Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 3 Modules

Level 4 Modules

Level 5 Modules

Level 6 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers

Guest speakers are embedded into the curriculum at every level of the course, including the following organisations (the cost of guest speakers for those who require payment, are built into initial budget planning).  Such guest speakers include people from:

·       South Wales Police

·       Probation Service

·       Prison Officers

·       Social Workers

·       Border Agency

·       Youth Justice Board

·       Youth Workers

·       Third Sector

·       Psychology Professionals

The Annual Criminal Justice Futures event invites Alumni and employers to speak and network with current students, and has included the above organisations, and the following organisations:

·       Parc Supporting Families

·       Newport Restorative Justice

·       AR Trac (Cyfannol Women’s Aid)

·       Food Crime Unit

·       National Wildlife Crime Unit

·       National Crime Agency

Volunteering

All students are encouraged to volunteer in pathway-specific roles.  For instance, in the past volunteer work has been with local police services, ZENRS, Youth Offending Teams and Parc Prison, Victim support, etc.

Volunteering opportunities are frequently added to each of the course pages on Blackboard, and are promoted at volunteer fairs and ‘Criminal Justice Futures’ events.

There is also a placement module within the Criminology Courses (NB. Due to Blueprint derogation in place in line with College of Policing requirements there is no work experience module within the Policing degree – see page X).  However, Policing students are encourage to volunteer and provided with advice and opportunity to do so to help them generate meaningful examples to use during police recruitment interviews as they are judged according to the College of Policing Competency Value Framework (CVF).

Fieldtrips

Students across all levels, on each course, have the opportunity to attend field trips. Fieldtrips will be tailored to each course. Field trips include: de-commissioned Shepton Mallet Prison and taser training with Gwent police; CrimeCon in London, International Police Summer School (Australia, Germany, and Holland). Fieldtrips are aligned to course curriculum.  The cost of most field trips will be covered by the University (Policing /Criminology budget), there are some field trips where students are obliged to partly fund themselves (i.e. summer school, CrimeCon).

Work Placements or Internships

Each student, across all Criminology courses, will have the option to complete a Professional Practice module, at level 5. This will involve completing a work placement. Work placements will be closely aligned to the particular course. For instance, students completing the Criminology with Youth Justice degree, will complete their placements with the Youth Justice or related sectors.  We work closely with our USW Careers placement partner to support students in completing a placement while studying for their degree, including regular talks, drop-in sessions and responding to emails.

Work-based Learning

Students will engage in work-based learning throughout their degree in Criminology, particularly at Level 5 where they may undertake a placement module. In addition, The Criminology courses incorporate work-based learning through its activities such as collaborating with industry partners, leadership, project management, problem solving, critical thinking and investigation – via the cold case unit. This is open to all courses, and all years.

Sandwich Years

N/A

Employer Forums

The Course Leadership Team meet regularly with industry partners to discuss their views of course currency and to obtain their views on how courses can be improved and kept current at a practice level. Each pathway leader will also host regular meetings with relevant organisations to ensure that industry relations maintain and grown, but also to ensure our provision remains current.

Other

N/A

Means of Assessment

Exam, Report, Presentation, Research Plan/Proposal, Poster, Student Choice, Professional Development Plan.

Learning Support

Induction

Every student will take part in an induction week, which is run by Criminology Course Leaders. This induction week is used to familiarise students with campus surroundings, course curriculum, and to introduce students to their Module Leaders. Induction week also incorporates team building activities and an introduction to the VLE. Students are also immersed in an VLE style investigation, which is hosted within the Hydra facility. This task enables students to develop group working and communication skills, along with friendships within the first week.

Personal Academic Coach[1]

Every student is allocated a Personal Academic Coach (PAC) and each student will be informed of the roles and responsibilities of the PAC and how to contact their PAC. We also issue a PAC form via MS Forms, which is tailored to each course and year group -  the data garnered from this process also will allow course leaders and pathways leaders to develop the programmes.

Learner Analytics

Course Leaders regularly monitor learner analytics. Students who have not engaged or who have shown limited engagement or a lack of engagement recently, are contacted and necessary support put in place. Personal Academic Coaches also can utilise learning analytics to identify areas of support for their students, and to keep records of meetings.

Office hours

Module Leaders adhere to an providing students with information about the accessibility and availability of Policing and Criminology lecturers during their office hours, where students would need to email the lecturer asking to arrange a meeting, and both the lecturer and the student would agree on a mutually convenient date and time. Students would be informed of this protocol during induction week, as well as via Course Handbooks and via Blackboard. Students would also be informed of the need to be flexible regarding staff availability, and that staff would aim to get back to them within 2 days to arrange a meeting.

Tutorials / Seminars

Seminars

A key aim for us in the revalidation is to implement a challenge-based learning & teaching experience that transforms students’ professional identity and ambition. Seminars are replaced with interactive workshops. Workshops are student-centred and challenge based.

The curriculum presents challenge-based learning opportunities, connected to authentic unsolved problems/challenges beyond the classroom. Learners have opportunity to creatively engage with industry and co-create curricula within their academic discipline through scaffolded authentic challenge-based learning at all levels. This includes through work placements, live briefs, practice-based projects and extensive use of real-world regional, national and global challenges and simulated environments.

Formative Assessment

Several modules on each course contain a formative assessment, aiming to give students the opportunity to practice assessment skills and receive feedback before the summative assessment. The feedback they receive upon completely these practice tasks will prepare them for the assessment.

