Criminology

Criminology is the systematic study of crime, criminals, victims, and the social responses that seek to prevent, punish, and rehabilitate. It draws on sociology, psychology, law, philosophy, and public policy to examine why crime happens, how it is defined and recorded, how the criminal justice system operates, and how different societies have sought to address crime and its consequences. As a discipline, criminology is both theoretically rich and practically engaged, connecting abstract questions about justice and social order to the concrete realities of policing, punishment, and penal reform.

At the University of Durham, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, giving students an additional introductory year to build academic skills and establish a grounding in social scientific thinking before moving into the main degree curriculum. The programme also offers a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement, providing substantial opportunities to gain professional and international experience alongside your academic study. Durham has a strong reputation in the social sciences, and Criminology sits within a research-active department where staff contribute to debates about criminal justice policy, penal theory, victimology, and the sociology of law.

You will engage with both classical and contemporary criminological theories, examine comparative criminal justice systems, study crime statistics and their limitations, and explore areas such as youth offending, organised crime, cybercrime, and the experience of victims within the justice system.

Graduates in criminology go on to careers in probation, the prison service, the police, social work, youth justice, policy and research, the legal sector, and the voluntary organisations that work with offenders and victims. The analytical, research, and communication skills developed through the degree are valuable across many professional contexts beyond criminal justice, including journalism, public administration, and social research. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in criminology, law, social policy, or public administration.