About Applied Criminology (interpersonal Violence) in Canterbury Christ Church University

The Applied Criminology with Interpersonal Violence provides you with an exciting opportunity to study crime, criminal justice and its relationship with society; it dominates national and world news reports and is a constant feature in entertainment media This degree prepares you for a range of exciting career paths focussing on criminal justice and the treatment of victims and offenders. You will explore the true nature, extent and causes of crime, along with the methods used to manage crime and criminal behaviour.  You will also adopt a critical approach to the study of interpersonal violence, exploring police effectiveness in the investigation of sexual and domestic abuse and terrorism. Further, there will be the opportunity to explore what the research evidence tells us about the practice, and relate it to ongoing debates about effectiveness, objectivity, bias, decision making, ethics and evidence based policing.

The varied expertise of the teaching staff allows you to explore these themes from a range of perspectives. You will also be supported by a range of criminal justice professionals and agencies, who teach on the programme and provide volunteering and networking opportunities to help prepare you for your career.

Applied Criminology with Interpersonal Violencer?

Are you aspiring to embark on a career that is interesting, exciting, varied and challenging?  Are you interested in contributing to crime prevention, harm reduction and victim support? Are you interested in understanding crime, criminals, victims and criminal justice?  If you are, Applied Criminology may be the degree for you, as it provides you with an excellent grounding for a range of remarkable and sustainable criminal justice and related career pathways. 

The Applied Criminology programme at Christ Church covers key criminological concepts in your compulsory modules, thereby providing you with a strong grounding in criminology.  This grounding is then applied to specific crime types / scenarios, such as interpersonal violence, drug crime, terrorism and political violence, hate crime and youth crime in compulsory modules and a range of optional modules are offered to allow you to specialise in the types of crime that interest you most. The nature of the programme enables you to develop your research skills and to cast a critical eye over the processes of criminalisation and crime control and set these processes within wider social, economic and political contexts.  We have developed close links with local, national and international criminal justice agencies to enhance our distinctive ‘applied’ focus to learning about crime. Through our ‘insights from practice’ initiative, you will experience a range of guest speakers who are professionals and practitioners working within the justice system.

What will i study?

This course provides a thorough grounding in core criminological themes, concepts, debates and perspectives.

Students will further benefit from sessions that focus on study skills and employability to ensure success during your studies and in your career after graduation.

Where possible, trips or visits are offered to provide additional insight into the workings of the justice system.

Work experience

You will be guided in attaining relevant volunteering activities and part time work within the university and externally, to improve your employability. This can include experience in prisons, with the probation service, police, victim support, and a variety of charities. Employability is also enhanced through exposure to guest lecturers, who are experts and professionals in the field who contribute to the applied nature of the course and offer advice in gaining employment.[AC1] 

We promote volunteering to our students and provide support and advice in identifying and applying for volunteering posts and work experience. We have previously developed projects where students work and volunteer with staff on research related activities, giving valuable experience and enhancing employability skills. Staff are always keen to identify and develop such opportunities where possible. All volunteering activities, whether within the University or with outside organisations, can be formally recorded and can lead to an extracurricular award.

We work closely with a number of criminal justice professionals and organisations, as well as our colleagues in policing, forensics and law, to create opportunities for our students to experience criminal justice settings. When an opportunity for a visit arises, we make it available. Occasionally there are opportunities to participate in police training events and, for several years, students have been able to spend an afternoon at a local prison as part of an optional module. During the visit students speak to both staff and inmates, as well as seeing a range of facilities within the institution. Students are encouraged to reflect on the experience afterwards, and many consider that it challenges their perceptions, as well as encouraging them to pursue a career in offender management.

Academic qualification equivalents:

• Successful completion of standard 12 th with 60% average and one further year of study

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS         :        6.0, with no less than 6.0 in Writing and no less than 5.5 in Reading, Speaking and Listening.
• TOEFL        :       Total minimum score of 80, with at least 19 in reading, writing and listening.
• PTE            :        overall score of 50 and no PTE communicative skills score below 42

Canterbury Christ Church University Highlights

Canterbury Christ Church University Tuition fee

Canterbury Christ Church University Living Cost

• The weekly living cost for an international student staying at a residential hall/flat/homestay is 384.50 NZD, 305.75 NZD, and 360 NZD, respectively.
• Application deadline for accommodation: December 1 (February intake); May 1 (June intake).