9 ECTS credits
250 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 1020332ANW for working students in the 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
NOTE: registration for this course is only possible for working students. Day students can register for courses whose code ends with an R. At Inschrijven / studentenadministratie@vub.be you must be registered at the VUB as a working student for the current academic year.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Law and Criminology
Department
Criminology
Educational team
Lars Breuls (course titular)
Aude Fieuw
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
30 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
100 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

In this course, the main focus is on formulating a scientific-criminological research question, and then answering it based on a literature review. The following themes will be covered during the semester: 

Part 1. Criminology as a science
Part 2. Scientific and non-scientific criminological sources 
Part 3. Scientifically grounded research questions
Part 4. Systematic search for sources and correct reference to consulted sources
Part 5. Literature study 
    5.1. Analysing scientific and legal sources 
    5.2. Incorporating scientific literature into a written text 
    5.3. Using scientific language

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : The study materials consist of lesson slides from lectures and seminars, video and audio recordings of lectures and online self-paced modules on Canvas., Canvas
Digital course material (Required) : The study materials consist of lesson slides from lectures and seminars, video and audio recordings of lectures and online self-paced modules on Canvas., Canvas
Digital course material (Required) : A study guide will be made available on Canvas where all necessary information can be found., Canvas
Additional info

WPOs: attendance and participation are mandatory.
Online self-paced modules: during the semester, a number of online modules will be provided via Canvas. Completion of these modules is mandatory. 
Working students: for working students, the lectures will be made available digitally. Working students are not required to participate in WPOs. Some Q&A contact moments are provided for them.
All necessary information can be found in the study guide made available through Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

General Competencies

  • You gain insight into the various sources of criminological research, into the formulation of a research problem and into the relationship between a concrete research question and the sources relevant to study it.
  • You know the sources with which a criminologist works.
  • You know the classic and new access mechanisms to search for sources.
  • You develop a systematic and targeted search strategy for relevant sources.
  • You use specialized access tools.
  • You critically evaluate your found source material.
  • You incorporate your sources critically in a scientific literature study (paper) and you refer to them correctly.
  • You write your scientific text in correct and academic Dutch.
  • You develop a general, critical-scientific attitude (doubt and testing) towards your sources.
  • You can make some basic ethical reflections.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
PRAC Practical Assignment determines 25% of the final mark.
SELF Paper determines 75% of the final mark.

Within the PRAC Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • WPO with a relative weight of 5 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Paper category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Examenpaper with a relative weight of 15 which comprises 75% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The grading for this course unit consists of two parts.

  1. Students must write a scientific paper. This component is graded at 15 out of 20 points (75%). This assignment is further described in the study guide made available on Canvas, as well as discussed during the HOC. 
  2. The remaining 5 points (25%) can be earned on the individual work-in-progress track that is supervised during the WPOs. The evaluation of this track is done with one final grade based on the interim assignments, the active participation during the WPOs and the test referrals. For the exact details of these assignments and the evaluation of the track, see the study guide on Canvas. An alternative work-study assignment for the August/September exam period is possible. Information about this will be provided via Canvas.

Given that an assessment of the learning objectives is only possible based on an evaluation of the student’s own work, the use of generative AI for this course is prohibited.

Insufficient attendance, late submission of assignments, and/or non-cooperation during the WPOs may result in a loss of points (-1 for each unjustified and unattested absence from the WPOs, and for late completion of online self-learning modules, not receiving feedback for late submission of preparatory documents, and being referred to the August exam session for late submission of interim assignments and the exam paper).

Transfer of partial grades is possible between exam periods if the student passed (with the total WPO score considered as the subgrade). Transfer of grades is not possible between academic years.

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 Criminology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Criminology: Verkort traject (only offered in Dutch)