Why study this course?

Our Criminology and International Security BSc (Hons) degree will allow you to gain a wider understanding of criminology in an international context. Working with academics who are specialists in their field, you’ll examine the origins and responses to criminal behaviour.

This course differs from other criminology programmes in the School of Social Sciences and Professions as it focuses on criminology on an international scale. Our international links will provide you with opportunities to spend your second year semester abroad in Europe, USA or Japan.

More about this course

This undergraduate degree is taught by specialists in international relations, criminology and international security studies, many of whom are internationally recognised for the quality of their work. Their teaching will be enriched by lectures from visiting practitioners, who will talk about their experience of working in the international security field and provide valuable career insight.

On our course you’ll critically assess current policies and practices related to national, as well as international crime control. You’ll also investigate how they affect international relations and politics. Optional modules will allow you to develop specialisms in fields that interest you, including international law and order, conflict resolution and contemporary issues in criminology.

Your employment prospects are central to every module, therefore in your second and final years, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a work placement module. In the past our students have completed placements within a wide range of institutions, such as aid agencies, think-tanks and embassies.

The University’s London location will afford you the opportunity to access a range of social and political institutions that will inform your study, such as the Royal Courts of Justice and the British Library. We’ll also organise a number of trips to non-governmental organisations, embassies and relevant government bodies, where you’ll learn how international security and diplomacy work in practice.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed in a variety of ways including essays, exams, presentations, individual and group research projects, briefing papers, portfolios, reflective writing, as well as a final year dissertation or work placement.

Fees and key information

Course type
Undergraduate
UCAS code L311
Entry requirements View
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Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have at least:

  • a minimum of grades BBC in three A levels (or minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification)
  • GCSE English at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

If you don’t have traditional qualifications or can’t meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Criminology (including foundation year) BSc (Hons) or Social Sciences and Humanities (including foundation year) BA (Hons) degree.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2023/24 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday afternoon
  • spring semester - Thursday afternoon
  • autumn semester - Tuesday morning

This module will serve as an introduction to university life and has the dual purpose of developing the literacies, discourses and competences needed to become a successful criminologist, while introducing students to the idea of conducting academic criminological research. It will do this by helping you develop your academic skills - such as speed reading, note taking, referencing, paraphrasing and searching for sources. This will be accomplished utilising readings and materials centred on academic research methods.

The module aims to:

1. Introduce you to the discipline and discourses of criminology and what it means to be a criminologist.

2. Build and develop the core academic literacies central to becoming a successful academic and criminologist.

3. Introduce the idea of conducting research into crime and deviance.

4. Introduce different ways in which criminological research can be conducted.

5. Help you settle and adapt to university life, preparing you for your academic studies.

This module currently runs:
  • summer studies - Monday afternoon
  • autumn semester - Thursday afternoon

On this module you will explore the historical development of the international system since the end of the Second World War, focusing on the relations between the major powers in the international system, the conflicts they became embroiled in and their diplomatic efforts to contain or resolve them.

You will learn about the origins of the Cold War, how it developed and evolved and how it was brought to a peaceful conclusion, before moving on to examine the nature of the post-Cold War international system.

The module will introduce you to the application of some of the key concepts related to conflict, such as war, civil war and insurgency, nuclear deterrence, new wars and humanitarian intervention, as well as those relating to diplomacy, such as summit diplomacy and negotiation. You will also explore the role the United Nations has played in working to maintain international peace and security since 1945.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Friday afternoon
  • summer studies - Thursday morning

This module builds on your knowledge of the criminal justice framework to develop a more detailed knowledge of the criminal justice system (CJS) of England and Wales, criminal justice policy, legislation and social justice outcomes by exploring the following contemporary issues:

● ‘Bias’ in the CJS.
● The use of surveillance in the CJS.
● The introduction of private sector providers within the CJS.
● The CJS’s treatment of victims of crime.
● Media representations of crime, victims of crime and agencies of the CJS.
● Developments in crime prevention.
● Recent and current (officially recorded) crime trends.
● Differences in international systems of criminal justice.

The module aims to:

1. Provide you with a solid grounding and overview of these contemporary issues to help you build a more detailed knowledge for levels 5 and 6.
2. Raise your awareness and understanding of the impact of these issues on the criminal justice sector, the delivery of social justice, the service provided to the public by the CJS and public perceptions of the system.
3. Develop your knowledge of historical developments, current policies and significant changes to the CJS.
4. Provide a comparative perspective of other systems of criminal justice.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Friday afternoon
  • spring semester - Thursday morning

This module introduces you to the framework and functions of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) of England and Wales. It provides a foundation of the aims and roles of the agencies of the CJS which you can build into a more detailed knowledge of issues in criminal justice, criminal justice policy, legislation and social justice outcomes at levels 5 and 6.

The module aims to:

1. Provide a solid grounding of the context of the criminal justice system within the constitution of the United Kingdom.

2. Identify the theoretical models of criminal justice which will help inform an understanding of the social function of criminal justice systems.

3. Review the historical development, structures and roles of key agencies responsible for the execution of criminal justice in England and Wales upon which you will be equipped to build a grasp of issues relating to criminal justice.

4. Identify significant examples of policy and legislative changes and evaluate how these have altered the functions and inter-agency cooperation of key agencies of the CJS and the wider impact some of these changes have had on social justice.

5. Provide an understanding of the potential future career opportunities available in the criminal justice sector.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Thursday morning
  • summer studies - Friday afternoon

Building on the ideas covered in traditional theories and concepts, you will examine how the discipline of criminology developed. You will explore how criminologists have continued to critique and apply traditional theories in their own explanations of crime. You will explore modern debates about how crime can be understood, and what should be done to address it. You will also explore perspectives which have critiqued the subject of criminology.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Thursday morning
  • spring semester - Friday afternoon

In the module you will be introduced to origins of criminological thinking, through an exploration of some of the key thinkers who shaped the discipline’s development and created theories to explain and understand crime. You will develop an understanding of the social context in which relevant theories emerged, be able to recognise their limitations, and some of their biases. You will also be able to recognise the policy implications of the theories you explore, as well as their enduring influence on policy and criminological research.

This module currently runs:
  • summer studies - Monday morning
  • autumn semester - Monday afternoon

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the study of International Relations as an academic discipline, enabling you to understand the development of the international system. You will consider some of the most important theories used in the study of international relations, and examine the development of the Westphalian system, the international political economy, and the role of transnational actors and international institutions.

The module will enable you to identify the key actors in the international system. You will consider the profound changes to the international system in the 20th Century, including two World Wars, the collapse of empires, and the Cold War, followed by the rapid pace and impact of globalisation and the challenges and benefits it created. The latter will include an examination of the current pushback against globalisation from nationalist movements and the possible return of Great Power politics in the 21st Century.

