Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology

at Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus United Kingdom

Explore the causes of crime, the effectiveness of punishment, and how crime and victimisation are represented in the media.

In doing so, you’ll challenge your existing opinions. You’ll also develop skills in evaluating contrasting evidence, critical thinking and crafting arguments by learning how sociologists, psychologists, political theorists and law experts approach crime and complex social problems.

Our BA (Hons) Criminology course places value on hands-on learning. We learn through case studies, the latest research and interactive sessions. There may be field trips to courts, prisons and sites such as Auschwitz.

We have a supportive community of staff and students at ARU. Throughout your BA (Hons) Criminology degree, you’ll benefit from one-to-one personal tutoring and dedicated Criminology social media groups.

Together, we’ll explore the causes of, responses to, and media representation of the most relevant crimes of today. These include violence against women and girls, crimes of the powerful, opportunistic crimes, war crimes, corruption and urban culture.

You’ll prepare for your future career from the first semester: building a portfolio and CV, attending volunteer and employment fairs, taking part in our annual Criminology conference, and hearing from key figures in criminal justice debates and the authors of important criminology texts.

What’s more, our links to local and national organisations give you the chance to gain work experience, and lay the groundwork for your final-year research project.

Examine real-life case studies to piece together the inner workings of serious crime, and the methods used to police it. You’ll gain the skills and knowledge needed for many careers in criminal justice, such as the Police, youth justice, the Home Office or border agencies

• Study with a school ranked 8th in the UK for Criminology (The Guardian University Guide 2018)
• Feel supported by our close community of students and staff, including dedicated social media groups
• Learn from professional criminal justice practitioners through lectures, workshops and other activities
• Take part in events including field trips, guest lectures and our end-of-year Criminology Conference
• Join forces with PIER, our Policing Institute for the Eastern Region, with links to local and regional forces and policing bodies and chief officers at local and national level

Focusing on serious crime, you’ll explore the practice and theory of criminal activities, including how crime is detected and policed, methods of social control, and sanctions.

By examining different theoretical standpoints, you’ll form an understanding of various Western legal and social traditions and how they compare to each other.

You’ll investigate issues such as organised illicit trade and criminal enterprise, using case studies of criminal activities including financial crime, human trafficking, and violence prevention.

Our modules will let you specialise in other areas of interest too, such as the nature of violence, terrorism, and policing transnational crime.

Most of your teaching will take place in research-seminar format to allow you to develop critical thinking, but your learning will also be supported by lectures, guest speakers and debates. You’ll have a chance to contribute to our research seminar series, and take part in our annual criminology study trips abroad.

Use our superb crime scene rooms to learn the skills of a crime scene examiner, as well as industry-standard technology such as 360-degree camera and technology systems. The crime scene rooms feature video and audio CCTV so you can be assessed and receive valuable feedback.

We’ll help you to understand the practical aspects of crime, and how they affect everyday investigations. You’ll look at different types of crime – from burglary through to murder – and find out how these are investigated by the Police, and how other agencies such as fire and rescue contribute to investigations.

As a BSc (Hons) Crime and Investigative Studies student at ARU, you’ll learn not only how to process a crime scene but also how to investigate a crime from scratch. We’ll consider all the processes involved through modules including Forensic Scene Examination.

Our three-year degree course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences (CSFS) and explores traditional investigative methods used by the Police, as well as newer approaches such as evidence-based policing. You will also learn how to present professional reports in both a policing environment and within a court of law.

As well as benefitting from our tutors’ knowledge, you’ll attend guest lectures from visiting professionals and get an understanding of the workplace through visits to places such as the Crown Court, and other field trips.

Broaden your expertise through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. In a world reliant on data to improve processes and monitor success, this course will help you gain transferable skills in AI to benefit your work place. It's been designed in response to the high demand for experts in big data analysis and modelling. Choose to take an optional 12-week work placement as part of your course and boost your employability.

