AIMS

The basic aim of the Degree Course in Criminology is to produce professionals capable of meeting the needs of society with regard to security and the prevention and control of criminal behaviour. Students will develop a thorough knowledge of all areas concerning criminal activity and deviant behaviour, enabling them to work within the criminal justice system and in public and private security, developing criminological, psycho-social, legal and scientific skills and expertise, and the ability to adapt rapidly to an environment in constant evolution.  The ultimate aim is to produce graduates capable of working with other professionals in identifying, preventing and intervening in problems concerning crime, criminals, deviant behaviour and victimisation. Criminology graduates can work with the Police, the Legal authorities, the Penitentiary authorities, in community and prevention programmes, in intervention against marginalisation, victim support centres, etc. The course will also prepare future graduates for specialisation in post-graduate study, where they may acquire more specialised learning for specific professional profiles.

On the basis of the foregoing and taking into account the skills required for the University of Alicante Degree Course, we would like to emphasise the following general aims, which coincide with the aims defined in both the White Book of Degree Courses and in Royal Decree 1393/2007:

 • To give graduates the necessary knowledge, skills, expertise and capabilities to work in professions having to do with criminal analysis, victimisation and responses to criminal and deviant behaviour.
•  To develop students’ capacity to apply their criminological knowledge in solving practical problems.
• To stimulate students’ capacity to write up professional (criminological) reports, design criminal investigations, etc.
• To encourage the acquisition of the skills required for independent learning.

Within the framework of the following general principles:

· Respect for basic rights and equality between men and women.

· Respect for and promotion of Human Rights and the principles of free access and design for all, in accordance with the terms of Final Provision Ten of Act 51/2003 of 2 December, on equal opportunities, non-discrimination and universal access for persons with disabilities.

· The values of a peaceful and democratic society.

• Credit structure of the degree course
• Distribution of credits per subject type
• General description of the course programme
• Optional subjects and routes
  

CREDIT STRUCTURE OF THE DEGREE COURSE

The University of Alicante Degree in Criminology course programme consists of 240 ECTS credits, distributed over 4 years, each worth 60 ECTS credits and, in turn, divided into two 30 ECTS semesters. The programme covers all theoretical and practical aspects to be acquired by students.

The following table summarises the subjects and the distribution of credits.

DISTRIBUTION OF CREDITS PER SUBJECT TYPE

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE PROGRAMME

Core subjects are taught in the first year. These are followed by 138 compulsory ECTS credits, aimed at ensuring that students acquire the professional skills covered by the Degree, and 6 ECTS credits corresponding to the Final Project, which is undertaken in the final semester. The final 36 ECTS credits correspond to optional subjects aimed at specialisation and, as the case may be, work experience. These are taken in the final year of the course programme and enable students to choose their own area of specialisation. The routes are Public Security, Private Investigation and Judicial Administration.

Core subjects are taught in the first year, and aim to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will give them a conceptual and methodological approach to Criminology.

The optional subjects, taught in the fourth year, are grouped into three specialities, corresponding to three well-defined professional profiles: public security, private investigation and Judicial Administration.

The aim of the optional subjects is to provide students with the opportunity to undertake a more in-depth study of those subjects of most interest to them, within the more general nature of the degree course as a whole (198 ECTS credits correspond to either core or compulsory subjects, while optional subjects account for just 24 credits, except for that of Private investigation, which is worth 30 credits), whilst at the same time beginning the professional specialisation which will continue in their post-graduate courses. The route chosen is mentioned in the supplement to the degree only if the corresponding subjects are passed.  In order to make up their quota of optional subjects (36 credits), students may then choose freely from among the other subjects on offer. Students are also offered the possibility of carrying out work experience (6 credits) or a range of cultural, sporting, student representation, charity and cooperation activities established by the University, for which they may obtain up to a maximum of 6 optional credits.

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS AND ROUTES

Optional subjects:

Route 1: Public security

• Administrative police
• Judicial Police
• Intervention in crises, catastrophes and emergencies
• Gender-based violence

Route 2: Private investigation

• Labour law
• Civil Law
• Business Law
• Technological media in private investigation

Route 3: Justice Administration

• Witness psychology
• Scientific police and the forensic laboratory
• Pharmacology
• Forensic entomology

Common optional subjects. One subject may be chosen from the following group of common subjects:

• Profiling: psycho-criminological profiling of delinquents
• Professional code of conduct (this subject must be taken to qualify as a Private Detective)
• Forensic psychiatry

Optional non-route credits may be taken by means of:

• Work Experience
• Optional subject “Psychopaths and serial killers”
• Or any optional subject from either of the two routes not chosen.

