Criminology and Policing

Criminology and policing brings together the academic study of crime and justice with a focused exploration of policing as an institution, a practice, and a set of contested social relationships. Criminology asks why crime occurs, who is most affected by it, and whether criminal justice systems achieve their stated goals of prevention, punishment, and rehabilitation. The policing strand adds a detailed examination of how police forces are organised, how they exercise discretionary power, how they are held to account, and how their practices intersect with questions of race, class, gender, and human rights.

This four-year full-time programme at Abertay University in Dundee includes a year abroad, giving you the chance to study policing and crime in an international context and to compare approaches across different national systems. Abertay has developed a strong reputation in cybercrime and digital criminology alongside its work on policing and justice, and the university's engagement with practitioners in the justice sector enriches the curriculum with professional insight. You will study criminological theory, criminal justice policy, police organisation and culture, investigative practice, victimology, evidence-based policing, and the research methods needed to evaluate claims about what works and what does not in crime prevention and law enforcement.

Graduates from this programme pursue careers in police forces, the Scottish Prison Service, youth justice, probation, victim support, social work, the voluntary sector, and criminal justice policy. The degree also provides a strong academic basis for entry into police officer training or into postgraduate study in criminology, policing, security studies, or social policy. Many graduates are attracted to roles where they can contribute directly to safer communities, and the programme's blend of critical analysis and practical relevance prepares them well for that work.