The combined effect of the big volume of data availability on a global scale and a significant increase in processing power offered by technologies like cloud computing has made it possible to unlock the true potential of machine learning algorithms, extract features from data, and to expand the application domain of artificial intelligence.
The need to adapt and incorporate the ever-growing field of AI and it’s technologies into current business practices is putting increasing pressure on industries to invest in their legacy systems. Supported by Intel’s AI Academy through their online and data processing resources, the skills you will learn can be applied to AI-enabled business strategies and marketing, management of database records, e-business technologies, IT system development and design, and IT project management.

This course is designed to build on the skills of computer scientists, software engineers, IT professionals or established professionals in the areas of computing, mathematics and/or data analysis, to improve and create better systems in their industries, expanding knowledge of machine learning and enabling technologies.

Businesses also have the opportunity to present students on this course with their real life problems through attending as a guest lecturer. We also encourage you to attend local meetings and lectures organised by the IET and BCS, some of which are hosted by our University. This exposes you to engineers from local industries and introduces you to 'what's hot' in technology, an advantage to being based in the centre of Cambridge with its Science and Business Park.

Social work is about empowering children, families and adults. It’s a complex job that demands a lot of soft skills, such as communication and partnership working.

This challenging yet rewarding career will often bring you into the lives of some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised communities. As a student, you’ll learn how to assess people’s circumstances and needs; measure risk; and set up activities with individuals, families, groups and communities.

Working alongside other care professionals, you’ll plan, provide, review and evaluate services and interventions. You’ll become skilled in problem-solving and communication, and gain a thorough understanding of your legal powers and duties.

We work closely with our Service User and Carers Involvement Group, so you can hear directly from people with experience of social care. And there’s ample opportunity to learn on the job too, with 170 days out on placement.

All of our students do two practice placements. Full-time students will do 70 days in Year 2, and 100 days in Year 3. Part-time students will undertake 70 days during years 2 and 3, and 100 days in Year 4. One of your placements will involve statutory tasks, including legal interventions. Both placements are an invaluable opportunity to learn in the workplace and you’ll cover a range of topics such as engagement, assessment, interpersonal skills, interventions, safeguarding and the appropriate use of authority.

• If you study in Chelmsford, your placements could be anywhere in Essex, including Thurrock and Southend authorities.
• If you're joining us in Cambridge, your placements could be anywhere in Cambridgeshire.
• Part-time students in Peterborough go on placement in and around Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

We’ll make sure that you get a range of settings to best support your training. It’s likely that you’ll have to travel as part of your placement, so you’ll need your own transport to visit service users in the community, where public transport may not be available.

Our Social Work degree course is validated by Social Work England so when you graduate, you’ll be ready to register as a social worker.

Expand your knowledge in all areas of forensic science, from gathering evidence at the crime scene itself, right through to the courtroom. Develop your skills and knowledge on our accredited course, as you collect and analyse evidence, equipping you to become a confident and effective practitioner.

In-keeping with its industry-focus our Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences accredited course is taught by experienced forensics practitioners. We’ll immerse you in a practical environment that closely emulates a real forensics laboratory. The analytical skills and expertise you gain apply equally well in the broader scientific and technological fields as they do in forensics.

Our course combines practical skills with high-level theoretical knowledge of the wide range of forensic techniques you need to apply at all stages of an investigation. Going further still, you’ll be trained to design and execute your own research project in a relevant area, which particularly interests you. This will include guidance on research methods, good practice, presentation and the application of your research.

On our Sport and Exercise Science degree course at ARU, you’ll explore the scientific principles and techniques that underpin health, wellbeing and sporting performance.

Sports and exercise scientists can work at all levels, from the general population to elite performance – and our course prepares you for that.

You’ll study the nature of the human machine: how this operates when engaged in sport and exercise, and how to interpret and evaluate its responses.

Our students are based in the Cambridge Centre for Sports and Exercise Sciences. Here, you’ll learn to work safely and ethically as a sport and exercise scientist in our laboratories. There’s the chance to hear from world-leading guest speakers too, through our Excellence in Sports seminar series; and to take part in training opportunities, such as working as a strength and condition coach or as part of the student led Physiology testing consultancy team.

Learn to create images that tell compelling stories, whether your dream is to be a fashion or fine art photographer or a photojournalist.

