CRIME AND SOCIETY - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module offers students a comprehensive introduction to the sociological study of crime and deviance. The module aims to think of crime sociologically and to explore patterns of crime and deviance in relation to the organization of contemporary society. In order to do achieve this, the module will explore crime and responses to crime by focusing on a number of substantive areas. In addition you will also learn more general study skills as part of this module.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

ADAMS Maria (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

·         Crime and gender

·         Ethnicity and crime

·         Childhood, age and crime

·         Internet crime

·         Crime and the media

·         Victims and victimization

·         Core study skills (email, referencing, note taking, exam preparation)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their level of understanding of key criminological concepts, show the ways that crime and responses to crime are structured in relation to key sociological differentiators (e.g. gender, age, ethnicity), and gain practice of the core study skills necessary for academic work.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A range of directed study skills tasks including searching for literature and referencing techniques. Typically due in week 5


• A 1,500 word essay allowing us to assess the students understanding of a core criminological concept and how it needs to be understood in relation to a key social differentiator. The essay also assesses basic essay writing skills, referencing, and understanding of key readings. Typically due in week 5


• A 1 hour exam assessing students abilities to synthesise existing academic material and apply it to a topic relating to the inter-relationship between patterns of crime and the organisation of contemporary society. During the exam period

Formative assessment and feedback

Students receive regular feedback during seminars from postgraduate tutors. Students are also able to schedule one-to-one meetings with the course convenor to discuss progress and assessments. Feedback on the study skills work and 1,500 word essay are returned to students by week 8, and include details on substantive content and core study skills. A revision session is scheduled at the end of the module, allowing students a forum to ask futher questions. General feedback about the progress of the overall cohort is also provided after the essay and exam.

Module aims

• Provide an introduction to the sociological study of crime and deviance
• Explore a range of contemporary issues in criminology, and examine how these relate to the structure of society
• To give a grounding in the core study skills required to undertake undergraduate study, including email, referencing, and issues around plagiarism

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Provide students with a general introduction to criminology, promote interest in the discipline, and give students a ‘taster’ of the content in the rest of the course. The lectures are designed to help students develop their note-taking abilities, as well as expose them to key debates and literature. The seminar groups then act as a forum to discuss these ideas in more depth in smaller groups, including peer-learning and discussion exercises. The study skills classes give students understanding of basic study techniques useful for the remainder of the degree.

The learning and teaching methods include:

·         1 hour lecture x 12 weeks

·         1 hour seminar x 10 weeks

·         1 hour study skill class x 10 weeks

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC1034

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.