Criminology/Education Studies BA (Hons)/BSc (Hons)

Criminology

On this course you will tackle some of the most fundamental questions behind what make an act or action a crime and how responses to crime can be analysed from different perspectives and theoretical frameworks. Criminology analyses the nature, occurrence and explanations of crime, criminal behaviour and societal responses to these phenomena. You will also look at historical patterns of crime, how perspectives of crime have changed over time, and explore contemporary criminal justice and policy to crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder. The course will include a mix of theoretical and practical work, including analytical work on crime and crime prevention. This interdisciplinary approach is central to the course, and allows you to explore criminology from three main perspectives: Crime and History, Criminological Theory and Criminal Justice policy and processes. Assessment is supported by various structures including essay clinics, assessment workshops and preparatory classroom based activities (e.g. exam workshops). A Criminology degree from Oxford Brookes opens up a wide range of career options in the public and private sectors. It provides the ideal foundation to pursue a career in crime consultation, the local authority, policing, NGO voluntary sector, human rights or criminal justice work, advocacy work and community support services.

Education Studies

The Education Studies course is ideal preparation for a number of careers in teaching, youth work, educational psychology, social work, therapeutic support, policy provision and educational publishing. Education Studies will give you an extensive knowledge about the role of education in contemporary society. It is a challenging and rewarding course that offers you the opportunity to focus on areas of education that interest you. You can develop specialist knowledge in areas, such as education and psychology, gender and 21st-century education, special educational needs and disabilities, and children’s literature. Develop a broad and balanced knowledge and understanding of the principal features of education in a wide range of contexts. Engage with fundamental questions concerning the aims and values of education and its relationship to societies and participate in current debates relevant to education. The course incorporates a wide variety of teaching and learning approaches, including traditional lectures and seminars, enquiry-led and collaborative learning, and online activities. A degree in Education Studies can lead to careers in many areas. We recognise that there are many career opportunities for Education Studies students, in addition to teaching. For those not wishing to follow a teaching career, the course offers an excellent preparation for careers in the public or private sector. Professions within a specialist education sector now include advertising, marketing, the arts, journalism, law, publishing and the media together with the charity and leisure industries. Some students do become teachers after completing their degrees, undertaking a further one-year PGCE course in primary or (for combined honours students) secondary education, leading to Qualified Teacher Status. Others have gone on to teach in further education colleges. Education Studies is not a programme of initial teacher education and does not in itself provide a recognised teaching qualification. Previous graduates from the course have gone on to have successful careers in many different fields including social work, youth work, community education, adult education, educational psychology, recruitment and retail management.