9 ECTS credits
225 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1020334ANR for all students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Law and Criminology
Department
Criminology
Educational team
Aude Fieuw
Sofie De Kimpe (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
18 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

This course focusses on basic criminological concepts and the fundamental dimensions of the criminological issue.

The course is structured as follows:

Part 1 What is criminology (Researching criminology

Part 2 Thinking about criminology : Basic criminological theoretical developments (historical)

Part 3 Doing crime: phenomenon of crime (offenders and victims)

Part 4 Controlling crime (policing, punishment, justice and prisons

Part 5 Global(ising) perspective on crime, punishment and criminology

There will be a compulsory language test within this course unit. The result of the language test determines whether you will be part of a STAN class ( less than 60%).

Course material
Handbook (Required) : Criminology, A sociological introduction, Carrabine - Cox - Cox - Crowhurst - Di Ronco - Fussey - Sergi - South - Thiel - Turton, 4de, Routledge, 9781138566262, 2020
Digital course material (Required) : Documentation for the seminars and slides for the lectures will be provided
Additional info

In the course unit, attention is also paid to the language skills of students. Therefore, there will be administered a language test to all students during one of the lectures of this course. The result of the test will determine whether a student will be part of a STAN class (for students who score less than 60%).

For working students, the lectures are available digitally. They can also take the language test at home, subject to prior request. 

More specific information will be included in the canvas area of the course unit. 

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

Sutdents:

  • Are able to phrase, use and explain basic criminological concepts with examples situated in the criminological field.
  • Are able to apply criminological concepts to contemporary criminological issues.
  • Know and have insight in the main criminological methodological research traditions and can illustrates these by way of examples.
  • Know, recognize, use and explain the main historical theoretical developments and their relevance through contemporary criminological issues/topics.
  • Know the historical evolution of criminological “thinking” and to be able to situate changes, main criminological authors in their historical context. To be able to give the main critiques and contributions of these criminological schools.
  • Students have insight in the diversity of crime phenomenon and their main characteristics. They can illustrate these with examples.
  • Students know and have insight in the main dimensions of the social systems of crime control and punishment. They know the specific characteristics of the policing and justice system in our society. They know and can describe our (Belgian) policing and justice system.
  • Students are able to recognize criminological topics, issues and debates in contemporary political societal debates. They can relate these debates to criminological theoretical frameworks.
  • Students are able to participate in debates with criminological scientific arguments. They are able to formulate critical criminological comments and reflections as part of these debates. 

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 90% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 10% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 90 which comprises 90% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Other Exam with a relative weight of 10 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

    Note: Assignment and language test

Additional info regarding evaluation

The evaluation of this course unit consists of a written exam (90%). Examples of exam questions are provided in advance. The exam is primarily a knowledge exam, but also gauges application and skills. The exam contains open-ended questions and a series of multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice section will be graded by positive scoring by positive scoring with Higher Pass Mark (see additional information on CANVAS). Thus, no points will be deducted for a wrong answer. On the other hand, gaining points by guessing will be incorporated into the final point by increasing the pass mark. The pass mark for the exam and the exact conversion table will be communicated in a timely manner on Canvas and in the exam instructions. The exam strategy by this method is simple: do your best on all of the exam, questions you don't know or partially know, you can guess to the best of your ability, without worrying about possible point deductions.

Students complete an assignment. This is graded at 10% of the point total of the written exam. Included within this 10% is the mandatory completion of the language test, at the beginning of the semester. The students who score less than 60% on the language test are required to follow the STAN track. This track consists of a combination of compulsory language classes and assignments. Both the language test and any participation in the STAN language track are graded within the assignment that determines 10% of the final grade. The written exam is graded at 90%, see also above.

In case of a second session, the assignment will be resubmitted. Those who did not pass the STAN track also take the re-examination module of the STAN track.

Students don't need to pass both sections seperately; a total score of 10 out of 20 is sufficient, regardless of partial points.

The partial points are not automatically transferred tot the second sitting, but students can request this for the assignment (not for the exam).

FORCE MAJEURE
In case of force majeure, student and teacher will mutually consult each other to find a time to catch up, in accordance with the procedure described in article 111 of the Education and Examination Regulations. If 
only a limited number of students use the partial examination, the exam will be conducted orally.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Psychology: Profile Profile Work and Organisational Psychology (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Psychology: Profile Profile Clinical psychology (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Adult Education: Profile Social Studies (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Adult Education: Profile Cultural Studies (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Adult Education: Initial track (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Criminology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)