Sociology & Criminology

Sociology and criminology is a pairing that brings two closely related disciplines into productive dialogue. Sociology examines how social structures, institutions, and cultural forces shape human behaviour and social life, asking how class, gender, race, and power produce the patterns of inequality and cooperation we observe in society. Criminology applies a similar analytical lens specifically to crime, deviance, and the systems of social control that define and respond to them.

Together they give you a particularly rich understanding of why crime occurs, how it is distributed across social groups, and how the definition and response to crime reflects broader social values, power relations, and institutional priorities.

At the University of Southampton, this three-year full-time BSc programme explores the relationship between social behaviour and crime, examining how perceptions of right and wrong change across time and between cultures. You will learn from academics who are consulted by government, criminal justice agencies, and the media, meaning the programme is grounded in research that engages directly with real policy and practice questions. You will study sociological theory, methods, and empirical research alongside criminological content covering crime causation, victimology, policing, courts, prisons, and rehabilitation.

You will develop skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods, evidence evaluation, theoretical analysis, and clear written and verbal communication. The combination of sociological depth and criminological focus makes you analytically versatile.

Graduates from sociology and criminology programmes pursue careers in social research, policing, probation, social work, youth justice, policy, the voluntary sector, education, and a range of other fields. The analytical skills developed are valued across both public sector and third sector organisations. Postgraduate study in criminology, sociology, social work, or public policy is a natural next step.