Sociology and Criminology

Our BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology degree is a radical and practical course; theoretically driven and empirically informed, as well as locally situated and globally focused.

Studying Sociology at Birmingham City University is about not reading sociology but doing sociology, allowing you to explore and question social norms and discover the complex issues behind your everyday routines and social practices in a range of spatial contexts, applying what you learn to your own lived experiences.
The inclusion of Criminology into the degree affords you the opportunity to understanding how society makes sense of crime, criminality and its control as well as the relationship between crime and wider society .You will examine patterns and processes of inequality, crime, the structure and dynamics of social hierarchies and power relations and ask why and how people shape their identities and the tensions and conflicts that these processes create.

Through the Birmingham 2029 project, you will have the chance to explore such themes of sociology and criminology within the city of Birmingham, an urban context that hosts diverse communities perfect for sociological and criminological examination. The course has links with local public and third sector organisations that will help you make professional contacts and be able to apply your studies to future career prospects whether taking part in voluntary work or on placement.

Employability is at the heart of our BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology programme, with placement opportunities embedded throughout the course of the degree. Coming to study Sociology and Criminology at Birmingham City University affords you with a wealth of academic and employability opportunities, locally and globally aligned, to develop the skills needed to not only achieve successful graduate employment but also to contribute, as an agent of change, to thinking through and tackling some of the pressing social issues of contemporary society.

Professional Placement Year

This course offers an optional professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, following successful completion of your second year, and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.

If you choose to pursue a placement year, you will need to find a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional, and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you are able to secure a placement, you can request to be transferred to the placement version of the course.

Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year.

£1,000 scholarships for 2025/26

If you apply to BCU by 30 June 2025, you could be eligible for one of our £1,000 scholarships:
- Accelerate – if you are from a lower income family or household

- High Achievers’ – if you achieve 144 UCAS points or more from your main three qualifications

For full details and terms, visit www.bcu.ac.uk/scholarships