Criminology and Sociology

Criminology and sociology together provide a particularly powerful perspective on crime and social life. Criminology examines the nature and causes of crime, the criminal justice system, and the experiences of those who commit crimes and those who are affected by them. Sociology brings the broader analytical frameworks for understanding how social structures, inequalities, and institutions shape human behaviour and experience.

Together, they invite you to see crime not as the product of individual pathology alone but as something embedded in and produced by social conditions, and to think critically about how societies define, respond to, and sometimes perpetuate the harms they seek to reduce.

At the University of Hull, this three-year full-time degree draws on one of the longest criminology teaching traditions in the UK, with research leaders who continue to shape the field. You will explore how crime affects society while developing your own critical perspective on crime, criminal behaviour, and the experiences of victims. The programme offers access to hands-on learning facilities, including a replica crime scene training facility that gives you a sense of how evidence is gathered and processed in professional contexts.

A typical entry tariff of 104 points applies.

Criminology and sociology graduates work across the criminal justice sector, social research, policy, social care, community development, and the voluntary sector. Many enter the police service, probation, social work, youth justice, victim support, and NGOs. The sociological dimension of the degree is particularly valuable for roles in policy research, social work, public health, and community organisations.

Postgraduate study in criminology, sociology, social work, law, or public policy is a natural continuation for those wishing to specialise further.