Criminal Justice - NTU in Mansfield FdA
- Level(s) of Study: Foundation degree / Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 64 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): L311
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: Two years full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: NTU in Mansfield
Introduction:
The FdA Criminal Justice course is your first step towards a rewarding career in the sector. You’ll get to grips with today’s all-important issues - empowering you to make a difference.
Taught at NTU in Mansfield, you’ll cover a range of sociological, political, legal and cultural approaches to the study of criminal justice. With a focus on real-world learning, you’ll explore current issues at a local, national and international level.
Whether you plan to go straight into the world of work on completing your foundation degree, or this is your stepping stone to further study, you’ll gain the knowledge and transferable skills you need to progress.
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The course includes a placement alongside your studies in areas such as policing, youth justice agencies, charities and local youth groups in the Mansfield area. -
On completing the course, you'll be eligible to top-up to degree-level study in BA (Hons) Criminal Justice (Top-up), BA (Hons) Professional Policing or BA (Hons) Youth Justice (year two). -
On completing this foundation degree you’ll be well-placed to go straight into the world of work and take up a variety of careers within the Criminal Justice sector. -
NTU in Mansfield is your alternative route into higher education. We've built this qualification with the local job market in mind. Each of our higher education courses is relevant, hands-on and work-focused.
What you’ll study
This course provides a multi-disciplinary approach – drawing on a range of approaches to the study of Criminal Justice – while incorporating a focus on current issues with local, national and international perspectives.
Core modules
Criminology, Crime and Crime Prevention
An introduction to crime, crime reduction, criminological theory and how such facets have developed into a central tenet of contemporary criminal justice policy are explored. You will gain an understanding of community safety approaches, including multi-agency partnership working, the assessment and management of risk and the growth of restorative justice interventions within the police and youth justice.
Preparing for Professional Practice
Gain an understanding of the world of work by undertaking work experience with an organisation that provides a service within the criminal justice system. Through the context of work and work-based learning, you will become familiar with key concepts associated with service delivery, explore the interrelationship between theoretical perspectives and practice, contextualise learning from other modules on the course, and engage in personal professional development planning.
Rights, Ethics and Safeguarding
Gain an understanding of rights, ethics and safeguarding is essential for employment in the criminal justice system. This module will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework underpinning work in the criminal justice sector with a focus upon child and adult safeguarding, offender rights and the potential conflict this may have with public protection.
The Criminal Justice Sector and the Role of the Police
This module will provide you with a broad understanding of the structure and operation of the UK criminal justice system and the role of the police within it. You will be taught to identify the roles of agencies that comprise the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and non CJS collaborative partners, assess legal and organisational requirements in relation to the ‘processing’ of persons through the CJS and outline aspects of policing in the UK and the challenges that this can present.
Evolution of the Youth Justice System
Examine the youth justice system in England and Wales within its historical, political and theoretical context and the challenges it faces in terms of reducing youth crime. You will explore the idea of youth crime as a social construct and analyse the contemporary and established theoretical perspectives as well as the structure of the current youth justice system in England and Wales and how it operates on a national, regional, and local level. Finally, you will compare the youth justice system in England and Wales with those of other countries in order to give an international perspective.
An Introduction to Criminal Law and Practice Level
This module provides an introduction to the legal framework, enabling you to put into context other modules you are studying. Emphasis is placed upon defining what an offence is, together with an explanation of the procedure the accused will go through from the decision to charge to determination at trial.
Core modules
Crime & Social Inclusion
Gain knowledge on social policy, criminology and criminal justice relating to marginalised groups of people investigated at level 4; this includes, but is not limited to young offenders, BAME, disabled and people experiencing mental ill-health. You will also evaluate and analyse various explanations of social exclusion: the moral underclass, social fragmentation, structural inequality, and patterns of social diversity such as poverty, race, gender, age, and disability in relation to government policy.
Skills Development for Professional Practice
Building on your work experience this module will provide you with a more in-depth work-based experience, in an area of the criminal justice system that you would like work in the future. You will develop your knowledge of how organisations operate, enhance your skills as a reflective practitioner and support the planning for your future career.
Crime Investigation
This module will provide you with an introduction to crime investigation techniques such as statement taking for victim and witnesses, evidence gathering at crime scenes and the subsequent management of evidence. It will also include an introduction to investigative interviewing techniques for suspects utilising police models.
