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Diploma of Higher Education in Criminology and Law - Learning outcomes

Educational aims

Overall, this qualification will provide you with the opportunity to:

  • understand and apply social science concepts and theories to complex areas of law and criminology, and the conceptual points at which these disciplines intersect
  • develop a specialised understanding of the research, substantive principles, debates, and institutions of criminology and law, and their inter-relationships to improve your own learning and performance and to develop as an independent learner, through comprehensive support and guidance
  • acquire the skills and knowledge appropriate to graduate status
  • develop professional and practical skills that can be applied to both further learning and the world of work.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this diploma, you will have demonstrated:

  • critical understanding of the key concepts, principles and theories relevant to the study of criminology and law
  • critical awareness of the ways in which social interests, positions and values may impact on polices and practice in both areas
  • substantial understanding of the complex ways in which the institutions, policies and practices – through which relations between crime and justice are manifested and governed – interact
  • understanding of the social, political, economic, historical and ethical dimensions of law.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

  • construct and present arguments using appropriate concepts, models, theories, legal authority and evidence
  • select, interpret and use both quantitative and qualitative evidence, with a clear sense of how different forms of data are constructed
  • demonstrate an ability to apply relevant concepts to real-world examples and cases.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

  • independently plan, study and manage a sequence of work to an agreed timetable which includes the meeting of deadlines
  • recognise and use relevant skills developed through learning to other contexts, such as the workplace
  • engage with feedback received from previous work to reflect on own learning processes
  • work with a group to find agreed solutions to set problems
  • recognise, record and communicate skills and knowledge to achieve personal/career goals.

Key skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

  • identify and ask questions appropriately to explore relevant issues or problems within criminology and law
  • effectively communicate information accurately and appropriately to the subject, purpose and context, including using appropriate legal and social-scientific terminology and methodology
  • utilise electronic sources of information and online databases with appropriate discrimination and critical awareness.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

You will learn independently, using the following types of study material, provided by us:

  • printed and online teaching texts
  • multimedia packages, including audio-cast, CD-ROM, DVD and the Web
  • directed readings from a wide variety of printed sources.

We will support your learning with:

  • self-assessment questions and exercises, included in the teaching texts and module website
  • feedback and guidance from a tutor 
  • tutorials, revision and day-schools
  • email and online discussion forums
  • study guides
  • tailored support for each form of assessment, via a combination of the above methods.

We will assess your learning with:

  • tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
  • interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs)
  • end-of-module assessments (EMAs).