BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology course preparation
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the School of Law, Criminology & Policing. Before you join us for your BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology degree, we’ve gathered together a range of course related activities to help you feel prepared for your studies. These include suggested reading, useful websites and some great things to do right now. Read on to find out more.
Suggested reading
You’ll be given lots of information about which textbooks to read and introduced to the University Library, as well as the many ebooks we have for you to access, when you begin your studies in September.
In the meantime, there are a few textbooks you might like to read before starting your degree if you can. We don’t recommend rushing out to buy texts before you arrive. But if you can pick these up second hand, borrow from a library or access online, we suggest the following:
Criminology
- Newburn, T. (2017) Criminology, 3rd Edn, Cullompton: Willan Publishing
- Muncie, J. and McLaughlin, E. (2019) Sage Dictionary of Criminology (eds), 4th Ed, London: Sage.
Sociology
- Giddens, A. and Sutton, P. W. (2021) Sociology, 9th Edn, Cambridge: Polity Press
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 School and 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.
Useful materials
- British Society of Criminology Blog. Explores current issues on crime, criminology and criminal justice
- Serial A true crime podcast series which delves into a new true crime story in each episode
- They Walk Among Us An award-winning weekly UK true crime podcast covering a broad range of cases, produced in partnership with the Law & Crime Podcast network
- UK True Crime Podcast Posts weekly episodes, offering new perspectives and insights on true crime stories in the UK
- British Society of Criminology Blog Explores current issues on crime, criminology and criminal justice
- What is crime? The Open University’s senior lecturer in Criminology, Dr David Scott discusses the concept and aspects of crime.
- Watch ‘The Dirty War on the NHS: Privatisation, Profits and the Impact on Patients’
- John Pilger’s documentary examines how British government ruthlessly expelled the population of the Chagos Islands, a crown colony in the Indian Ocean, in the late 60s and early 70s to make way for an American military base on Diego Garcia
- Howard League for Penal Reform A registered charity in the UK
- British Sociological Association (BSA) Links to sociology careers, what sociology is, how sociological research is conducted and origins of sociology
- Another John Pilger documentary ‘The War You Don’t See’. A searing indictment of lying and deceit by government and media that manufactured public consent for the Iraq war.
- Watch this Ted Ex talk about The Wisdom of Sociology Sam Richards
- For a quick Introduction to Sociology watch this video
Join our community
Follow our School and our student societies on social media so that you can start connecting with your colleagues and chat to current students about their experiences.
Connect with us on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the largest professional networking site with over 610 million members worldwide. It is very useful for networking and securing opportunities.
Find advice on creating a LinkedIn profile.
Once you have created your profile, join our School group and connect with your lecturers and your colleagues, along with employers as you progress through your degree so that you gradually build your network.
Preparing for your academic studies
Remember that learning at university isn’t just what takes place in formal sessions, it’s also about your input too and this means reading and listening to particular areas of interest independently.
- Reading is at the core of doing a degree programme, however, this does not mean exclusively academic reading. Creative writing, biographies etc. can also provide useful insights to supplement your academic reading.
- Film and documentaries can also be a rich source of information, however, be critical in your viewing, just because it appears on a channel purporting to focus on the ‘facts’ regarding crime doesn’t mean it does. Much of it should be seen for what it is, entertainment.
Suggested podcasts
To introduce you to Criminology and Sociology you might find the following podcasts interesting. You’re not expected to access all of them, and these are suggestions (you won’t be examined on them) but do take a look at some:
- Listen to this series that is host to episodes created by the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford reflecting on topics such as rights and justice, politics, penal culture, crime and mental health and immigration.
- Naomi Klein’s podcast. Naomi has had a long career as a journalist. Time and time again, she’s seen capitalists take advantage of crises. She saw it when she was a reporter in Iraq, and noticed it again while reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now, she’s seeing the agents of capitalism rush in to profit from the Coronavirus pandemic.
- Podology has interesting content for beginners, and for those with prior or advanced knowledge of sociology.
Think of the future
Beginning your degree is the first step on your career journey and it is never too early to start thinking about your future career. Within our School we have a dedicated careers advisor – Emma Bonati – who is on hand to help you with all things career related. Emma and the Careers Team can assist with matters such as: developing a CV, writing a job application, securing part-time work etc.
Before you join us in September, start to get familiar with the Edge Hill Careers Team. You can also follow them on socials for regular updates: @ehucareers
It may also be useful to browse some career websites such as Prospects and Target Jobs.
Consider volunteering
Volunteering is a valuable way to not only achieve personal development but also to build transferable and specific skills sought by employers. Find more advice on volunteering.
If you are unsure of where your degree can take you – don’t worry. Your Personal Tutor, lecturers, the Careers Team and the Work Placements Team are all here to offer advice and support to help you on your journey and throughout your studies. You will be invited to numerous workshops, panel events and careers fairs where you can interact with employers, build connections and learn about possible career pathways.