Criminology and Social Policy

This degree programme is an opportunity to study both Criminology and Social Policy within an interdisciplinary social sciences context.

Criminology is the field of study which focuses on criminalisation, victimisation, and social responses to crime and disorder. We draw on a range of social science perspectives and offer you the chance to explore sociological, psychological and political approaches to crime and its control.

Social Policy is the study of how societies respond to human need and seek to promote the wellbeing of their members. This includes debates about the goals of policy: how do we decide what human needs are, whose responsibility is it to meet human needs, and what we mean by ‘social justice'.

You will learn how to evaluate and interpret evidence, apply theories and examine policies in an objective fashion. Teaching draws upon a wide range of data and methods to investigate a range of policy challenges, ranging from problems of crime, justice and control to promoting social justice and environmental sustainability.

Distinctive features

The opportunity to learn from leading criminologists with strong links to police, probation and prisons, as well as local authorities, and Welsh and UK government institutions.

The opportunity for you to learn in a School that was ranked 3rd in the UK for research quality in sociology and 5th for education in the 2014 Research Excellent Framework (REF).

The involvement of research-active staff in teaching.

The emphasis on independent learning in a research-led environment.

The variety of modules on offer in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary School.