Criminology with Study Abroad

Criminology applies the methods and insights of several disciplines to some of the most pressing questions in public life: why do people commit crimes, how do societies respond, and what can the criminal justice system realistically achieve? At the University of Bristol, this four-year full-time degree takes a genuinely multidisciplinary approach, drawing on sociology, law, psychology, history, social policy and philosophy to examine crime and justice from multiple angles. The title signals that a year abroad is built into the programme structure, giving you the experience of studying criminal justice in a different national context and comparing approaches across systems.

You will explore the theories that have been developed to explain criminal behaviour, from classical deterrence models through to contemporary sociological and psychological accounts. You will analyse how laws are made and how they reflect particular social and political values, and you will examine how institutions such as the police, courts and prison system operate in practice compared to their stated aims. Questions of race, class, gender and inequality run through the subject, and you will develop the research methods to interrogate evidence rather than accept received wisdom.

A typical tariff of around 136 points is expected for entry to this programme.

Graduates in criminology pursue careers across criminal justice agencies, including the police, probation and prison services, as well as in social work, youth work, policy analysis, the voluntary sector and journalism. Research roles in think-tanks, universities and government departments draw on the analytical and methodological skills the degree develops. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in criminology, law, social policy or forensic psychology, deepening their expertise before moving into specialist roles.