Access to Higher Education Diploma: Law and Criminology

Understanding Actus Reus and Mens Rea

This module is designed to help students understand the difference between a guilty mind (mens rea) and a guilty act (actus reus), and how they can be applied in the study of law.  This introductory unit introduces students to fundamental legal principles and general legal terminology pertaining to general civil and criminal law.

An Introduction to the Law of Tort

You may have already come across the familiar term ‘duty of care’ in daily life. During this unit, we delve into what this actually means and how it applies to you and those around you in everyday life. The law of tort is relatable and interesting for all as it applies to everyone. In this unit, we will also see how seemingly obvious outcomes do not come to fruition, such as lawsuits falling through even when the victim is innocent and arguably deserves justice or compensation.

Employment Law

This unit covers fundamental principles of employer and employee law and the legal requirements of employment contracts. Part of the unit covers legislation and case law on the application of equal opportunities, providing an ideal opportunity to focus on British values of respect and tolerance.

Introduction to Contract Law

This unit builds knowledge of fundamental principles of contract law. It develops understanding and use of legal terminology specifically related to a range of legally binding contracts. The unit includes focus on elements and terms of legally binding agreements and covers remedies for frustrated or breached contracts.  

The Judicial System

Clarifying the structure and jurisdiction of courts, this unit also covers the roles of contributors to the civil and criminal justice systems, i.e., the roles of other staff in addition to professional legal personnel. The unit builds on the previous units’ coverage of case law to study appeal grounds in greater depth, i.e., who can appeal a court’s decision? Where does the appeal go to? What grounds are needed for an appeal application? This unit provides ideal opportunities to focus on values of democracy, the rule of law, and individual liberty.

Perspectives in Psychology

This introductory unit looks at theories surrounding criminal behaviour, often referred to as the ‘nature/nurture’ debate. We examine biological theories (are some people born to commit crime, or does trauma to the body contribute?), psychological theories and social/environmental theories (family background, class, culture, race, experiences). We want to know your opinion on these and will discuss a range of studies and cases to contextualise debate.

Forensic Science

Advances in science and technology have led to forensic science and evidence having ever-increasing roles in solving crimes. Not only are recent crimes investigated, but more ‘cold cases’ are now being re-investigated as investigators are provided with new developments and knowledge. Crime scenes are also analysed, including practices to avoid contamination of evidence.

Developments in Criminology

This unit examines how developments in other fields have affected criminology practices. This includes perception and treatment of victims of crime, use of offender profiling, and sentencing considerations.

Police Powers

What or who provides the police with the powers they have? What are the different roles within police forces? Who handles complaints against the police? Who governs the police? These topics, and others, will be discussed, as will a range of cases involving police operations and practices.

Research Methods

This introductory unit is the groundwork for psychology. You will learn the various methods into how psychologists’ study human behaviour, such as the traditional laboratory experiment, the discreet observations, and case studies on usual situations that may last a lifetime. Further, you will learn key terminology that will be revisited and built upon throughout the academic year.

Treatments and Therapies

You will gain an insight into the numerous treatments available for various mental health disorders, from cognitive behavioural therapy to surgery. This unit requires you to choose a mental health disorder of your choice, where you discuss the various treatments and therapies available, thus giving an opportunity for you to delve further into mental health disorders that may have previously piqued your interest.

Key Studies in Psychology 

Here you delve into six key psychology studies, building on the initial research methods unit by delving into key laboratory experiments, observations, and case studies. This unit heavily encourages debate each week as part of preliminary discussions and the ethical considerations that may or may not have been adhered to during each study.

The Psychology of Criminal Investigation

This unit is a key mix between psychology and law. Here we delve into how psychology can affect the legal processes, such as how memory can be affected whilst witnessing a crime, how police questioning tactics can cause us to remember the crime differently, and how the police use psychological studies of criminal human behaviour to create offender profiles which help to narrow down suspects. Further, we will consider how characteristics of a defendant may influence jury behaviour and decision making. Naturally, this again will encourage interesting debate.

Conformity and Obedience

This unit delves into the surprising strong nature of humans naturally wanting to conform and obey. We will see how this strong desire can have extremely dangerous consequences, which may even result in some of us becoming something we would never expect predict.

Study skills provides you with some essential skills necessary to complete your Access Diploma and progress onto undergraduate study and is regarded as increasingly important by degree programme admissions tutors. Study skills is comprised of two units: Progression Skills and English for Academic Study. In your study skills lessons, we aim to provide you with a range of new skills or to give you the opportunity to develop existing skills.