Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Criminology and Sociology

at Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus United Kingdom

Explore professional writing techniques and learn to write compelling narratives whether you want to write poetry, drama, short fiction, news, features, or something else. You’ll improve your writing skills with invaluable feedback from professional writers, and workshops with your fellow students.

You’ll also find out how English literature is shaped by its historical and cultural context, and how, in turn, it influences individual readers and the whole of society. You’ll also learn about many other subjects, including history, politics, religion, psychology and history of art, which will enrich your writing. Your deeper understanding of literary texts will improve your abilities as a writer.

You can tailor your Writing and English Literature degree to your ideal career with our wide range of optional modules, including work-based modules in Years 2 and 3. We’ll support you to find work placements relevant to your chosen career. You can also take an optional placement year.

You’ll also have the option to learn a language with our Anglia Language Programme in Years 2 and 3, and/or study abroad for a semester and apply for funding to help cover the cost.

You’ll develop many skills besides writing, including literacy, communication, research, creative thinking, self-reliance and teamwork, all of which can help you start a career in many different areas.

As a BA (Hons) Philosophy student at ARU, you'll understand both the history of philosophy, as well as cutting edge debates in contemporary philosophy, within areas such as the Philosophy of AI, Ethics and the Philosophy of Art.

Your studies will be supported by our expert philosophy lecturers, who offer one-to-one tutoring and personalised feedback. It’s this support that helped our course rank as top Philosophy degree in the UK (National Student Survey 2020), as well as top for ’Satisfied with Feedback’ (The Guardian University Guide 2021).

You’ll develop your problem solving, critical thinking and judgement skills by analysing major philosophers’ ideas and arguments, developing your own views through rigorous, systematic and creative thought, and learning to use philosophical methods in your everyday life.

These are important skills, with the World Economic Forum ranking complex problem solving and critical thinking among the top ten skills needed to succeed in today’s job market.

There’s the chance to engage in philosophical discussions and debates through the student-led Philosophy Society, and attend events such as our Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series.

You could also boost your employability by learning a language with our Anglia Language Programme, or studying abroad for a semester.

Networks and their security have become more and more important for an organisation. Without networks, companies wouldn’t be able to maintain the continuous operation of the organisation.

With our Computer Networks degree course, you’ll get straight into the lab and use advanced software and virtual networks from the get-go so you can support, design, configure and manage the infrastructure of a company.

Networks and their security are an increasingly important and vital element in all organisations. Are you up for the challenge?

As a BEng (Hons) Computer Networks student at ARU, you’ll begin by studying the fundamentals of computer systems including computer architecture and computer networks. In parallel you will learn how to use Python to perform network automation and server administration. You’ll then move to learn the principles of software programming, enhance your mathematical skills and recognise the cyber threats that organisations, and their infrastructures face.

Our standalone network specialist labs will give you the freedom to experiment with building complex networks. You’ll have the chance to learn how to install and configure hardware, operating systems and software, as well as to investigate how organisations visualise security operations and identify potential network threats.

Our labs are equipped with tools such as Cisco Packet Tracer, Python, GNS3 and Kali Linux among other different operating systems. Not only that, our students have access to NETLAB, a remote network and security lab that can be accessed from anywhere at any time, and will allow you to carry on your practical work from the comfort of your own home.

When you graduate, you can apply for a certification at Associate (CCNA) and Professional levels (CCNP) with Cisco Systems, the leading manufacturer of networking equipment. As a Cisco alumnus, you can be eligible to a voucher discount for these certification exams.

This course gives you the opportunity to take a work placement year during your studies. It’s a great opportunity to build up experience and make industry contacts to benefit your studies and enhance your long-term career prospects.

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.

By exploring the structure, development and social context of the English language in the UK and beyond, you’ll dig beneath the surface of everyday language to discover the physical and abstract mechanics that allow us to communicate . You’ll study topics such as syntax, semantics and phonology, and the similarities and differences between English and other languages.

You’ll also develop research and communication skills that are highly valued in the job market, and can tailor your degree to your particular career goals by choosing from our wide range of optional modules, taking an optional placement year, spending a semester abroad, learning a foreign language, or studying for the internationally recognised CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)* qualification alongside your degree.

Our BA (Hons) English Language and Linguistics course was ranked 7th in the UK for Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2020, with a score of 95%.

Our team of expert lecturers will be on-hand to support you throughout your time at ARU, including Dr Bettina Beinhoff (Perceiving Identity through Accent – Attitudes towards Non-Native Speakers and their Accents in English), Dr Sebastian Rasinger (Quantitative Research in Linguistics: An Introduction) and Prof. Michelle Sheehan (co-author, The Philosophy of Universal Grammar).

Once you’ve graduated, you can continue to develop your skills with one of our Masters degrees, such as our MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL or MA Intercultural Communication.

At the end of the first year of your degree course, you can apply to study for the internationally recognised CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) alongside your BA (Hons). You will need to research and complete a language task and attend a group interview. The task and the interview will be used to check that you meet the entry requirements for the CELTA qualification, which are different from the course entry requirements

If you are accepted onto the CELTA course, you must complete the syllabus for the CELTA, both the methodology and teaching practice modules, in one academic year. You’ll take part in supervised lesson planning, observation of experienced teachers and assessed teaching practice, with support and feedback from experienced CELTA tutors. Having successfully completed all elements of the course, you will be awarded the CELTA qualification. This qualification will enable you to start teaching English as a second or other language immediately.

