Criminology

Criminology is the systematic scientific and social study of crime: why it happens, who commits it, who it affects and how societies respond to it. It is an inherently interdisciplinary subject, drawing on sociology, psychology, law, economics and political science to engage with questions that matter deeply to how societies function. Understanding the causes and patterns of crime requires both quantitative analysis of data and qualitative engagement with the experiences of victims, offenders and communities.

At the University of Exeter, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad and places particular emphasis on quantitative analysis, developing rigorous data skills that open a wide range of doors beyond criminology itself. You will engage with statistical methods and empirical research in ways that build the capacity to work with evidence critically and to communicate findings clearly. Alongside quantitative skills, you will study criminological theory, the sociology of crime and deviance, the criminal justice system, victimology, policing, penology and the politics of crime and punishment.

The year abroad provides the opportunity to study criminal justice in a different national context, which is valuable for understanding how different societies conceptualise crime and organise their responses to it. Comparative perspective is one of the intellectual strengths the subject can offer, and experiencing it firsthand in another country is one of the best ways to develop it.

Graduates go on to careers in the criminal justice system, including the probation and prison services, policing and youth offending, as well as in research, policy, social care, journalism, charities and the civil service. The quantitative and analytical skills developed through the programme are valued across many sectors beyond criminal justice. Some go on to postgraduate study in criminology, law, social policy, data science or related fields.