Level: 3 | Duration: 1 Year | Start Date: September
Online Study: You will need to travel to college for the induction sessions at the start of the course and also any drop-in progress/support meetings throughout the course. They are NOT fully distance learning courses. See below for more information.
Kickstart your ambition of a university degree and a successful career in Criminology with an Access Course at Riverside College:
- Flexible online learning with the added security of face-to-face induction and weekly support sessions when needed
- Learn about offender profiling, prison categories, and how to measure crime. Understand how the media affects public perceptions of crime and criminality
- A qualification which is equivalent to 3 A-Levels for entry to university
- Criminology Access course assessed through end-of-unit assignments with no exams!
This is the perfect course if you have always wanted to pursue a career in criminology but need the qualifications in order to start your degree.
You will start to learn the key areas of criminology including how to spot trends and patterns in behaviour, and understand the severe impact that deviant behaviour can have on victims, their families, the criminals themselves, and society at large.
It will also highlight the methods that are in place to understand why crime happens and how to stop it, providing you with the knowledge and skills you will need to start your university degree. You will look at:
- Measurements of Crime
- The Criminology of Prisons
- Situational Aspects of Crime
- Forensic Psychology
Entry Requirements
- You will need GCSE English at Grade A-C (9-4) or equivalent (Level 2 Functional Skills) and GCSE Maths at Grade A-C (9-4) or equivalent (Level 2 Functional Skills) - you will need to provide us with written evidence from your chosen Universities that they will accept Functional Skills for your year of entry to University
- Some Universities will only accept GCSEs to meet entry requirements. They will also require you to have additional GCSEs at Grade A-C (4-9) for some courses, including a science for some pathways
- As the course is fully online you must have strong ICT skills to enable you to cope with the demands of the course
- You will also need to have your own laptop
University Entry Criteria: Each university will set its own admission criteria. You will need to check the entry requirements of your chosen university and course.
The specialist Access tutors alongside the ACE/ Careers team at Riverside College can support you with your application to university. You are likely to require:
- A certain number of credits passed with a merit or a distinction grade* (see the Modules tab for the individual modules included in this course)
- GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Maths and English alongside literacy and numeracy assessments provided by the university
- A face-to-face interview at the university
- Course-related work placements or work experience
Course Fees:
Fee: £3,022
You can apply for an ADVANCED LEARNER LOAN; the Loan eligibility does not depend on your income and there are no credit checks. The loan will cover the full cost of your Access Course, this will be written off when you complete your degree – saving you up to £9,000 in fees and not using any of your Student Loans allowance.Assessments:
There are no exams on the Access to HE course, you will be assessed via academic reports, essays, case study analysis, illustrated mind map, illustrated report, worksheet, journal article, portfolio, academic poster, presentation (video and audio recording), revision guide, series of questions, academic writing skills tasks.Why choose Riverside College:
- Flexible online learning for your Access to Higher Education qualifications with the support of weekly face-to-face drop-in support sessions when and if needed*
- Initial face-to-face induction to fully prepare you for your studies
- Up to six hours per week of drop-in support sessions with tutors when needed (Daytime and Evening sessions available)
- Interactive online sessions (Assessed and marked online).
- Access college facilities including the Learning Resource Centre, Study Rooms with PCs and printing, UCAS support, and bursaries
- Streamline your qualification to fit into your spare time giving you the option to complete the Access to Higher Education faster.
- Social groups offering tutor and peer support and encouragement.
- Ofsted Outstanding Access teaching and support teams
- Dedicated specialist Access teachers with over 10 years' experience in successfully supporting adults to progress onto degrees
- Study for FREE, saving up to £9,000 in fees AND you won’t use up any of your Student Loans allowance. See details about the ADVANCED LEARNER LOAN.
