Criminology and Forensic Science

Criminology and Forensic Science sits at the meeting point of social inquiry and natural science, bringing together two disciplines that are essential to understanding crime and the justice system. Criminology asks why crime happens, how society responds to it, and what drives patterns of offending across different communities and contexts. Forensic Science provides the physical and chemical toolkit that investigators use to reconstruct events, identify perpetrators, and present evidence in court.

Studying both together gives you a distinctive perspective that spans the human and scientific dimensions of criminal justice.

On this programme at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, you will explore theories of criminal behaviour alongside practical techniques in forensic analysis. You will examine areas such as crime scene investigation, the collection and processing of physical evidence, toxicology, and the principles of evidence law, as well as sociological and psychological approaches to understanding offending. The degree runs over three years full time, with the option to undertake a sandwich placement year in a professional setting, a year abroad, and a work placement, all of which give you direct experience of how criminology and forensic science operate in practice.

These opportunities help you build professional networks and apply classroom learning to real investigations, legal environments, or research organisations.

The skills you develop span critical analysis, scientific reasoning, written communication, and the ability to assess evidence rigorously. These are capabilities valued across a wide range of careers. Graduates typically move into roles in policing, probation, criminal justice agencies, forensic laboratories, and the courts system.

Others go on to work in policy, research, or academia, or into roles in security, intelligence, or social services where an understanding of crime and evidence is directly useful. Some graduates choose to continue into postgraduate study, specialising further in forensic science, criminology, law, or criminal justice administration. Whatever direction you take, this degree equips you to think carefully and act responsibly in complex human situations.