Collaborative Criminology short course
News
BSU launches innovative Collaborative Criminology course for prison learners
Thursday, 1 May, 2025Bath Spa University champions the transformative power of education and believes that institutions like ours make a vital contribution to the lives of many, including those who might not ordinarily get the opportunity or access to higher education.
Dr Natalie Booth and Dr Faye Vanstone spotted an opportunity to use their expertise in Criminology to extend the reach of higher education into the criminal justice sector with an innovative new short course in criminology for prison learners.
Working alongside the education team at HMP Erlestoke, and following years of preparation, they have brought their vision to life. BSU’s School of Science is now providing learners at HMP Erlestoke the opportunity to participate in the Collaborative Criminology short course led by Dr Faye Vanstone and Dr Natalie Booth. Learners will be able to apply their lived experiences to their studies and upon successful completion, gain 30 university credits to take forward.
Elizabeth Williams, Education Manager at HMP Erlestoke said:
“This is the seventh year we have collaborated with the criminology course at BSU which has proven to be a powerful partnership for both the final year criminology students and our prisoners. The bringing together of those studying the theory and those living the reality has generated greater understanding and important discussion to the benefit of everyone.
“I am grateful to BSU for now recognising this module and including an accredited option for the prison learners which has been well received by their years’ group. This is an important opportunity for students and prisoners which hopefully can continue and develop further”
The short course began recently, and governed by HMPPS policy, is designed to run simultaneously, but separately, to BSU’s longstanding and unique undergraduate module, Unlocking Criminology.
With Dr Booth and Dr Vanstone teaching in classrooms at the prison and Newton Park each week, the complimentary module and course will explore issues of crime, justice and penalty, sharing learning throughout to enrich both prison learners’ and students’ experiences. The classroom learning all culminates in a one-day event where prison learners and students come together working in small groups to discuss and apply criminological theory and evidence to lived experience.
Dr Faye Vanstone and Dr Natalie Booth said:
“For the first time, we can formally recognise the important contributions, development, and growth that the partnership between HMP Erlestoke and BSU also brings to the prison learners. The Collaborative Criminology short course provides university credits which is an acknowledgement of their hard work, and these credits can and will be used to support the prisoners as they draw on education to forge new futures for themselves both during their sentence and, hopefully, on release. The first cohort began their studies in February 2025 and we are very much enjoying working with the Erlestoke learners on this wonderful new programme”.
This innovative step from BSU’s School of Sciences builds on the success of the Unlocking Criminology module. Highly sought after, the third-year module sees students paired with a group of prison learners at HMP Erlestoke, providing real-world experience and feedback on seminar tasks and questions. It takes theories and practices off the page and places them firmly in reality and lived experience. The module concludes with a visit to the prison, to meet the people who had been responding to their tasks, hearing from them first-hand about their experiences.
The experience of the Unlocking Criminology module has been transformative for many of BSU’s Criminology students, guiding their way to a career in the sector.
Now a Probation Officer, BSU graduate Maddie who participated in the module last year said:
"I would emphasise the value of having physical experience of being in a prison, it's invaluable and has allowed me to feel more confident in my job. I am using the experiences and knowledge I gained from the Unlocking Criminology module every day in my new job"
BSU graduate, Jasmine, reflected on the impact of the module, highlighting the need for opportunities, like the Collaborative Criminology short course, to enable re-entry into society:
“I now feel more passionately about supporting those [...] not able to access the support required for successful rehabilitation. [...] More support needs to be provided to prisoners to enable seamless re-entry into society, and to lead them away from a life of crime.”
Introducing a complimentary short course alongside the Unlocking Criminology module, provides students and prison learners with the opportunity to share learning in an even more meaningful way. Students can take invaluable experience into their careers in the sector, and prison learners can gain further understanding about their own lived experiences, as well as finishing the course with the accomplishment and tools to pursue an education as they work toward reintegrating into society.
Having taken part in the collaboration with the University in 2024, David, HMP Erlestoke learner, has been inspired to continue learning. David said:
“Collaborating with Bath Spa University with their final year criminology students gave me a great insight to what is taught within a uni. criminology module. Taking part in the project with Natalie and Faye confirmed to me that I wanted to study the subject further and led me to commencing my first year at Open University in Criminology and Social Sciences”
Are you interested in a career in the criminal justice sector? Our Criminology course could be just what you’re looking for.