Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology with Criminology with Professional Placement

at Birmingham City University - City Centre Campus United Kingdom

The BA (Hons) English and Journalism course is ideal for anyone wishing to follow a career in the dynamic and competitive world of journalism.

The course is housed in the School of English where you will be taught by world-leading academics and practitioners offering a diverse range of modules in literary studies, linguistics, creative writing and drama. Your degree will allow you to tailor your studies to your individual interests and career aspirations with both a local and global outlook.

The program focuses on the development of core knowledge and skills for English study and work experience placements on live stories in media environments will teach you how to craft a story in a way that engages the audience.

What's covered in this course?

The course brings together a study of English with knowledge of journalism practice and professional development. Combining the study of literature, language, drama and creative writing from the School of English with the development of skills to become a thinking media worker with the School of Media, you will benefit from subject knowledge and transferable skills from both disciplines.

Through study of English you will develop an ability to work as an independent researcher, to communicate effectively in spoken and written discourse, to critically evaluate the work of others and respond imaginatively to original briefs.

Understanding how language works in practice and how language and literature engage with societies are both vital aspects in understanding how the discipline connects with the wider world, enabling you to focus on the production, interpretation and negotiation of meaning.

Our MA in English Literature is taught by a team of distinguished critics, scholars and creative writers, all working at the cutting edge of their disciplines. As well as developing your skills as a critical thinker, you will join a thriving intellectual community, and benefit from a range of guest seminars and masterclasses, many of which are organized through our Institute of Creative and Critical Writing.

Our BA (Hons) Textile Design degree courses nurture fresh thinking and industry-ready creatives through a dynamic and carefully structured three year programme.

Our Fibre Arts option typically appeals to students who enjoy the process of making and are interested in producing work that transcends commercial design in the form of textile art or installations aimed at gallery exhibitions. Students who take this route often enjoy working with mixed media and will choose to engage with traditional techniques such as weaving, dying, macramé, felting, paper-making and many more unconventional approaches. The focus on the course is exploring and developing a clear personal identity to creative work and an understanding of where it sits within the artistic field. Alongside, you will develop the skills and confidence to apply for funding, residency and exhibition opportunities with which to build a career.

Studying with us will provide you with the skills, insights and experiences required to succeed in a broad scope of professional textile-related roles. Students secure placements with arts organisations, styling companies, galleries and within education.

By the end of your degree you will have a clear vision of where you fit in the industry and a tailored professional portfolio to take with you. Our BA (Hons) Textile Design: Fibre Art students go on to find employment as Textile Artists, Creative Facilitators, Arts Coordinators, Designer Makers and Curators. They also take up other roles where their material sensitivity, creativity and problem-solving is valued.

Our brand new hub for the arts in the thriving Eastside of the city has been purpose-built to stimulate creative minds within an open-access, contemporary studio environment. You will become a part of our lively and close-knit student community and be guided by an experienced and passionate team of staff who value the importance of getting to know you as an individual.

Our BSc (Hons) Financial Economics degree prepares you for a career in the financial sector as a financial economist, analyst, planner, investment analyst, or in a similar role.

Our degree provides both sound theoretical knowledge and technical skills which are highly sought-after by employers. This degree is built on core principles of economics, which are then applied to financial markets and institutions.

The course uses a unique pluralist approach that will empower you to understand competing economic ideas, think critically and apply your knowledge in your daily life and in your future workplace. Our degree is highly flexible, and apart from studying core economics subjects, you will be able to select optional modules which are most suitable for your own learning needs and career goals.

You will be able to benefit from unique set of modules, for example: Date Intelligence, Financial Modelling, Investment and Portfolio Management, Real Estate Economics and Financial Bubbles, as well as a capstone Business Advice or Economics Research Project. Moreover, you will learn advanced methods of quantitative analysis, econometrics, and IT skills using relevant industry-specific software to assist you to become a job-ready graduate.

You will be taught by industry-experienced academics who bring real world practical knowledge to the classroom. You will be able to work on life client projects with our Business Advice Centre that will give your exposure to challenges and issues faced by businesses and a chance to develop successful solutions. You will be right in the hub of the vibrant city and be surrounded by other likeminded students on a variety of economics, business, finance and accounting degrees.

