Aims
- To understand the philosophical underpinnings of criminology and social policy research and practice.
- To evaluate and understand the contested and political nature of knowledge and the complex relationship between social research and the policy environment.
- To critically evaluate a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods used in relevant fields of enquiry.
- To develop advanced data analysis skills, including the use of specialist software tools.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the module the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of criminological and social policy research.
- Critically examine the influence of stakeholders on the design, delivery and outcomes in the research process.
- Demonstrate a critical awareness of the relative advantages and disadvantages of qualitative and quantitative methods, to make informed decisions about their suitability for a particular research need.
- Demonstrate an ability to apply appropriate analyses to different types of data.