At the end of the module students should be able to make informed judgements about the evolution of the international system, current international affairs, and possible future developments.

Throughout the module students will be encouraged to explore how seemingly separate international relations theories, historical developments, institutional structures and events can impact on, and reflect, individuals’ lived experiences and how we are all part of the international system.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Monday afternoon

The broad aims of this module are to introduce you to some of the most important issues the international community faces and to enable you to think as problem-solvers and practitioners.

You will examine topics such as terrorism, race, gender, poverty, the environment, nuclear proliferation, migration, genocide, human rights and humanitarian develop. You will consider the impact of these issues at the local, national and international level.

You will explore how the forces of globalisation have influenced many of the issues that we will look at, and consider how there has been a push-back against globalisation with the rise of strong populist movements, the dislocation of the pandemic, and the alleged return of Great Power politics. At the end of the module students should be able to make informed judgements about current international affairs.


Throughout you will consider how these impact on your own lived experience as a global citizen.

Year 2 modules include:

The module explores qualitative methods which are deployed as a way of understanding criminals and the phenomenon of crime in more flexible ways than those permitted by the collation of crime statistics. The utility and justification of qualitative research methodologies is critically considered and you have the opportunity to develop a variety of practical research skills, from conducting a qualitative interview to analysing qualitative data using NVivo and writing research reports. This module aims to develop your knowledge of qualitative research methods and ability to apply them in practice to enhance your future employment opportunities.

This module takes you through the research process in relation to quantitative methodologies from the formulation of a research problem through appropriate collection and analysis of data to the writing-up of results in the form of a research report. The module sets out the research contexts in which this methodology is appropriate and discusses the skills and limitations associated with surveys as an important research method in criminology. At the same time, the module introduces you to the Crime Survey England and Wales as one of the main quantitative data sets on crime in the UK.

The aim of this module is to encourage professional development. The module is delivered via small group workshops which focus on the development and/or strengthening of your professional profile in preparation for future job applications. You will also develop/strengthen your knowledge and understanding of potential roles within the criminal justice sector and consider how to match some of the skills/qualifications required by employers with those you have developed during your degree and previous work/study experience. The knowledge, skills and understanding gained via this module will be useful for those who intend to seek employment within the criminal justice sector.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:

1. You will develop an understanding of key roles within the criminal justice sector.
2. You will be encouraged to develop your professional profile (CV, LinkedIn, cover letters, interview performance etc).
3. You will consider how to match your skills to criminal justice employers’ requirements.
4. You will be encouraged to consider your career aspirations and to develop the skills and confidence to pursue them.

International Relations theory holds a central place in the discipline of International Relations. On this module, you will explore in depth and detail some of the most significant theories of world politics, which can be used to explain, understand or critique the nature and dynamics of the international system and how they condition the behaviour of states and other actors. You will explore both explanatory and critical approaches, the former seeking to explain how the international system operates, while the latter seek to transform the nature of world politics in one way or another.

A key theme running through the module is the tension between discipline and diversity. We will interrogate the theories on how open they are to alternative perspectives, interests and voices.

This module begins by offering a discussion about the complexity of defining crime prevention and how this concept involves the consideration of many sectors (including that of education, urban planning, public policy and of course, criminal justice). From this broad starting point, the module explains the key concepts in crime prevention (crime control, crime reduction, and community safety). The module then discusses different types of crime prevention including that of: developmental crime prevention, community crime prevention, situational crime prevention, law enforcement / criminal justice crime prevention and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). In examining these varying forms of crime prevention, the module draws upon contemporary environmental criminological and psychological research as well as real-world case studies from across the world. An emphasis throughout the module is ‘what works’ in preventing crime. In doing so, the module offers an acute investigation of the evidence that supports the claim that the built environment can be designed to prevent crime. The module also advances critical discussion of the limits and problems of crime prevention approaches (such as that regarding displacement and diffusion effects as well as net-widening and ethical problems surrounding pre-crime monitoring).

In this module you will explore concerns about crime and criminals within their historical and social context, and consider how these change over time. In doing so you will explore how social reactions to crime can be understood using a constructionist approach, involving the construction of ‘others’.

The central themes revolve around why some behaviours and some groups of people are ‘constructed’ as the focus of concern and special treatment. Equally, it considers why some crimes, such as corporate crime, or state crime, usually receive less attention. This exploration encourages reflection on how and why certain behaviours are defined and constructed as ‘crime’, and ‘social problems’.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Friday afternoon

This module looks at the media impact on public perceptions of crime and justice. It also looks at the way contemporary media and technologies influence criminal behaviour and influence the operations of the criminal justice system.

The module aims to:

1. Consider the various relationships between media, technology and crime.
2. Develop an understanding of the role of the media in shaping perceptions of crime and criminal justice, with a particular emphasis on marginalised groups.
3. Develop a critical awareness of how different groups are represented in the media with regard to crime, criminality and deviance.
4. Provide an overview of the way technologies interact with crime and the criminal justice system.
6. Develop summarising and analytical skills.

The aim of this module is to explore the range of crimes committed by the powerful, such as white-collar, state, corporate and environmental crime, and the level of harm they cause to societies and economies. Traditionally, criminal justice systems and criminology as a discipline, have focused on the crimes committed by the most disadvantaged and powerless members of society. Crimes committed by powerful individuals or organisations have not faced the same level of attention and scrutiny. This is despite the fact these crimes are often very serious and contribute to more injuries, deaths, financial loss and social harm than ‘conventional’ crimes.

In this module you will gain a critical understanding of the key concepts, theories, and issues, past and present, in relation to crimes committed by the powerful. You will be encouraged to actively participate in discussion and debates linked to key themes and given opportunities for reflective learning. You will develop the skills to investigate, critically examine, and present detailed analysis of current case studies of crimes committed by states, corporations and powerful individuals. In this module, you will also gain an understanding of the difficulties experienced when trying to regulate, investigate and research these crimes. As part of your assessment, you will be required to create a ‘campaign for social change’ file related to crime committed by powerful entities. You will develop transferable skills in oral and written analysis, independent learning, reflective learning and group-work which will help in future professional practice or postgraduate study.

