Sociology and Criminology

Sociology and criminology complement each other naturally, because crime is always a social phenomenon: it is defined by societies, policed by institutions, experienced in communities, and shaped by inequalities of class, race, and gender. Sociology provides the broader theoretical and empirical tools for understanding social life, social relations, and how structures reproduce themselves. Criminology applies those tools, and others borrowed from psychology and law, to the specific field of crime and social control.

Studying them together gives you a genuinely critical understanding of why crime is distributed as it is, who the criminal justice system serves, and what alternatives might look like.

At Birkbeck, this programme combines the study of social life and social relations with the field of criminology and the investigation of crime and its control. You will engage with sociological theory and research methods alongside criminological debates about offending, victimisation, policing, sentencing, and penal policy. Birkbeck's distinctive evening teaching model means the programme is studied part-time and is accessible to those managing work or other commitments alongside their degree.

The typical entry tariff is 88 points.

Graduates of sociology and criminology programmes pursue careers in the criminal justice system, including the police, probation, and prison services, as well as in social work, community development, the voluntary sector, local government, and policy research. The sociological dimension of the degree also opens doors to roles in education, journalism, human resources, and public administration. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in criminology, sociology, social policy, or law, building on the critical and empirical skills the undergraduate programme has developed.