Course Title: Criminological Theory
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Criminological Theory
Credit Points: 12.00
Important Information:
Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities.
To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption.
Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209.
Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus
Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance.
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
SOCU2119 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019, Sem 2 2020, Sem 2 2021, Sem 2 2022, Sem 2 2023 |
SOCU2221 |
City Campus |
Postgraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Face-to-Face or Internet |
Sem 1 2017 |
SOCU2221 |
City Campus |
Postgraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Internet |
Sem 2 2017 |
Course Coordinator: Dr Joseph MacFarlane
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2328
Course Coordinator Email: joseph.macfarlane@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: B37.L4. Rm12B
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
In this course, you will consider a range of historical and contemporary theoretical explanations of crime and processes of criminalisation, which draw from a variety of disciplines including classical philosophy, positivist science, sociology, economics and politics. The main focus of this course is on the ways that people come to conceptualise crime in society, and the way that these conceptualisations shape who and what is criminalised. In short, this course focuses on 'thinking about crime', with substantive applications ranging from interpersonal harms to state and institutional harms.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Program Learning Outcomes
In course you will develop the following program learning outcome:
For those students enrolled in BP023 Bachelor of Criminal Justice, you will develop the following program learning outcome:
- Contextualise specific criminal justice based knowledge according to socially and culturally diverse environments
For those students enrolled in BP295 Bachelor of Criminology and Psychology , you will develop the following program learning outcome:
- PLO1: Apply theory and principles of Criminology and the criminal justice system to your professional practice or further study
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
1. Critically examine historical and contemporary criminological theories and conceptual frameworks
2. Develop analytical and critical capabilities in assessing criminological theories and concepts
3. Understand the role of theory in examining power and its effects on crime and justice
4. Understand the role of theory in unpacking contemporary criminal justice policy, practice and processes of criminalisation
5. Develop communication, collaboration and self-evaluation skills.
Overview of Learning Activities
This course is delivered through a blend of learning activities, which include interactive workshop activities, role plays, problem solving, guest speakers, presentations, videos, online media and activities and student led discussions.
Overview of Learning Resources
There may be a prescribed text for this course.
You will be given access to a wide range of resources through the Canvas student portal, myRMIT, and RMIT Library resources. You will have the opportunity to contribute collectively to class resources by sharing your own research findings and sources with your peers.
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.
There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.
Overview of Assessment
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.
Assessment Tasks
Assessment Task 1: Case Study Analysis (30%), CLO 1 and CLO 2
Assessment Task 2: Critical Reflection 1 (10%), CLO 1 and CLO 2
Assessment Task 3: Crim Theory Group Zine (50%) CLO 3, CLO 4, and CLO 5
Assessment Task 4: Critical Reflection 2 (10%), CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4 and CLO 5
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.