Criminology and Policing with Foundation Year

• We are ranked 3rd in London for criminology (Guardian University Guide 2021). • Ranked sixth in the UK for our social sciences research (Research Excellence Framework 2014). • Work with lecturers with vast experience of the criminal justice system, who have worked as expert advisors, policymakers, researchers and campaigners. • Silver in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for delivering high quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students

About this course

This course is offered as a degree with foundation year - a four-year programme which provides an additional foundation year at the beginning of the degree, that will give you academic and practical experience, as well as the skills you need to ensure you are equipped to successfully complete your chosen degree.

New for the 2022 academic year, our BSc Criminology and Policing degree will allow you to explore the criminal justice system and the wider context of policing, while developing a strong understanding of how the justice system operates.

You will be taught by leading scholars in a Faculty driven by innovative research. Our team has extensive criminal justice experience, and what you will be taught is directly informed by research and consultancy work acting as advisors to the Government, Home Office, Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service. This degree will focus on developing you as a professional, equipping you with the skills and qualities you need for a career in the field of criminology.

Skills

In our BSc Criminology and Policing programme, our primary focus is to nurture your development of a comprehensive professional skillset. This encompasses not only a firm grasp of fundamental criminology and social science skills but also the ability to grapple with pressing ethical, political, and moral dilemmas related to crime, justice, and policing.

Your learning extends beyond the classroom through real-world engagement, including valuable connections with criminal justice agencies. This practical approach provides you with unique opportunities, such as studying within a prison environment in the module 'Prisons and Penal Policy,' allowing you to engage with serving prisoners and community agencies, as well as the police service.

These three integral elements will undoubtedly prepare you for a wide array of impactful roles that shape our society, from the prison and probation services to the police, Home Office, or Ministry of Justice, opening doors to a promising future in various fields of criminology and policing.

Career opportunities

Studying criminology opens the door to working in many different areas that shape society. You could secure work in the prison and probation services, the police, Home Office, Ministry of Justice or the wider criminal justice system, as well as being equipped to pursue a career in the legal profession.

Equally, many criminology graduates work in the charity sector or for campaigning organisations focusing on advocacy or criminal justice reform. As a social scientist, your ability to dissect, analyse and research crime, its causes and its potential solutions, will be highly valuable to employers.