Undergraduate Course: Foundations of Criminology (LAWS08096)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 40 |
| Home subject area | Law |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course aims to give an introduction to a wide range of questions about crime and its control, drawing on criminological theory, research and practice. The first semester introduces the origins and development of thinking about crime, patterns of offending behaviour and the problems of determining what we 'know' about crime. The second semester looks at the criminal justice system in action to explore problems of contemporary crime control. Throughout the course there is an emphasis on the relationships between theory, research and practice and students are encouraged to think critically about the nature of "evidence" in relation to crime and control.
All course materials are hosted on the Law School website. Click on 'courses' then 'Foundations of Criminology'. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None. All tutorial readings will either be made available online or are on reserve in the main library or law library. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None. |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students should be able to:
describe and summarise the main paradigms within criminological theory and be able to assess their strengths and weaknesses; understand and interpret contemporary crime patterns and trends; describe and assess key issues in policing and crime prevention; summarise the main features of the Scottish criminal justice and penal system and assess their strengths and weaknesses; describe and assess the leading sociological theories of punishment. The course will develop students' ability to: appraise arguments critically in terms of their logical coherence and the use made of evidence; apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems. |
Assessment Information
| One final examination 3 hours (100%) |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | crime, offenders, criminal justice, punishment |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Anna Souhami
Tel:
Email: anna.souhami@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Heather Haig
Tel: (0131 6)50 2053
Email: Heather.Haig@ed.ac.uk |
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