The offer of optional subjects in the distance learning group may be limited due to the nature of the subjects themselves, in which student presence may be essential to ensure the acquisition of the skills and the learning outcomes expected for each subject.

In the final year, as a bridge between academic and professional life, students may opt for the Work Experience programme, worth 6 ECTS, which enables students to work in institutions or professional offices, in order to prepare for their entry into the labour market. The work experience programme has been established as an optional part of the syllabus in order not to handicap students already engaged in labour or professional activities.

If they choose one of the offered routes, students can opt freely either for the work experience or for any  of the subjects from the remaining optional programme, also those belonging to the other two routes.

Moreover, it is compulsory to bring forth and defend a Final Project, worth 6 ECTS, which contributes to complete the acquisition of the abilities required for the attainment of this degree and will be conducted during the second semester of the last year. Students that follow the Private Investigation route will have to enrol in a specific Final Project (code 18548) for this route. The rest of the students will complete the general Final Project (code 18547)

Prior to evaluation for the final grade, the student must accredit competence in a foreign language. Among others, one way of accreditation at the University of Alicante is to possess at least level B1 of the Common European Framework for Modern Languages. This requirement might be raised in a future.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT (IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Students who study an undergraduate degree at the University of Alicante must confirm a minimum level of B1 in a foreign language (a B2 is recommended) in order to obtain the diploma.  

The required language level is in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 

The language accreditation requirement can be obtained previously or at any time during university studies. However, the language requirement will be necessary in order to be able to assess the final year project.

The different forms of obtaining such language requirement can be consulted in the additional information in this section.  

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LANGUAGE TEACHING COMPETENCE CERTIFICATE

Students who want to have a career in non-university teaching when they finish their studies are recommended to obtain the teaching competence certificate (Valencian and/or foreign languages).

This certificate can be obtained by taking specific itineraries in your university studies or by taking the UA teaching competence course in Valencian, German, French and English.

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FINAL YEAR PROJECT (TFG)

All the official undergraduate degrees must be completed by preparing and defending a final year project, which must be done in the final phase of the studies and be aimed at the assessment of competences associated to the degree.

The final year project must be an original, independent and personal work. The elaboration of it may by individual or coordinated. Each student will prepare this project under the supervision of a tutor, allowing students to show the received training content in an integrated many, as well as the acquired competences associated to the undergraduate degree.

In order to register in the final year project, students must comply with the requirements established in the “Regulations for continuation studies for students registered in undergraduate degrees at the University of Alicante”. Among the requirements established to be able to register in the final year project, a minimum of 168 credits must be passed in undergraduate degrees with a total of 240 credits, and a minimum of 228 credits in undergraduate degrees with a total of 300 credits or more.

In order for the final year project to be assessed, a B1 level of a foreign language (B2 is recommended) must be confirmed.

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• Access routes
• Procedure for applying for admission
• Recommended applicant profile
• Number of places and pass marks

ACCESS ROUTES

Admission to this degree course is open to any applicant who meets one of the following entrance requirements:

1.     SPANISH BACCALAUREATE (LOMCE) UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Although students can access university by means of any Baccalaureate specialization, the recommended one is Humanities and Social Sciences.

Admission scores for this degree can be improved by taking the specific modules of the University Entrance Exam (PAU) as indicated in the table below with their respective weightings.

TABLE 1

2.     PREVIOUS BACCALAUREATES WITH OR WITHOUT A PASS IN THE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM (PAU): Students who have completed their Baccalaureate under previous education systems and have passed the PAU will be able to use the mark obtained in their application.

However, students can take specific exam modules during the voluntary PAU exam period in order to improve their admission score as shown in table 1. They can also sit for the obligatory PAU exams, in which case they will have to take all the exams scheduled during this period.

3.     VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: Vocational educational qualifications such as senior technician, senior technician of plastic arts and design, or senior technician in sports is the preferred professional area although access to this degree may be through any professional field.

Admission scores can be improved by taking the PAU exam in up to 4 of the modules in table 1.

4.     STUDENTS FROM EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR OTHER STATES WITH WHICH SPAIN HAS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT: Accreditation is required and issued by Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).

Students can sit for exams in subjects included in the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE), organised by the UNED, in order to improve their admission score up to 14 points as indicated in the weightings in Table 1.