The aim of this module is to encourage the development of knowledge, skills and understanding for criminological research and the types of methods which are adopted within the field. Via small group workshops you will focus on the development and/or strengthening of your knowledge in relation to key social science research methods/ theory which might be applicable to UG/PG study in the field of criminology and associated subject areas. You will be encouraged to consider how research methods, theory, and the specific studies explored within the module, might be relevant to your own ideas/plans for your final year criminology research project. The knowledge, skills and understanding gained via this module will be useful for those who are interested in conducting criminological research.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:

a. You will develop an understanding of a range of key social science research methods/theory.

b. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of criminological research/studies and consider the significance of research findings in terms of the contribution to knowledge and/or the impact that research findings can have upon policy/practice within the criminal justice sector.

c. You will develop the skills to critically review criminological research/articles. As you do this you will also be encouraged to reflect upon your own ideas for your final year research project and the method/s you might adopt to study a criminological topic of your own choosing in the final year.

In this module you will build on the themes explored in crime in context by examining contemporary themes in criminology. This will involve an introductory examination of different categories of crime which have become the focus of attention and concern. You will critique perspectives on different categories of crime by exploring and evaluating the evidence gathered by criminologists. You will also explore different theoretical understandings of specific categories of crime and consider their policy implications.

This module will look at the dark side of technology and the way it has transformed criminal activities. It will engage with the different types of cyber-crime and strategies to combat them, including the challenges of policing the internet, especially when it comes to crimes taking place across different jurisdictions. The second part of this module will analyse e-surveillance, through critically examining how our daily transactional data are managed, particularly in regards to right to privacy versus security issues, as well as the exploitation of personal data for corporate purposes.

The module aims:

1. To provide an overview of the main issues in the field of cybercrime, through the analysis and evaluation of the academic research.

2. To critically explore the challenges of researchers and practitioners investigating cybercrime.

3. To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of e-surveillance, while analysing the ways in which the stored transactional data is being used by law enforcement bodies and corporations.

This module looks at ‘dark tourism’- a term most commonly used to describe tourist activities in places that are associated with death and suffering, or activities carried out by tourists that are deviant, illegal or have associated harms. Along with highlighting the historical events that inspire dark tourism, the module will take a look at the underlying harms and crimes that are often still perpetrated, affecting both consumers and people who work in tourism or live close to tourist hotspots.

The module aims to:

1. Identify and explore crime and deviance related tourism.

2. Introduce you to global historical crimes and harms which have inspired contemporary tourist activities.

3. Allow you to investigate the underlying harms and crimes that occur in relation to tourism hotpots.

4. Encourage you to consider the reasons behind the publics’ fascination with dark tourism.

5. Explore how both consumers and local people are impacted by dark tourism.

The aim of this module is to provide you with a critical understanding of drug use, the drugs trade and drug policy from legal, cultural, criminological, public health and human rights perspectives. You will acquire an understanding of drugs theories and concepts and learn to apply them to a range of social and cultural contexts. The module will enable you to develop an understanding of the social, cultural and economic factors that influence substance use and drug related offending. It will also provide you with a critical understanding of the historical, political, social and economic factors shaping the drug-crime nexus, the drugs trade and enforcement strategies. In an analysis of the origins and history of drug policy and through its development you will also gain knowledge of the ways in which drug control and regulation is conducted along racial, gendered and class lines, and the social costs and ‘collateral damage’ of the drugs’ war.

You will be provided with the critical tools to formulate and defend, orally and in writing, evidence-based arguments on key issues in the drugs field on topics such as the legal-illegal divide, the impact of the global prohibition regime, drug harms, treatment and welfare, drug functions and freedoms and questions of identity, consumption, and risk. You will be given the opportunity and critical tools to evaluate a contemporary drug policy. You will also be given the opportunity to critically appraise the assumptions underpinning discourses on drugs and drug policy and criminal justice and treatment responses. You will gain knowledge of drug laws, criminal justice as well as treatment policies and practices, providing you with the knowledge and understanding for working competently with substance users and drug offenders in criminal justice, health and social care, and advocacy roles.

Globalization is a complicated phenomenon influenced by politics, culture, law, and society. Advances in technology, communication, transportation, and trade have empowered globalization and will continue to fuel its growth creating a more closely interconnected world. The realities of globalization however, manifest regionally and locally in a symbiotic, dialectical relationship. The goal of the module is to examine that latter relationship using the lens of four major areas of contention and challenge in the global community. Students will be invited to engage these at the macro and the micro level, talking about how the entire human community is impacted or potentially impacted, and drawing on their own subjective and personal communal experiences of these to discuss and think about the effects in their home environments (wherever these might be on the globe)

The module is unique in that it focuses on giving students enrolled at London Metropolitan University the opportunity to work with students at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, engaging in an in-depth study and analysis of the four focused contemporary global and international issues. Students will exist in a ‘third space’ working together as partners, co-taught synchronously by an academic from each institution.

Students’ collaborative work will focus on creating projects focused on their collective ideas for potential solutions and ameliorative measures for those challenges that take into consideration global as well as local consequences.

We believe that the interpersonal relationships that the students will develop in the context of the module will equip them with a familiarity with alternative communicative styles and practices of other cultures and a better understanding of their own, essential assets for becoming a “global citizen.” Their interactions with one another will surface human cultural similarities and differences, thereby increasing students’ cultural awareness, competency, and self-confidence, and will reinforce the university’s goal of helping students to become global citizens.

English will the core official language of the course, however, every opportunity for students to engage in alternative languages in their collaborative work will be facilitated and encouraged.

On this module you will explore the practice of modern diplomacy. We will explore the historical emergence and evolution of diplomacy and the classic texts of diplomatic theory, before going on to concentrate on the roles and functions of traditional diplomatic institutions, systems and processes, such as embassies, foreign ministries, diplomatic services and international organisations.

This is a highly practical module. You will have opportunities to develop your abilities to write reports and negotiate, and interact with practitioners through visits to relevant institutions and/or practitioner classes.

This module will provide students with an overview of the issues and challenges faced by organisations seeking to build peace in the 21st-century. In doing so, it will explore the roles of international, state and non-state actors, and their relative strengths and weaknesses, including the United Nations, regional organisations such as the European Union and African Union, and NGOs. A crucial element will be exploring the political, economic and ethical dilemmas faced by such actors. It is a core module for the BA International Relations with Peace and Conflict Studies pathway.

Its aims are to examine:

• Some of the main institutions and organisations that work in conflict situations
• The varied objectives and methods of such organisations
• The differences between types of peace actors, including state and non-state
• Introduce some of the core practical skills for working in relevant peace and conflict fields, thus enhancing employability

This module will provide students with an overview of some of the major theories of and issues in contemporary peace and conflict. As such, it will examine the causes behind modern, 21st-century conflicts – including economic, political and social factors – as well as the major challenges to resolving conflicts and building peace, including in relation to areas such as gender and the environment. This is a core module for the BA International Relations with Peace and Conflict Studies pathway.

