Accessibility statement

Mark

BA Criminology, Year 3

Studying Criminology has given Mark opportunities to see places and do things he hadn't considered before. He describes his time as York as amazing and has gained real-world experience. He is currently working on his final year project - where he is using his own experiences to evaluate perceptions of the gaming industry.

"I’ve always been interested in the study of crime, criminal patterns and society’s response to crime. At college I studied public services, which was a good stepping-stone as it gave me an understanding of how the services work together to manage criminal situations.

I have gained real-world experience on the course. During my second year we visited the York Crown Court where we investigated the varying roles within a legal course case.  We also got to meet inspirational guest speakers, such as prison directors and forensic psychologists – they have broadened the knowledge of the career paths available to me and given me aspirations for the future.

The courses strong association with sociology has been a huge benefit as I have a huge interest in society’s role in criminalising individuals. I have become interested in the effects of interactive media on criminality (specifically the effects of age restricted video gaming), as a result this has become the focus of my final year project. As a self acknowledge gamer, I have used my own experiences to evaluate perceptions and form my own arguments around a subject I have great passion for.

On a personal level what I have become most proud of is the development of how much more of an adaptable learner I’ve become. I’ve completed modules in in sociology, social policy and law, subjects I wouldn’t have had the confidence to tackle before my time at York and this makes me feel I can master anything, no matter what discipline.”