5.     STUDENTS FROM FOREIGN EDUCATION SYSTEMS: Prior to applying for the validation of their foreign Baccalaureate, students may sit for up to 4 exams in subjects offered by the Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (PCE) organised by UNED (at least one subject from the core subjects).

The weightings indicated in table 1 will be applied to core and/or optional subjects.

6.     OTHER: University degrees and other similar qualifications. University entrance exam for students over 25 (preferential option: Social and Legal Sciences). Access on the basis of professional experience (applicants over 40 years of age). Access to applicants aged 45 years or more by means of an exam.

Weightings of the subjects of the specific phase of the Proof of Access to the University (PAU) in the previous years

High School Diploma Subjects

Academic Years 2010-11 2011-12

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Academic Years 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

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Academic Year  2015-16 2016-17

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PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR ADMISSION: PRE-ENROLMENT AND REGISTRATION

• Anticipated number of places offered during the first pre-enrolment session: 240 (70 on-line).
  

• In order to apply for a place, the procedure and pre-enrolment periods established each year must be observed. Information concerning the application procedure  (Pre-enrolment).

• Applicants admitted to a course must formally register within the timescale established annually in the enrolment calendar. Registration Information.

RECOMMENDED APPLICANT PROFILE

Students who wish to take this Degree should have taken the Humanities and Social Sciences high school diploma route, or should have passed a higher vocational qualification in Socio-Cultural Services and the Community (in particular, that of Social Integration).

Furthermore, students should possess a series of characteristics and skills, or the capacity to acquire them, such as:

• an interest in aspects related to crime: origins, responses, prevention;
• an interest in politics and society;
• have an open-minded, plural approach to people and society;
• be committed to the values of social justice;
• capacity for analysis, synthesis and reasoning;
• capacity to work as part of a team;
• capacity to mediate, negotiate and take decisions.

NUMBER OF PLACES AND PASS MARKS

• "Pass marks" indicated correspond to the results of the first adjudication of June.
  
• The definitive marks can be inferior to the here collected.

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Criminology graduates are qualified to work within the police force, judicial or penal administration, community and prevention programmes, interventions to counter marginalisation, victim assistance, etc.

Professions for which the degree qualifies its holder.

A degree in criminology opens the doors to a wide range of professional activities, including policing and/or victimology activities in the field of public security, private security (directors and managers of private security agencies) and prison and judicial activities (participation in advisory teams and on the Treatment Boards of Prison Institutes, Parole or Juvenile Court consultancy activities, victim assistance, etc.).

By resolution of the Home Office of 21/08/2013, the Degree in Criminology with itinerary in Private Investigation is recognised to effects of the habilitation for the professional exercise like Private Detective.

IMPLEMENTATION

The new Degree in Criminology offered by the Law Faculty will be implemented year by year.

TIMESCALE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY (GRADO) AND PHASING OUT OF THE FORMER DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY (LICENCIATURA)

Once a course has been phased out, the subjects corresponding to the course will no longer be taught. Students who do not wish to take the new degree course subjects are entitled to sit four examinations in the two academic years following the end of each year. Any students wishing to continue their studies after sitting and failing these tests will be required to follow the new plan, according to the adaptation system established in the new plan.

PROCEDURE FOR THE CHANGE TO THE NEW STUDY PLAN

Non-recognised subjects

A total of 126 credits in the current Criminology Degree study plan (Licenciatura) can be adapted to the new Criminology Degree study plan (Grado). Of these, 99 correspond to core and compulsory subjects, and 27 to optional subjects.

Credits taken by Criminology students not listed in the above table may be validated by means of:

• Degree course optional credits, up to the maximum number of optional credits established for each degree course.

• Recognised free-elective credits validated for university, cultural or representational activities will be validated for the degree course, with a maximum of up to 6 academic credits to be validated for various activities, as set out in Art. 12.8 Royal Decree 1393/2007 (participation in cultural, sporting, student representation, charity and cooperation activities).

DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY. SYLLABUS SUMMARY

Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIC) of the Title

• Structure of the Centre for Quality
  • Comission of Internal Quality Guarantee
  • Other Commissions  
• Handbook SGIC
• Procedures
  • Strategic (PE)
  • Key (PC)
  • Support (PA)
  • Measurement (PM)

• Management of the SGIC (Access to ASTUA)

Follow-up of the Title

• Self-reports UA
• External reports AVAP 
• Other reports
• Improvement Plans
• Progress and Learning Outcomes