Its aims are to examine:

• Competing theories of peace and conflict
• The key concepts of peace and conflict
• The nature and causes of conflict in the contemporary era
• Some of the major challenges the world faces in seeking to resolve conflicts and build peace

The module aims to familiarise you with specialist policing operations by reviewing different perspectives (e.g. practical and academic) on a range of policing interventions. This involves exploring the development of policing strategies and procedures in a variety of specialist areas and also examines legislative developments.

Ethical dilemmas and the ways in which they are confronted and resolved in policing are also assessed via the workshops, reading and discussions:

1. You will examine aspects of contemporary specialist policing from both practical and academic viewpoints.
2. You will critically explore the operational challenges and ethical dilemmas inherent in specialist police operations.
3. You will draw upon recent case studies and examine actual operational scenarios to critically assess the effectiveness of the police response to crime, victims and offenders in relation to specific crime types.
4. You will develop your team working skills and your ability to research, analyse, and communicate (orally and/or in writing) information and evidence-based arguments relating to ‘real world’ contemporary policing issues.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday morning

On this module, you will develop your understanding of politics in the Middle East. We will focus on developments across the region and place them in the context of contemporary international relations. In particular, the module aims to: explain the processes by which the states and societies of the contemporary Middle East were formed; explore the main ideological currents that have influenced the political development of the Middle East, particularly those inspired by religion and nationalism; and examine the international relations of the region, focusing on the sources of conflicts and the difficult relationship between the West and the Middle East.

The module is required for students following the Global South pathway on the BA International Relations.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Wednesday morning

The broad aim of this module is to enable students to apply knowledge of strategy-making and strategic thinking as a historical practice to contemporary problems, critically exploring the enduring, present, and emerging issues present in the field of strategy.

On this module you will:

1. Examine the development of strategic theory and practise.
2. Consider how strategy can be applied by the study of significant case studies.
3. Examine the nature of strategy and how it relates to both policy and action in the 21st Century.
4. Explore non-Western perspectives to critique the Western centricity of strategic studies
5. Critically evaluate international, national, local and grass-root strategies applied to a number of issues, including terrorism, cyber conflict, the use of nuclear weapons, and the Civil Rights Movement.
6. Be encouraged to think as a practitioner and problem solver, developing your skills of critical enquiry by exploring the real-world impact of strategic debates.

On this module you will explore the practice of modern diplomacy. You will explore the main challenges posed to diplomatic practice by global change in recent decades: the rise of inclusive multilateral diplomacy in the UN and other fora; the increasing importance of non-state actors in contemporary diplomacy; the impact of faster air travel enabling leaders to conduct their own diplomacy; the revolution in information and communications technology; and innovations in diplomatic institutions (such as the emergence of the European External Action Service).

A key theme running through the module is the evolving nature of international negotiation, which will be illustrated through detailed case studies of environmental and trade diplomacy.

This is a highly practical module. You will have opportunities to develop your abilities to blog and use social media, engage in a simulated negotiation and interact with practitioners through visits to relevant institutions and/or practitioner classes.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Thursday morning

This module has three principal aims:
1. It will explore the historical origins of the EU and its predecessor bodies in the first two decades after WWII.
2. What agents and factors facilitated such a innovative development in European political history?
3. It will explore the political character of the Union. What sort of organisation is it in political terms? How democratic is it?
4. It will examine its principal policy outputs, including economic, monetary, social and foreign policies

The purpose is for students to gain a better understanding of the nature, inner workings, development, objectives and impact of a major regional organization which, since Brexit, is the biggest political, economic and military neighbour of the UK. This module thus not only helps students get a better sense of the EU, but also will allow them to understand better domestic political developments and the future course of economic and strategic policy of the UK, since these inevitably respond to developments in the EU.

In terms of applied policies, and especially the EU’s place in the world, the module will introduce students to critical perspectives concerning the rooting of European integration in post-imperial and post-colonial dynamics in European history after World War II, and invite them to reflect whether these still inform the EU’s actions and self-perception.

This is a module with a major professional payoff, not only in terms of developing crucial professional skills (research, writing etc.), but also in terms of introducing students to the workings of an expansive organization that provides many professional opportunities for politics graduates, whether in Brussels (for EU citizens) or in the UK for those analysing EU policies for government, think tanks, the private sector and universities.

This module offers you the chance to understand the current debates and practices around working with offenders. The module will cover working with children involved in offending behaviour as well as adults and is ideal if you are considering working within youth justice, probation or voluntary sector organisations working with those with offending backgrounds. You will explore debates around enforcement, risk management and public health approaches within the criminal justice sector. A key focus of the module will also be on your understanding how discrimination (including individual prejudice) affects people's experience of the criminal justice system and how to work in an anti-oppressive way.

The module aims are as follows:

● Understand the role of the youth justice system, probation service and voluntary sector organisations when working with offenders.
● Discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement, public health and risk managements approaches to offender management and crime prevention and desistance.
● Support you to understand risk factors associated with offending.
● Explore the importance of trauma informed practice within the criminal justice system.
● Assess the impact of discrimination on disproportionality and the role of anti-oppressive practice.
● Understand the role of assessment and reporting when working with those involved in offending.

In the current period a plethora of youth resistance actions, movements and subcultures
have developed in response to socio-economic deprivation on a global scale. From
youth riots to graffiti writers in the UK to the politicised Latin Kings and Queens gang in New York, young people are developing cultural, political and deviant responses to their dispossession and exclusion. In this module we will focus on case-studies and theories of youth social, cultural and deviant resistance over time. Questions of race/ethnicity, class, gender and age will be addressed as we explore the e meanings and representations of youth reactions to industrial and post-industrial societies.

This is a an interdisciplinary module which combines the perspectives from sociology, ciminology and cultural studies to address contemporary youth experience.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Friday afternoon

Academic authors have shown that for centuries adults have expressed concerns about the anti-social and criminal behaviour of young people. In recent times, this concern has centred on rising levels of violent crime by young people and the burgeoning ‘gang, gun and knife crime culture’ in the UK. You will critically examine young people’s involvement in crime and violence.

This module examines key theories for understanding violence by the young and explores the connection between violent behaviour and a variety of social issues such as peer pressure, gender, ‘race’ and ethnicity, and alcohol and substance misuse. This highlights the impact of changing economic, political and cultural contexts from the global to local.

Module aims:

1. Familiarise you with the theoretical perspectives that have shaped criminological thought on violence by young people.
2. Encourage you to develop a critical overview of young people’s engagement in violent crime.
3. Develop your ability to research, analyse and communicate critical and informed arguments relating to the theory, policy and practice underpinning youth involvement in violent crime.

