Why Criminology?
For me, Criminology was always the plan when it came to university. My experience with the subject has been increasingly fun, because of how it combines crime, and criminal justice with sociology.
In Criminology, you‘ll learn about the criminal justice system. How it‘s structured, how it fails and succeeds society, as well as the history of the various systems the UK has used. You‘ll look into crime and deviance, focusing on the behaviour of criminals. Asking who commits crimes, why they commit them and how society deals with, feels about and responds to crime. This includes looking into case studies to learn from real examples.
One module you‘ll take is Becoming a Social Researcher. Now, at first I did not think this would link to Criminology at all. However, after the past few months, it has become one of the most important modules for my actual experience studying Criminology. It teaches you how to read articles, write efficiently and structure your arguments, whether you’re working in a group or on your own! My favourite module is The Criminal Justice System as the politics of the criminal justice system is something I am deeply interested in.
Criminology is a great gateway into the legal sector if, like me, that’s something you‘re interested in. However, this course is also a great pathway into any job that uses, presents or analyses data. Examples could include marketing, the police force or even a social researcher. The list really does go on, as it’s a subject that overlaps with many broader categories.
Why York?
Coming from a student who didn‘t think they were going to university, York has been amazing so far! The university staff really are so helpful. Since arriving, I have struggled getting started with my work, getting settled in my accommodation and finding part-time work. The student hub and the department team are full of many helpful individuals who respond to your issues quickly and efficiently. On this note, each of my module and seminar leaders are always lovely to speak to. Whether that’s in 1:1 sessions or at the end of a class, they‘re attentive, supportive and help you adjust to any and all struggles you may have with starting out at university.
In relation to my course, the University of York offers modules that really appeal to me. Every set of modules I’ve studied has been interesting. I’ve never had to worry about being bombarded with work that wasn’t fun to learn.
This brings me to my next point: the spread of classes throughout the week is very manageable. It gives me more than enough time to do work outside of lessons. For example, from Monday to Thursday I have one lecture or seminar a day. On Fridays, I have 2 seminars. This timetable is amazing for a student such as myself who has two part-time jobs. This degree gives me time to study, time to wind down and not think about work, and also time to do things like write this blog!
The city
York is one of the most beautiful cities. The way I explain it to people is “it’s a city that feels like one big town”. It’s a cosy and aesthetically elegant city with amazing architecture. The Shambles Market also has lovely food stalls! And on the mention of food, the city is outstandingly student friendly. There are loads of student discounts and in my opinion, food is especially affordable for a student budget. So is 2nd or 3rd year accommodation. There hasn’t been a single day where I haven’t taken a photo of the city or campus, so prepare to become a photographer!
What work should I expect in Criminology at York?
Firstly, the transition from A-levels to university work is not as big as you might think. Each module has its own way of assessing you. Now, as a first year, I‘m not able to share specifics, but I can give examples of what you could be assessed on. In The Criminal Justice System, you‘re likely to respond to a brief of a case study with questions attached. This would normally be an essay–based assessment. In Becoming a Social Researcher, you may be assigned a group project, where you’ll create an informative poster and a reflective report on your own work so far. For Explaining Crime and Deviance, you‘ll most likely be writing an essay (probably in a similar way to criminal justice module, however at this point I cannot say for sure).
I hope you found my experiences and thoughts on the course so far helpful! I wish you the best of luck finding the right Criminology course for you.
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