Research Supervision

Research is embedded throughout the curricula. At levels 4 and 5, students work in groups to research a pathway-specific problem, posed by an industry partner. This entails weekly group research supervision. During their final year of study, students have the opportunity to undertake an empirical research project and each student will be allocated a research supervisor. Each student is entitled to a research supervision meeting with their superior across the academic year, this is listed on specifications of the relevant module.

Online Resources

Blackboard VLE: All students have access to Blackboard 24/7/365 days a year. The module pages on Blackboard contain: teaching and learning resources, including recordings of teaching and learning sessions, assessments guidance including recordings of this guidance, materials for wider contextualisation, and links to Collaborate streamed sessions.

MS Teams: All students have access to MS Teams for one-to-one meetings and supervisions

USW Library: FINDit[2] is a simple, one-stop search for books, e-books, articles, DVDs and more, and includes a range of personal features.

Search options are:

•       Everything for all print & online resources

•       Libraries for books, journals, DVDs and more at USW libraries

•       Articles for conference proceedings, technical papers, journal & newspaper articles and more

•       USW People for research outputs, theses, books and more by USW authors

•       Exam Papers for the past three years of USW final examinations

BoB : TV and radio online: All Students and staff on campus or at home (UK only) can watch or record television and radio programmes using BoB. You will need the latest web browser to access the service. Use our About BoB guide (external link) for help on all aspects of this service.

Advice Zone

The Advice Zone on the Treforest campus is available between 9am and 9pm in person and online (via an e-booking facility). Students are informed about the Advice Zone during Induction week, and throughout their course. There are links in the Course handbook, but also a number of pre-recorded videos within the “toolbox” which will help students gain access to the relevant teams/services across USW.

Disability

The Disability Service is available on the Treforest campus (and is also available on other USW campuses). The Disability Service is able to provide students with information, advice and guidance, and is able to coordinate support for USW students who have disabilities (physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties and autism).

Support for Disabled Students:

The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for disabled USW students. This includes students with physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) and autism. We provide a confidential service where you can discuss your individual requirements. We can advise you on what support is available and help you apply for it. If you have any queries or require any disability related support please contact us or book an appointment with a Disability Adviser to discuss.

All appointments and interactions with the Disability Service should be conducted in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Failure to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct may result your appointment being terminated and will be treated as misconduct. Disability | University of South Wales

Your Individual Support Plan (ISP): After meeting with you and receiving your disability related documentation, your Disability Adviser will create your Individual Support Plan (ISP) which details the relevant support and adjustments which have been agreed to meet your needs. You will be sent a copy of your ISP for your records. Where applicable, your ISP document will be updated once you have had your DSA Needs Assessment to include any relevant recommendations made by your Needs Assessor and 1-1 support funded via Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs). If your circumstances and therefore your support needs change, please contact a Disability Adviser so that your Individual Support Plan can be updated.

[1] Exam Adjustments and Coursework Submissions Your Individual Support Plan (ISP) | University of South Wales

[1] Library Services provides a wide range of high-quality library and information services to USW students, academics and researchers. https://library.southwales.ac.uk/

IT/Library

IT support and library facilities are available at USW Treforest Campus. Students can also access IT/Library on any other USW campus, or remotely, should they wish.

The Library and Student Centre is the largest of the University’s libraries and is located on our Treforest Campus near Pontypridd. Services and access to library spaces have changed. You will now only be able to access Library spaces with a valid booking for either a study space or to collect book requests.

Study Spaces:

Treforest Library has different types of study spaces to suit your needs. No need to book just call in.

You can also book a study space for up to 4 hours at a time.

•       Silent Study The silent study room is on the ground floor of the library

•       Quiet Study The book stock and PC area are designated quiet study areas.

•       Groupwork study desks for up to 6 students.

•       There are 5 Pods with plasma screens for group study (seats 6-8) these are also bookable on Connect 2 Treforest Library | University of South Wales

•       PCs There are PCs throughout the library. The main 24/7 PC area is on the first floor of the library.

Services provided by the Library:

•       Borrowing and Membership

•       How do I borrow a book?

If you want to take out library books you can:

•       Come into the library and browse the shelves to select what you want. Take them out using our self-service machines.

•       If you need help accessing the shelves ask a member of staff.

•       Request your books online and collect them from a campus of your choice. Take them out using our self-service machines.

•       If you can’t come to the library use our postal loan service (UK based students only)

Library guides:

Created by your librarians to help students, staff and researchers to effectively use library resources and facilities.  https://library.southwales.ac.uk/collections-subject-guides/

Referencing guides

Harvard: Support for referencing is provided by Student Development and Study Skills, who offer referencing workshops and one-to-one appointments.

Harvard, is USW’s recommended referencing style. The guide below will help you with understand and use this referencing style:

https://library.southwales.ac.uk/documents/33/Harvard_Referencing_2021_5.pdf

Getting started guide to the library 2022/23

Treforest – Getting started guide to the library 2022/23 – LibGuides at University of South Wales

[1] Not applicable to PG courses. Please see Personal Academic Coach guidance.

[2] FINDit Ex Libris Discovery (southwales.ac.uk)

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

Entry requirements are in line with UCAS national entry requirements – for A’ levels: BCC – CDD (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points.

Other qualifications will also be considered, such as BTEC Extended Diploma (merit) and Access to Higher Education (80 UCAS points).

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.  

Other qualifications and experience
 

We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.

To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.

Entry requirements are outlined on the USW Website, which shows entry requirements.

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A