Year 3 modules include:

This module currently runs:
  • all year (September start) - Wednesday afternoon

The overall aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to design and conduct an independent criminological research project, and to produce a written research report. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of criminological theory and its application, of the quality and significance of criminological research evidence, and the relevance of your research to contemporary issues and debates in criminology and criminal justice fields.

The module aims to:

  1. Give you the opportunity to reflect upon your learning, your experience, and the skills you have acquired to date, to independently define and research a criminological topic which is of interest to you.
  2. Further develop your research skills, encouraging you to formulate feasible criminological research questions, to select appropriate quantitative/qualitative methods, and to reflect upon ethical issues which arise in research.
  3. Give you the opportunity to produce a written research report which demonstrates your knowledge, understanding and skills for conducting criminological research, recognising the relationship between criminology and related fields as well as the limits of knowledge.

Violence, civil wars, failed states, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, terrorism, climate change, mass migration, military invasions, cyber warfare, poverty and many other such words are rarely absent from the global media landscape. These phrases also seem to be a reflection of the world we inhabit today. They hint at the view that the use of force continues to be a key component of global politics but they are also an indication that non-military threats are increasingly challenging states and individuals. This increasingly broad range of threats has also challenged traditional theories and concepts of international security, and highlighted how this and the multifaceted structures of the international system are interlinked.

The module explores the conceptual and empirical meaning of security through a wide range of issues and topics ranging from the globalisation of crime, the impact of small arms, the role of intelligence to the impact of new technologies such as drones, the role that international collective defence organisations such as NATO play in global security, the challenges raised by mass migration, climate change and postcolonial ideas relevant to security.

The purpose is to investigate what these (and other) issues mean for security. It is clear that these problems must be solved by a means of a different set of policies, but the one thing they all have in common is that they are now all a function of security and therefore cannot be ignored.

The module will also encourage students to develop a range of important Generic Skills.

• The ability to communicate effectively in speech (the ability to work under pressure in seminars, where students must demonstrate the ability to respond to questions orally) and writing (writing an Essay and a Regional Report using commonly accepted standards of definition, analysis, grammatical prose, and documentation).

• The ability to work under pressure within specified time constraints, e.g., during seminar discussions and deadlines for all assessments.

• Research skills, including the ability to synthesise and analyse arguments, to read and understand texts on international relations, and to exercise critical judgement.

• The capacity to work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management, as well as co-operating with other students to achieve common goals such as is achieved through group work during seminars.

Security studies is a crucial discipline that examines the causes and consequences of threats to national and international security. Theories play an essential role in this field as they provide a framework for understanding security issues, assessing threats, and developing strategies to prevent or manage them. Security studies theories provide a conceptual framework for identifying the root causes of security threats, analyzing their impact, and devising appropriate responses. They also help policymakers and practitioners to prioritize security challenges and allocate resources effectively. In essence, theories are the building blocks of security studies, helping to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policymaking. Without a solid theoretical foundation, security studies would be reduced to a collection of ad hoc responses to security challenges, lacking coherence and direction. Therefore, the study of security theories is crucial for anyone seeking to understand security challenges and contribute to their resolution.

A consideration of the wide range of threats that face states and individuals is a difficult task. The module, therefore, engages with how theoretical understanding of security has evolved in the past decades beginning with an emphasis on traditional state-military centric approaches to showcasing the critical, feminist, constructivist and postcolonial turn within the discipline.

These theoretical developments are illustrated by additional analysis of key themes including the role of international organisations responsible with stabilising the international system along with an analysis of key issues affecting humanity – such as climate change, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and why war and the use of force continue to be a key feature of global politics.

The module will also encourage students to develop a range of important Generic Skills.

• The ability to communicate effectively in speech (the ability to work under pressure in seminars, where students must demonstrate the ability to respond to questions orally) and writing (writing an Essay and a Regional Report using commonly accepted standards of definition, analysis, grammatical prose, and documentation).

• The ability to work under pressure within specified time constraints, e.g., during seminar discussions and deadlines for all assessments.

• Research skills, including the ability to synthesise and analyse arguments, to read and understand texts on international relations, and to exercise critical judgement.

• The capacity to work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management, as well as co-operating with other students to achieve common goals such as is achieved through group work during seminars.

This module currently runs:
  • all year (September start) - Tuesday afternoon

This alternate-core module providing a vocational and advanced undergraduate research element for Politics and International Relations courses aims to:

1. Enable you to gain a useful experience of the working environment.

2. Enable you to enhance and extend your learning experience by applying and building on your academic skills and capabilities by tackling real life problems in the workplace.

3. Provide you with an opportunity to design a research proposal relevant to your placement.

4. Allow you to utilise research and analytical skills acquired during your programme of studies.

5. Enable you to undertake relevant research and write up findings in dissertation form.

6. Offer a medium for you to report upon your work placement experience.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Monday afternoon
  • spring semester - Monday afternoon

This module providing an advanced research element for PIR undergraduate courses aims to:

1. Enable you to demonstrate an understanding of a complex body of knowledge, and be able to apply analytical techniques, problem solving and project management skills.

2. Enable you to synthesise skills and knowledge and apply them successfully to complex issues.

3. Provide an opportunity for you to design a research project relevant to their degree.

4. Allow you to utilise research and analytical skills acquired during their programme of studies.

5. Enable you to undertake relevant research and write up findings in dissertation form.

This module currently runs:
  • all year (September start) - Monday afternoon

This module providing an advanced research element for PIR undergraduate courses aims to:

1. Enable you to demonstrate an understanding of a complex body of knowledge, and be able to apply analytical techniques, problem solving and project management skills.

2. Enable you to synthesise skills and knowledge and apply them successfully to complex issues.

3. Provide an opportunity for you to design a research project relevant to your degree.

4. Allow you to utilise research and analytical skills acquired during your programme of studies.

5. Enable you to undertake relevant research and write up findings in dissertation form.

This module looks at the way crime and deviance is represented in the media and interrogates the reasons behind these representations. The module will focus on different forms of media – both traditional and modern, and examine the way crimes and groups labelled as ‘other’ are presented to the public.

The module aims to:

  1. Focus on how different crimes are represented in the media
  2. Develop an understanding of how ‘deviant others’ are represented in the media
  3. Critically analyse how the media shape perceptions of groups or individuals labelled as ‘other’
  4. Consider the reasons behind the media representations of crime, criminality and deviance
  5. Analyse different forms of media, both factual and fictional
This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Wednesday afternoon

The module introduces you to issues of diversity, equality and rights; it is designed to broaden your knowledge of political practice (parties, elections, systems of government and law-making) and to add to your understanding of how international governmental and non-governmental organisations work.

