Criminology

Criminology is the interdisciplinary study of crime, deviance, and the social responses to them. It draws on sociology, law, psychology, philosophy, and policy to ask some of the most pressing questions in public life: why do people commit crimes, how does society define and respond to deviance, what do the criminal justice system and the prison system actually achieve, and how are the experiences of victims and offenders shaped by social inequalities of class, race, and gender? As a part-time programme at UWE Bristol, it allows you to pursue this demanding and socially important field of study alongside other commitments.

You will explore theories of crime from classical approaches to the most recent sociological and psychological accounts, examine the workings of the police, courts, and penal system, and engage with debates about prevention, punishment, rehabilitation, and restorative justice. The programme is designed to develop specialist knowledge and critical thinking skills that are recognised by employers in criminal justice, social work, policy, and research. A sandwich year and a work placement are built in, giving you professional experience in relevant settings, and a year abroad broadens your comparative perspective on how different jurisdictions approach crime and justice.

Graduates from criminology programmes go on to work in the police, probation service, youth offending teams, victim support organisations, social work, prison and rehabilitation services, and community safety. Many continue to postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, law, or forensic psychology. The analytical skills and specialist knowledge the degree develops are also valued in policy research, journalism, and the voluntary sector.

Criminology is a discipline that takes seriously the social dimensions of justice, and its graduates are well equipped to work in careers where that perspective matters.