Law & Criminology Dissertation

Module Identifier: LC35040
Module Title: Law & Criminology Dissertation
Academic Year: 2027/2028
Semester: Semester 2 Taught over 2 semesters
Co-ordinator: Miss Akrive Roumpou
Reading List: View on Aspire
Exclusive (Any Acad Year): CT30440 or CT33340 or CT39020 or LC30440 or LC33340 or LC39020
Exclusive (Any Acad Year): CT35040
Other Staff: Dr Megan Talbot; Dr Kathy Hampson; Dr Sam Poyser; Dr Bethan Poyser; Dr Nathan Gibbs; Professor Melanie Williams; Jen Phipps; Dr Dakota Ward; Mr Edward Ditchfield; Dr Gwyn Griffith; Mrs Lauren Harvey

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Ethics Application: 1000 Words	10%
Semester Assessment	Reflective Log: Reflective summary of supervision meetings, including action points. Minimum 4 x 200 words reflections. 1000 Words	10%
Semester Assessment	Presentation: Oral or Poster Presentation at Student Conference 10 Minutes	20%
Semester Exam	Dissertation: 8000 - 10000 word written research project	60%
Supplementary Assessment	Poster Presentation: Poster Presentation with 1,500 word summary 3000 Words	20%
Supplementary Assessment	Reflective Log: Reflective summary of supervision meetings, including action points. Minimum 4 x 200 words reflections. 1000 Words	10%
Supplementary Assessment	Ethics Application: 1000 Words	10%
Supplementary Exam	Dissertation: 8000 - 10000 word written research project. Student should rewrite the dissertation (on the same theme) utilising the feedback provided by the marker in the original submission. Supervisor's discretion as to whether additional supervision afforded.	60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Identify, situate and critically evaluate a criminological/ legal research question, in relation to the broader research literature, that can be viably tested through an extended research project
Apply and conduct an appropriate research methodology/methodologies to investigate a specific research question(s)
Show awareness of both professional ethical principles and institutional ethical frameworks appropriate to social sciences and the intended research design
Synthesise academic and other evidence based literature relevant to the research project and present the findings to an audience
Demonstrate the ability to collect, interpret and evaluate data and draw conclusions based on the findings and set in the broader context of social sciences theory, law, policy and practice
Produce a well-structured, coherent, and original dissertation showing critical analysis and academic rigour
Work successfully with a named supervisor and demonstrate effective project management, self-direction and independent problem-solving skills throughout the research process.

Brief description

The Law & Criminology dissertation is an independent, research-focused module in which a student designs, plans, conducts and presents an original study on a chosen topic relevant to their field of study. Students are required to develop a suitable hypotheses or research question(s), comply with University ethical principles, review existing literature, apply appropriate research methods, analyse findings and produce a substantial written dissertation under academic supervision. Students are also expected to present their main findings at the Departmental student conference.

Content

The research topic is chosen by the student on advice and support from a supervisor.
Teaching on the module to support the student with undertaking a major research study in law and / or criminology and to support students with the successful completion of the assessment.
Subject specific support is provided via the supervisory process in individual tutorials.

Module skills

Skills type	Skills details
Adaptability and resilience	This major project module aims to promote problem solving and time-management skills. Students will receive support from their supervisor but essentially work autonomously in the design, research, planning and writing of the dissertation.
Co-ordinating with others	Students will need to work successfully with a named supervisor.to achieve a shared goal.
Critical and analytical thinking	The dissertation will require students to think analytically and critically about their specific research area.
Digital capability	Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as Web of Science and Primo). Students may also use a number of software packages during the course of the module including Excel, PowerPoint and SPSS for Windows.
Professional communication	Students are expected to submit written work in the form of their dissertations and oral communication skills will be assessed through presentations. They are also expected to communicate and work with their supervisor in a professional manner.
Subject Specific Skills	The project is the culmination of student learning in law and / or criminology developed throughout the degree scheme. Students will be expected to demonstrate their understanding of key aspects and concepts of their discipline. Appreciation of the nature of ethical research in law and / or the social sciences will also be examined.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6