BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology course preparation

Suggested reading

During your first week, you’ll be provided with electronic copies of the academic programme handbook and an administrative rules and procedures handbook. The contents of each will be explained during your first formal introductory sessions. You’ll also be required to attend a range of introductory sessions where tutors and other staff members will provide you with guidance on how to access and use our virtual learning platform, Blackboard, our library, and the roles of various colleagues in the Departments, such as your personal tutor.

You’ll also be provided with a handbook for each individual module that will include details of the aims and outcomes for each module. These will include details of the teaching and learning methods, assessment methods and weightings, assessment criteria, details on coursework submission and feedback dates and procedures, extension procedures, module attendance requirements and details of the title and contents of your weekly module lectures and weekly seminar/workshop tasks and the supporting reading for each topic comprehensive reading list of key texts.

In essence you’ll have 9-11 hours per week of class contact and will be required to meet your personal tutor, who you meet during first week of study, approximately three times per semester. You’ll take a total of 6 modules each year of study. Usually 4 or 5 will be one semester in length and 1 or 2 will be taught as long thin modules that last two semesters in Year 1 of your study. Unseen examinations on the course are held at the end of the module in either early January or early May.

In the meantime, you might want to get a head start by purchasing one or more the following texts, or alternatively borrow from the Catalyst when you start your programme:

• Croall H (2011) Crime and Society in Britain, 2nd Ed, Pearson
• Muncie J & McLaughlin E (2013) Sage Dictionary of Criminology, 3rd Ed, Sage
• Newburn T, (2017) Criminology, 3rd Ed, Willan Publishing
• Carlson, Buskist, & Martin (any year from 4th edition onwards) Psychology: The Science of Behavior: Pearson Education
• Eysenck, M.W., & Keane, M.T. (2015). Cognitive psychology: A students’ handbook (7th ed). London: Lawrence Erlbaum
• Pinel, J.P.J. (2017) Biopsychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Useful websites

• Visit the Howard League website here
• If you’d like to organise your tasks and create a to-do list try Trello
• If you’d like to explore careers within the Legal sector or law enforcement visit the Prospects website here

Things to do over summer

There are several things you can do to start to prepare for your Criminology and Psychology studies over the summer. We recommend that you:

• Get into the habit of reading a good quality, broadsheet newspaper on a daily basis; The Times, The Guardian and The Independent are all good choices
• Listen to the news programmes on BBC Radio 4 and watch the extended news programmes on television which provide more analysis, such as Newsnight and Channel 4 News; and good quality documentaries e.g. Dispatches, Panorama and Unreported World.

As a BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology student, you’ll need to have good knowledge and understanding of current events – getting into the habit of paying attention to news covering political and psychological issues will certainly help you with your studies.

Additional ways to prepare

Preparing to start

This session examines how to make a successful transition to university. From planning your results day, accommodation and commuting tips, extra support available to you and general advice on uni life.

Watch the session

Find out more about who you are

The following information provides an insight into what to expect when coming to university along with some good advice on how to navigate some of the potential challenges you may face.

Start preparing yourself