Criminology

Criminology is the social science of crime: why it happens, who commits it, how society responds to it, and what drives the patterns of offending and victimisation that shape communities and justice systems. It draws on sociology, psychology, law, and public policy to examine crime not as an isolated act of individual deviance but as a social phenomenon that is deeply connected to structural inequalities, cultural norms, institutional practices, and political choices. Criminology asks critical questions about who gets defined as criminal, how the justice system operates in practice, and whether the responses society deploys are effective, fair, or humane.

At the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, this three-year full-time programme gives you a rigorous grounding in criminological theory and research alongside an understanding of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. You will study the major theoretical traditions in criminology, the sociology of crime and deviance, policing and criminal investigation, the courts, sentencing, imprisonment, probation, and the experience of victims. The degree includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement, providing substantial opportunities to gain professional and international experience.

The placement year and work placement give you direct experience of how criminal justice operates in practice, in settings such as probation services, youth offending teams, police organisations, or voluntary sector agencies working with offenders or victims.

Graduates in criminology go on to careers in probation, the prison service, policing, youth justice, social work, policy research, legal services, and the many voluntary organisations that work within and alongside the criminal justice system. The analytical, research, and communication skills the degree develops are also valued in journalism, the civil service, and education. Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in criminology, law, social policy, or social work.