Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

Why Criminology?

Criminology is a fascinating academic discipline, opening up pathways into a wide range of careers where you can have a real impact on society. On this course, you’ll debate major philosophical ideas about retribution, rehabilitation and punishment, exploring why people commit crime, why laws are created and broken, the effectiveness of sentencing and punishment, and the impact of crime on victims, communities and wider society.

Bringing together disciplines such as sociology, law, psychology and philosophy, our BSc (Hons) Criminology encourages you to think creatively, challenge established beliefs and develop your own research interests. Our emphasis on problem-based learning means you will be well equipped to meet the real-world challenges of the justice and penal system in practice.

Throughout the degree, you’ll develop your investigative, management and communication skills with activities such as interviewing, negotiation, decision-making, research and argument.

Hands-on learning

You’ll be able to make direct links between complex theories of criminology and the day-to-day demands of working practice. Thanks to our strong professional partnerships with the police, probation service, prisons and other criminal justice agencies, there are exciting opportunities for you to apply your skills and knowledge to ‘real-world’ situations.

An extensive programme of study visits and fieldtrips will give you intriguing insights. These could include visits to courts, prisons, police forces and youth offender training centres. In the first year, you will also tour the National Justice Museum to give your learning a historical context.

There is endless variety and scope for practical projects: in the past our students have taken part in mock murder hunts, contributed to hate crime scrutiny panels, investigated miscarriages of justice, joined riot training with the constabulary, and observed how cases are taken from crime scene to courtroom.

Global thinking

International perspectives are an integral part of the BSc (Hons) Criminology – and we offer you the chance to witness how other countries approach criminal justice at first hand. We have previously hosted international debates with Criminology students from across the globe, and such experiences enrich your learning and help shape your future career.

Expert teaching

You’ll learn from an award-winning teaching team which includes criminal psychologists, sociologists, experienced police officers and lawyers. Many are still actively engaged with practice, which helps you keep up to date with contemporary issues.

The degree is also closely aligned to the research activities of our staff, who have a growing international profile for shaping understanding and practice in the criminal justice sector. Research projects cover everything from drug use, hate crime and human trafficking to psychopathy, organised crime and witness reliability.

You’ll also have the chance to meet influential leaders in the profession. Our regular programme of guest speakers keeps you in tune with latest developments in policy and practice. Previous guest speakers include crown court judges, police investigators and professionals from the youth justice practice.

Equipment and resources

As a BSc (Hons) Criminology student, you’ll be based on the Derby Campus at One Friar Gate Square. Offering the perfect environment for innovative and engaging teaching, it includes well-resourced lecture theatres, seminar rooms and social learning spaces.

You’ll be able to gain practical experience of investigative processes using our first-rate facilities such as a replica crown court and custody suite.

Because you’ll be working alongside students taking courses in subjects such as law, sociology, international relations and policing, there are many opportunities to share knowledge, expertise and experience.

Study overseas

Spending time studying in another country is a great way to broaden your academic experience, enhance your personal development, boost your confidence and expand your career opportunities.

You could choose to study part of your degree at one of our partner universities in America:

• Eastern Michigan University
• Keene State College in New Hampshire
• Longwood University in Virginia
• Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

How you will learn

You’ll learn through a combination of:

• lectures
• tutorials
• group work
• independent learning

How you are assessed

Assessment is via a stimulating mix of:

• coursework
• portfolios
• individual and group projects/presentations
• examinations