Criminology with Counselling

Criminology with Counselling is a programme that brings together two disciplines concerned, in different but complementary ways, with understanding human behaviour and responding to it constructively. Criminology examines what behaviour comes to be defined as criminal, who has the power to make that definition, why crime occurs and how societies and institutions respond to it. It is not primarily concerned with forensic investigation but with the causes of crime and deviant behaviour, the social and structural conditions that produce them, and the effectiveness and fairness of the criminal justice system in addressing them.

Counselling, meanwhile, is a professional practice concerned with supporting individuals through psychological distress, trauma, difficult relationships and life challenges, using established therapeutic frameworks and careful, empathic listening.

At the University of Salford, this part-time programme allows you to study across both disciplines in a flexible format suited to those who have professional, caring or other commitments alongside their studies. You will develop sociological, psychological and criminological frameworks for understanding crime, deviance and social control, while also building the therapeutic knowledge and reflective practice skills that underpin effective counselling work. The combination is particularly relevant to those who wish to work in criminal justice settings, victim support, offender rehabilitation, probation services, social work or community mental health.

Graduates from Criminology with Counselling programmes are well-prepared for roles across the criminal justice system, the voluntary sector, social services, mental health services and community support organisations. Probation work, victim support, youth offending teams, substance misuse services, prison education and resettlement support are all areas where this combination of knowledge and skills is directly applicable. Many graduates go on to further study in counselling, social work, criminal justice or psychology to develop the specialist qualifications that particular roles require.