Criminology and Sociology

Criminology and sociology are disciplines that illuminate each other in fundamental ways. Criminology examines crime and criminal justice, investigating why people offend, how the criminal justice system responds, and how crime varies across time, place, and social group. Sociology provides the broader framework, analysing how societies are structured, how power and inequality operate, and how rapid changes in the social, cultural, and political fabric of contemporary life affect individuals and communities.

Together, they give you a sophisticated understanding of both the specific phenomenon of crime and the wider social processes in which it is embedded.

At Loughborough University, this four-year full-time programme combines both disciplines in a rigorous and intellectually engaging curriculum. A year abroad is available, giving you the opportunity to experience academic and social life in a different country, which is particularly enriching in disciplines that are inherently comparative and concerned with how different societies work. You will study theories of crime and deviance, the sociology of race, class, and gender, the politics of criminal justice policy, research methods, and the empirical evidence about crime and social change.

The programme develops your ability to think analytically about complex social phenomena, to engage critically with evidence and theory, and to communicate your thinking effectively in writing and discussion.

Graduates go on to careers in criminal justice, social work, probation, youth offending services, policy research, local government, the voluntary sector, and journalism. The combination of criminological and sociological understanding is valued in any field that requires engagement with questions of inequality, justice, and social change. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in criminology, sociology, law, or social work, and some pursue research or academic careers.

The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are widely transferable across professional and public sector contexts.