Criminology and Philosophy & Ethics

Criminology and philosophy and ethics is a combination that approaches some of the most fundamental questions in social and moral life from two complementary angles. Criminology examines why crime occurs, how it is defined and controlled, and whether the criminal justice system is effective or just. Philosophy and ethics provides the moral and philosophical framework to evaluate those processes more deeply, asking what justice actually requires, whether punishment is morally defensible, and how we should think about responsibility, rights, and the limits of state power.

Together, these disciplines equip you to think both analytically and ethically about crime and the social responses to it.

At Liverpool Hope University, you will study criminology and philosophy and ethics over three years full-time, exploring crime and its causes alongside the philosophical frameworks for moral reasoning that illuminate what just responses to crime might look like. The criminology strand examines how crime is defined, who commits it and why, the operation of the criminal justice system, and the evidence on what works in preventing reoffending. The philosophy and ethics strand develops your capacity for rigorous moral argument and your engagement with the key debates in ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of law.

The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement provision, giving you professional experience and international exposure before you graduate. The typical entry tariff is 88 UCAS points.

Graduates work in criminal justice, social research, policy analysis, the voluntary sector, education, law, advocacy, and ethics-related roles in public and private organisations. The combination of criminological knowledge and philosophical reasoning is particularly valuable for careers at the intersection of law, policy, and ethics. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in criminology, philosophy, law, or social policy.