During your studies you will benefit from international exposure on different levels. All modules delivered within this course contains teaching material based on international data; thus, your knowledge and expertise will not be limited by the UK alone. Our course is delivered by a multinational team of experts.

Our BSc (Hons) Financial Economics degree is highly applied and we pay special attention to developing your transferable skills that will prepare you for a wide range of careers both in public and private sector, providing you with a range of options depending on your career aspirations.

Looking for Sociology courses in Birmingham? Our BA (Hons) Sociology degree allows you to take a year-long placement in industry, gaining invaluable experience before you graduate.

Sociology helps us make sense of the societies in which we live and our place within them.

As one of our longest established courses, you’ll benefit from a programme of study taking an in-depth look at contemporary sociological issues that has been honed over several decades.

What's covered in this course?

You’ll explore and question social norms and discover the complex issues behind day-to-day routines and social practices.

We explore patterns and processes of inequality, examine the structure and dynamics of social hierarchies and power relations and ask why and how people shape their identities and practice their lives. We encourage you to explore how sociological knowledge can connect individuals and how it can provide you with the skills needed to participate in debates not just about what society is but how it could be.

Through the links we’ve developed with work-place organisations such as local School Academies, Citizens Advice Bureau and Woman’s Aid, we help support you to make professional contacts and to apply your studies to real-world situations when taking part in voluntary work or on placement. We also enjoy close links with the city of Birmingham itself, a diverse community perfect for sociological examination.

Want to study a Master’s in management in Birmingham? Our MSc Management and Entrepreneurship course is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

The Management and Entrepreneurship MSc is a challenging but highly rewarding pathway that will provide an innovative gateway into starting your own business, as well as helping you develop a legitimate business plan that you can use to start your company. Our Management and Entrepreneurship course teaches you the fundamental skills and attributes you need to become a successful entrepreneur.

You will work in internationally diverse student teams, collaborating to deliver effective and professional reports, reflecting the professional practice of international management. Throughout the course, the course team will give you the support you need to realise your potential, and we look forward to working with you to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills for the career of your choice.

What's covered in this course?

At Stage One you’ll become adept at strategic and tactical business decisions, developing core skills in key areas, including finance, people management, operations and marketing. You will examine the key challenges faced by global businesses, to fully appreciate the complexity and dynamics of leadership and management practice. This will see you broaden your skills in organisation, communication and working with others, particularly within an increasingly culturally diverse business context.

Stage Two develops your specialist knowledge, understanding and skills via the New Venture Creation module which specifically focuses on the applied aspects of entrepreneurial activity. In parallel, you will also learn about strategic management and develop your skills in research practice to prepare for your major project.

The Stage Three module of Entrepreneurship in Practice is a lecture and seminar series of specialist topics giving real-world practical insights into entrepreneurship practice. You will explore critical issues faced by entrepreneurs, such as entrepreneurship capital, buying a business, succession planning and start-up marketing. You will be given the option to develop your business concept into a substantial piece of research and business plan via the Entrepreneurship Project module. You will be able to self-appraise and reflect on your entrepreneurship skills at all three stages of the course.

English Language and Literature degrees instil graduates with a vast range of skills, which are highly sought after by employers.

The BA (Hons) English Language and Literature course will support you in developing interdisciplinary skills in both areas, as well as the wider field of humanities.

You will have a unique opportunity to strengthen your critical skills in informed reading and analysis, whilst deepening your appreciation for language and literature. You will develop your writing, close-reading and research skills, and learn to express your arguments coherently and persuasively.

Your language studies will be applied to everyday and professional settings, allowing you to strengthen your understanding of communicative processes, while your literature studies will provide an opportunity to examine literature from all of the major periods, movements and genres. Your degree will allow you to tailor your studies to your individual interests.

What's covered in this course?

English as a discipline continues to be relevant to the lives we lead and is central to a wide range of contemporary and social contexts. It is this fact on which the School has built its philosophy and approach to English as a subject with interdisciplinary reach beyond its own boundaries.

Understanding how language works in practice, engaging with multiple forms of communication, and examining how language and literature engage with societies and cultures in the past and present, are all vital aspects in understanding how the discipline connects with the wider world, enabling you to focus on the production, interpretation and negotiation of meaning and to understand the world from a variety of perspectives.

