Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Post Placement Presentation 10-15 minute presentation | 25% |
| Semester Assessment | Reflective Report 1500 word report | 30% |
| Semester Assessment | Placement Portfolio Reflective commentary upper word limit of 2000 words but no limit to the inclusion of other materials (e.g. training manuals, agency guidance etc). | 25% |
| Semester Assessment | Placement Review by External Agency Review and assessment by placement organisation. | 20% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Extended Reflective Placement Report 5000 word report | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Sustain work placement for a required period.
2. Work to a set schedule within a criminal justice agency, government or academic environment.
3. Work both independently and as a member of a team.
4. Apply the knowledge gained in the academic studies to a real work situation.
5. Reflect on how they can use their employability skills to improve their academic learning.
6. Assess and reflect on knowledge and experience gained in the placement and build it back in to a piece of academic work.
7. Assess the contribution of their skills training and work experience to their career development.
Brief description
This module would require students to undergo work placement training in one of the criminal justice agencies to act as a volunteer or in a paid capacity. Following training they would be expected to perform at least an allotted number of hours in volunteer or paid work. They would then return and complete an extended essay as part of their assessment. A small part of their assessment would be an assessment of their performance whilst on the placement and this would be assessed by the placement organisation.
Aims
Criminology is a very practical discipline, closely related to policy and to field work in a number of organisations. Criminology students are often interested in pursuing volunteer or paid work in one of the criminal justice agencies. This module will facilitate such aspirations and will ensure that students both gain new skills which will be core to their later professional lives and be encouraged to critically analyse this practical engagement with their more theoretical and research oriented academic work. This module aims to make these connections and facilitate greater interaction between practical /policy fields and academia so ensuring students understand the application of theory to practice and vice versa. It will also permit students to enhance core skills and competencies within a more practical environment so improving their employability. Providing the experience as a module studied as part of their degree demonstrates the importance of these skills and of their being embedded in the curriculum.
Content
Introductory sections to be taught by University Staff
1. Introduction to criminal justice agency work
2. Introduction to field work and its pitfalls.
3. Reflective Practice
4. Professional Conduct in the Workplace
Introductory Skills Training Offered by Organisations
Placement
Debriefing and reflection
Delivery:
4 x 2 hour lectures
2 x 2 hour seminars in Semester 2
6 x 1 hour tutorials
1 x 2 hour workshop for presentation
30 hours (approx) spent in the criminal justice agency
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Many criminal justice agencies use quantitative research to decide on policy and many also use quantitative issues to measure effectiveness of interventions both generally and on particular individuals. |
| Communication | Oral communication will be encouraged and developed during interactive seminar discussions and in their interactions with colleagues and/or clients in their work placement. Written skills will be developed through the plan and the mini dissertation. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Seminar discussion and feedback on work will allow students to reflect on their own learning. Possibly far more valuable will be the possibility of reflecting on the operation of their discipline in a practical environment and the interaction of the discipline with policy and practice. |
| Information Technology | Searches of on-line electronic databases and journals will provide practice in IT skills. Depending on their placements students are also likely to encounter new database collation systems for client information. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The module is very well placed to enhance student learning in these areas, in fact it is the underlying ethos behind the module. |
| Problem solving | In the course of their placement they will have to solve many practical issues which will develop and enhance students’ critical and practical problem solving skills. |
| Research skills | Research skills will be developed by accessing literature on the aspects of their placement. |
| Subject Specific Skills | The development of subject specific skills will be an aspect for each and every student but the content and breadth of these skills will vary depending on the placement |
| Team work | All criminal justice agencies rely on team work so the module will necessarily enhance team working skills. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6