5B090E - Investigating Major Crime: A Criminological Perspective 01 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 2033 | Version 0
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | 5B090E | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Investigating Major Crime: A Criminological Perspective | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science | ||
| Faculty Group: | Applied Science | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Forensic Science | ||
| Module Leader: | |||
| Module Team: | |||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2027 | Final Year of Intake: | 2032 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 30 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100484 - criminology | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 0 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2027 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2033 |
Module Aims
To develop students’ understanding of the processes involved in the investigation of serious and major crime and the roles of practitioners involved in these investigations.
To enable students to critically evaluate criminological perspectives on serious offending behaviour and patterns of crime, and to analyse how criminological knowledge informs investigative practice and decision-making in major crime investigations.
To develop students’ awareness of the ethical considerations and professional responsibilities associated with serious and major crime investigations, and to build their capacity to communicate complex analytical positions in professional oral formats.
Content Summary
In this module, you will explore serious and major crime from both a criminological and investigative perspective, developing your ability to analyse, evaluate, and argue about some of the most complex cases the criminal justice system deals with.
The module begins by establishing what makes serious crime distinct — its human and societal stakes and its criminological dimensions. You will examine death and homicide as the most serious category of crime, exploring how society constructs and responds to death, how criminological theory explains lethal violence, and the psychological and societal consequences for those affected.
You will then explore how major crime investigations are structured and managed, examining the decision-making frameworks and specialist disciplines that shape the investigative response to serious crime. Drawing on criminological analysis, behavioural perspectives, and investigative theory, you will develop the analytical toolkit needed to evaluate how and why investigations unfold as they do.
The module also asks the harder questions: what happens when investigations go wrong, and what ethical and professional responsibilities come with working at the sharp end of the criminal justice system.
The module culminates in an Oxford-format group debate in which you will construct, defend, and challenge complex analytical arguments about serious crime investigation under live professional conditions. By the end of the module you will be thinking and communicating like an analyst who understands not just what investigators do, but what is at stake when they get it right, and what the consequences are when they do not.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 56 |
| Guided Learning — Independent | 10.5 |
| Summative Assessment and Preparation | 60 |
| Formative Assessment | 12 |
| Independent Learning | 161.5 |
| Total Hours Selected | 300 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Analyse the processes involved in the investigation of serious and major crime, evaluating the roles of forensic and investigative practitioners within criminal investigations. |
| LO2 | Evaluate criminological perspectives on serious and major offending, analysing how these inform investigative practice and the ethical dimensions of criminal investigations, and construct and defend evidence-based analytical positions through structured professional argumentation. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synchronous Onsite Oral Assessment | Group Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) | The module is assessed through a single 45-minute Oxford-style group debate, which constitutes 100% of the module mark. The motion is drawn directly from the substantive content of the module, requiring students to draw on their knowledge of serious crime investigation processes, criminological perspectives, and ethical frameworks to construct, defend, and challenge complex analytical positions under live professional conditions. | 45 | N/A | 100 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Group Oral Assessment (Internally assessed, Onsite) | ✔ | ✔ | |