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Level 6 Options Selection Booklet 2526

Page 1


BA/BSc(Hons)Sociology

BA/BSc(Hons)Criminology

BA/BSc(Hons)Criminology&Sociology

Level 6

2025/2026

DEPARTMENTOF SOCIOLOGY&CRIMINOLOGY

Options Selection

Booklet

ents

05 06

Usingthishandbook

Year3StructureofBA(Hons)degree routes6

Year3StructureofBSc(Hons)degree routeswithQuantitativeMethods

Semester1 Options

DeliveringJusticeforWomen

GlobalJusticeandCrime

Control

PoliticsofImprisonment

DigitalCulture,MediaandSociety

SociologicalPsychology

Space,PlaceandCrime

Dissertation(BAdegreeroutesonly)

07

Semester 2 Options

QualitativeMethodsinAction

Body,SexualityandCulture

ClassConflict

WorkingwithCriminalisedPeople

08

Appendix

DissertationProposalForm21

Guidancenotesforthe dissertationproposalform

Welcome to the 2025/26 Options Selection process.

This Handbook is for Year 2 (Level 5) students moving into Year 3 (Level6) inSeptember2025.Thehandbookwillhelpyou understandthestructureofYear3ofyourcourseandsupportyou tomakeinformedchoicesintheselectionofoptionunits. Eachyearofyourcourse,youstudy120creditsofunits.Your finalyearisamixofCore(compulsory)andOptionunits.Youneed toconsiderthedifferentoptionunits available andmakeyour selection.

OptionSelectionProcess

Read this section to understand the process for making your option selection:

Step1:ReadtheHandbook

providesanoverviewofeachOptionunitavailablewithcontact detailsof

Step2:AttendyourOptionsTalk

InpersonWednesday5th February 2-3PM(seetimetableforroom) Oronlineviathis link:Join the session now Arecordingwillbemadeavailable.

Step3:MakeyourSelection

Optionselectionisanonlineprocess.Youwillreceiveinformationbyemail abouttheprocessandhowtoaccesstheonlineform.Pleasekeepaneyeon yourManchesterMetemailaccount.

MAKEYOURSELECTION: Monday10th February to Friday14th February2025. Ifyoudonotmaketheselectionsduringthetimeframe,youwillbeauto

SupportForMakingYourOptionsChoice

• Options Unit Leaders candiscussthecontentoftheirunitswithyou inmoredetailtohelpyoumakeinformedchoices.

• Your Personal Tutor canofferaperspectiveonwhatmightbe ‘good’combinationsofunitsforyouandyourdegreeroute.

Additional Support: Role

Head of Year Crim-Soc

Deputy Programme Lead BenHall B.Hall@mmu.ac.uk

Heads of Year 2

Heads of Year 3

KatieHunter

DaveCalvey

KateThemen

SamFletcher

K.Hunter@mmu.ac.uk

D.Calvey@mmu.ac.uk

K.Themen@mmu.ac.uk

samantha.fletcher@mmu.ac.uk

PLEASE NOTE: Ifyouexperiencetechnicaldifficultieswiththe OptionSelectionplatform,seekadvicefromITHelp. IT helpline number: 01612474646

!Whenchoosingyouroptions,pleasereadtheunit descriptions carefully.Severalunitseitherfocusonor includesensitivetopicsthat may trigger an emotional or psychological response. You are encouragedtoconsidereachunit’stopicalcontent carefullyinmakingyourchoices.

Please note that not all unit descriptions give an explicit sensitivity warning.

Please review the structure of your degree programme (below) to find out the specific mix of Core and Option units you will take in your second year. This will allow you to identify the semester(s) you have option unit choices to make.

• ReadtheOptionDescriptionsforeachoftheunitsoffered.

• ContactUnitLeaderstodiscussanyquestionsyouhaveregarding thecontentofunitsortheirassessment.

• BookanappointmentwithyourPersonalTutorifyou’dlike anotherperspectiveonyourchoices.

• Ifyouhavequestionsaboutyourcoursestructureoraboutyoursecond year,pleasecontactrelevantHeadsofYearortheDeputyProgramme Leader.