You will benefit from student-focused and research-informed teaching in a friendly and supportive learning environment. Our graduates are characterised by their extensive subject knowledge, critical thinking and intellectual curiosity, reflected in the skills and abilities that enables them to adapt to a wide range of career paths and employment opportunities.

The School contributes to the cultural life of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands by: working closely with partner colleges and schools; maintaining close links with cultural institutions such as the Birmingham and Midland Institute (BMI) and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG); and working with agencies such as Writing West Midlands. The aim is to provide opportunities for the community to engage with the discipline and the University.

The MSc Internal Audit Management & Consultancy is a unique offering in the UK and has been developed over many decades to ensure that it reflects the needs of the profession, employers and above all the students.

The majority of the course team have worked in the internal audit professional as well as other connected professions and therefore have a keen insight into the demands of the profession and the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected. This coupled with decades of delivering a Master's level qualification in Internal Audit, we are confident that this course will meet those needs.

The course’s over-riding philosophy is:

To equip those working within or intending to join the internal audit profession with the conceptual understanding, knowledge and skills to contribute positively to the organisations that they work for.

A law degree is an important first step into a career in law, as well as an important foundation on the route to many other careers, and Birmingham City University is a long-established provider of legal education to the Birmingham legal community and beyond.

This course has been developed to enable anyone wishing to qualify as a solicitor or barrister to undertake this first, important academic stage of their career. To achieve this, the course has been designed to align with the subjects that you will need to study further in order to successfully undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), while also meeting the requirements of the Bar Standards Board for an undergraduate law degree.

What's covered in this course?

The study of law is both academic and practical, and therefore both of these are important elements in the LLB (Hons) degree at BCU. Theory and academic study are important on an LLB, but so too is the application of that knowledge, and so our LLB (Hons) degree offers plenty of opportunity for you to develop the practical lawyering skills, as well as the transferable skills enhancing your employability, that graduates will need when entering the workplace.

The different pathways on the LLB course will allow you to make decisions regarding the direction in which you want to take your studies, with named degrees in Law with American Legal Studies, Law with Business Law, and Law with Criminal Justice, as well as a broad range of optional modules ranging from more theoretical topics through to those aimed at the practical application of the law in real-world situations.

You will also have the opportunity to put those skills to practical use, both in the local community and beyond. Whether that is through our programme of placement opportunities with local providers such as Citizen’s Advice and various legal advice charities, through opportunities in the local legal community, or via BCU’s own Law Clinic, established to serve the local community from our City Centre campus, there are plenty of options available to you.

You can also apply your legal knowledge further afield, through our US internship programme which has been placing students with attorneys throughout the US for over 20 years. A professional placement year is also available, between years 2 and 3 of the degree, offering further opportunity for you to put your knowledge and skills to practical use, and thereby enhancing your CV further.

By focussing on the development of a range of transferable skills, the course employs numerous innovative assessment methods, going beyond the typical forms of written academic assessment.

You are also encouraged to engage in extra-curricular activities to support your learning, with student societies such as the highly successful Mooting Society. Furthermore, you will have the ability to engage with the wider Birmingham legal community through our connections with the Birmingham Law Society, the largest regional law society in the UK.

Whatever your interests, our Musicology course gives you the unique opportunity to pursue your own research project within a lively and exciting Conservatoire environment.

Our flexible course enables you to mould a programme of study to your own needs and aspirations, and may be approached as preparation for a research degree in music.

It is important that a musicologist also develops complementary skills and/or knowledge outside their specialism which will help equip them for a future career: professional musicologists typically find themselves, amongst other things, teaching, managing and administering; some even maintain parallel careers as professional performers or composers.

Therefore, we provide you with a choice of Professional Development Options (shared across our postgraduate programmes) alongside your musicological work to give you the opportunity to develop and/or expand your interests across a range of complementary areas.

The Conservatoire team—which comprises a large number of research-active staff—has a vast array of expertise, allowing us to supervise a wide range of projects, and we are particularly keen to attract those interested in pursuing Masters-level research in our specialist areas.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.