BA Criminal Justice and Social Policy Programme Specification 2024-25

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2024-25
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5	Programme Title			BA Criminal Justice and Social Policy
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7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			2024, 2023, 2022		Award type			BA
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9	What level is this qualification?			6		Length of programme			3 years
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11	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			Full time
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13	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			The programme will use standard University semesters.		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			N/A
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15	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			SBS
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17	Lead department			SBS		Other contributing departments			N/A
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19	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
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21	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			Campus-based
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23	Partner organisations
24	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
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28	Reference points
29	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
30	Subject Benchmark Statements - Social Policy; Subject Benchmark Statements - Criminology.
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33	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
34	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
35	N/A
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38	Exceptions to Regulations
39	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
40	N/A
41	N/A
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43	Internal Transfers
44	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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46		Transfers in:	Transfers in are possible-, we usually recieve transfer requests from students taking BA Criminology, BA Politics, BA Social and Political Sciences, BA Sociology.			Transfers out:	Transfer outs are possible but less likely to occur- usually students are more likely to transfer to the BA Criminology programme.
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49	Statement of Purpose
50	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
51	In studying for this degree, you will gain an understanding of crime as a social problem within a wider framework of poverty, addiction, homelessness and educational and family experience. By critically examining the decisions society makes about crime you will learn how social divisions play a part in labelling certain behaviours as crimes and certain people as criminals or victims; the impact of power, politics and social inequalities in the management of crimes and criminal behaviour and the role of global, national and local social and political changes in influencing our understanding of, and our responses to crime, criminals and victims. You will be able to critically assess the effectiveness of both criminal justice and social policy practices in delivering justice to every member of society regardless of their gender, race, sexuality or class. You will develop as an independent, critical thinker equipped to tackle complex problems and produce creative solutions through collaborative and participatory approaches in your working lives. By examining crime within this social policy framework, York students will graduate with the knowledge and skills to work in a broad range of careers aimed at improving policy and practice in criminal justice - from policing to prisons - but also aimed at managing crime and social harm through wider changes in housing, health, education and welfare provision. The degree will equip you with the necessary critical thinking, communication and research skills to make you an effective graduate employee within such arenas as local and central government; the law; research and the voluntary or charitable sectors.
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62	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
63	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
64	N/A
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69	Programme Learning Outcomes
70	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
71	1	Analyse and evaluate criminal justice and social policy to develop informed judgements through a critical understanding of the ways in which social, political, economic and institutional interests shape social problems and societal responses.
72	2	Identify and investigate real world crime and social related problems and apply problem-solving skills and critical thinking to those issues in order to contribute to imaginative, flexible and effective policy and practice solutions.
73	3	Retrieve, generate, interpret and critically assess qualitative and quantitative data using innovative research methods, digital resources and policy-relevant analytical techniques to investigate social and crime-related questions, assess evidence and produce reasoned written accounts of criminal justice and social policy enquiry.
74	4	Engage in criminal justice and social policy debate at local, national and global level, synthesising complex material and communicating ideas effectively to peers, policy actors, practitioners and client groups across a range of professional settings, both in writing and verbally, using up-to-date visual presentation techniques.
75	5	Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams by acknowledging competing interpretations of crime-related and social policy issues, and by recognising the value of collaborative and participatory approaches to problem-solving and the shaping of policy solutions whilst being sensitive to the values and perspectives of others.
76	6	Reflect in depth on the relationship between the key stages in life - namely childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age - and the bearing they have on criminality over the life course.
77	7	Appreciate the drivers of social inequalities taking into account factors such as class, race, gender, sexuality and the impact of criminal justice and social policy and practice on disadvantaged groups and thus directly contribute to social progress and justice for all members of society.
78	8	Critically reflect upon the enactment of criminal justice policies on practice within the criminal justice system and how such practice can impact on the lives of people subject to them.
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80	Diverse entry routes
81	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
82	Prior to the course starting, students have access to a 'Preparing to study social policy' VLE site, which contains introductory information on the programme, the School and on social policy more broadly (including key reading). It also includes a welcome blog for communication between students and staff. Students benefit from a comprehensive induction week, including sessions on the programme, the library/VLE, constructing a safe learning agreement and 'meet the staff' opportunities. Students are encouraged to participate in academic skills sessions run in the School as well as attending digital literacy sessions in semester 1 with our subject librarian. Students are recruited from diverse backgrounds and have diverse life experiences, but are all selected on their basis of meeting the entry requirements for the course. Their transition to the programme is facilitated during semester 1 when all students receive support from an academic supervisor with their academic work. This includes guidance on reading, academic writing and study skills, which they can hone in lectures and seminars. They are supported to transition into social policy education through the Policy, Power and Social Progress module in semester 1, which provides a broad introduction to the key concepts and foundations of the discipline. The programme builds upon learning obtained at each stage to allow the students to develop into fully comprehensive academics.
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91	Inclusion
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93	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.									TRUE
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95	Employability
96	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
97	The PLOs include a suite of transferable skills that can be applied in a wide range of problem-solving contexts, such as being able to interpret and critically evaluate complex material and communicate such material in a variety of formats to a variety of audiences. Students will develop independent and team-based working skills, including planning and time-management culminating in their independent study work in the third year.
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