Year3CourseStructure BA

Sociology / Criminology / Criminology and Sociology

Year3(Level6)ontheBAroutesconsistsof 30 credits of Core unitsand 90 credits of Option units.

Semester 1

OPTIONS: ChooseTWOfromthelistbelow:

1. DeliveringJusticeforWomen

2. GlobalJusticeandCrimeControl

3. PoliticsofImprisonment

4. DigitalCulture,MediaandSociety

5. SociologicalPsychology

6. Space,PlaceandCrime

7. Dissertation-optionforBASemester1&2

*OPTIONunitsareall30credits

Year3CourseStructure BSc (Hons)

Sociology

/

Semester 2

CORE units (30credits)

• SocialScienceFutures

OPTIONS: ChooseONEfromthelistbelow:

1.QualitativeMethodsinAction

2.Body,SexualityandCulture

3.ClassConflict

4.WorkingwithCriminalisedPeople

Criminology / Criminology and Sociology with Quantitative Methods

TheBScProgrammeisrunbyManchesterMetQ-StepCentre.TheQStepcentreisoneoffifteencentresintheUK.Thekeyobjectiveofthe Q-StepprogrammeandtheworkofitsCentresistomakeastepchangeinquantitativesocialsciencetrainingandtoequipsocial sciencegraduateswiththenecessaryknowledgeandskillsneededfor thecontemporaryeconomicandsocialclimatewelivein.Ithasbeen welldocumentedthatquantitative researchskillsareinshortsupply butinhighdemand;theQ-Stepprogrammeseekstoaddress this problem.

AtManchesterMetQ-Stepwefeelitisimportantthatourstudentsare involvedinresearchpracticefromtheveryoutsetoftheirjourney. Studentsareregularlyinvolvedinreal-worldprojectsthatgivethem theopportunitytoenhancevaluableskillsinappliedresearchwhile alsoengagingwiththe largercommunity.

Core Module - Applied Quantitative Project

TheBScrouteisdesignedtoequipyouwithacomprehensive understandingofquantitativeresearchmethodologiesandtheir applicationinreal-worldsettings.Inthecoremodule,Applied QuantitativeProject,studentsundertakeanindependentprojectwhere theyengagewithquantitativedatasets(usingsecondarydataanalysis) oryoucanhavetheopportunitytocollaborate with organisations while undertaking your Applied Quantitative Project. Thishands-onexperienceallowsstudents todeveloppracticalskills indataanalysisandinterpretation,preparingthemforvarious professionalrolesthatrequirequantitative proficiency.

Core Module - Becoming a Quantitative Researcher

ComplementingtheAppliedQuantitativeProject,Becominga QuantitativeResearcherdelvesintomoreadvancedquantitative researchmethods.

Buildingupon foundationalknowledge fromprevious modules, studentsexploremorestatisticaltechniquesandusedinquantitative research.Thismodulewillenhanceyourabilitytocarryoutmore comprehensiveanalysis,criticallyanalysedata, anddrawmeaningful conclusions.Overall,theBSc routewillempoweryoutobecome proficientquantitativeresearcher,capableofaddressingcomplex challengesindiversefields.

Year3(Level6)ontheBScroutes(withQuantitativeMethods)consistsof 90 credits of Core unitsand 30 credits of Option units.

Semester 1

CORE units (30credits)

• Becoming a Quantitative Research

•AppliedQuantitativeDissertation (Semester1&2)

OPTIONS: ChooseONEfromthelistbelow:

1. DeliveringJusticeforWomen

2. GlobalJusticeandCrimeControl

3. PoliticsofImprisonment

4. Digital Culture,MediaandSociety

5. SociologicalPsychology

6. Space,PlaceandCrime

*OPTIONunitsareall30credits

Semester 2

CORE units (30credits)

• SocialScience Futures

On the following pages, you’ll find descriptions of the indicative content and focus of each of the Options offered in Semester 1.

1. Delivering Justice for Women

2. GlobalJusticeandCrimeControl

3. PoliticsofImprisonment

4. DigitalCulture,MediaandSociety

5. SociologicalPsychology

6. Space,PlaceandCrime

7. Dissertation-optionforBASemester1&2

Delivering Justice for Women

Content

Assessment

• Whatisittobe‘male’or‘female’?Howdotheseconstructs change overtime and place?