Our BA (Hons) Computer Games Design course will take you through the main areas of computer games development, from idea generation all the way to releasing a playable and polished game.

As you study you’ll develop specialist skills in game design, level design, user interface design, and user experience design. You’ll learn about different methods for user and task analysis that will help you develop intuitive and accessible interfaces.

You’ll also develop a deep understanding of the two most popular commercial game engines, Unity and Unreal – knowledge that is highly sought after in the creative industries.

And of course you’ll build a professional portfolio to showcase your skills to future employers and clients.

Psychology affects everything we do. You’re curious about people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour – and that’s what sits at the heart of our British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree course.

We’ll encourage you to keep asking questions, to develop the scientific, analytical and research skills you need to become a psychologist. Together, we’ll explore the different facets of psychology including applied, social and clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience and biological psychology.

By studying BSc (Hons) Psychology at ARU, you’ll immerse yourself in the science of mind and behaviour – and take the first step towards a career as a chartered psychologist.

Psychology is a broad field and there are many areas you could specialise in.

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree will give you a sound understanding of the main principles of psychology. But we know you’ll find particular areas that you’re fascinated by. All psychologists do. So, right from Year 1, our optional modules give you the freedom to explore your own interests in more depth.

You’ll learn from expert tutors who are actively engaged in research work. And you can take advantage of our specialist facilities too, including laboratories for measuring electrical activity in the brain, eye movement, psychoneuroimmunology, emotions and communication, psychometrics, and much more.

Outside of the lab, there’s the chance to join weekly seminars from guest speakers and take an optional placement year.

After graduation, you can continue your professional training and find a career that’s perfect for you. You might choose to specialise as a forensic, clinical, health or occupational psychologist. The choice is yours.

As a student at ARU, you’ll start by understanding the fundamentals of computing including computer networks, Linux operating systems, client/server architectures and secure high-level software development. You'll come to understand and recognise the cybercrime threats that organisations, and their infrastructures, face.

We’ll go on to study the cryptographic principles underpinning digital security and their application, how organisations' infrastructures can be protected from attack and how digital forensics can be used to investigate cyber related crime and malware infections. In a Security Management module, we’ll investigate how organisations visualise security operations, undertake threat intelligence and investigate potential threats.

Our Cyber Security degree includes access to the CCNA Routing and Switching and EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) curriculums. This gives you the chance to progress your learning to full certification – you’ll just need to pay for your exam fees.

Our specialist labs are the perfect place you apply your knowledge and skills, carrying out penetration testing, digital forensic investigations and analysing how malware operates. They’re equipped with tools such as Kali Linux Penetration Testing Distribution, X-Ways Forensic, Autopsy, Cisco PacketTracer, OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite.

What’s more, our close links to cyber security institutions such as OWASP Cambridge Chapter, BCS Cybercrime Forensics SG,(ISC)2 and UK Cyber Security Forum Cambridge Cluster means you'll hear directly from industry experts in the classroom.

We are academic supporters for OWASP, Chartered Institute for Information Security (CIISec), CREST and ISACA London, which all additionally benefits to students studying at ARU.

You have the option to take a placement year as part of your course, and gain valuable work experience.

Create a diverse portfolio of work that will prepare you for the modern collaborative creative industries, whether you want to make soundtracks for films and games, manage sound for podcasts and live broadcasts, or perform as a DJ.

Our BA (Hons) Music and Sound Production degree will allow you access to industry-standard equipment for recording, mixing, editing and production, giving you valuable practice in working as a professional producer or sound engineer.

As well as advancing your understanding of digital audio theory, MIDI, and sound synthesis, you’ll move beyond move beyond the native mixers, processors and plugins in commercial DAWs towards higher-quality external processors, such as digital signal processing-based plugins and analogue outboard.

As a student at ARU in Cambridge, many of your modules will be shared with our other music courses, giving you the chance to collaborate with different students and develop all-important skills for your professional life, such as teamworking and time management. You’ll also have opportunities to work with students on our film and computer game degrees, creating soundtracks for their projects.

Our optional modules allow you to shape the course for your chosen career. For example, Music Business will develop and broaden your entrepreneurial skills for the modern music industry, with teaching by professionals who have extensive industry experience, and visiting speakers contributing specialist knowledge. Electronics for Music will introduce you to the analysis and design of electronic circuits, small-signal and power amplifiers, and the problems of noise, interference and distortion, helping you evaluate, select, design and test audio electronic equipment for use in your creative projects.

Throughout your BA (Hons) Sociology degree, you’ll learn from sociologists who specialise in social policy and theory and undertake research into a wide range of sociological issues including 'race' and ethnicity, urban sociology, delinquency and disorder, the sociology of sport, notions of belonging, governance, moral regulation, social constructions of alcohol, gender-based violence, social justice, and social relations in marginalised communities.

You’ll also prepare for your future career, with the opportunity to conduct your own community or workplace research, gaining valuable practical experience and insight into different approaches to social issues. You’ll consider how you can apply this understanding by researching, pitching and evaluating an idea that could potentially make a positive contribution to society. You can also take an optional placement year; this might be in a governmental organisation, NGO, charity or social enterprise – wherever your own interests lead you.