Sociology and Criminology

Sociology and criminology together provide a powerful analytical framework for understanding the social forces that shape human behaviour and the systems societies construct to define, respond to and manage deviance and harm. Sociology examines how social structures, institutions and cultural forces produce inequality, identity and collective life. Criminology applies a comparable analytical rigour to crime, asking not just what crime is but who defines it, who is most likely to be criminalised, and what the real effects of punishment and justice systems are on individuals and communities.

Together, they develop the sociological and criminological imagination that allows you to see beyond surface appearances and to understand the structural roots of the issues that make headline news.

At the University of Westminster, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich year in professional placement, a year abroad and a work placement, giving you substantial practical and international experience alongside your academic study. You will engage with the key issues of our time, including immigration, crime, social injustice and youth unemployment, developing both sociological and criminological frameworks for understanding how these phenomena are produced and what might be done about them. The programme develops your analytical, research and communication skills in ways that are directly relevant to careers in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Graduates from sociology and criminology programmes work across the criminal justice system, social services, community development, policy, research, journalism and the voluntary sector. Many pursue careers in probation, youth justice, social work, the police, advocacy organisations and local government. The analytical and research skills of the degree are also valued in communications, human resources, public affairs and education.

Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in criminology, social work, public policy or sociology, which provides more specialist preparation for research, management and leadership roles.