Before you join us, we’d like you to watch the Netflix documentary The Crash.

As you watch, begin thinking like a criminologist by considering the following questions:

• Who is to blame for what happens in The Crash—individual people, organisations, or wider systems? Why?
• Were there enough rules, safeguards, or procedures in place to prevent what happened? If not, what went wrong?
• Who is harmed in the documentary? Are there any people or groups affected who might not be immediately obvious?
• How is the story presented? Do you think it is balanced, or does it focus more on certain perspectives than others?

There are no right or wrong answers. This activity is designed to help you start thinking critically about responsibility, harm, and justice, key themes you will explore throughout your Criminology degree.

Get a Head Start Before You Arrive

• Engage critically with the news, notice how stories are told and what’s left out
• Watch and listen to programmes like Newsnight, Channel 4 News, and BBC Radio 4 Today
• Explore your interests through podcasts, documentaries, and docu-dramas
• Reflect on what drew you to Criminology, what issues matter to you?

Recommended Criminology Text Books

• Carrabine et al. (2020) Criminology, a Sociological Introduction. Fourth edition. London. Routledge
• Liebling et al. (2023). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. Seventh edition. Oxford. Oxford University Press
• Jones. (2021). Criminology. Seventh edition. Oxford. Oxford University Press
• Muncie. (2021). Youth and Crime. Fifth edition. London. Sage

During your induction, you will be welcomed into the Criminology team and introduced to your lecturers and support staff. You’ll take part in icebreaker activities designed to help you get to know your peers and begin building your learning community.

We will provide an overview of your first-semester modules, explain your timetable, and outline key expectations for your studies. You will also be introduced to the range of services available to support you academically and personally throughout your time at university.

Finally, you will take part in a campus tour to help you familiarise yourself with key locations and feel confident navigating your new learning environment.

IMPORTANT: Please bring your photo ID with you to complete the ID verification check for Student Finance confirmation.

• Coming soon

During your first semester, you will experience a variety of teaching and learning activities designed to support different learning styles and help you engage with criminological concepts in meaningful ways. Sessions may include lectures, discussions, debates, videos, group activities, demonstrations, and real-world scenarios and case studies. This interactive approach encourages you to explore different perspectives, apply theory to practice, and develop the critical thinking and communication skills essential for success in Criminology.

In your first semester, you will study three core modules that introduce key areas of criminology and criminal justice. In CRU420 Media and Crime, you will explore how crime and justice are represented across a range of media platforms, from news reporting to streaming services such as Netflix, and demonstrate your understanding through a blog post assessment. CRU421 Understanding the Criminal Justice System will provide an overview of the UK criminal justice process, examining the roles of policing, the courts, and other justice agencies, with assessment through a 15-minute presentation. In CRU407 Sociology of Crime, you will be introduced to major sociological theories of crime and deviance, exploring perspectives such as Marxism and labelling theory, and will be assessed through an essay.

Meet Tammia

Tammia is the Programme Lead for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Criminology, with over a decade of experience in prison education, having taught in both further and higher education, as well as within prisons including HMP Oakwood and HMP Birmingham. With qualifications including a BA and MA in Criminology, a PGCE, and Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, her expertise spans penology, rehabilitation, restorative justice, prison education, and the criminal justice system. Alongside teaching, she serves on the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Featherstone and maintains strong professional links with prisons, probation services, police, and leading criminal justice charities, bringing valuable real-world insights into the classroom.

Meet Dr Em temple-Malt

Em is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology, bringing extensive teaching experience from a range of universities, including Bath Spa, Manchester Metropolitan, Keele, Staffordshire, and the University of Manchester. Her research explores the relationship between individuals and society through life-course theory, with expertise in equality and diversity, gender and sexuality, victimology, social harm, and gender-based violence. As Co-Director of the SU-VAWG Hub, Em works collaboratively with professionals across multiple sectors to address violence against women and girls. Passionate about research, teaching, and student development, she encourages students to pursue their interests, build strong analytical skills, and develop into confident criminologists and justice professionals.

Meet Dr Tiffany Carter

Dr Tiffany Carter teaches across both Undergraduate and Postgraduate Criminology and has experience in further and higher education. Holding qualifications in Criminology and Higher Education, she completed her doctoral research on stalking among young people. Her specialist expertise lies in gender-based violence, including stalking, coercive control, domestic abuse, and sexual violence. Alongside her academic work, Tiffany is a Trustee of the Alice Ruggles Trust, a national charity dedicated to raising awareness of stalking, bringing valuable real-world insight and expertise to her teaching and research.