• Whatarethenormativeexpectationsoffemininityand masculinity?Whathappenswhenpeopledeviatefrom thesesocialnorms?

• Howdothesenormsandconstructsshaperesponses to‘crime’and harm?

• Whyissexualviolenceacrosstheglobesodeeply gendered?Whyarevictimsofsexualordomesticviolence sorarelyprotectedfromsuchharms,orserved‘justice’?

• Whatisjusticeandhowdoesitrelatetoequality,fairness andprotection?

• How dostructuralrelations andinequalities, suchas gender,sexuality,racialisation,age,etc.intersectto shapeexperiences of harmand(in)justice?

• Whathavebeenthecontributionsofwomento challenginginjustice?

• Ifwewereabletodeliverjusticetowomen,howmight thataffecteveryoneinsociety?

Assessment1(25%)

Portfolio-Outline

Assessment2(75%)

Portfolio-Blogs

Global Justice and Crime Control

Content

Assessment

Turning the spotlight onthepowerful? Whystudy states, corporationsand organised crime?

This moduleconsidersmattersof crime controland justice in aglobalcontext by exploringthetrends, continuities, ebbs andflows of some of the mostseriousand significant crimes and harmstaking place acrossthe world.Duringthe courseof several weeks, we willuncover andexamine the role the powerfulplay in these harmfulactivities askingtwo keyquestions: who arethe powerful? ...and how dotheyget awaywith it? Ourjourney willtakeus around theworld: from trafficking in the prawn and shrimp industry in South EastAsia to theBig Pharmacompanies ofNorthAmerica, to highlight the importanceof scrutinising the actionsand intricaterelationship between states,corporations,and organised crime. Ultimatelythe module willexpose students to arange ofkeyresearch, ideas,andperspectives that fundamentally challenge someof thetakenforgranted assumptions about crime control,the criminaljustice system andhow bestto make progresson the roadto achieving justice on aglobalscale.

Assessment1(25%)

Portfolio-Infographic

Assessment2(75%)

Portfolio-Essay

Politics of Imprisonment

Content

Assessment

Prisonsarerarelyoutofthenewsandthisunitwillcritically exploretheiruse,functionsandkeycontroversiessurrounding them.

Haveyoueverwonderedwhattheinsideofaprisonislike? Or,whatitisliketobeaprisonerinEnglandandWalesandho wthismaydifferacrosstheworld?Youmaybeconsidering workinginprisonasaPrisonOfficer,ProbationOfficerorin offendermanagement.Thisunitgivesyoutheopportunityto askandfindanswerstoallthesequestions.Itwillbeequally usefultothosewishingtoworkin criminaljusticeorpenal reform/abolition.Weinvitearangeofguestspeakerswith prison/punishment-relatedexpertise, prisonstaffandformerprisonerstotheUniversitytodiscuss keythemes,issues,rolesandexperiences.Alongsidethese morepracticalaspectswewillcriticallyexaminethefunctions, purpose,andjustificationsfortheuseofpunishmentand imprisonment.Theunitwillexaminecontemporaryissues todevelopacriticalunderstandingofpunishment,social control,andimprisonment.Focuswillbegivento:prison design,conditionsandregimes;prisonexpansionism;children inprison;womeninprison;theuseofdrugs;‘race’/ethnicity andforeignnationalprisoners;mentalhealth;POCAand punishment;nationalandinternationalperspectives;the politicsofabolition.