Career
You will create a base of knowledge of human behaviour and motivation in relation to crime with this Access of Higher Education Diploma ahead of degree-level study of criminology. This could be in degrees such as a:
- Criminology BA
- Criminology and Forensic Studies BA
- Criminology and Policing BSc
- Criminology with Applied Psychology BSc
- Sociology and Criminology BA
All of these can lead you to a range of jobs in criminology that require you look at the reasons behind crimes, prevent them, and keep people safe. Types of careers you could consider with the relevant degree:
- Criminologist
- Crime Scene Investigator
- Community Development Worker
- Probation Officer
- Social Worker
- Prison Officer and more!
Unit 1: Academic Writing Skills
On completion of this unit you will:- Be able to write with relevance in responding to an academic task
- Know how to interpret and discuss ideas and issues in responding to a set, academic writing task
- Be able to summarise for academic purposes, selecting key points, information, or central ideas
Unit 2: Preparing a Written Assignment
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand how to use key information sources
- Understand why sources are acknowledged and referenced
- Understand a range of reading strategies
- Understand note-making methods
- Understand how to plan draft and produce a written assignment
Unit 3: Introduction to Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the importance of research in psychology
- Understand the main approaches in psychology
- Understand ethical issues in psychological research
Unit 4: Understanding Crime & Deviance
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand explanations of crime and deviance
- Understand theories of crime and deviance
- Understand perceptions of crime and deviance
Unit 5: Sociology of the Family
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand changes in family structure
- Understand sociological explanations of the family to include Functionalist, feminist, interactionist and postmodern views
Unit 6: Measurements of Crime
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand sources of crime statistics
- Understand the reliability of published statistics on crime
- Understand factors that are not reflected in criminal statistics
Unit 7: Social Relationships
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand theories of interpersonal relationships
- Understand differing explanations and research evidence relating to the stages of relationships
- Understand the effects of interpersonal relationships on the individual
Unit 8: The Criminology of Prisons
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the philosophical approaches to imprisonment
- Understand the categories of prison and their relative costs
- Understand the effects of imprisonment on the individual and society
Unit 9: The Brain and Nervous System (Psychology)
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the major subdivisions of the nervous system
- Understand the structure and function of glial cells and neurons
Unit 10: Mental Health & Illness
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the difficulties in defining normality and abnormality
- Understand a psychological disorder
- Understand treatments used to treat people with psychological disorders
Unit 11: Situational Aspects of Crime
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the rationale for developing environmental methods of crime control
- Understand how crime prevention can be addressed by manipulating risks and rewards for both victim and perpetrator
- Understand environmental methods of crime control addressed through the theory of routine activity
Unit 12: Crime & Media
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the link between public perceptions of crime and criminality, and the news media
- Understand the link between public perceptions of crime and criminality and the film and television media
- Understand the link between public perceptions of crime and criminality and the media- social media
- Understand the criminological research into the links between crime and media
Unit 13: Forensic Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the roles of the Forensic Psychologist
- Understand how psychologists have contributed to jury behaviour and eyewitness memory
- Understand offender profiling
- Be able to apply an offender profiling technique
Unit 14: Criminal Justice & Social Policy
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand models of crime prevention
- Understand theories of crime control
- Understand criminal justice theories as informed by different political perspectives
Unit 15: Criminal Law & Procedures
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the criminal court process and its personnel
- Understand sentencing policy and procedures
Unit 16: Extended Essay
On completion of this unit you will:- Be able to develop and plan an extended essay on a chosen topic relevant to your Diploma title
- Be able to produce an extended essay on a chosen topic relevant to your Diploma title
Unit 17: Human Rights, the Individual & the Law
On completion of this unit, you will:- Understand the general scope and application of the European Convention on Human Rights
- Understand the impact and interrelationship of specific Convention Rights
- Understand the status and effect of the Human Rights Act 1998
Unit 18: Critical Criminology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the arguments of Right and Left Realism
- Understand key debates within feminist criminology
- Understand arguments regarding human rights and crimes of the state
- Understand current developments in criminology
Course Features
- Lectures 0
- Quizzes 0
- Duration 10 weeks
- Skill level All levels
- Students 0
- Assessments Yes