Police Powers and the Law
You will gain an understanding of basic criminal law and the court processes, including the core legislative elements, police powers, policy, and procedures. You will describe how to exercise common police powers and procedures fairly and without bias, consider use of force, explain the legislation and functions associated with offences and the police response, examine ethical crime and incident recording standards developing your ability to apply police powers and legislation to policing incidents and develop your knowledge around Proportionality, Legality, Accountability and Necessity (PLAN).
Penology, the Secure Estate and Probation Work
Evaluate internal cultures and organisation of prisons, young offender institutions, secure units and release from secure conditions on community licenses. You will understand the secure estate, how prisons are populated, managed, and inspected, and how news about the state of prisons is communicated to the ‘outside’ world. This module will compare the UK prison system with that of international examples including looking at Nordic exceptionalism, the ‘Americanisation’ of the penal system, and the impact of privatisation on prisons and punishment.
Interventions and Offender Management
Examine contemporary offender management and the modernisation and changing structures of offender management. You will explore the need to respect rights, diversity, recidivism rates and partnership working. This module will assist you in examining key legislation and policy developments to incorporate the assessment and management of risk. Finally, you will evaluate and analyse community and custodial sentencing and its levels of engagement, desistance, and enforcement.
Video Gallery
How you’re taught
Teaching learning and assessment will be varied, appealing to a diverse range of learners, and make use of technology in the form of electronic portfolios, blogs, and simulation suites.
You will develop essential transferable skills such as effective communication skills; analysing information; problem solving and decision making. You will have the opportunity to apply acquired knowledge through a variety of activities including classroom based, simulated and work related activities.
You will also undertake valuable work experience in both years of study and plan for your own personal career development including a minimum 30 hours/1-week shadowing or work placement opportunity at Level 4 in pursuance of youth / community project. Plus 150 hours minimum at Level 5 - paid or voluntary work placement with police / youth sector.
Careers and employability
Your future career
With an FdA in Criminal Justice, you will be eligible to top-up to degree-level study at NTU in BA (Hons) Criminal Justice (Top-up), BA (Hons) Professional Policing or BA (Hons) Youth Justice (year two).
Graduates from this course are well-placed to take up a variety of careers within the Criminal Justice industry and students can go straight into work after their foundation degree.
With an FdA in Criminal Justice you can start your career path towards roles such as Welfare Rights Advisor, Prison Officer and Police Officer.
Excellent placement opportunities
The course includes a placement alongside your studies. You can develop your skills and experience in a working environment which is highly valued by future employers.
Students could undertake placement opportunities in areas such as policing, youth justice agencies, charities and local youth groups in the Mansfield area and the Citizens Advice Bureau.
Why undertake a placement?
- You will gain vital experience in a vocational position.
- It will boost your CV and build useful contacts for your future career.
- There are some exciting and challenging opportunities available.
Careers Team
At NTU in Mansfield, our award-winning Employability team is here to inspire and enhance your career planning, whichever path you choose. Whether you wish to go on to further study or to look for job opportunities, we can guide you to be a successful candidate.
Campus and facilities
We are continually investing in our facilities and transforming our learning and teaching environment to create an inspiring and innovative atmosphere. Teaching will take place at the University Hub's £6.5 million University Centre, which opened in 2016 and which is equipped with the latest facilities and state-of-the-art technology. Facilities include:
- On-site Café
- Teaching and Learning Centre
- Psychology Room
- Social spaces
- Student support services
- Dedicated study zones including PC suites.
Entry requirements
What are we looking for?
- 64 UCAS Tariff points from three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
Other requirements:
You may also need to complete:
- a Disclosure and Barring Service check; and
- a Prohibition Order check; and
- a satisfactory placement suitability check.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also 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 beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to three different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
This course is not suitable for tier 4 visa applicants.
We accept qualifications from schools, colleges and universities all over the world for entry onto our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international qualifications page.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Additional costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our brand-new library, industry-standard workshops and study spaces, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
You’ll need to cover the cost of your own books, standard drawing and writing equipment and consumables. However, our NTU in Mansfield library is home to a wide range of books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! Our library team work closely with our academics to ensure that our library collection closely matches the topics you’ll be studying, to provide relevant resources for you to use, free of charge.
Printing and materials costs
Students should also budget approximately £100 per year to cover any printing that they may require to support their studies.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
This course is not suitable for tier 4 visa applicants.
We accept qualifications from schools, colleges and universities all over the world for entry onto our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international qualifications page.
How to apply
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Keeping up to date
After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!
Getting in touch
If you need any more help or information, please call us on +44 (0)115 848 4200 or complete our enquiry form.