Assessment1(25%)

AnnotatedBibliography

Assessment2(75%) GroupPresentation

Semester 1 Option

Digital, Culture, Media and Society

Content How havedigitaltechnologyand mediachanged society and culture inthe last two decades andwhere is it going? DigitalCulture, Mediaand Society presents students with the advanced studyofa varietyof contemporary social challenges relatedto mediaandcommunication technologiesand the sociologicaland criminologicaltheory that makes sense ofthem. This module willdeepen students’knowledge ofthe impactand importanceof digital technology andmedia in shapingsocietyby meansof centralissuesanddebates which include: The platform society andbigtech, socialmedia, digitalactivism,artificial intelligence, mediarepresentationsandtheir impact,music and culture, digitaltechnologies and climate change, democracy andmisinformation,crime and media. On completion ofthis unit students willbe able to critique digitalmedia, culture andsociety using contemporary sociologicaltheories, to evaluatethe impact ofdigitalmedia onsocietyvia aresearchproject, to considera rangeof creativeand criticalinsightsabout digitalculturethrough a multi-mediapresentationand to summarise the dominant relationshipsbetween digitalmedia,societyand individuals, in aresearch informed context.

Guest Speakers

Semester 1 Option

Sociological Psychology

Unit Lead

Content

Assessment

Thisunitcriticallyexploresconceptsandresearchinthe broad andhybridfieldofsociologicalpsychology,focusingon theself,identity,emotionandsocialinteraction.Theunitis particularly concerned withstigma,deviantbodiesand extremelifestyles.

Thefirstpartof theunit exploresthetheoretical scaffolding, including theworkofMilgram, Goffman, Becker,Hochschild, Cohen, Lyng, Bourdieu and Wacquant. The second part appliestheirpopularconceptstoarangeof contextsincludingbouncers, erotic dancers,recreational bingersand clubbers, footballhooligans,balletdancers, bodybuilders,boxers,MMAfightersandoffensivestand-up comedians.Theemphasiswill beonmakingsenseofthe everydaylifeoftheactorsinvarioussub-culturalcontexts and theirrituals,practices,socialrules andrationalizations.

Assessment 1 (25%) Multiple-Choice-Test(Online)

Assessment2(75%) Essay

Semester 1 Option

Space, Place and Crime

Content

Why docrimes cluster in particularplaces?How can understandingthissupportpolicingandotherservicesinthe endeavourtoreducecrime? Tohelpanswer thesequestions we integrate environmentaltheories of crime with policing andadministrativedata,andthepracticalapplicationofcrime mapping.Thisenablesustoexplorethecriminologyofplace.

This unit introduces thepractice ofspatialcrime analysis, providinganintroductiontogeographicalinformation systems(GIS), crime datasets and methodsof hotspot mapping todescribe thepatternsofcrime across thecity. This unit willexamine how spatialcrime analysis is utilised forpolicing andcrimereduction.Theunitwillalsoexaminetherelevance ofenvironmentalcriminologicaltheory in supportofthis endeavour.

In studying this module, you willlearn new software,you willdevelopamorenuancedappreciationofenvironmental criminology.Includingthosefactorswhichbringtogetherthe what,why,where,whenandwhoofthecrimequestion:What crimeshaveaspatio-temporalpatterning?Whycrimesvary acrossspace?Whereandwhendoesthisoccur?And,whois involved?

This module isverytechnical - Students willlearnand usea Mapping software(QGIS)tomanagedata(from police.uk and othersourcesinc.Census)toproducemapswhich visualiseandsupporttheunderstanding ofpatternsof crime acrossspace.

The unit will cover the following topics:

• AnoverviewofEnvironmentalCriminologyTheories (SocialDisorganisation,CollectiveEfficacy,RationalChoice, RoutineActivity, Crime Pattern and Geometryof Crime).

• Anexaminationofthekeydatasetstounderstand criminology ofplace(inc.recordedcrime,policeincidents, CrimeSurveyofEngland&Wales(CSEW),OrdnanceSurvey andsocio-economicdatasets).

Semester 1 Option

• AnintroductiontoGeographicalInformationSystems(GIS)and hotspot mapping methods.

• Anoverviewofhowcrimemappingisutilisedbylaw enforcementagencies.

• Anintroductionofsomeofthecontemporarythemesin EnvironmentalCriminology.

Assessment

Portfolio (20%)

This part ofthe assessmentwillevaluatestudents’ skills onthe usage ofgeographicalinformationsystem(GIS) softwarefor hotspot mapping. Aseries ofdata management and hotspot mappingtaskswillbecompletedandpresentedasaportfoliofor submission.

