Have your understanding of crime, deviance and the criminal justice process challenged on this fascinating and flexible Criminology degree, which is ranked top 10 in the UK for course satisfaction (Criminology, The Guardian Guide 2022).
Programme Overview
Gain a deeper understanding of how we define, classify and respond to crime, and why people commit crimes on this fascinating Criminology degree.
Criminology is a social science examining the development and operation of the law and how society is policed. You’ll study all aspects of crime, learning how it’s controlled and regulated in modern societies.
Learn the fundamentals of criminology and sociology
This is a flexible degree. In the first two years you will concentrate on the fundamentals of criminology and sociology. In years three and four you will specialise, working with our academics to explore:
- Contemporary criminological theory.
- Crime, policing and police work.
- Penal institutions.
- Race and Human rights.
We place a strong emphasis on developing your research skills, which are highly valued in the workplace. Whether it's collaboration, assessing evidence, writing reports, researching or completing project work, your criminology studies will make you extremely employable.
After the first two years of study, you can choose to specialise in other areas or carry on studying this pathway. See more in the 'How the Course Works' section below.
How the Course Works
This degree is part of a larger portfolio of three courses covering Criminology, Policing and Sociology.
The first two years of each course follow the same curriculum. This initial two-year curriculum covers the fundamentals of criminology and sociology, recognising the deep interplay between the two.
Our two-year foundation approach means you can keep your options open until you’ve learnt more about what really interests you. Having gained two years of knowledge, at the end of year two you choose from one of these pathways:
- Carry on studying BA (Hons) Criminology
- BA (Hons) Criminology and Policing
- BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology
Your chosen course will be reflected in your degree title e.g. BSc (Hons) Criminology and Policing. And, of course, we’re here to help if you need help deciding which path to take.
Remember, you only need to apply for ONE course, as the first two years are the same for everyone.
The pathways are new for 2022, so are for students applying for year one only. Anyone applying for years two or three should email [email protected] for full details.
Teaching and Assessment
You’ll learn through a blend of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, online discussion forums, video screenings, guest speaker presentations, directed and private study, and student-focussed group work.
Other assessment methods include supervised examinations, essays, reports, portfolios, presentations, project work, class and online tests, and reflective analyses. In your final year, you’ll design and produce a research project under the dedicated supervision of an academic staff member.
Around one third of the course is assessed through examination, although the exact proportion depends on your module choices.
Put simply, we aim to give you all the skills you need to move straight into a job or further study when you graduate.
Our criminology degrees equip you with the skills
needed for a successful and varied career, especially if
you want to work with or manage groups of people.
Some graduates go onto further study, often in social policy and
social work, criminology, law or criminal justice policy. Scotland
has a great demand for people trained in these areas, so it's
good news for your future.
Whatever you choose, we help you to become a confident,
knowledgeable graduate with a great set of transferable skills,
ready to start your career.
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