Criminology and Criminal Justice

Criminology is the scientific and social study of crime: how it is defined, measured, caused, prevented, and responded to. Criminal justice examines the institutions and processes through which societies manage crime, including the police, courts, prisons, and probation services. Studied together, they allow you to question received assumptions about crime and punishment, to engage with the evidence on what works, and to develop creative and critical perspectives on some of the most contested questions in contemporary social life.

At Birkbeck College, this BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice takes a genuinely questioning approach, exploring both conventional frameworks for understanding crime and punishment and alternative perspectives that challenge mainstream assumptions. You will examine theories of crime causation, the social construction of deviance, the experiences of victims and offenders, and the operation of criminal justice institutions in practice. The programme also introduces you to alternative approaches to harmful behaviour, including restorative justice and diversion, giving you a broad and nuanced view of how societies can and do respond to crime.

Birkbeck's distinctive character as an evening university means the programme is accessible to students who are balancing work and other commitments with their studies, and the student body tends to bring a range of life and professional experience to the classroom. The degree runs over three years full-time.

Graduates go on to careers in the police, probation and prison services, social work, youth justice, victim support, policy, journalism, academia, and the voluntary sector. The critical and analytical skills the degree develops are valued wherever organisations need people who can question assumptions, evaluate evidence, and engage thoughtfully with social complexity. Postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, law, or criminal justice is also a well-established path.