FinalReport(80%)

Theassignmentwillbeintheformofa2,500-wordreportfroma fixedchoicethatallowsstudentstodemonstratetheirknowledge andcriticalawarenessofcriminologicaltheoryandthe applicationof hotspot mappingin a law enforcement context.

Delivery Method Teachingwillbe4hoursface-to-facedeliveryanddirected independentlearning.

Facetofaceteaching

• Lecture–onceaweek(weeks1-11)

• Labs–weeks1to6–learningQGISSoftware/Excelsoftwareto managedata,developmapsandcharts.

• Seminars–weeks7 -11

Guest Speakers Yes

Semester1&2Option Dissertation

Content

Assessment

Thedissertationunitisdifferenttoothersasyouareworking onyourown.Theunitisamixtureofone-to-onetutorialswith yourdissertationsupervisor,supportingworkshops,and self-directedstudy.Youwillbeworkingonyourdissertation forthewhole oftheacademic year.

The dissertation enables you to:

• Exploreasubstantiveareaindepth,buildingonallyouhave learnt inthefirst twoyears.

• Defineyour own researchquestion, aimsand objectives.

• Experience the process of producing knowledge firsthand.

• Manage a major academic project from beginning to end.

• Consolidateyourcommunication,information-seekingand intellectualskills.

Option prerequisites:

• Minimum2:2(55%)averagemarkfor2ndyearunits

• Form available on Moodle

• Sendto: s.j.nasir@mmu.ac.uk

If you do not meet these prerequisites, you will take an alternative option.

Assessment 1 (100%) 10,000wordDissertation

On the following pages, you’ll find descriptions of the indicative content and focus of each of the Options offered in Semester 2.

1. QualitativeMethodsinAction

2. Body,SexualityandCulture

3. ClassConflict

4. WorkingwithCriminalisedPeople

Semester 2Option

Qualitative Methods in Action

Unit

Content This option is designed to enable students with a basic understanding of qualitative methods to explore the nature of qualitative methodologies in fieldwork, but who wish to gain practical tips for developing their skills further and extending their methodological toolkit to include a range of more specialist techniques. It will introduce creative ways to do fieldwork and encourage students to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of a range of advanced qualitative methods and on the skills acquired on the pathway to becoming conversant as researchers. Students will apply techniques in practical data collection sessions and using case studies to reflect on skills development.

This option is designed to take students beyond the basics of qualitative methodologies introduced at levels 4 and 5 and consider a number of advanced methods for collecting data. The unit will focus on creative methods in fieldwork to reflect on ethical dilemmas, the implementation of research skills, sensory practice and power dynamics, and implications for methods in the analysis and presentation of qualitative data.

Proposal(25%)

StudentswillreflectonONEpresented casestudyandsummariseonthe usefulnessofmethodsandethical factorstothetopic.Producea referencelistofatleast5otherstudies thatusesamequalitativeresearch methodsandsummariseeach.

ResearchReport(75%)

Studentswillchoose ONEsourceofqualitative dataanduseofadata repository(e.g.,UKData Service)tocarryout analysis,presenting findingsinareport.

Semester 2Option

Body, Sexuality and Culture

Content

This unitfocuses on normative ideas concerningbody shape,genderanddesire.How coulda culturalideal emerge,accordingtowhicheverypersonisexpectedtobe heterosexual?Howdodiscoursesonbiologysupportthe commonlyheldbeliefthatthereareonlytwosexes(male andfemale)andtwoformsof‘sexualorientation’ (heterosexual orhomosexual)?Whydosocietiesstruggleto cometotermswithandtoaccommodategenderandsexual diversity.The unitintroducesdebatesonbody,sexualityandculture.Itlooks at keydebates andconceptsfrom within academic feminism and queer theory andexplores controversies around body, sexualityandculture. Topics covered address issues suchas sexualidentitiesandbehaviours,gender identitiesandgenderpresentation,contemporaryintimacies, embodiment,culturaldifference,intersectionalgenderand sexualpolitics(exclusion, inequality,rightsclaims,etc.).The unitexploresdiversitywithregardsto sexuality,gender and embodiment. Assessment

Semester 2Option

Class Conflict

Unit Leads

Content

This unit considers socialclass asvitalin understanding inequalitiesandcrisesincapitalistsocieties.Howmight classtheoryhelpusunderstandlifeinthe21stCentury?How doesclassintersect with inequalities and identities like raceand gender?Whatdoweevenmeanwhenweusethe term‘socialclass’?

