Hereford Sixth Form College

Criminology

WJEC Level 3 Diploma

This course will offer you an exciting insight into the field of criminology. You will study crime, deviance and the criminal justice system. You will develop your understanding of the key concepts, theories and principles of criminology and their application across a range of case studies and examples.

Although the course can be taken over one year to achieve the Certificate level, it is really designed as a two year course with synoptic assessment. Each year follows the structure of 50% internal controlled assessment and 50% examination.

What does the course involve?

You will study the cause and effect of criminal actions, the form and outcome of social disorders, policing and regulation of public order, procedures of the criminal justice system. You will also look at the relationship between behaviours and punishments.

Year One

• Unit 1: Changing Awareness of Crime.
• Unit 2: Criminological Theories.
• An internal controlled assessment (25% of the two year Diploma or 50% of the one year Certificate).
• A 90 minute examination on Unit 2 (25% of the two year Diploma or 50% of the one year Certificate).

Year Two

• Unit 3: Crime Scene to Courtroom.
• Unit 4: Crime and Punishment.
• An internal controlled assessment (25%).
• A 90 minute examination on Unit 4 (25%).

Trips

You will have the opportunity to attend conferences and lectures such as CrimCon. There is also a forensic criminology trip where you will enter a crime scene house and get to analyse blood spatter patterns as well as a visit to the Courts, a tour of a working prison and an international trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.  There will be talks from a range of visiting speakers from related professions such as the police, probation workers, criminologists and ex-criminals.

What can you do after the course?

The course will provide the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills to allow you to progress to further study and training. It is relevant to many jobs within the criminal justice sector, including the police, probation service, prison and rehabilitation service, social workers and other legal professions. With critical thinking, analytical and communication skills, criminology graduates are also attractive to employers outside the criminal justice sector in areas such as social research and politics.

Abi talks about the Criminology course at Hereford Sixth Form College

This course gave me the leap up when applying to university, as they don't expect it. It meant I received an unconditional offer instead of conditional.