You will be introduced to the concepts of gender and patriarchy, and to feminist political and IR theories; it will encourage you to develop informed criticisms of mainstream political and IR theories and practices

Students who wish to graduate with BA International Relations with Human Rights must take this module.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Tuesday afternoon

On this module you will have the opportunity to challenge assumptions about the problems of contemporary Africa and its place in the world. In particular, the module aims to: examine the problems of African security and development through a broad approach, involving political, social and global perspectives; place Africa within the larger theoretical frameworks and approaches to international relations; encourage consideration of the relative responsibilities of Africans and those who promote or benefit from an unequal global system; and explore the complexities of problem-solving in this context. It will also consider the opportunities and challenges for African countries in the 21st Century.

This module will provide students with an overview of both the theory and practice of contemporary conflict resolution. It examines an array of conflict resolution mechanisms and strategies, including conflict prevention, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also explores a variety of concrete cases relating to modern, post-Cold War conflicts. This is a core module for the BA International Relations with Peace and Conflict Studies pathway.

Its aims are to:

• Examine a range of approaches to the cessation of contemporary conflicts and the conditions that may be necessary for peace.

• Explore the differing mechanisms and strategies for securing peace, including negotiation, mediation and arbitration.

• Focus upon both the domestic and international actors involved in these processes.

• Provide students with an understanding of relevant theories and empirical material for comparative analysis.

This module will provide students with an overview of both the theory and practice of contemporary conflict resolution. It examines an array of conflict resolution mechanisms and strategies, including conflict prevention, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. It also explores a variety of concrete cases relating to modern, post-Cold War conflicts. This is a core module for the BA International Relations with Peace and Conflict Studies pathway.

Its aims are to:

• Examine a range of approaches to the cessation of contemporary conflicts and the conditions that may be necessary for peace.

• Explore the differing mechanisms and strategies for securing peace, including negotiation, mediation and arbitration.

• Focus upon both the domestic and international actors involved in these processes.

• Provide students with an understanding of relevant theories and empirical material for comparative analysis.

This module provides an opportunity for you to develop your previously learned work-based skills and gain valuable experience of a working environment either in the
criminal justice sector or in a private, statutory or voluntary organisation related to criminal justice and criminology. From this experience, the objective is for you to reflect and develop new capacities and skills in the context of your future goals. This objective also applies if you are currently in the workplace, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity.

The module aims to:

  1. develop key skills and knowledge for you to understand your abilities in relation to your career values and goals
  2. practically apply the knowledge gained through the course programme to a work environment
  3. give you an in-depth insight of a work environment
  4. provide an opportunity for you to reflect on the culture and structure of a working environment, your activity within it and to demonstrate inclusive workplace practice
  5. 5. give you the ability to recognise your personal and professional development learning to apply to your future goals.

Please note:

  • You will be contacted prior to the semester to provide support in securing a work based placement in good time.
  • You are responsible for applying for opportunities and to engage with the Module Leader/Work Based Learning teams to assist you.
  • The suitability of any opportunities will be assessed by the Module Leader and all placements must meet Health and Safety requirements for Higher Education Work Placements.
  • If you are studying on a Student Visa, you will only be able to complete a work placement if it meets UKVI monitoring requirements including: approval of the placement dates and hours by the Placement Officer prior to starting the placement, submission of weekly timesheets for the hours undertaken, signed by your line manager/supervisor and continued engagement with the Placement Officer as well as the International Student Support and Compliance Team.

This module will delve into the key issues of eco-criminology, also known as green criminology, such as deforestation, environmental toxic waste, wildlife crime and the trade on endangered species. It will explore the dynamics between corporate environmental crimes and the victims, often small communities, in shaping environmental justice. This module will also evaluate the regulations, policies and laws that address environmental harms, such as setting restrictions on the type and amount of pollution a company can emit, including the challenges and dilemmas that policymakers encounter. Furthermore, this module will explore how breaches of these policies/regulations and laws are handled at a local, and at a global level, in developed and developing countries, as well as the challenges of a common action at a global level to eliminate the unequal distribution of environmental harm.

The module aims:

  1. To provide you with an outline of the key concepts and challenges in the research of green criminology
  2. To evaluate the main theoretical debates, and how law enforcement bodies deal with green crimes, especially when victims happen to be non-humans
  3. To critically analyse the challenges that researchers and law enforcement bodies encounter when investigating environmental crimes.

The module investigates the relationship between gender and crime, and unpacks the debate on the individual as criminal or victim (sometimes both). You will examine the relationships between gender and crime, looking at a range of topics including gendered violence, female offending, masculinities and crime, sex crimes, sex work and sex trafficking, women drugs and drug trafficking, and media and crime. You will also consider key issues in current criminal justice policy and practice related specifically to women both as both victims and offenders drawing on feminist theories of crime.

The module aims:

● To critically examine the gendered nature of crime
● To understand the theories of gender and crime
● To explore key issues in current criminal justice policy and practice related specifically to women both as both victims and offenders
● To assess the differential impact of violence on and potential of crime prevention.

The aim of this module is to provide you with a critical understanding of the historical, conceptual, and theoretical ideas fundamental to the study of crime and criminal justice in a contemporary global context. You will acquire knowledge of conceptual and theoretical frameworks such as globalisation, neoliberalism, securitization, and global inequalities through which global crime and disorder can be interpreted and analysed. In this module, you will explore how the quest for order in the name of crime control and risk management contributes to dis-order; the way political discourse and the mass media manufacture global disorder and risk; and the ways state actors are often complicit in transnational crime and global dis-order.

You will be provided with the analytical tools to critically appraise global criminological and social justice problems such as migration, the rise of the right, terrorism, global drug crime, ecocide, and modern slavery, and criminal justice policy responses. The module will help you to develop your ability to communicate coherently and clearly, orally and in writing, and present and defend cogent arguments in relation to global issues. You will carry out an investigation of a social justice movement as part of your assessment. The module will provide you with the knowledge and competencies useful for future employment in international justice organisations, intergovernmental organisations, policy making, as well as for postgraduate study. This wide-ranging module utilises research-informed teaching to help you develop an outward looking, reflective and critical approach to crucial current global issues.

You will be invited to kindly participate in critical reasoning and debate about human rights, and thereby to acquire and advance understanding of their nature and of their social and political practice. Reasoning and debate will be facilitated by lectures and (by your own reading of recommended) texts informing you of scholarship on the theory and practice of human rights, on their origin, on the ideal of their universality, on their imperfect institutionalization, and on the challenges facing their actualization in a world of injustice, rival cultural and ideological traditions, domestic populisms and international conflict.

