Criminology

Criminology is the social scientific study of crime, deviance, and the social responses to them. It asks who defines what counts as criminal, why those definitions change over time, what causes people to engage in law-breaking behaviour, how crime affects victims and communities, and how the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, and prisons, responds to crime and punishment. Unlike forensic science, which deals with the physical investigation of crime scenes, criminology is a social science, drawing on sociology, psychology, law, philosophy, and history to understand crime as a social and political phenomenon rather than purely as an individual act.

At the University of Salford, this three-year full-time degree develops a rigorous grounding in criminological theory and empirical research. You will examine the major theoretical frameworks for understanding crime and deviance, from classical and biological theories through to strain theory, subcultural approaches, labelling theory, feminist criminology, and critical perspectives that examine how race, class, and gender shape both crime and criminal justice. The programme engages with contemporary issues including the policing of marginalised communities, the politics of imprisonment, the treatment of victims, restorative justice, and emerging questions around cybercrime, terrorism, and corporate wrongdoing.

Research methods are central to the degree, developing your ability to collect, analyse, and interpret both quantitative and qualitative evidence about crime and its social context.

Criminology graduates enter careers in criminal justice, social work, probation, the prison service, youth justice, policing, charity and advocacy work, research, policy, and education. The analytical, research, and communication skills the degree develops are valued across a wide range of public sector and voluntary sector roles. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in criminology, criminal justice, social policy, law, or related fields, building the specialist expertise needed for research, policy, or senior professional roles.

Some graduates also use criminology as a foundation for conversion to law, social work, or psychology qualifications.