The unitwillreview and discusstheories, debatesand controversiesinclassanalysis.Wewilllookatthestructuring forceof class in different areasofsociallife including education,cultureand consumption, and relationships. Your assessments willask you to apply class analysisto exploreaparticularsocialissueorproblem,andtoevaluate the importanceof classanalysistothe understanding of inequalities and struggles in contemporary sociallife.

Although we willbe exploringthereallife,material consequences of class inequalities,we willalso consider thetransformativepotentialofclassconflictandhowitcan generate politicalstruggles, resistanceand social change.

Semester 2Option Working with Criminalised People

Unit Lead

Content

Assessment

Anne-Marie Day

Anne-Marie.Day@mmu.ac.uk

This unitgives students afeelfor what ‘working with criminalised people’ meansin practice: whatdothey actuallydo withpeople onProbation,or supervisedby Youth Offending Teams,or inprison?Whatwould itbe like to do that work?The unit looksat criminaljustice policies and measures in differentcontexts, assesses evidence regardingtheir effectiveness and exploresthereliabilityof different types ofevidence

The unitconsidersthepolicyreforms thathaveaffectedthe criminaljustice sector andimpactedon organisations that workwith criminalised people. Theunit is taughtbystaff in the Sociology Department who havebothworkedwith criminalised people andare now conductingresearch in this area. The unit willfeatureguestspeakers with people who workin the criminaljustice systemas wellas thelatest research and policydevelopments inthis area.

Assessment 1(30%)

Poster

Delivery Method Weekly workshop

Guest Speakers Yes

Assessment2(70%) Essay

1. Dissertation Proposal Form

2. Guidance notes for dissertation proposal form

Further info on moodle.

FULL NAME

MMU EMAIL ADDRESS

DEGREE ROUTE

Subject Area Criminology

Crim | Soc |Crim-Soc

Sociology

Topic Area

Potential Research Question

Preliminary key literature

Data Collection Approach Library based PrimaryQualitative Primary - Mixed method SecondaryQualitative

This is only for students wishing to take the Dissertation unit as an option on the BA route. ForthosestudentsontheBSC,theAppliedQuantitative ProjectiscompulsoryandtheQ-Stepwillbeintouchaboutnextstepslaterin theyear.

Semester 2 Option Guidance Notes for Dissertation Proposal Form

Dissertation Topic

Firstconsiderthegeneralareaofyourdissertation.A dissertationoffersyoutheopportunitytoexploreanareathat youareinterestedinwhilstworkingcloselywithanexpert onthearea.Adissertationisaplaceinwhichyoucan exploreanideaingreaterdepththroughappropriate supervisionandsupport.

What is your chosen topic? This can be in the form of a question or statement. Can you describe this in a few sentences?Whatisitthatinterestsyouaboutthisarea?

Sources of Information

Wherewillyourprimarysourcescomefrom?Typically,your primarysourcewouldbedirectlyaccesseddatathrough methodssuchasinterviews,surveys,focusgroups.

Wherewillyoursecondarysourcescomefrom?Secondary sourcesareusuallymaterialsthathavealreadybeen published.Theytypicallyinclude booksandarticles.You mayneedhelpfromthelibrary.List atleastfivesourcesthatincludekeybooksorjournalarticles onyourchosentopic.

Ethical Considerations

Arethereanyethicalissuesthatmightarisefromyourstudy,for exampleaccesstospecificgroupsofthepopulationwhoare vulnerable?Issuesaroundensuringanonymity?Concerns aboutpsychologicalorphysical harm toyourself(asthe researcher)oryourparticipants?

Onceyouhavecompletedthis,pleasesavethisfile withyourSurnameSDProposalandemailitto s.j.nasir@mmu.ac.uk.

Please notethat acceptance of your proposal will besubject tothe quality of your submission.

Copies of the dissertation proposal form can be found on Moodle, on ‘The Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Programme’ > Options

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