Students who wish to graduate with BA International Relations with Human Rights must take this module.

The ongoing development and convergence of digital technologies in the 21st Century, creating a globally interconnected domain called cyberspace, has seen every aspect of modern society, from how we communicate to how we wage war, become cyberdependent. This has brought with it a number of benefits as well as vulnerabilities as the number of actors seeking to exploit cyberspace expands, ranging from individuals to small groups, non-state actors, and governments.

This module will explore how there are an increasing number of threats to national security that have evolved in cyberspace, from undermining democratic systems, disrupting commerce and industry, to attacks on critical infrastructure and military systems, including the changing nature of warfare, and the debate around what is meant by cyberconflict and cyberwarfare.

You will examine how there has been an almost exponential growth of information warfare as state and non-state actors seek to manipulate information to influence outcomes on the battlefield and in politics at all levels.

You will consider how digital information – who creates it, owns it, manipulates it, and how it is shared – has become contested terrain. This will include exploring how digital information has been used to both support and undermine democracy, blurring the boundary between what is fake and what is real, and how authoritarian governments link the potential of digital infrastructure to tools of societal manipulation and control.

You will also consider whether individuals have become the new commodity in this technological revolution, in an era defined as ‘the Age of Surveillance Capitalism’.

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday afternoon

On this module, you will have the opportunity to explore in depth and detail the politics and international relations in Latin America. We will question the assumptions about contemporary Latin America as a region and its place in the world. In particular, the module aims to examine: the underlying political ideas and trends instrumental in shaping Latin American politics today, including the role of the USA; the internal politics of modern Latin American states and the role of these states within the region; the impact due to globalisation and the rise of political and economic importance of other developing regions; reflect on the complexities of problem-solving in this context.

The aim of this module is to investigate the complex relationship between migration, crime, borders and the criminal justice system. In this module, you will discuss the management of migration, focusing on the control of borders and the processing of migrants. You will examine the relationships between migration, borders and crime, looking at a range of topics such as forced migration, migrant smuggling, policing migration and borders, imprisoning foreign nationals, immigration detention, deportation and human rights, drawing on theoretical work and empirical research in a range of disciplines.

The module aims to:

  • Critically examine the complex relationship between migration, borders and crime
  • Understand and explain key concepts such as national sovereignty, citizenship, globalisation and migration
  • Understand some of the theories emerging from recent research on migration, borders and crime.
  • Explore diverse forms of border policing and crime control.
  • Assess the differential impacts of migration control on particular groups (e.g. gender/nationality/race/ethnicity, class)

This module explores the social, economic and political issues associated with the emergence and illicit activities of organised crime. It will delve into the different definitions and types of organised crime, such as mafia, cartels, syndicates and gangs.

The module will also provide a brief overview of the historical context and the main theories and research in the field. At the same time, it will explore the practical implications of policing organised crime, especially when it comes to its increasingly transnational nature.

This module also looks at the criminal activities of organised crime, including human/drugs/arms trafficking, cybercrime, and the push and pull factors that influence the mobility of organised crime groups across territories.

The module aims:

1. To analyse prominent research and theoretical underpinnings in the field of organised crime

2. To critically explore the main facets of organised crime groups and illicit activities

3. To outline the key challenges encountered by those who investigate organised crime, i.e. academics and practitioners

As public opinion has been seen as increasingly influential and important in world politics, states and other international non-state actors have rediscovered public and cultural diplomacy, a form of diplomatic practice in which states engage with publics both abroad and at home. Due to changes in global information services, these forms of public diplomacy and statecraft are undergoing rapid change.

The module examines the changing nature of public and cultural diplomacy in the context of the evolution of global political communications. It explores competing definitions and interpretations of public and cultural diplomacy, along with how their practices have changed in recent decades, especially since the end of the Cold War.

The module employs a constructivist approach to facilitate student learning with a focus on authentic, context specific forms of engagement. Therefore, thematic topics will include an analysis of empathetic forms of communication along with matters of trust, cultural awareness, collective memory, and mutual forms of foreign policy making.

In studying this module, you will be encouraged in the classroom to use social media, multimedia and internet resources. This is complimented by students gaining experience of the nature of contemporary public diplomacy. You will attain knowledge of international political communication.

The module will focus on critical consideration of the principles of punishment and the role of imprisonment in the criminal justice system and wider society. Looking at prisons within a ‘real world’ context, issues with penal policy and practice will be considered. The needs of specific minority and vulnerable groups of offenders (including women, young people, ethnic minority and mentally disordered offenders) will be considered. Comparative penal perspectives will be explored by considering a number of international perspectives, including the American/Scandinavian examples.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions you will:

  1. Develop an understanding of the aims and principles of punishment and prisons via an exploration of the operation of prisons and the role of imprisonment within the criminal justice system and wider society.
  2. Explore comparative penal perspectives and develop understanding of diversity within penal policy and practice.
  3. Enhance analytic skills and critical awareness through consideration of both official rhetoric and evidence together with the limitations of penal policies and practice in a 'real world' context.
  4. Develop your ability to research, analyse, and communicate arguments relating to punishment, penal policy and practice.

This module explains the ways in which race and ethnicity have become a method for labelling humanity worldwide. This module will enable you to explore the intersections of race, ethnicity, and politics in the global context and will enable you to understand how anti-racist theories and ideologies dismantle both racial categories and discriminatory social norms against people globally. We will do so by exploring the current struggles against the reminds of imperialism and colonialism, as well as other forms of racial domination, human control and content in contemporary Europe, the US and the Global South, e.g. India and Latin America.

This module aligns with London Met’s mission in advocating for human rights and tackling inequalities impacting racialised groups in society. This module will encourage to go beyond the Eurocentric ideas that have dominated sociological thinking and to apply more-diverse and -inclusive theoretical frameworks to the interconnectedness among issues of race and ethnicity, gender and/or class discrimination, drawing on the principles of social justice, human rights and empowerment in contemporary world.

Aims. This module will provide key skills and knowledge that will enable you to:

  • Critically analyse the foundations of racial and ethnic discrimination
  • Address the meanings ascribed to race and ethnicity in the political approach to for example the human rights of irregular migrants and/or ethnic minorities (e.g. indigenous people) in the European context
  • Consider racial and ethnic politics and tensions, representational and identity politics, and electoral outcomes in the Americas • Familiarise yourself with colonial legacies and independence, migration and humanitarianism in Africa• Know about citizenship and multiculturalism, the impact of mass tourism, international business, and intersections of race and gender discrimination and violence in Southeast Asia

This module seeks to provide an understanding of contemporary South Asia by highlighting the region’s broad connections to other parts of Asia and the rest of the world. South Asia is a traditional regional division of Area Studies, but area studies approaches tend to consider regions as geographical spatial containers rather than as open zones characterised by constant exchange.

