Sociology and Criminology with Foundation Year

Sociology and criminology together provide an analytical framework for understanding the social forces that shape human behaviour and the institutions that societies construct to define, manage and respond to deviance and harm. Sociology examines how structures of class, race, gender and power produce inequality and shape everyday life. Criminology applies comparable analytical tools to crime, law and criminal justice, asking who is criminalised, why, and with what effects on individuals and communities.

Studied together, they develop the capacity to think critically about social problems and to understand the structural roots of issues that might otherwise seem purely individual.

At Birmingham City University, this four-year full-time programme with a foundation year is designed for students who do not initially meet the standard entry requirements for a direct undergraduate degree but who have the ability and commitment to succeed. The foundation year builds the knowledge, skills and academic confidence needed to begin the degree programme on a strong footing, before you progress into the full sociology and criminology qualification. You will engage with major theoretical traditions and empirical research in both disciplines, developing the analytical, research and communication skills that professional and academic careers in these fields require.

Graduates from sociology and criminology programmes work across social services, youth justice, probation, the police, community development, policy research, the voluntary sector and education. Many go on to postgraduate study in social work, criminology, public policy or sociology, which provides more specialist preparation for research, management and leadership roles. The analytical and research skills of the degree are also valued in journalism, communications, human resources and the media, and the foundation year makes the programme accessible to students from a wider range of educational backgrounds.