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In a nutshell

Criminology is an exciting and interesting subject that develops your knowledge and understanding in purposeful contexts linked to the criminal justice system.

This qualification is relevant to many job roles within the criminal justice sector, social and probation work and sociology and psychology.

WJEC Level 3 Applied Criminology is a qualification with elements of psychology, law and sociology that complements studies in humanities and Social Sciences.

This course is for you if...

… you want a career in law

... you're working towards employment or are currently employed within the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service, or the National Offender Management Service

... you're interested in studying the Law, Social Sciences or Humanities Pathways.

What will I be doing?

During your criminology course, you'll cover the following mandatory units:

1. Changing Awareness of Crime
2. Criminological Theories
3. Crime Scene to Courtroom
4. Crime and Punishment

Unit 1 - Changing Awareness of Crime - will enable you to demonstrate understanding of different types of crime, influences on perceptions of crime and why some crimes are unreported.

The second mandatory unit - Criminological Theories - will allow you to gain an understanding of why people commit crime, drawing on what you've learned in Unit 1.

Unit 3 - Crime Scene to Courtroom - will provide you with an understanding of the criminal justice system from the moment a crime has been identified to the verdict. You'll develop the understanding and skills needed to examine information in order to review the justice of verdicts in criminal cases.

In the final unit - Crime and Punishment - you'll apply your understanding of the awareness of criminality, criminological theories and the process of bringing an accused to court in order to evaluate the effectiveness of social control to deliver criminal justice policy.

How you'll learn:

Each unit within the qualification has an applied purpose which acts as a focus for the learning in the unit. The applied purpose demands learning related to authentic case studies. It also requires you to consider how the use and application of your learning impacts on yourself, other individuals, employers, society and the environment. The applied purpose will also allow you to learn in such a way that you develop:

• skills required for independent learning and development
• a range of generic and transferable skills
• the ability to solve problems
• the skills of project based research, development and presentation
• the fundamental ability to work alongside other professionals, in a professional environment
• the ability to apply learning in vocational contexts

How you'll be assessed:

The WJEC Level 3 Applied Criminology course is assessed using a combination of internal and external assessment.

The following units will be externally assessed:

• Unit 2: Criminological Theories
• Unit 4: Crime and Punishment

What is expected of me?

To enter this course, you’ll need:

• a minimum of 5 GCSEs grade C or above to include Maths/Maths Numeracy, English/Welsh First Language;
• OR an appropriate Level 2 Diploma qualification at Merit grade with GCSEs to include Maths/Maths Numeracy, English/Welsh First Language at grade C or above.

What comes next?

Successful completion of this course will allow you to progress your studies or go directly into employment.

Progression routes include:

• Higher Education in law and humanities related subjects such as law, sociology, criminology or psychology.
• Employment opportunities within law firms, National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender Management Service and many others.

Additional information

You'll need to contribute to the costs of trips and visits during your course.