Criminology and Forensic Investigation

Criminology and forensic investigation is a degree that combines the social scientific study of crime and criminal justice with the practical and scientific methods used to gather, analyse, and present physical evidence in criminal investigations. Criminology examines why crime occurs, how it is defined and measured, how criminal justice systems respond to it, and what effects those responses have on individuals and communities. Forensic investigation adds a technical and evidential dimension, concerned with crime scene examination, physical evidence analysis, and the role of scientific evidence in criminal proceedings.

At the University of Portsmouth, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement, making it an unusually rich and experientially varied degree. Portsmouth has a strong tradition in forensic and investigative science and is one of the UK's leading universities in this area, with connections to police forces, forensic laboratories, and criminal justice agencies that support professional experience opportunities. The sandwich year and work placement give you direct exposure to criminal investigation or forensic science in practice, while the year abroad offers the opportunity to engage with criminal justice and forensic science in another national context.

You will study criminological theory, the sociology of crime, criminal justice systems, policing, forensic scene examination, trace evidence, digital forensics, and the legal framework governing the use of forensic evidence. You will develop both analytical and practical skills, understanding both the social contexts of crime and the scientific methods used to investigate it.

Graduates move into roles in policing and forensic investigation, forensic laboratories, the Crown Prosecution Service, intelligence agencies, victim support, probation, and research. The combination of social scientific and technical skills is valued across the criminal justice sector, and many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in forensic science, criminology, or criminal law.