Criminology Diploma at Turton Sixth Form College
What is Criminology?
Criminologists look at a broad range of topics related to crime. They are dedicated to studying not only
the causes of crime but the social impact as well. If you opt for Criminology, you will be asked to
consider the following questions:
1) What different types of crime take place in our society?
2) How do we decide what behaviour is criminal?
3) What is the difference between criminal behaviour and deviance?
4) How do we explain why people commit crime?
5) What happens to those who commit a crime?
6) Why and how do we punish people?
7) What organisations do we have in our society to control criminality?
Why choose Criminology?
An understanding of criminology is relevant to many job roles within the criminal justice sector, social
and probation work and sociology and psychology. WJEC Level 3 Applied Diploma in Criminology is a
qualification with elements of psychology, law and sociology that complements studies in humanities.
This is an Applied General qualification. This means it is designed primarily to support learners
progressing to university. Alternatively, the qualification allows learners to gain the required
understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice
system, e.g. the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender
Management Service. It has been designed to offer exciting and interesting experiences that focus
learning for 16-19 year-old learners through applied learning, i.e. through the acquisition of knowledge
and understanding in purposeful contexts linked to the criminal justice system. The qualification would
support learners’ progression from any study at Level 2, particularly GCSEs in Sociology, Law,
Psychology, Citizenship, History and Humanities.
What will I learn and how is it assessed?
There are 4 units; unit 1 and 3 are internally assessed and units 2 and 4 externally assessed. The content
for each unit is as follows:
Unit 1: Changing Awareness of Crime, including organised and professional crimes, human rights and
hate crimes.
Unit 2: Criminological Theories, including the difference between crime and deviance, formal and
informal sanctions and norms, morals and values.
Unit 3: Crime Scene to Courtroom, including crime scene investigators, forensic specialists and scientists
and how the crown prosecution service operates.
Unit 4: Crime and Punishment – the government process of law making and how the judiciary works.
For more information, email Miss Wright at wrighti@turton.uk.com or pop down and see me in C31.