As a photography student at ARU you’ll explore many areas of photographic practice including digital and analogue image-making, experimental crossovers, multimedia, self-publishing and exhibition.

Take full advantage of our specialist darkrooms, photographic studios, and digital post-production and printing suite. You can also borrow specialist camera equipment through our dedicated loan service.

All your work will be supported by academic staff working at the forefront of photographic research and innovation and have years of professional experience. You will be taught through individual tutorial and studio sessions, as well as in group lectures and workshops, with regular career development events throughout your study. Recent guest speakers have included Tom Hunter, Jane Hilton, Tim Flach, Hannah Starkey, Carole Evans, Alastair Levy, Mike Crawford and Lillian Wilkie.

Through continuous experimentation, you’ll be encouraged to refine your photographic style and voice.

Critical and contextual studies will connect your own research and writing to your practice and will guide you to specialist resources in our campus library. Explore hundreds of photographers’ monographs and access technical and contextual texts, as well as other online resources, to underpin and expand your practice.

You can expand your skillset, with additional technical workshops including printmaking, 3D work and writing workshops. You can choose to take part in photography field trips too, and experience photographing different locations such as Venice and Prague.

While studying BA (Hons) Photography with us, you’ll learn to adopt a professional approach to your work, covering aspects of career management such as rights issues, project management and self-promotion through social media. You can choose to take up work placements that will help you establish your own professional network, including opportunities such as working for magazines, galleries and photographers. You can also take an optional placement year.

Performing is at the core of our Drama degree at ARU.

Grow into a confident, versatile and exciting drama practitioner, while exploring classic literature and genres ranging from sci-fi to children’s books.

You’ll work on public-productions and smaller-scale projects, exploring drama practices and texts from the 20th century onwards as well as working on original pieces. Alongside this, you’ll explore many other subjects including history, politics, philosophy and religion as well as developing your literacy and communication skills.

Your deeper understanding of literary texts will improve your ability to interpret dramatic texts and your performance skills.

Our BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature degree lets you weight your studies to your own interests and career goals. Prepare for a career in the arts or fields such as teaching - and get ready to change the way others see the world.

Understanding the importance of literature and drama to society is the main focus of our BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature degree.

Here at ARU, the focus is on an experiential, 'learning-through-doing' programme. Your degree will see you choosing from a range of career-focused optional modules, completing either a 100% practical drama Major Project or an English literature one, and graduating with a professionally produced showreel and portfolio.

Connect with Cambridge’s performance scene through our links to local networks such as Cambridge Arts Network and Cambridge Live. You’ll get the chance to perform in public venues around Cambridge as well as on campus, in the Mumford Theatre and Covent Garden Studio.

Experience being part of a professional troupe with our very own Community Theatre Company and take the chance to perform and collaborate with other creative industries students.

As a BOptom (Hons) Optometry student at ARU, you’ll study in our specialist eye care facilities, learning how to perform eye examinations, diagnose sight problems, improve people’s vision and manage a range of eye conditions.

You’ll spend much of your time in our University Eye Clinic. A working clinic that’s open to the public, it boasts 16 fully-equipped testing rooms and the latest optometric equipment such as an optical coherence tomographer, video slitlamps, and videokeratoscopes.

With support from expert tutors and the chance to gain work experience, this is the perfect place to train as an optometrist.

Qualified optometrists are hands-on, spending lots of time examining patients and managing their visual needs and eye health. And we know that it’s important for you to gain this kind of practical experience.

That’s why more than 50% of your learning time is spent in clinical and lab sessions, practical demonstrations, and our University Eye Clinic.

There’s the chance to visit local hospital clinics too, and get work experience in the community, spending time with eye care charities such as Cam Sight.

In the lecture theatre, we’re often joined by visiting professors, orthoptists and optometrists working in diabetic clinics, hospitals and their own practices. They’ll share their professional insights – as will our expert tutors, who are trained optometrists and dispensing opticians.

These are just some of the reasons why our Optometry degree has had an overall satisfaction score of 90% or more for the past five years (National Student Survey).

As a BOptom (Hons) Optometry graduate, you’ll be ready to take on a pre-registration clinical placement before registering as a fully-qualified optometrist.