states and other institutions have taken to achieve, enhance and maintain security.
Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice
This module offers a broad introduction to the gendered dimensions of crime/criminality, criminal victimisation, criminal justice, and penology, and of the gendered theorising which attempts to account for this. It looks at the significance of gender to our understandings of and responses to crime and deviant behaviour.
Understanding Victims and Victimisation
You will develop an understanding of how and why people become victims and of the relationship between victimisation and social and cultural variables. You will critically explore the place of the victim in the criminal justice system, and how they are processed.
Intersectionality and Crime (only available in year three)
You will gain an understanding of the construction of deviant labels based on variables of ethnicity, gender and youth, and the relationship between these labels and crime. You will engage with issues surrounding experiences of crime and encounters with the criminal justice system. You will also compare crime policies on a national and international scale and look at a number of historical and contemporary case-studies.
Human Rights, Genocide and Resistance
This module addresses the complex and often paradoxical relationships between human rights, extreme human rights abuses, particularly genocide, and resistance to such abuses. Its distinctiveness lies in providing students with interdisciplinary, theoretically informed approaches to human rights, genocide and resistance.
Prisons and Punishment
You will develop an understanding of the evolution of the modern prison and of the relationship between prisons, probation, the courts and the media and the economic and social environment in which they operate. You will gain an understanding of the impacts of punishment with regard to age, gender and ethnicity and consider criminal justice institutions, policies, and practices in their contexts.
Violence in Society
An overview of the conceptualisation of “violence”. You will examine debates concerning violence in various aspects of life, consider the contemporary debates surrounding violence in a range of contexts, trace the development of theorisations of violence and consider ethical, methodological and practical issues involved in the researching of violence.
Constructing Guilt and Innocence
The typical criminal trial is primarily a contest between the prosecution and the defence over whether or not a crime was committed and whether the accused is guilty. Each side uses narrative, rhetorical and argumentative strategies to construct its own version of the events and to present claims about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Judges and juries must also do the same when they pronounce on a case, and third parties such as the public or the media often engage in a similar exercise. This module examines the strategies used to construct guilt and innocence, paying particular attention to their sociological underpinnings. Case studies will be an important part of the module’s content, and there will be presentations by prosecutorial, defence and judicial professionals.
The Criminal Justice Process (only available in year three)
You will gain an overview of the philosophy, nature, significance, outcomes and consequences of the criminal justice process and explore how it functions. You will think critically about key aspects of the criminal justice process and examine the interaction between different actors and agencies involved, and between the criminal justice process and politics, the community and the media. You will also have the opportunity to engage with professionals working in each stage of the criminal justice process.
Culture and (Deviant) Leisure
It is the aim of this module is to you with an understanding of the role and location of popular culture, consumption, leisure and media and within contemporary society. You will consider the historical processes, theoretical and political debates, underlying and informing the nature of these practices, institutions and texts, as well as our understandings of these.
Probation and Rehabilitation
You will gain an understanding of rehabilitation and personal change, developing a critical appreciation of how dominant theoretical approaches underpin professional practice in criminal justice. You will consider the development of probation services and related interventions (including substance misuse) in their historical, cultural, political and conceptual contexts and develop an understanding of the relationship between rehabilitation and diversity. You will be encouraged to take a critical, reflexive approach and consider the purposes and challenges of delivering rehabilitation in the penal system, substance misuse services and related industry.
Terrorism and Irregular Conflict
On this module you will gain a comprehensive view of the nature of modern conflicts with irregular non-state forces. You will examine the main motivations and worldviews of terrorist and insurgent groups, and the main theories of Western counterterrorism and counterinsurgency. By the end of the module you will be able to analyse counterinsurgency and counterterrorism campaigns, and understand the dynamics of state support for irregular violent movements.
Intelligence, Security and Politics in Britain 1909-1994
This module examines the British intelligence community from the birth of the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6) in 1909 through to the 1994 Intelligence Services Act. You will explore its activities primarily within the context of British domestic policy, while considering the links between the worlds of intelligence and politics.
Corruption in Contemporary Politics
Studying political corruption in detail you will explore the dynamics and impact of this problem for western democracies through key theories and case studies.
British Counter-Insurgency Since 1945
This module allows you to examine Britain’s varied involvement in counter-insurgency operations since 1945. After an initial engagement with the theories and principles of insurgency and counter-insurgency, the module will cover the cases of Kenya, Malaya, Northern Ireland, Britain’s continuing involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some lesser known cases.
Arab-Israeli Conflict
This module offers an introduction into the Arab Israeli conflict since the beginning of the 20th century by examining the main events and actors that have helped shape its course. You will also undertake a computer-based simulation where you can decide on issues of war and peace from the perspectives of the Israeli Prime Minister and Palestinian President.
Internet Risk and Security
On this module you will critically engage with ideas concerning social and cultural issues associated with risk and security regarding the uses of the internet.
Business Continuity, Resilience and Risk Management for Security
On this module you will gain a critical insight into the concepts of risk, threat and vulnerability. You will explore the variations in risks, threats and vulnerabilities across different domains: events, transport, business and personal safety and study techniques for preventing or mitigating risks, developing resilience and effective business continuity.
