Criminology and American Studies

Criminology and American Studies is an intellectually rich combination that brings together the systematic study of crime, justice and social control with a broad engagement with the history, politics, culture and society of the United States. The pairing is more coherent than it might initially appear: the United States has one of the world's most extensively studied criminal justice systems, a history shaped profoundly by questions of law, punishment and social order, and a cultural output that returns constantly to crime, transgression and justice as themes.

At the University of Essex, over four years of full-time study, you will develop a grounded understanding of criminological theory, exploring how different intellectual traditions, from sociology and psychology to political economy and critical theory, have tried to explain why crime occurs, how it is defined and how societies respond to it. Alongside this, the American Studies strand introduces you to the broader cultural, political and historical forces that have shaped the United States from its colonial origins to the present, drawing on literature, film, history and politics. The combination asks you to think across disciplinary boundaries and to apply insights from each subject to the other, whether you are analysing mass incarceration, the representation of crime in American media or the politics of policing.

Both disciplines develop strong analytical and research skills, the ability to evaluate evidence critically and the capacity to write and argue clearly about complex social and cultural phenomena. Essex's strong reputation in the social sciences provides a stimulating environment for this kind of interdisciplinary work.

Graduates pursue careers in criminal justice, probation, social work, policy analysis, journalism, the civil service, the charity sector and education. The transatlantic perspective the degree provides is also valuable for roles in international organisations and NGOs. Postgraduate study in criminology, law, American studies, public policy or social research is a natural next step for many graduates.