This module considers South Asia as a space which can be studied through the exploration of its connections to other places and regions. Apart from providing students with a knowledge of the main political developments in this region, this module attempts to contribute to a critical reflection on space and spatial configurations in international politics. The latter will be carried out by providing centrality to the study of socio-political developments from a South-South perspective with an emphasis on issues migration, borders and citizenship, and with a focus on ongoing political transformations.
This module aims at:

1. Provide students with a good understanding of main historical and political developments of the South Asian region since independence
2. To identify key regional issues and challenges that have consequences for global politics
3. To critically reflect on the nation state as a main actor in international politics by highlighting the political dimension of transnational linkages and relations
4. To widen students’ knowledge about politics of the Global South
Students who wish to graduate with BA International Relations with the Global South must take this module

As public opinion has become increasingly influential and important in world politics, states and other international non-state actors have engaged with publics both abroad and at home. Due to changes in global information services, these forms of strategic communication are undergoing rapid reforms in structure and content.

The module examines the on-going evolution of global political communications. It explores the nature of international political communication, evaluating key concepts such as propaganda, place branding, soft power and strategic communications, and the role of culture in world politics more broadly, including media such as film and the internet.

The module facilitates student learning through a constructivist approach with a focus on authentic, context specific forms of engagement. Through real-world scenarios, students will hone their skills as political communicators by cooperating with one another to address the complexities inherent in the international system. Therefore, thematic topics will include an analysis of empathetic forms of communication along with matters of trust, cultural awareness, collective memory, and mutual forms of foreign policy making.

In studying this module, you will attain knowledge of strategic international political communication.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Thursday afternoon

The aim of the module is to examine the debate over of the origin of a variety of forms of ideological, nationalist and religiously motivated violence in the form of 'terrorism'. You will examine the contemporary range of counter terrorist agencies and policies in the national and international context. You will develop a deep critical understanding of the ways in which meanings are constructed and how these impact on social life.

This module will provide students with an overview of the nature and functions of the modern state. This includes understanding its historical origins and evolution, but with a focus on its roles and responsibilities in the 21st century. It will examine how the modern state originated in Western Europe, but through political and economic processes (e.g., colonialism, globalisation) has since spread to become the dominant mode of political organisation in the world. Particular emphasis is placed on how forms of the state differ globally - from democratic to authoritarian - together with the impact this has on citizens in different parts of the world.

Its aims are to:

• Examine competing theories of the modern state.
• Evaluate the historical evolution of modern states.
• Compare and contrast the range of different types of state across the globe, from democracies to authoritarian states.
• Analyse the state in relation to contemporary 21st century issues, such as multiculturalism and citizenship, social welfare provision, and protest movements.
• Encourage confidence in the use of appropriate analytical, written and oral skills, to enhance students’ transferable skills and employability.

This module will provide students with an overview of the nature and functions of the modern state. This includes understanding its historical origins and evolution, but with a focus on its roles and responsibilities in the 21st century. It will examine how the modern state originated in Western Europe, but through political and economic processes (e.g., colonialism, globalisation) has since spread to become the dominant mode of political organisation in the world. Particular emphasis is placed on how forms of the state differ globally - from democratic to authoritarian - together with the impact this has on citizens in different parts of the world.

Its aims are to:

• Examine competing theories of the modern state
• Evaluate the historical evolution of modern states
• Compare and contrast the range of different types of state across the globe, from democracies to authoritarian states
• Analyse the state in relation to contemporary 21st century issues, such as multiculturalism and citizenship, social welfare provision, and protest movements
• Encourage confidence in the use of appropriate analytical, written and oral skills, to enhance students’ transferable skills and employability

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday afternoon

The aim of this module is to encourage you to develop a meaningful understanding of the experiences of victims of crime within the criminal justice system and beyond. The module is delivered via workshops which begin by exploring the notion of victimhood and critiquing the ways of understanding the impact and extent of victimisation for a diverse range of crime victims. You will consider the ways in which we identify and respond to victims of crime. You will study the development of victimology as an academic discipline and the key theoretical concepts within the field. More broadly, you will explore the social, political and cultural contexts which influence our understanding of and responses to victims of crime. Via workshops, readings and discussions you will also
critically explore and analyse the development of victim-centred policy and practice
within the criminal justice system and beyond. This knowledge and understanding will be useful for those seeking to work with and/or advocating for victims of crime.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:
a. You will develop an understanding of the key theoretical concepts within victimology.
b. You will identify some of the social and political factors that placed victims at the forefront of academic and professional discourses.
c. You will explore the nature and extent of victimisation and critically appraise criminal justice responses to victims of crime.
d. You will develop your ability to research, analyse, and communicate thoughts relating to victimisation, victim policy and practice.

Where this course can take you

Our criminology and sociology graduates have gone on to careers including police officers, counter fraud criminal investigators, support workers, probation officers and teachers, securing jobs at the Metropolitan Police Service, HM Government, Rethink Mental Illness and the National Probation Service.

Continuing your studies with us

The School of Social Sciences has a wide range of exciting industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in criminology, security, diplomacy, international relations, sociology and psychology. The following courses would be ideal for progression after this course:

If you've already studied your undergraduate degree with us, as a graduate of London Met, you'll be entitled to a 20% discount on any further study with us.

Important information about this course

We're committed to continuously improving our degree courses to ensure our students receive the best possible learning experience. Many of the courses in our School of Social Sciences and Professions are currently under review for 2023-24 entry. We encourage you to apply as outlined in the how to apply section of this page and if there are any changes to your course we will contact you. All universities review their courses regularly and this year we are strengthening our social sciences and professions courses to better reflect the needs of employers and ensure you're well-equipped for your future career.

Additional costs

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

Discover Uni – key statistics about this course

Discover Uni is an official source of information about university and college courses across the UK. The widget below draws data from the corresponding course on the Discover Uni website, which is compiled from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges. If a course is taught both full-time and part-time, information for each mode of study will be displayed here.

How to apply

If you're a UK applicant wanting to study full-time starting in September, you must apply via UCAS unless otherwise specified. If you're an international applicant wanting to study full-time, you can choose to apply via UCAS or directly to the University.

If you're applying for part-time study, you should apply directly to the University. If you require a Student visa, please be aware that you will not be able to study as a part-time student at undergraduate level.



When to apply

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.

If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.

To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.

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