Foreign Language (offered by UWLP)
You have the option to study a foreign language through the UWLP (University Wide Language Programme), which is practical in content and available at four levels (stages): Stage 1 (complete beginner), Stage 2 (Grade A*-C at GCSE), Stage 3 (Grade C or below at AS level), Stage 4 (Grade D or below at A2 level). The lower stages help you cope with everyday situations abroad or when dealing with visitors to this country, and the higher stages enable you to use the language in more professional contexts.
In year two, as part of the Erasmus or the non-EU exchange programme, students may undertake one semester (60 credits) or two semesters (120 credits) of study at a foreign university and transfer that credit to Salford as part of their degree requirements. The list of approved universities and programmes is available from the Programme Leader.
Britain and the Cold War
Using newly declassified archival material, oral testimony and popular film and television, the module charts Britain’s Cold War, both at home and abroad, from its origins through to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The story is told through the eyes of those working in Britain’s ‘secret state’ – intelligence officials and Whitehall Mandarins – through to ‘fellow-travellers’ and the fantasy world of James Bond. Subjects covered include Britain’s covert struggle against the Soviet Union, nuclear deterrence, popular media and the Cold War, and the recently released plans for World War III and the post-apocalyptic survival of the United Kingdom.
Politics and the Internet
This module assesses the growing influence of internet on democracy and politics. The study of the internet is placed in context of the evolution of media technologies over past thirty years. In doing so, you examine whether the internet: is stimulating more global protest movements and also new form of terrorism; is a liberation technology potential undermining the power of authoritarian regimes; or alternatively is a tool for increased surveillance and control; is changing the nature of lections and election campaigning. These issues are explored through case studies such as: the rise of Corbyn in the Labour Party and the role played by social media or, how the rise of so-called fake news is impacting on political debate.
Global Environmental Politics
This module explores the development and evolution of international environmental regimes and the impact on key issues such as: climate change, air pollution, whaling and fisheries, food and agriculture, hazardous waste, biodiversity and the management of oceans and seas. You will learn about politics of environmental protection and economic development, including North-South divisions in global negotiations.
Extended Essay
You will develop an area of interest through an extended Sociological or Criminological essay, without having to meet the demands of research-based activity associated with the Dissertation, examining topics of your choice.
Dissertation
You will examine a Criminological topic of your choice in an independent piece of research, exploring an area of your own academic, professional or personal interest.
Work: Practice and Reflection
You will engage in work based learning, making practical and conceptual connections between the academic study of sociology and criminology and work based activities. You will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of critical reflection.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
School of Health and Society
The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real-world impact.
Our courses are informed by the latest research and we work closely with organisations from both the public and private sector to ensure our teaching is at the forefront of practice.
What about after uni?
You will be well-placed to gain employment in any field that demands analytical and communication skills but, in particular, this course responds to the needs of the security, policing, community safety and criminal justice sectors.
Criminology with Security is a new programme. Graduates from our Criminology programmes have gone on to become victim support workers, prison officers, police officers, crime analysts, private security managers, compliance officers, youth offending workers, and to occupy a variety of roles in programmes focusing on drug use, domestic violence or other social problems. By combining Criminology with Security you will be well-placed for similar positions to these but you will also develop both the subject expertise and skills that can be used for practice in the growing security sector, including the UK’s National Crime Agency, the military, intelligence services, private security companies, as well as criminal justice and third-sector bodies and international organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Some common career paths of our graduates include:
- Legal professions
- Postgraduate courses, research and teaching
- Government advisory departments
- Investigating justice and victim support
- Policing
- Prison service
- Probation service
Career Links
We have close associations with industry and professional bodies such as:
- Greater Manchester Police
- HMP Risley
- HMP Manchester
- HMP Forest Bank
- Greater Manchester Probation Authority
- HMP Liverpool
- Manchester Magistrates Court
- Salford – Youth Offending Team
- Crown Prosecution Service – Northwest Division
This provides you with a number of benefits such as field visits, attendance at national and international conferences, portfolio surgeries, guest speakers, workshops and placements.
What you need to know
This course isn’t suitable for international students. If you are an international student and interested in studying a foundation year, please visit our International Foundation Year course page.
APPLICANT PROFILE
You would have a keen interest in changing society with perhaps some experience of the social sciences from school or college. If you have practical knowledge of the change in the systems that provide welfare services, economic, political and social structures this programme can assist you in the development of your ideas and progression. Career opportunities are widespread across all sectors dependent on the degree path is chosen.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
Applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 6.0, with no element below 5.5, is proof of this.
GCSE
English Language and Mathematics at grade C/grade 4 or above.
You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below.
UCAS tariff points
64 points
If applying for entry in 2022, our entry requirements will be 80 points
A level
Typically two grade Cs.
If applying for entry in 2022, our entry requirements will be 80 points from a minimum of two A2 subjects.
BTEC National Diploma
MPP (BTEC Extended Diploma), MM (BTEC Diploma)
If applying for entry in 2022, our entry requirements will be MMP
Access to HE
64 points.
If applying for entry in 2022, our entry requirements will be 80 points. Sociology and Social Sciences preferred.
Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)
We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.
There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.
How much?
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.